Learn more about the following New England Extension highlights:
Regional
Training Highlights
Nutrient,
Pest & Manure Management Assistance
Soil Testing
Integrated Pest Management
Regional Training Highlights
The New England Regional
In-Service Training for Agricultural Service Providers
Program:
Since 1996 , UMaine Cooperative Extension coordinates
and conducts an annual two-day regional collaborative workshop
in southern NH. This provides New England agricultural
service providers with Certified
Crop Advisor (CCA) recertification credits and
encourages these providers to use agricultural BMPs in addition
to presenting on emerging research, technology and policy
issues. Extension educators and affiliates from various
agencies and organizations throughout the northeast and
Canada present subject matter that is integrated across
all CCA competency areas.
Annual Winter Training:
2007 Program Summary 
2006 Program Summary
Summer
Field Training : UMaine
coordinates a summer CCA field training program each year.
The event is often combined with other organizational events
such as the Northeast SARE annual summer tour and rotated around
the New England States. View our 2006 summary
report.
Regional Workshops, Field Days and Farm Tours:
Each year, New England Extension conducts a series of workshops, farm tours and field days that highlight research and train farmers, agricultural service provides and partners. Visit our events page for highlights including the annual UMaine Sustainable Agriculture Field Day at the Rogers Research Farm. 
Nutrient, Pest and Manure Management Assistance: Projects and Programs
New England Cooperative Extension coordinates, participates and lends assistance to a variety of
projects and programs that assist farmers, federal and state agencies, agricultural professionals
and organizations with nutrient, pest and manure management.
VT Farmers' Watershed Alliance and Nutrient Management Plan Curriculum:
UVM Extension completed a 5 week curriculum and needs assessment
to teach livestock farmers how to develop a Nutrient Management
Plan that meets Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
and VT Department of Agriculture nutrient management standards during February
and March 2006. As of February 2007, 30 farms have taken the 5 week course
(3 hours/week) and 28 farms have developed plans on a total of 14,342 acres.
50% of farmers will apply less nitrogen and phosphorus and
67% will save money. UVM partners with VT NRCS to conduct the courses and
is developing a course curriculum that will be available for the region.
UVM, URI, and RI NRCS plan to adapt the curriculum for RI livestock and
turf farms, and to pilot a course in 2008.
The development of the UVM nutrient management plan curriculum resulted from the creation of the
Farmer’s Watershed Alliance (FWA) by local farmers and the UVM Extension. The FWA, which
encompasses two targeted sub-watersheds within Lake Champlain, works to increase farmer awareness and
adoption of best management practices that protect and improve water quality by acting on new knowledge
gained through farmer to farmer networking, self evaluation, nutrient management plan development,
and on-farm demonstration. There are currently 36 farms that have made significant accomplishments in
reducing the agricultural impact on water quality. In the fall of 2006, a farm assessment program was
started to help farmers identify environmental risks on their farms. All participating farms have
addressed at least one identified environmental risk. For more information contact
Heather Darby.
eOrganic for eXtension:
UVM is a co-leader in developing eOrganic as a Community of Practice for eXtension. UVM received $200,000 along with Oregon and Illinois ($600,000) to complete this work. For more information contact Heather Darby.
Soil Health Evaluation:
UVM and Cornell University are working together to develop and
implement a Soil Health Evaluation Tool. Soil quality indicators are
being developed based on research from LGU and on-farm sites. For more
information contact Heather Darby.
MA Feed Management Survey and Fecal P Indicator Test:
UMASS Extension has finished a five page in-depth survey with over 40 dairy farmers through face to
face collection of farm data and manure samples for running the fecal P indicator test during the
winter 2006. This one hour plus farmer interview enabled individual farmer education on feed and
nutrient application issues related to phosphorus management. The survey data was summarized and presented at the 2007
New England In-service Training for Agricultural Service Providers.
ME extending research-based information to organizations that influence policy development and needs assessment
UMaine Extension has completed a second full year working with
the Maine Board of Pesticides Control, and recently began a first term
serving on the board of the Maine Organic Farmer and Gardeners Association.
In these capacities, UMaine Extension is extending research-based information
that influences policy decisions and identifies areas of educational
need for the farming community.
UConn Nutrient Management Plans
UCONN partners with CT NRCS and CT Department of Environmental Protection to develop performance-based Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans that incorporate current research on soil and tissue testing and comprehensive field data collected over multiple years. UCONN has over 9,500 acres under these performance-based plans.
For more information, visit our
Nutrient management Tools and Technology
and Animal Waste Management research pages.
Soil Testing
Soil testing offered through New England Land Grant Universities enables farmers to assess the
condition of their soil so that they only add the fertilizer or manure needed. This prevents
excess nutrients from entering ground and surface water.
University of Connecticut
Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory
Maine Soil Testing Service
University of Massachusetts
Soil and Plant Tissue Testing Laboratory
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
Analytical Services Lab
University of Vermont
Agricultural and Environmental Testing Lab
Integrated Pest Management
In 2006, UMaine Extension completed a second full year working with the
Maine Board of Pesticides Control and began a first term serving on the
board of the Maine Organic Farmer and Gardeners Association. In these capacities,
UMaine has the opportunity to influence policy decisions and identify areas
of educational need for the farming community.
Pro New England
is a collaborative of the six New England Land Grant Universities and their Cooperative
Extension programs working together to communicate pest management
research and information with a regional focus. Their goal is effective, economical,
environmentally-sound, and socially-sensitive pest management for New England.
In addition, each New England Land Grant University has an
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. IPM is a sustainable
approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools
in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks. The goal of the programs
are to provide research-based information, education, and cost effective techniques to farmers,
agricultural service providers, and others to use in producing high yields of quality products
and maintaining crops while reducing potential adverse effects on human health and the
environment. These programs are enhancing the adoption of IPM practices throughout New England
thereby improving and protecting water quality.
University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension IPM
University of Maine Cooperative Extension IPM
University of Massachusetts Extension IPM
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension IPM
University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension IPM
University of Vermont Extension IPM
To learn more about research-based Extension at New England Land Grant
Universities related to Nutrient and Pesticide Management, visit the following websites:
University of Maine Cooperative Extension Water Quality Program:
University of Maine Cooperative Extension:
Sustainable Agriculture
University of Massachusetts Extension:
Crops, Dairy, Livestock
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension:
Water Quality Programs in Agriculture
Turf
Vegetables
University of Vermont:
Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Crops and Soils
Nutrient and Manure Management
The Vermont CropMD Computer Software
