On two rainy days in February 2020, farmers and farm advisors from across the Mississippi River Basin convened near Memphis, TN for the first of two Farmer-to-Farmer Conservation Field Days that are part of an EPA-supported, multi-state project to facilitate peer learning among farmers about conservation.

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension specialists and associates lead the planning of this event. The event itself was multi-state, as an Arkansas farmer and a Mississippi farmer hosted attendees at their farms on day one to share what they have learned about how to make conservation practical and profitable. Attendees convened on day two in Memphis for discussion and further co-learning.  

This event gave farmers from across the basin a chance to interact with farmers managing land down river. Attendees heard from farmer hosts about benefits and challenges of conservation practices and engaged in conversations of how farmers can be effective watershed leaders. Post-event evaluations indicated that 70% of participants would recommend a conservation practice to another farmer; 67% planned to adopt a conservation practice they learned about at the field day; 100% of respondents learned practices that will save money on farms they manage or advise; 82% learned about a resource that can help them implement or recommend a conservation practice; and 100% gained confidence on how to better implement a conservation practice. One farmer remarked that they focus on that “one thing” – that is, focusing on taking away one piece of information that can be applied to their farming operation. This comment was observed by event organizers and has evolved into a theme within the project. The project team plans to develop a social media campaign around the “one good idea” theme.

Peer-to-peer learning is an effective and preferred way for farmers to learn new practices. In addition to this event, the project is facilitating farmer-to-farmer learning through a mini-grant program to establish or expand demonstration sites and an online platform for farmers to connect digitally. A second Farmer-to-Farmer Conservation Field Day is scheduled for later in this four-year project.