Summer Internship Program: Augusta - Position 2

Primary Program Area Focus:  ANR

1. Describe your plans for this internship.  (i.e. What specifically will the intern be doing?)

This internship will primarily be focused on Agriculture and Natural Resource (ANR) projects, as well as the Family Nutrition Program.   

The intern will work on various Agriculture and Natural Resources program initiatives including:

• Assist with monitoring VCE Corn Silage test plots
• Attend and facilitate on farm crop production producer meetings
• Assist with the 2025 Virginia Household Water Quality Program
• Assist with Agriculture/Spray Water sample collection
• Assist with forage sample collection on first cutting hay and data analysis of hay quality
• Assist with the Augusta Sheep & Wool Producers Wool Pool
• Updating ANR beef, sheep, goat, horse and crops mailing lists

• Analyze and report on historic SVAREC/McCormick Farm Cow Herd Data to develop cow calf performance benchmarks
• Collect data on standard performance analysis for beef herds using a VCE Cow Calf Herd Performance Survey and help conduct economic data for averaging annual cow carrying costs per year. 
• Assist with distribution and data collection of Virginia Quality Assured Feeder Cattle producer survey
• Assist with developing farmer to farmer mentor program for VANTAGE No-Till alliance
• Assist with planning and carrying out the Augusta County Fair Livestock Shows

SNAP Programming

• Assist with Community Garden crop harvesting and garden maintenance.
• Assist with distribution of food from garden to clientele in need
• Assist with promotion of Community Garden and services and resources to area residents
• Provide educational opportunities to clients regarding selecting healthy foods

2.  Describe the knowledge / skills you expect the intern to gain from this experience.  

As a primarily focused Agriculture and Natural Resources internship, the intern will gain experience in collecting and analyzing research and production data from and for producers.  These duties will include analyzing available research herd data from the Shenandoah Valley AREC/McCormick Farm to identify important beef cattle production benchmark information for dissemination to Virginia cow calf producers.

Additionally, the intern will gain experience in distributing surveys to producers and evaluating survey data from producers.  This survey data may include program evaluations from row crop farmers at crop production meetings, a survey for cow calf producers on annual cow costs, and a survey on the Virginia Quality Assured feeder cattle program.

The intern will gain experience in maintaining a contact/client list/customer file by updating the existing Augusta mailing list.  The intern will also gain experience building relationships with producers by contacting them and lining up producer to producer mentorship opportunities.  Additionally, the intern will gain experience designing flyers and marketing programs.  The intern will gain experience in demonstration and research data analysis in both crop and animal projects.  Below is a bulleted summary.

• Public relations and communications – updating databases and contacting clients
• Marketing skills & VCE branding – program advertising materials
• Organizational skills – juggling programs, scientific data collection
• Analytical thinking – assisting with ANR field studies

Lastly, the intern will gain experience working with a diverse group of stakeholders by assisting with a community garden at Embrace Community Center.  These efforts will include assisting with planting, cultivation, maintenance, harvesting and distribution of crops and produce from the garden. These efforts may also include assisting with various educational workshops on food preparation and nutrition.

3.  How will the intern learn about the breadth of VCE and our various program areas?

The internship is ANR focused, the intern will be given the opportunity to gain experience working in the field of Animal Science and Crop Science Extension.  Additionally, Augusta County has a large youth 4-H/FFA livestock program.  The agent will have the opportunity to work with 4-H/FFA youth, assisting with a locally hosted “Judge Like a Champ Camp” 4-H/FFA Livestock Judging Clinic and the Augusta County Fair Livestock Shows.  Additionally, the intern will have the opportunity to work with our FNP program assistant in planning and cultivating a community garden.