Linkage Spotlight
Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant Delivers Farmers converged upon the Student Services Center to display their wares during the special event farmers market held in conjunction with the annual Small Farm Conference.
A mid-August van tour ushered area farmers to three farmsteads where on-farm demonstrations associated with the UMES Socially Disadvantaged Groups (SDGs) Grant highlighted successful farming techniques. One stop landed the participants on the Four Mothers Farm, which specializes in organic scotch bonnet peppers, organic hibiscus, renewable energy, and emerging farm technology. Another stop was on the K&M Farm, which specializes in amaranth, okra, tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers, and pigs. And yet another stop was on the Pugh Farm, which specializes in goats and beef cattle. Each of the farms highlighted farming techniques that came out of the training provided by the community development project that was funded by the USDA Rural Development Business and Cooperative Program ($172,000) in 2016. Designed by Drs. Arthur Allen, Fawzy Hashem and Eric May, and UMES Extension’s Small Farm Director Berran Rogers, the goal was to identify individuals within SDGs who are interested in developing or expanding small businesses involved with the production and sale of various consumer products including, but not limited to, goats, sheep, yellow perch, fruits, and vegetables. SDGs, as identified by the grant, include African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Asians, women, and veterans. In addition to identifying such individuals, the grant supported technical training and
assistance on various aspects of business development and business management. More specifically, farmers who were a part of the grant were taught to develop business plans, prepare fresh produce and other food products for market, market through cooperatives or other joint enterprise approaches, and finance small businesses. The grant was specifically involved in developing a small, but growing cooperative, Somerset Solutions, which has established a produce market that will be located in Somerset County, less than a mile from the university. Additional accomplishments from this grant include the establishment of a UMES campus-based farmers market, which occurred for the past 2 years in concert with the UMES annual Small Farm Conference. It is anticipated that the market will continue at UMES for years to come. Finally, the team was able to establish a UMES-housed “Single Port Portal,” which provides small businesses, including farmers, with access to valuable online resources that can be used to upgrade, improve, and grow their businesses. The Portal is presently undergoing beta-testing for improvement, efficiency, and productivity. Dr. Arthur Allen addresses farmers during the project’s first (located in Somerset County) of four listening sessions. Subsequent sessions were held in Salisbury, Md., Delaware, and Virginia. INGENUITY | SPRING 2020
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