Let’s Talk Ag

By Staci Emmn | Editorial

New Programs to Build Capacity in Nevada Food Systems

There are new programs being released to build capacity and provide technical assistance to producers involved in Nevada’s food systems. This is an exciting time for those of us working in Nevada agriculture. I am going to put my Extension hat on to discuss some of our new programs that we will be releasing in 2023. Everyone should be aware of our Beginning Farmer Rancher Certification Program that we facilitate every spring. We were able to work with about 40 participants this year from February through May. It was really amazing to see the interest in cow-calf production, poultry, apiculture, and specialty crops. I was also very impressed with our military veterans in the program. This program is more focused on business planning, financial management, and agriculture production. We will be holding the Small Farms Conference on August 25-26, 2023 at the Santa Fe in Las Vegas.

For the last 10 years, Extension has been working tirelessly in agriculture production education. We had not really paid attention to the entire food system, which is production, processing, distribution and marketing. With a new Extension Director and USDA, Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) funding, we are embarking on some new programs. The University of Nevada, Reno Extension and Nevada Department of Agriculture are participating in the Southwest USDA Food Business Center. The Center partnership funded by USDA, AMS is to build capacity in the processing and distribution of Nevada Agriculture products. The four-state project (California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona) led by the University of California Extension system will begin July 1, 2023. We are looking forward to embarking on this 5-year project that will assist in building capacity in our meat harvest and processing infrastructure while also supporting Nevada’s specialty crop producers.

At this same time, we will be releasing a three-year meat harvest and processing workforce development program funded by the USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. This multi-year project will be a pilot to see how we can get Western Nevada College (WNC) and the UNR College of Biotechnology and Natural Resource (UNR-CABNR) working together to provide a Meat Workforce Development Certificate Program through WNC; and a 12-credit transcript endorsement through UNR-CABNR. There is an established advisory board and the project team will be working closely with Nevada Department of Agriculture that is currently working toward a state meat inspection program. I am very excited about the potential for dual enrollment that could provide entry level ag coursework in Nevada high schools. Our new regenerative ag education program funded by Western Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (WSARE) will also kick off this fall. We are starting to put the working group together. The first workshop will be held in Douglas County. There will be additional workshops in Elko County, Lincoln County and Churchill County the first year of this two-year project. Workshops will provide hands-on education with producers involved in regenerative ag/climate smart practices.

We have resubmitted grant proposals to resume our Nevada Risk Management Education Project and the USDA program access project. This will enable us to work across the state linking producers to Risk Management Agency insurance products and USDA programs such as Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Conservation Service. Producers, please pay attention and get your crop reports in so that you can access the programs. If you were impacted by flooding, please get in to see your USDA service center as there are program you may be eligible for.

Other states have asked us to collaborate on large multi-state projects that will provide us with expertise that we may not have in Nevada. This includes a climate project on the Humboldt River with some research on alfalfa production, and an agriculture related workforce development project with communities impacted by the shortages of water in the Colorado River System. We are putting new teams together on what these projects may look like as they move forward toward a funding application.

Tuscarora Farm and Ag Land

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3,796 deeded acres in 6 pastures watered by spring and stock water well. Irrigation permit on 130 acres. Well to be drilled this year. The well costs will be added to price of $2,277,559.

Ag land doesn’t often come up for sale in Tuscarora! Property consists of 563.9 deeded acres, 164 of which are under a center pivot. An additional 128 acres have surface rights out of Taylor Creek. Another 271.9 acres are in Native pasture. Big shop and several sheds plus set up for a camp or future home. Not far off paved road and country school. Price: $1,279,258.

For additional information on these properties, visit BOTTARIREALTY.COM

Paul D. Bottari

Broker, Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) NV Lic.# B 015476 Office: 775.752.3040

Cell: 775.752.0952 | paul@bottarirealty.com

530 S Shoshone Ave. • PO Box 368 Wells, NV 89835

Recipient of the 2019 Land Realtor of America Award*

*Given to just one person in the Realtor’s organization by the Realtors Land Institute (NAR branch specializing in Land, Farms & Ranches.

We are in year 2 of a 5-year project with Oregon State University’s Hemp Innovation Center. We hired a Ph.D. student with crop production expertise, Catelyn Bridges, out of UC Davis to assist us with our Hemp research in Churchill County this summer. Industrial Hemp trials will be planted in June and we will be running some survey research to identify high production areas in Nevada to investigate the potential for infrastructure in the processing and distribution of industrial Hemp products. There is a lot going on but it is all great stuff. We will continue to increase staffing levels as programs continue to grow. We have different program teams around the state, and hope to increase agriculture program coordinators in the southern part of the state with future funded projects. We have ordered our USDA inspection stamps for the mobile harvest unit and hope to have the Yerington site under USDA inspection soon. We are currently doing on-farm custom harvesting in the mobile unit. Please do not hesitate to contact any team member below with any questions regarding programs. A listing of staffing is below in program areas.

• Kaley Chapin: Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Coordinator/Small Farms Conference, kaleys@unr.edu

• Jamie Lee: Program Officer for Mobile Harvest Unit & Meat Program, jamielee1@unr.edu

• Charmi Mitchell: Poultry and Regenerative Ag Program Coordinator, cpommerening@unr.edu

• Austin Yohey: Mobile Harvest Unit & Meat Program Butcher/Trainer, aroachyohey@unr.edu

• Dan Coen: Statewide Hoop House Coordinator, dcoen@unr.edu

• Joe Frey, Hemp Research-Fallon Hub, Joe@westernstateshemp.com

• Catelyn Bridges, Hemp Crop Expertise Research- Fallon Hub, catelynb@unr.edu