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An Excursion to Easton (A short drive from the Wye Research and Education Center is historic Easton. On an afternoon with free time to spare, I paid a visit to the quaint town and explored the small community.)
When discussing equity and inclusion, farming is an interesting topic for a multitude of reasons. Agriculture is very much ingrained in the ways of our nation, for better and for worse, and this is very much evident in farming composition.
As an acknowledgement, in Queen Anne’s County, as of 2017, 52% of farms employ female producers, 61% employ producers between the ages of 35-64 years of age, 97% of all producers are white, and 94% of operations are family farms. The acreage of the farms that comprise these operations generally tends to be distributed between the minimum of 1-9 acres and upwards of 1000 acres with 42% being in the 10-49 acreage range. In terms of crops by acreage, the vast majority tends to comprise soybeans for beans and corn for grain.
When discussing equity and inclusion, it is imperative that you understand who it is you’re trying to include. How else to promote inclusion if there is no understanding of the target audience?
For the duration of my internship, I have largely been an aid in the research aspect of agriculture. You may be asking, ‘why does that matter when discussing equity?’ To harp on that question, it means that my exposure to contact with farmers and communities has largely been limited in scope. In essence, my impact on the equitable promotion of agriculture has largely been nominal. But, that is to say, that I have not had the opportunity to witness Extension’s outreach in the promotion of the concept of ‘agriculture for all, rather than the few’.
When relating to Extension’s role in equitability, the ever changing nature of funding and leadership poses a problem when attempting to reach out to the masses. This is most evident regarding the recent annexation of the nutrient management program. Regarding whether the program should be continued or not, that is not my domain as a 19 year old intern. The meaning behind the program, however, I feel encapsulates the role of extension succinctly when discussing the intersection of equitability and inclusion. Considering the fact that nutrient management programs are required across farms throughout the state, for a period of time these programs could be written for free for producers through the University of Maryland. I bring this up because it shows the dedication towards promoting agriculture for all producers, not just the few that are able to afford to continue.
I don’t ramble solely to promote Extension for the sake of promotion (considering that they are paying me, of course). I broach this subject to highlight the efforts that are being made to include the farmers of Maryland at all costs, the effort to leave no farm behind no matter if it's the 1 acre farm or the 1000+ acre farm. Although the system is not perfect, and many communities continue to struggle, whether in obtaining loans to begin an enterprise, in connecting to the correct agents, in being ignored by a system targeted at others, in the lack of agents speaking languages other than English, it is evident that, at the very least, there is hope within Extension for the wider cause. Although there is still much work to be done in promoting more diverse agricultural communities, in ensuring worker safety, in promoting an equitable community for all without leaving groups behind, the process has been set in motion. Even in this internship, we have been afforded the opportunity to see Extension first hand in hopes that we ourselves join the community in the near future. We have been included, have been provided the ability to promote, let us say, more voices into agriculture. It is a representation of the values that underlie agriculture, the unifying factor of food, of the necessity of healthy produce for all. It is a call of hope for our future so that no one is left behind, so that food is always on the table, so that the idea of a farmer is the ideal of our community.
When discussing equity and inclusion, it is imperative that you understand who it is you’re trying to include. How else to promote inclusion if there is no understanding of the target audience?
For the duration of my internship, I have largely been an aid in the research aspect of agriculture. You may be asking, ‘why does that matter when discussing equity?’ To harp on that question, it means that my exposure to contact with farmers and communities has largely been limited in scope. In essence, my impact on the equitable promotion of agriculture has largely been nominal. But, that is to say, that I have not had the opportunity to witness Extension’s outreach in the promotion of the concept of ‘agriculture for all, rather than the few’.
When relating to Extension’s role in equitability, the ever changing nature of funding and leadership poses a problem when attempting to reach out to the masses. This is most evident regarding the recent annexation of the nutrient management program. Regarding whether the program should be continued or not, that is not my domain as a 19 year old intern. The meaning behind the program, however, I feel encapsulates the role of extension succinctly when discussing the intersection of equitability and inclusion. Considering the fact that nutrient management programs are required across farms throughout the state, for a period of time these programs could be written for free for producers through the University of Maryland. I bring this up because it shows the dedication towards promoting agriculture for all producers, not just the few that are able to afford to continue.
I don’t ramble solely to promote Extension for the sake of promotion (considering that they are paying me, of course). I broach this subject to highlight the efforts that are being made to include the farmers of Maryland at all costs, the effort to leave no farm behind no matter if it's the 1 acre farm or the 1000+ acre farm. Although the system is not perfect, and many communities continue to struggle, whether in obtaining loans to begin an enterprise, in connecting to the correct agents, in being ignored by a system targeted at others, in the lack of agents speaking languages other than English, it is evident that, at the very least, there is hope within Extension for the wider cause. Although there is still much work to be done in promoting more diverse agricultural communities, in ensuring worker safety, in promoting an equitable community for all without leaving groups behind, the process has been set in motion. Even in this internship, we have been afforded the opportunity to see Extension first hand in hopes that we ourselves join the community in the near future. We have been included, have been provided the ability to promote, let us say, more voices into agriculture. It is a representation of the values that underlie agriculture, the unifying factor of food, of the necessity of healthy produce for all. It is a call of hope for our future so that no one is left behind, so that food is always on the table, so that the idea of a farmer is the ideal of our community.
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The Age of Technology (Pictured above is a DJI drone used to survey and video the shown soybean trials at WREC. With drone technology becoming more widely accessible, this has enabled for easier access to potential data possibilities). |
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