Historically underserved south Texas small-acreage farmers benefit from Extension trainings

In 2019, the Texas Community Futures Forum identified critical issues in three Rio Grande Valley counties: sustainable business models for small farms, increasing small-acreage gardens and job creation. Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties have a combined agricultural market value of $214.45 million. Small-scale producers contribute to this total market value, but actual figures are unknown. Small-acreage farms – under 9 acres – continue to increase, with a total of 1,410 farms across the three counties.

Created in 2016, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Rio Grande Valley Small Acreage Program is an educational project that benefits underserved populations. The program trains socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, young farmers and military veterans through workshops and field days using face-to-face and online demonstrations. Meeting and workshop recordings and other small acreage information is also shared on a website.

In 2023, the program conducted six trainings attended by 230 people. The first four covered production and winemaking of grapes. The fifth was on advanced ranch management, and the sixth was on specialty crops including home mushroom production and leafy microgreen production. A total of 56 people participated in the specialty crop training, with 4% being military veterans, 79% being Hispanic and only 4% having farming experience. The knowledge change for this program was 120%, which was by far the most of the six trainings. Individuals reported that they benefited from the program by $97 per acre with a total economic impact of $5,432. Combining all six training programs, the total economic impact was over $60,000.