PSX-6 From Bright Leaf to Berkshires: an Alternative Swine Production Course and Outreach Program

Abstract

Abstract The From Bright Leaf to Berkshires program is a two-year extension outreach initiative funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and facilitated by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (N.C. A&T) State University. The objective of the program is to train small, limited-resource farmers from across North Carolina in low-cost, alternative swine production systems, retaining ownership of their processed pork, adding value to their pork products, and the targeting of local niche markets. Small farmers in the region have been financially impacted by tobacco-related, healthcare, and social changes that have shifted both price and demand for North Carolina's top cash crop, tobacco. As opposed to tobacco, the demand for one of North Carolina's leading livestock commodities, pork, has remained strong. Therefore, training these farmers in low-cost swine production systems will allow them to diversify their operations, while producing high-end pork products that can be marketed at premium prices. Using the "farmer field school" extension approach, the training of the first cohort of participants took place between March and May of 2023 at the N.C. A&T Farm Pavilion and Swine Facility. The ages of the participants ranged from mid-twenties to mid-sixties. They were trained in employing both pasture-based and hoop structure swine production systems. The participants were also introduced to the digestive system, nutritional needs, reproductive and breeding systems, required disease surveillance, welfare considerations, and appropriate waste management of outdoor swine. The N.C. A&T Swine Specialist, Dr. Derrick J. Coble, served as the director of the program, providing the participants with some of the basic training in swine physiology and management systems. Additional experts were invited to train the cohort in other areas of swine and pork production. The North Carolina Pork Council Representative and former President of the National Pork Board, Jan Archer, facilitated a workshop in which the participants were trained in animal welfare and swine transport. The participants received Pork Quality Assurance and Transport Quality Assurance certifications from the National Pork Board for their participation in this workshop. The Technical Program Coordinator for N.C. Choices, Lee Menius, facilitated a workshop pertaining to the local food systems and niche markets for pasture-based pork in North Carolina. Dr. Stephanie Kulesza, a Nutrient Management and Animal Waste Specialist for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, facilitated a workshop in sustainability and the application of animal waste as fertilizer. The program concluded with small-scale, niche swine producers sharing their experiences in pork production. Upon graduation from the program, the participants receive their own hoop structure. Their swine operations will be monitored for three years to track their on-farm practices, participation in alternative swine production, and the economic impact of their operations to their communities.