Sustainable Vegetable Production and Marketing

Project Leader: Ruth Hazzard

General Information

Sustainable vegetable production requires new technical solutions to problems of crop nutrition, soil, water, energy and pest management. As Massachusetts undergoes cultural and economic changes, both new and established growers must learn to produce crops sustainably and to adapt cropping systems to new market opportunities in Massachusetts. This plan will undertake research and extension to address key problems and opportunities facing the industry and the public.

Vegetable farming in Massachusetts and New England has remained vital in recent decades through constant and creative change: more direct marketing, diversification, selection of high value crops, and adoption of new technologies. The twenty thousand Massachusetts acres used to produce vegetables (worth >$80 million in farm-gate value and >$240 M retail value) are a resource for food, open space, environmental quality, economic vitality, and quality of life in the Commonwealth. Vegetable farmers are key players in the state's 100 plus farmers markets, 150 farmstands, 50 plus Community Supported Agriculture farms, and wholesale food distribution system. Dairy, livestock and fruit farmers are diversifying by growing more vegetable crops.

Nonetheless, the industry faces many challenges. These include new and more severe plant diseases, introduced and invasive pests, and expanding range of pests as a result of climate change; the need for healthy and resource-efficient technologies that provide long-term stewardship of soil, water and energy; extreme development pressure and high land values; competition from regional, national and international suppliers; establishing new farmers to carry on the knowledge and culture of farming. To remain viable, this industry needs cutting edge research that unites basic scientific investigation with applied and practical solutions, new and effective marketing strategies, and well-educated farmers who are ready for the challenges of the next fifty years. Health and environmental risks from pesticides and fertilizers should be minimized using new technologies and products, without compromising crop quality or net costs. Water and soil conservation practices are key to providing healthy crops while conserving the resource base for agriculture. This can be accomplished through collaboration with agencies, organizations, and individuals who have common goals. Diseases or pests which threaten the viability of the industry - such as Phytophthora capsici which is the most destructive disease of vegetable crops and causes severe losses to entire crops -need to be better understood, and approached with a wide range of management tactics.

Vegetable production and marketing will thrive by taking advantage of new opportunities, some of which are unique to Massachusetts and the Northeast. One of these is the expanding population of immigrants who seek culturally appropriate foods that are fresh, readily available, and affordable. Many of the crops they seek can be grown in Massachusetts, and increased availability can mean more consumption of fresh vegetables and better nutrition among immigrant communities. These crops need to be identified, production methods evaluated, and markets understood in order to be successful in growing and marketing these crops.

Vegetables are being recognized for their importance in human nutrition and their ‘functional' value in maintaining good health. The prevalence of obesity and food-related illnesses makes better nutrition a critical need. Among many consumers, there is an increasing value placed on locally grown produce, which heightens demand; organizations promoting local food initiatives support this trend. In addition to retail and direct market opportunities, demand from schools and institutions provide a push toward expanding the harvest season to meet new market opportunities. Concurrently, there is an increased interest in organic product in the marketplace and increased interest in transitioning to organic production. The strength of organic knowledge and experience among small farmers, and the depth of Extension resources and interest in organic agriculture, along with the high value and demand for organic crops and the high proportion of young farmers interested in organic production, makes this a viable direction for Massachusetts farmers to explore.

Activities

• New England Vegetable Management Guide 2008-2009
• New England Vegetable Management Guide Website
• New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference 2007
• Field Days and Twilight Meetings
• Winter Educational Programs
• Vegetable Notes Newsletter
• On-Farm Demonstrations of new crops, or innovative production or integrated pest management practices
• Market Analysis for New or Innovative Vegetable Crops
• Culturally appropriate nutrition education for low income consumers
• Proposal submitted for external funding
• Educational programs for immigrant farmers
• UMass Vegetable Program Website
• Research experiments investigating vegetable production and pest management

Inputs: Time and Effort

Outcomes:

This Project will document progress towards the following:

• Participants adopt practices that ensure the economic viability of natural resource-based businesses.
• Participants increase their knowledge and skill for practices that increase the economic viability of natural resource-based businesses
• Participants promote, implement or adopt sustainable resource management and environmental best management practices for operating Natural Resources-based businesses
• Participants will adopt practices that lower the risk from and exposure to pesticides and fertilizers
• Participants have the knowledge and skills to promote, implement or adopt sustainable resource management and environmental best management practices for operating Natural Resources-based businesses
• Participants increase their knowledge and skills to develop and market locally generated products and services more effectively

Extension program related to this project: Agriculture & Landscape