Common use of Lessons learned Clause in Contracts

Lessons learned. Lessons learned by the project staff are numerous. The best way to be able to help producers is to “do it ourselves” so we can really know the production challenges that are being faced by growers. The experimental hopyard is helping us collect valuable data but also allowing us to “experience” hops just like a grower. Through this process we are able to alert growers when pests arrive and/or share our mistakes with new growers. Hops are a complex crop. There are significant startup costs, both economically and in time and labor. Constituents have commented how invaluable they have found the Building a Hopyard YouTube videos and construction costs fact sheets, and how much they have appreciated the opportunity to be able to visit a hopyard prior to constructing one themselves. Variety selection is a major decision, and we are proud to be able to offer some baseline data on variety suitability through our research. Hops are very disease susceptible, particularly to downy mildew, which is a consideration that every grower should be undertaking, but other pest factors seem to be worth consideration as well. There are numerous hop pests and beneficial insects specific to the Northeast that are not found in the main hops production areas of the world. Further work is certainly needed in this domain. Planting varieties that don’t thrive or yield well in this climate is economically unsound. Our first year harvest data is an indicator of the potential of each of the 20 varieties trialed, but as hops take three years to reach peak production, further research is needed. Small-scale infrastructure is a continued stumbling block in hops production in the Northeast. The mobile hop harvester designed courtesy of a SCBGP grant has taken steps to alleviate this issue, as has UVM Extension’s work with small-scale hops balers and oasts. The future bears great promise once these works have been completed and made publicly available. CONTACT PERSON Xx. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, UVM Extension Agronomist, (000) 000-0000, xxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxx.xxx

Lessons learned. Lessons learned The need for GAP audits and practical food safety trainings will continue to grow as the industry requirements for increased reporting, traceability, and food safety practices expand. More producers are looking to wholesale markets to expand their operations and add new customers. Additional farms feel driven to participate in GAP audits for liability purposes. Regardless, the need to support GAP auditors and alleviate the initial costs associated with the food safety third-party audits will continue to be a requirement of the produce industry. Additional distributors and retailers are pushing for GAP certification and the industry’s trend may require USDA GAP auditors to become trained in harmonized GAP audits, requiring additional travel and trainings. This will also translate into additional literacy training for growers who will need to meet additional reporting and record keeping requirements. CONTACT Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Local Foods Administrator, Vermont Agency of Agriculture Xxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xx.xx PROJECT 8: Hop Production Systems Research – Previously Accepted PROJECT SUMMARY New England is home to many high-quality microbreweries. With the popularity of the local food movement reaching into the beverage market, many local breweries have expressed interest in encompassing local ingredients in their beers. As hops haven’t been commercially grown in this area for over a hundred years, the purpose of this grant was to provide high-quality local research and technical assistance to farmers looking to diversify with hops. It is projected that in the upcoming year, the number of microbreweries across the nation will increase by the project staff are numerous25%. The best craft beer industry is highly competitive and brewers are always looking for something that will give them an edge over the competition. Brewing beers with terroir is one of these ways. In these tough economic times, diversifying in agriculture is a good way to ensure economic stability. Hops sold locally have a high economic return, grossing between $10,000 and $20,000 per acre, and provide an excellent new market. However, the vast majority of hops research and outreach has been developed for the arid Pacific Northwest, where 99% of commercial hops are produced. The applicability of this research is limited in the humid Northeastern climate, fostering the need for locally relevant, high-quality research based information and a source through which that information can be able to help producers distributed as it is developed. PROJECT APPROACH The objective of this program is to “do it ourselves” so we can really know the production challenges that are being faced by growers. The experimental hopyard is helping us collect valuable data but also allowing us develop local and relevant research and outreach applicable to “experience” hops just like a grower. Through this process we are able to alert growers when pests arrive and/or share our mistakes with new growers. Hops are a complex crop. There are significant startup costs, both economically and in time and labor. Constituents have commented how invaluable they have found the Building a Hopyard YouTube videos and construction costs fact sheets, and how much they have appreciated the opportunity to be able to visit a hopyard prior to constructing one themselves. Variety selection is a major decision, and we are proud to be able to offer some baseline data on variety suitability through our research. Hops are very disease susceptible, particularly to downy mildew, which is a consideration that every grower should be undertaking, but other pest factors seem to be worth consideration as well. There are numerous hop pests and beneficial insects specific to the Northeast that are not found in the main hops production areas of the world. Further work is certainly needed in this domain. Planting varieties that don’t thrive or yield well in this climate is economically unsound. Our first year harvest data is an indicator of the potential of each of the 20 varieties trialed, but as hops take three years to reach peak production, further research is needed. Small-scale infrastructure is a continued stumbling block in hops production in the Northeast. The mobile hop harvester designed courtesy of a SCBGP grant Through this project research on hops production has taken steps to alleviate this issue, as has UVM Extension’s work with small-scale hops balers been initiated and oasts. The future bears great promise once these works numerous educational materials and programs have been completed and made publicly available. CONTACT PERSON Xx. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, UVM Extension Agronomist, (000) 000-0000, xxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxx.xxxdelivered to stakeholders.

Lessons learned. Lessons Perhaps the most important lesson learned was how customized, personalized, and technology driven marketing efforts of individual businesses have become in our industry. One consistent point of feedback in our group conversations, whether with growers or retailers, was the request that materials be made generic and available online so that they could be downloaded and integrated in to existing branding and signage designs. Another challenge we encountered was the immense amount of data the grower community wanted included in a print directory, and the way in which it was to be referenced. The result was of this was again the development of a new online membership database that allows members to update their availabilities as they see fit and have them searchable. This same online database will provide for growers, retailers, and landscapers to add ‘Jersey Grown’ availabilities, photos and other information that will be searchable by consumers. The results of this project and the decision, based on project feedback from intended project beneficiaries, to move to a custom technology rather than a print solution was an unexpected outcome which we believe will extend the benefits of this project well beyond the timeframe originally defined by the project staff are numerousgrant agreement. The best way biggest obstacle that was encountered was adapting the work plan as the delivery method for the project deliverables evolved. Or presentations at meetings and facilitated roundtables often raised more questions and ultimately pushed the deadlines back right up to be able to help producers is to “do it ourselves” so we can really know the production challenges that are being faced by growers. The experimental hopyard is helping us collect valuable data but also allowing us to “experience” hops just like a grower. Through this process we are able to alert growers when pests arrive and/or share our mistakes with new growers. Hops are a complex cropend of the project. There are significant startup costs, both economically and in time and labor. Constituents have commented how invaluable they have found the Building a Hopyard YouTube videos and construction costs fact sheets, and how much they have appreciated the opportunity to be able to visit a hopyard prior to constructing one themselves. Variety selection is a major decision, and we are proud to be able to offer some baseline data on variety suitability through our research. Hops are very disease susceptible, particularly to downy mildew, which is a consideration that every grower should be undertaking, but other pest factors seem to be worth consideration as well. There are numerous hop pests and beneficial insects specific to the Northeast still elements that are not found in where we would like them and NJNLA remains committed to continue the main hops production areas work towards the goals of this project as part of its annual operations. As a result of the world. Further work is certainly needed in above results the NJNLA feels that this domain. Planting varieties that don’t thrive or yield well in this climate is economically unsound. Our first year harvest data is an indicator of the potential of each of the 20 varieties trialed, but as hops take three years to reach peak production, further research is needed. Small-scale infrastructure is a continued stumbling block in hops production in the Northeast. The mobile hop harvester designed courtesy of a SCBGP grant has taken steps been successfully completed to alleviate this issuethe benefit of New Jersey’s horticultural industry. Contact Information; Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Executive Director 000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxx. Bordentown, as has UVM Extension’s work with small-scale hops balers and oasts. The future bears great promise once these works have been completed and made publicly available. CONTACT PERSON Xx. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, UVM Extension Agronomist, (000) NJ 08505 PH 0 000 000-0000, xxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxx.xxx0000 FAX 000 000-0000 xxxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxx.xxx Xxxxx.xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx