Julia W. Gaskin
Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator
Crop & Soil Science Dept
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
Why Sustainable Ag?

• NRC 2010 Report – “Toward Sustainable Agricultural
Systems in the 21st Century”
— Feeding increasing world population
— Limits on natural resources that support ag
• CAES 2020 Strategic Plan strengthening goal
— Sustainable food production systems
• Increased public interest in “local food” and agriculture
What Do I Do?

 Public Service Associate 2008
• 80% Extension
• 20% Research
 Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator
 State Co-Coordinator for USDA SARE Professional
Development Program
Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator

 Respond to needs identified by public or county agents
 Work with CAES faculty to develop programs or research
to meet those needs
Sustainable Agriculture Website
& Newsletter

Soils and Soil Quality
Management Intensive Grazing
Organic Production
Small Farms and Alternative
Enterprises
Conservation Tillage
Nutrient Management
Pollinators
Local Foods/Marketing
Organic Production Systems
• County agents receiving
more questions about
organic
• Extension not perceived as
responsive to this clientele
• Obtained grant funding from
Southern SARE to form
Sustainable and Organic
Production Team

Sustainable & Organic
Production Team

• Agents from each district to serve as resource (UGA and FVSU)
• Seven in-service trainings
• Given scholarships for conferences
• Example – Cover Crop Nitrogen Management Workshop
• N cycle, using cover crops for N, how to predict N release
• 18 Extension Agents, 10 NRCS personnel
• Agents report used information:
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Answer client questions (64);
In regular county programming (3);
In consultation with farmers (33);
Delivered new programming (1)
Organic Production Systems

• Major update of “How to Convert an
Inorganic Fertilizer Recommendation to
an Organic One”
• Organic Fact Sheet that client receives
when check organic crop code on soil
test submission
• Working with Drs. Cabrera and Kissel to
incorporate data from organically
managed soils and alternative cover
crops into MinImob N prediction model
Food Safety for Small Farms

 Worked with Food Science, FACS and obtained multi-state
USDA National Integrated Food Safety Initiative Grant
 Developed checklist, factsheets, curriculum and videos for
farmers and farmer’s market managers
Food Safety for Small Farms

Food Hubs

 Georgia Sustainable Agriculture Consortium
• UGA, FVSU, GA Dept of Ag, Farm Bureau, Georgia Organics
Food Hubs

Baseline survey identified:
- 8 organizations
- 11 projects
Farmers needs assessment survey
- 220 responses
- 72% small fruit & vegetable
growers
- Strong interest in working
together, cooling facilities,
marketing & sales help
Farms Responding to Needs
Assessment Survey
Current Research and Extension GrantFunded Projects

• Cool season organic vegetable rotation –
Southern SARE
— Cover crop management
— Soil quality evaluation – Active C and
PMN with routine soils analysis
— Leading extension efforts
• Incorporating sunflowers in organic grain
rotation – Southern SARE
— Soil quality and extension subcontract
from USDA ARS
Other Current Research - Biochar

• Pyrolysis of biomass to produce energy (biooil and syn-gas)
• Charred by-product returned to soil to
sequester C
Pine chip
biochar
Poultry litter biochar SEM
• Potential benefits – increased yields, CEC,
water holding capacity, microbial biomass
• Evaluating effects in Ultisols of SE
Other Current Research - Biochar

• Effect of low-temperature pyrolysis conditions on biochar for
agricultural use. (Gaskin et al. 2008. ASABE 51:2061-2069)
— Feedstock had greatest influence on nutrient content, but
nutrient increased with increasing pyrolysis temp
• Effect of peanut hull and pine chip biochar on soil nutrients, corn
nutrient status, and yield. (Gaskin et al. 2010 Agronomy Journal 102(2): 623-633)
— No effect on yield
• Impact of two different biochars on earthworm growth and survival.
(Liesch et al. 2010. Annals of Env. Sci. 4:1-9)
— Poultry litter biochar caused earthworm mortality at rates used
for C sequestration
— Pine chip biochar not different from control
• Influence of biochar on nitrogen fractions in a Coastal Plain soil.
(Schomberg et al. 2012. J. Environ. Qual.)
— High ash biochars caused NH4-N volatilization of applied fertilizer
Thanks!

Julia Gaskin
Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator
Crop & Soil Science Dept.
University of Georgia
www.SustainAgGA.org