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The focus of the Great Plains Resource Conservation and Development is to empower local
people by providing connections, training and skills needed to stabilize and grow our community
while protecting and developing our natural resources. Great Plains RC&D also provides direction
and planning to coordinate implementation of specific projects within our boundaries. Most
projects are carried out by using local volunteers utilizing help from local resources.
people by providing connections, training and skills needed to stabilize and grow our community
while protecting and developing our natural resources. Great Plains RC&D also provides direction
and planning to coordinate implementation of specific projects within our boundaries. Most
projects are carried out by using local volunteers utilizing help from local resources.
Great Plains RC&D works together with area groups and organizations who share and have a
working interest in the purpose and basic policies of the RC&D. The program emphasizes the
grassroots involvement in making decisions about our local area.
The groups and organizations that work together with RC&D include:
*county commissioners
*Native American tribes
*cities and towns
*conservation districts
*councils of government
*health agencies
*non-profit organizations
*interested individuals electric/telephone cooperatives
working interest in the purpose and basic policies of the RC&D. The program emphasizes the
grassroots involvement in making decisions about our local area.
The groups and organizations that work together with RC&D include:
*county commissioners
*Native American tribes
*cities and towns
*conservation districts
*councils of government
*health agencies
*non-profit organizations
*interested individuals electric/telephone cooperatives
| SPARC |
Many good things are happening for the South Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition (SPARC).
David Eyster furnished 500 pounds of wheat from a field that has not been touched by tillage
equipment for 10 years. Over 500 pounds of whole wheat flour milled from the wheat has been
delivered to Stillwater for our pilot project with Farm-to-School program. The whole wheat flour
grown on healthier soils through no-till conservation cropping systems will provide better nutrition
for the students and greater environmental benefits for all of us. A test conducted on the no-till
wheat flour showed a protein content of 18 %. This is in line with similar results on tests that have
been conducted in other states by the Agricultural Research Service.
SPARC has also worked with Stars and Stripes Pizza in Oklahoma City to manufacture frozen
whole wheat pizza dough. Over 700 pounds of no-till wheat was milled by Upper Red Fork for the
project. Stars and Stripes Pizza produced 1050, 12” X 16” rectangular whole wheat pizza crusts
which were used for pizza and breadsticks. This amount served three school sites in Stillwater.
Erick Womack at Stars and Stripes Pizza and Vici Grimes met with the Stillwater Public Schools in
early January to see how they were currently making their breadsticks to better understand how to
produce the whole wheat rectangular crusts to meet school food service needs. Chris Kirby is the
new Farm-to-School Program Administrator with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, &
Forestry. She will be a great asset to the project.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service has awarded the Great Plains RC&D a conservation
innovation grant to assist SPARC with market based incentives that promote implementation of no-
till conservation cropping systems. Chuck Willoughby and Jim Brooks with OSU Food and
Agricultural Products Center are working on market evaluations. Plains Grains will be assisting
with sampling and testing of the SPARC whole wheat flour.
David Eyster furnished 500 pounds of wheat from a field that has not been touched by tillage
equipment for 10 years. Over 500 pounds of whole wheat flour milled from the wheat has been
delivered to Stillwater for our pilot project with Farm-to-School program. The whole wheat flour
grown on healthier soils through no-till conservation cropping systems will provide better nutrition
for the students and greater environmental benefits for all of us. A test conducted on the no-till
wheat flour showed a protein content of 18 %. This is in line with similar results on tests that have
been conducted in other states by the Agricultural Research Service.
SPARC has also worked with Stars and Stripes Pizza in Oklahoma City to manufacture frozen
whole wheat pizza dough. Over 700 pounds of no-till wheat was milled by Upper Red Fork for the
project. Stars and Stripes Pizza produced 1050, 12” X 16” rectangular whole wheat pizza crusts
which were used for pizza and breadsticks. This amount served three school sites in Stillwater.
Erick Womack at Stars and Stripes Pizza and Vici Grimes met with the Stillwater Public Schools in
early January to see how they were currently making their breadsticks to better understand how to
produce the whole wheat rectangular crusts to meet school food service needs. Chris Kirby is the
new Farm-to-School Program Administrator with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, &
Forestry. She will be a great asset to the project.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service has awarded the Great Plains RC&D a conservation
innovation grant to assist SPARC with market based incentives that promote implementation of no-
till conservation cropping systems. Chuck Willoughby and Jim Brooks with OSU Food and
Agricultural Products Center are working on market evaluations. Plains Grains will be assisting
with sampling and testing of the SPARC whole wheat flour.
| The Joy of Eating and Living Well |
The trends in food consumption are focusing more on healthy eating. We hear every day about the
problems of overeating and the lack of nutrition. The Great Plains RC&D has facilitated the creation
and development of several projects that will address the issue of food quality and sustainable
agriculture.
The Great Plains RC&D began a facilitated process to form a regional coalition in western
Oklahoma that would improve soil quality, rural economies, and water resources. A result of the
monthly meetings of Oklahoma producers and representatives from supporting organizations was
the creation of the Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition (SPARC). The mission
statement is: The Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition will spark rural sustainability
and profitably through greater use of no-till practices and conservation systems for producers,
consumer, and communities by promotion of market based incentive, education, demonstration,
participation, and research. In 2006, a NRCS Conservation Innovation grant was awarded to
SPARC to advance their mission, and broaden their outreach.
Meanwhile the Great Plains RC&D worked on a Farm-to-School pilot project of delivering 100%
whole wheat flour (SPARC flour). The tremendous success of the pilot project has created a
demand that will require an increased production capacity of identity preserved 100% whole wheat
flour. Nearly two tons of flour was used during the test project. Also, 20,000 pizza crusts were
made into breakfast pizzas or topped with turkey pepperoni and/or cheese. The students have
taken taste tests and truly enjoyed the rolls, cookies, and pizza crusts made with 100% whole
wheat flour from wheat that was raised in a no-till conservation cropping system. In addition to the
extra nutritional value of the 100% whole wheat are the environmental benefits provided from
wheat grown in no-till conservation cropping systems. Consumer purchases will produce the
market based incentives for conservation management systems. Consumers will benefit with
healthier food and a healthier environment.
problems of overeating and the lack of nutrition. The Great Plains RC&D has facilitated the creation
and development of several projects that will address the issue of food quality and sustainable
agriculture.
The Great Plains RC&D began a facilitated process to form a regional coalition in western
Oklahoma that would improve soil quality, rural economies, and water resources. A result of the
monthly meetings of Oklahoma producers and representatives from supporting organizations was
the creation of the Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition (SPARC). The mission
statement is: The Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition will spark rural sustainability
and profitably through greater use of no-till practices and conservation systems for producers,
consumer, and communities by promotion of market based incentive, education, demonstration,
participation, and research. In 2006, a NRCS Conservation Innovation grant was awarded to
SPARC to advance their mission, and broaden their outreach.
Meanwhile the Great Plains RC&D worked on a Farm-to-School pilot project of delivering 100%
whole wheat flour (SPARC flour). The tremendous success of the pilot project has created a
demand that will require an increased production capacity of identity preserved 100% whole wheat
flour. Nearly two tons of flour was used during the test project. Also, 20,000 pizza crusts were
made into breakfast pizzas or topped with turkey pepperoni and/or cheese. The students have
taken taste tests and truly enjoyed the rolls, cookies, and pizza crusts made with 100% whole
wheat flour from wheat that was raised in a no-till conservation cropping system. In addition to the
extra nutritional value of the 100% whole wheat are the environmental benefits provided from
wheat grown in no-till conservation cropping systems. Consumer purchases will produce the
market based incentives for conservation management systems. Consumers will benefit with
healthier food and a healthier environment.
Market-based environmental stewardship is a new tool to achieve environmental goals. Such an
approach can lead to implementation of more conservation practices and systems by providing
added financial incentives. This project will develop the market based incentives to encourage and
promote the adoption of no-till conservation cropping systems that will improve soil resource
performance. Changes in management practices made by growers to qualify for certification result
in measurable environmental benefits, including improvements to wildlife habitat, reduced
erosion, improved soil quality, improved water quality, increased efficiency in use of water,
decreased toxicity with reduction of pesticides, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and
increased carbon sequestration in soils.
At the Oklahoma Food Policy Listening session the evening meal was entirely made of Oklahoma
grown products. The SPARC flour was used for the hot rolls and cinnamon rolls. The Caddo Kiowa
Technology Center Culinary Arts Class is known for their great tasting cinnamon rolls, those made
with SPARC flour had to be the best ever! The student who made the rolls commented several
times throughout the evening that the SPARC flour was the “most tenderest flour” she had ever
worked with.
The Great Plains RC&D has received funding from the USDA Rural Development and has
purchased flour milling and packaging equipment. This is needed to provide the increased
capacity to meet the growing demand of providing an Oklahoma grown and highly nutritional flour
for our public schools. Tests by Agricultural Research Service scientists have shown that wheat
grown in no-till cropping systems that have produced higher quality soils also results in higher
quality plants. The healthy plants provide healthy foods. The Great Plains RC&D and members of
the Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition are conducting their own evaluations during
this year’s wheat harvest. A continuous streaming sampling procedure was adopted to gather
representative samples from three separate farms. These samples were sent to an independent
laboratory with the assistance of Plains Grains. Soil quality analysis is also being conducted in
conjunction with the wheat sampling.
approach can lead to implementation of more conservation practices and systems by providing
added financial incentives. This project will develop the market based incentives to encourage and
promote the adoption of no-till conservation cropping systems that will improve soil resource
performance. Changes in management practices made by growers to qualify for certification result
in measurable environmental benefits, including improvements to wildlife habitat, reduced
erosion, improved soil quality, improved water quality, increased efficiency in use of water,
decreased toxicity with reduction of pesticides, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and
increased carbon sequestration in soils.
At the Oklahoma Food Policy Listening session the evening meal was entirely made of Oklahoma
grown products. The SPARC flour was used for the hot rolls and cinnamon rolls. The Caddo Kiowa
Technology Center Culinary Arts Class is known for their great tasting cinnamon rolls, those made
with SPARC flour had to be the best ever! The student who made the rolls commented several
times throughout the evening that the SPARC flour was the “most tenderest flour” she had ever
worked with.
The Great Plains RC&D has received funding from the USDA Rural Development and has
purchased flour milling and packaging equipment. This is needed to provide the increased
capacity to meet the growing demand of providing an Oklahoma grown and highly nutritional flour
for our public schools. Tests by Agricultural Research Service scientists have shown that wheat
grown in no-till cropping systems that have produced higher quality soils also results in higher
quality plants. The healthy plants provide healthy foods. The Great Plains RC&D and members of
the Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition are conducting their own evaluations during
this year’s wheat harvest. A continuous streaming sampling procedure was adopted to gather
representative samples from three separate farms. These samples were sent to an independent
laboratory with the assistance of Plains Grains. Soil quality analysis is also being conducted in
conjunction with the wheat sampling.
| Designed & Maintained by Darryl Anthony Web Design |
David Eyster and Vici Grimes as David
delivers over 500 lbs. of wheat grown
with the No-Till cropping system for
SPARC. A test conducted on the flour
from this wheat showed an impressive
18% protein content!
delivers over 500 lbs. of wheat grown
with the No-Till cropping system for
SPARC. A test conducted on the flour
from this wheat showed an impressive
18% protein content!
