TY - JOUR
T1 - Promoting alternative enterprises
T2 - Assessing farmers' needs in research, education, and extension
AU - Muhammad, Safdar
AU - Isikhuemhen, Omoanghe S.
AU - Basarir, Aydin
PY - 2009/12/1
Y1 - 2009/12/1
N2 - Small farms represent a significant proportion of the total U.S farms, and current trends in agriculture pose new challenges for their viability and survival. To meet such challenges, there is a need for introducing high-value non-traditional alternative enterprises. The study reported here explored goat, organic, and mushroom farming as potential alternative enterprises. Several focus group meetings were conducted in Tennessee and North Carolina to identify priority areas for future research, education, and outreach activities. The results from the study should contribute significantly to promoting and creating niche markets for proposed alternative enterprises among small farmers.
AB - Small farms represent a significant proportion of the total U.S farms, and current trends in agriculture pose new challenges for their viability and survival. To meet such challenges, there is a need for introducing high-value non-traditional alternative enterprises. The study reported here explored goat, organic, and mushroom farming as potential alternative enterprises. Several focus group meetings were conducted in Tennessee and North Carolina to identify priority areas for future research, education, and outreach activities. The results from the study should contribute significantly to promoting and creating niche markets for proposed alternative enterprises among small farmers.
KW - Alternative enterprises
KW - Goat industry
KW - Mushroom production
KW - Organic farming
KW - Research and extension needs
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77950507713&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77950507713&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77950507713
SN - 1077-5315
VL - 47
JO - Journal of Extension
JF - Journal of Extension
IS - 6
ER -