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Submitted to: Four State Heartland Community Development Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/1996 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: The Agroforestry Program of the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, USDA, ARS, is engaged in research to develop agroforestry guidelines and technologies to enhance the competitiveness and profitability of small family farms. For its research, the program capitalizes on the two best groups of plants (trees and grasses) that grow naturally in the interior highlands of Arkansas for sustainability reasons. This presentation summarizes research results and technology packages that have great impact on rural community development. Agroforestry planting designs to incorporate trees in farms (pastures) are presented with the intent of augmenting farm income at minimal changes in the current farming practices. Pine straw harvesting as a rural cottage industry and as an integral part of small farm operations is presented. Financial and physical consequences of this type of agroforestry system (silvopasture) are assessed and compared to farms purely maintained as pastures. |
