Suburban Agriculture

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Program Description

Suburban agriculture is a dynamic mix of social, cultural, environmental, and economic forces. This program targets small acreage landowners with environmental education topics. Small acreage parcels represent as much as 60% of the total acres in the metro district, and are expected to represent 20-40% of the total land base in the "growth corridors" adjacent to the metro region. When aggregated, these parcels have the potential to negatively impact the natural environment through improper land management. This program has two primary initiatives: the Immigrant Farm Program and the Living on a Few Acres Program.

Audience

• Immigrant farm community, primarily Hmong, Latino, and African immigrants
• Novice Landowners
• Commercial Growers, particularly those on the suburban fringe

Specific Goals

• Training immigrant farmers on crop production techniques and integrated pest management
• Educate small acreage landowners on caring for their land and environment
• Decrease specific environmentally-negative small acreage practices in targeted areas

Team Members

• Cindy Tong, Content Specialist
• Bill Hutchison, Content Specialist
• Carl Rosen, Content Specialist
• Vince Fritz, Content Specialist
• Roger Becker, Content Specialist
• Terry Nennich, Content Specialist
• Jerry Wright, Content Specialist

Partners

• Minnesota Food Association
• UM Extension Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Program

What we do...

• Conduct non-formal education to the target audience via on-farm consultations, written materials, seminars, and demonstration tours
• Case Study Development for Immigrant Farmers
• Case Study Development for Novice Landowners
• Living on a Few Acres Newsletter (currently exploring new publishing options)

At a glance:

Minnesota Food Association

Printable Info Sheet