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South Carolina Simplified Farm Record Keeping System
| Name | Roy T. Hollingsworth, Jr | | Situation | The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Environmental (NRCS) Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) promotes agricultural production and
environmental quality. Conservation practices supporting agricultural and forestry viability, water quality improvements, soil and plant health,
wildlife habitat improvement, and other enhancements are needed to ensure a sustainable future for South Carolina. Small agricultural producers are a major contributor to the continued viability of rural South Carolina. Small scale producers in many cases provide fresh fruits and vegetables to the local community promoting healthy lifestyles. They also are leaders
within the community and are important components in the rural social network. The income derived from their farming operations is an important contributor to the rural economy. Farmers are stewards of the land and thus key players in the long-term management of our natural resources. They need techniques/practices which promote cost savings, while being
sensitive to the environment. Record keeping including production and financial information is the starting point in implementation of key conservation practices. | | Response | Clemson University has collaborated with USDA - NRCS as the statewide resource agency to assist small farmers, referred to as EQIP contract holders, achieve their EQIP goals. Record keeping is a fundamental component in farm management and is supported by the SC Simplified
Farm Record Keeping System for Small Farmers publication. Soil sampling, analysis, and nutrient management are topics familiar to county agriculture Extension agents. Outreach programming in group and individual settings is the hallmark of Clemson Extension Service. An analysis of data found thirteen counties with five or greater EQIP contract holders, twenty-six counties with 3 or less and seven counties with 0. Those counties with five or greater contract holders were offered a workshop for county participants. Counties with 3 or less participants were served either by site visits or invited to adjoining county hosting a workshop. | | Impact | After participating in the SC Simplified Farm Record Keeping Workshops, eleven Clemson Extension agriculture county agents provided assistance to 80 contract holders in the area of production records to support nutrient management and financial management as it related to their farm business success and environmental protection. Nine workshop sessions were held in the Savannah Valley, Midlands, Piedmont and Pee Dee regions of the state. Workshop information included an overview and update of the SC Small Farm Inititative Program, and the SC Farm Record Keeping Workshop Program. Materials given to each contract holder in attendance consisted of the SC
Simplified Farm Records Notebook, and a compact disc (CD) for computer use of a complete set of record keeping forms. Hands-on assistance was provided to contract holders at each workshop to assist them in sorting out their farm bills, checks, sale slips, soil sample and production reports as well as other income and expenditure statements pertaining to their farm business operation. Personal instructions were given on how to organize these items in the contract holder's farm record notebook. A total of 150 people attended the nine held workshops. They consisted of contract holders accompanied by family members, county agents/administrator, and USDA - NRCS district conservationist/state personnel. To gain insight as to how much knowledge participants obtained
before being introduced to record keeping at each workshop, a pretest was administered. One hundred and five participants took a pretest consisting of 10 mulitple choice questions/statements relating to record keeping. Each question/statement consisted of selecting one correct answer from a choice of four. Examples of three of the 10 questions/statements listed were as follows:
1) A farm operator should keep good financial records for what reason?
2) Your farm record keeping system should include which of the following?
3) The first and most important step in taking control of your farm
operation's financial well-being is to?
The contract holders who have attended the nine workshops have shown a positive attitude and outlook on organizing their farm record notebooks to meet the required standards for apporval by their district conservationists by the end of each calendar year. Verbal comments have been very favorable from the contract holders as to how the workshops have increased their knowledge and awareness of proper record keeping procedures to assist them in making good, sound decisions on the farm. Decisions in successful farm planning as well as production of the natural resources and environment around their farms. One contract holder has attended five of the nine workshops held, and one contract holder has attended two of the nine. One contract holder who received five notification letters acknowledged they were fully aware of the workshops being held, but just didn't have the time to attend. Another contract holder cited job commitment at night as a reason for not being able to attend, and two contract holders cited too far a distance to travel as a reason for not attending a workshop. Program success will continue to be monitored to provide additional data to assist future production and environmental issues affecting small farm business operations. |
Last update6/26/2007
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