Kansas Civil Rights Achievement Award - 2007 Recipient

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, Solomon Valley Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) area has assisted the Kansas Black Farmers Association (KBFA) in their efforts to introduce the teff cereal grain into the area as a cash crop. The RC&D sponsored and promoted a Teff Field Day held July 20, 2005. A joint meeting was hosted by the RC&D on July 27, 2006, entitled, "Spotlighting USDA in Northwest Kansas." The meeting was attended by over 130 people. The RC&D also hosted a joint forum on December 15, 2006, entitled, "How to Get the Most from Limited Precipitation," which was attended by 50 area producers. In addition, the RC&D has assisted the KBFA in developing informational programs and was instrumental in writing the following Grant proposals:

• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant to fund a project that would link farmers in Nicodemus, Kansas, and Ethiopia for a teff grain marketing cooperative
• Grant to provide risk management and marketing skills of teff and other crops to underserved and limited resource farmers
• National Conservation Innovation Grant to incorporate teff cereal grain into a market-based rotation to maximize the utilization of soil moisture and precipitation while increasing annual income for dry land farmers in Kansas

The National Conservation Innovation Grant was received in June 2007.

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Last Modified: 11/30/2007