FY2013 Vermont NRCS Outreach Plan
v1.1, January 2013
- Purpose:
One of the Agency’s top priorities is to ensure fair and equitable delivery of programs and services. Improving outreach to all our customers, especially to those who fit into a historically underserved classification, is a central goal of Vermont’s NRCS staff. New tools and methods are being created and fine-tuned to create statewide coverage and consistency in our attempts to reach historically underserved and non-traditional populations of Vermonters.
In 2013, we are using innovative methods of message delivery to promote the NRCS brand and mission to all populations in the state. We are leveraging important partnerships that will provide NRCS with wider audience that includes targeted groups. Each employee is challenged with completing at least two qualifying outreach events during the fiscal year and reporting these events to the statewide evaluation system. The event reporting and evaluation tool developed in 2011/2012 is being assessed in order to develop a more streamlined, value-oriented system that is easy to use. Outreach Committee members are working with one of the state’s database experts to design the new system.
Our goal is for NRCS programs to benefit a wider range of recipients, which in turn will strengthen the viability of agriculture in Vermont. The Vermont Outreach Committee takes the lead for ensuring important events are attended where targeted groups can be reached. This includesproper staffing and resources are available. We will utilize demonstrations of soil and water quality practices to make a resonating impression on our audiences.
In the spring of 2013, NRCS Vermont will be converting our website to the new national platform. Two members of the Outreach Committee serve as webmasters for the state website. The webmasters will receive input and be open to suggestions from the committee regarding new and innovative content to post. Content will be focused on accomplishing our outreach goals and promoting various message delivery avenues (E-blast,GovDelivery, twitter, Facebook, etc.). Our website will work to reach our historically underserved individuals with targeted documents and resources. The new website, combined with targeted messages through GovDelivery and use of headquarters’ social marketing sites, will move NRCS Vermont forward in our digital communication efforts.
- Target Audiences:
Beginning Farmers
- Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
Limited Resource Farmers
Landowners located in high-priority resource areas
oIdentified in the State Resource Assessment
oCritical Source Areas identified through the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative
- Partnerships:
Vermont’s agricultural community is known for close partnerships between stakeholder groups who share strong concerns for the environment and agricultural sustainability.
- NRCS Vermont has entered contribution agreements with the following entities that include NRCS program outreach as part of the deliverables: Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, Vermont Association of Conservation Districts and the VT Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- Vermont has an active State Technical Committee that includes representatives from all major stakeholder groups in the state. This committee and mailing list is used to send messages throughout the state and reach our diverse populations
- Through close ties with the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts and District Managers, NRCS Vermont freely shares all new outreach materials and assists in both a technical and promotional capacity in jointly creating conservation outreach materials
- Vermont USDA as a whole has partnered with the Women’s Agricultural Network (WaGN) to reach their vast network of women farmers in Vermont. This group also includes a great number of beginning farmers and limited resource farmers
- The Outreach Committee works in collaboration with the Vermont NRCS/FSA Civil Rights Committee to meet the goals set forth by the State Conservationist
- Other partners not mentioned above include: the UVM Extension Service, Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (including the following departments: Fish and Wildlife; Forests, Parks and Recreation; River Management) , Vermont Grass Farmers Association, Vegetable Growers Association, Vermont Land Trust, US Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Vermont, Audubon Vermont, the Nature Conservancy, Vermont Woodlands Association, Vermont Coverts, Vermont NOFA , grower groups, and non-profit organizations that have a natural resource stewardship focus. By working in partnership with these groups, NRCS will be better able to market our programs to the landowners with resource concerns that would benefit the most from the funding opportunity.
- Action Plan
Objective 1.Develop information on Vermont demographics to better focus efforts to underserved customers.
ACTION / START / END / LEAD1.1 / Discuss with the Civil Rights Advisory Committee (CRAC) demographic statistics compiled in FY2012 to formulate a collaborative approach to reaching targeted HUC farmers. / 10/1/2012 / 3/30/2013 / Corinne & Mary
1.2 / Post summary of applications and contracts involving HUC for FY2012, noting the change from previous year / 10/1/2012 / 12/31/2012 / Heather & Mary
1.3 / Develop a database of historically underserved organizational contacts / 12/1/2012 / 3/31/2013 / Heather
1.4 / Develop strategies to reach HUC and non-traditional customers through the USDA People’s Garden Initiative / 1/1/2013 / 1/31/2013 / Mary (Lead) and Committee
1.5 / Research opportunities to serve non-traditional customers (NHQ example: urban land farming on privately controlled land/Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative) / 1/1/2013 / 3/31/2013 / Mary & Heather
Objective 2: Acquire, customize and develop materials and systems to support staff and partners in outreach activities
ACTION / START / END / LEAD2.1 / Announce statewide photo contest to acquire a larger photo library from field employees. / 10/1/2012 / 11/30/2012 / Mary
2.2 / Photos to be evaluated and judged by the Outreach Committee. Award and recognize employees for their efforts in the Photo Contest. / 10/1/2012 / 9/30/2013 / All Committee Members
2.3 / Update list of suggested outreach activities for all staff and distribute statewide / 12/1/2012 / 2/1/2013 / Mary
2.4 / Develop a Vermont strategy for promoting soil health. Work with Soil Health committee to identify needs and opportunities / 11/1/2012 / 1/15/2013 / Nancy, Jeanne (Leads) Thom Villars
2.5 / Create soil health display materials for use at events. Goals: interactive, educational and attractive / 12/1/2012 / 1/15/2013 / Nancy, Jeanne, Mary
2.6 / Continue to develop a new database for outreach reporting, considering ease of use and value for reporting events and evaluating data. / 10/1/2012 / 3/1/2013 / Hisa (Lead), Mary, Mike Lapointe
2.7 / Maintain an organized, central library for photos on the State Office Shared Drive / 10/1/2012 / 9/30/2013 / Mary
2.8 / Organize Sharepoint folders housing images for outreach purposes so they are easily navigated / 2/1/2013 / 6/1/2013 / Mary
Objective 3: Develop targeted communications for historically underserved groups and communities
ACTION / START / END / LEAD3.1 / Finalize brochure targeted to small farm operations and distribute to field offices and partner groups / 10/1/2012 / 1/1/2013 / Heather & Mary
3.2 / Obtain input from VT NRCS staff on how to reach underserved groups through survey. Analyze and present results to committee. / 10/1/2012 / 2/31/2013 / Corinne
3.3 / Continue to develop and compile People’s Garden materials to be distributed to partners, educational institutions and grower groups / 1/1/2013 / 5/1/2013 / Mary
3.4 / Leverage relationships with VT Farm to Plate group to access the local foods movement to reach HUCs with NRCS message / 1/31/2013 / 9/30/2013 / ASTC-P
3.5 / Attend the Northeast Organic Farming Association Winter Conference with new soil health display and program materials / 2/16/2013 / 2/17/2013 / Hisa
3.6 / Solicit human interest success stories from the field to highlight successful HUC farmers in Vermont / 1/1/2013 / 9/30/2013 / All Committee
Members
3.7 / Work with the Vermont Woodlands Association to publish regular NRCS updates in their newsletters / 10/1/2012 / 9/30/2013 / Toby
3.8 / Work with Agriview (VAAFM publication) to publish success stories and NRCS updates, deadlines, etc. / 10/1/2012 / 9/30/2013 / Mary
3.9 / Coordinate with Connecticut River Watershed Council and NRCS personnel in targeted sub-watersheds to promote NRCS programs / 10/1/212 / 9/30/2013 / Toby
Objective 4: Conduct communications for more general outreach to a broader audience to improve brand recognition of NRCS
ACTION / START / END / LEAD4.1 / Attend Vermont Grazing Conference with new soil health display and program materials / 1/19/2013 / 1/19/2013 / Kevin Kaija (Lead), Sarah Larose, Mary, Sylvia
4.2 / Attend Vermont Farm Show with new soil health display and program materials. Largest agricultural event of the year, 30,000+ attendees / 1/28/2013 / 1/31/2013 / Nancy
4.3 / Continue to develop email database of conservation stakeholders for newsletters / 10/1/2012 / 9/30/2013 / Corinne
4.4 / Attend training on GovDelivery and integrate the program into the strategy for obtaining outreach goals / 1/15/2013 / 3/15/2012 / Mary
Attend NOFA Winter Conference (Covered under item 3.5) / 2/16/2013 / 2/17/2013 / Hisa
4.5 / Improve information housed on VT NRCS Website (new site to be launched by spring 2013) / 1/1/2013 / 9/30/2013 / Mary, Heather, Caroline
4.6 / Market NRCS website as a useful library of information to our stakeholders / 1/1/2013 / 9/30/2013 / All Committee
Members
4.7 / Attend Vermont Dairy Festival to promote NRCS work and relationships in largest dairy county. Participate in parade, set up display booth / 5/31/2013 / 6/3/2013 / Mary
4.8 / Work with Small Farms Quarterly publication to include NRCS feature projects / 1/1/2013 / 9/30/2013 / John
E. Budget
The following budget is an estimate and is subject to change pending approval.
Item / CostFarm Show / $360.00
Grazing Conference / $150.00
NOFA Conference / $300.00
Dairy Festival / $250.00
Lamoille County Field Days / 300.00
Addison County Fair & Field Days / 300.00
Printing and Laminating / $1500.00
Promotional Materials / $300.00
Total / $3760.00
F. Barriers
Commonly identified barriers for NRCS Vermont are time and money. Due to the current federal fiscal climate, each state is being asked to do more with less. This is exemplified in Vermont due to our small size, which requires many employees to perform a myriad of collateral duties. The outreach committee members will serve as the lead employees in Vermont to plan how to accomplish a greater promotional strategy with limited resources.
By utilizing the Outreach Committee to solicit volunteers to partake in outreach efforts from all offices will help met our objectives. As enacted in FY2012, each VT employee must perform at least two qualifying outreach activities during the fiscal year. Participation from each office will be tracked through the event reporting and evaluation tool.
VT NRCS employees will work to conserve our budget by approaching agricultural event coordinators requesting free or discounted event space. Many of the event coordinators are our partners in conservation and may be willing to work with all USDA agencies on reduced event pricing.