University of Missouri Extension, including Tim Baker, Northwest Region Horticulture Specialist out the Daviess County office, is teaming with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and local soil and water conservation districts, to promote best management practices to Amish and Mennonite produce growers in Missouri.
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MU Extension received nearly $50,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency for the outreach program.
“We’re looking at ways the Amish and Mennonites can grow good crops and at the same time reduce pesticide input,” said Mr. Baker. “There are newer chemicals on the market which are much more environmentally friendly than in the past, or else don’t require as much to use.”
The workshops will combine information on soil quality and fertilization practices, safe handling of pesticides and insecticides and integrated pest management. Workshops will be conducted in four communities near auction sites: Jamesport, Rich Hill, Lamar and Fortuna. Mr. Baker said he and Jim Quinn, horticulturist specialist out of Jefferson City, and Jay Chism, agronomy specialist out of Lamar, will be teaching their various subjects of expertise at all four locations. The workshop is presently in the planing stages and will probably be held in late February.
“We want (the Amish and Mennonites) to be successful growers because they are a very important supplier of produce to northern, central and western Missouri,” said Mr. Quinn, who is the project coordinator.
Amish and Mennonite growers sell their produce at four wholesale auctions located around the state. Quinn estimated that 10 percent of Missouri’s fresh vegetable production comes from these communities.
This production is relatively recent, he said. It started in 1994 and has grown every year. There are more Amish and Mennonite communities that also are interested in starting these produce auctions.
University of Missouri Extension is already actively involved with this group, Quinn said. Specialists involved understand that common extension outreach tools, such as information posted on the Internet, workshops located in cities and sometimes even phone calls, are ineffective.
“The way you get the information to them is to take the programming to them and tailor it to their needs,” Quinn said.