Progress 08/01/08 to 07/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Undergraduate students and faculty members in the organic and sustainable agriculture and related programs at the University of Florida (UF) and the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) were considered the primary target audiences. Changes/Problems: Although the extension program component was included, this project has been focused on the teaching and research programs. When the faculty exchange activities were conducted, it became clear to us that UPM and many other universities in Spain do not have extension program structures and thus it was very challenging for us to implement some of the activities planned for collaborations in developing and strengthening extension programs. As a result, we placed more emphasis on establishing collaborative programs in teaching and research. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The study abroad course on organic crop production and marketing in Spain developed in this project provided vast opportunities for student training and professional development. A total of 16 undergraduate students at UF participated in this course which allowed the students to: Compare the organic agriculture movement, organic production systems, and organic agriculture policy and regulations in the U.S. and Spain. Observe and evaluate critically the crop management practices employed by organic producers in Spain, including the areas of seed and transplants, soil fertility and quality, insect, weed, and disease management, harvest and postharvest handling, and food quality; and operations at organic livestock farms and processing plants in Spain. Examine the organic food consumption, labeling, and market channels in Spain and determine how it may differ from that in the U.S.; understand the factors that determine the trade of organic products between the two countries, and opportunities and challenges for global marketing of organic agricultural and food products. Identify issues and challenges that exist in local and national organic food systems in Spain as compared to in the U.S., within the context of global organic food systems. Develop professional partnerships and relationships with colleagues (e.g., classmates, instructors, students and faculty that the student interacted with in Spain) to advance personal professional development. All the participants considered the study abroad course as an invaluable experience for experiential learning and highly recommended it to their peers. Teaching materials developed as a result of the international field study were also incorporated into the organic and sustainable production courses at UF. The undergraduate international research internship program established in this project provided another great opportunity for enhancing cultural and social exchange and internationalizing the education programs at both UF and UPM. Overall, the two interns from UPM and the other two intern students from UF thoroughly enjoyed their research experience by working closely with the faculty at UF and UPM, respectively. Interacting with the students and being part of the campus life, all the interns gained substantially the cultural and learning experience that is not available at their home institutions. This international internship had a fundamental impact on their professional development and skill building towards their scholastic and career goals. After offering the international internships at both UPM and UF, we became more confident in developing the student exchange programs to foster the collaboration between the two institutions for enhancing organic agriculture research and education. The reciprocal faculty exchange program played an effective role in internationalizing the teaching and research programs at UF. The visit of UPM faculty members to UF helped internationalize the research and education programs in several Departments at UF as we actively exchanged technical information and shared research interests in various fields. It provided opportunities to develop and initiate collaborative research projects and to formalize mechanisms to transfer research findings at both institutions to classrooms and to producers. The face-to-face interaction definitely made the communication more effective. The European perspective of organic agriculture industry presented at their seminars was already incorporated into the courses on organic and sustainable crop production at UF. Knowledge, information, and insights obtained from our visit to Spain has been incorporated into development of course modules and research projects on organic and sustainable food systems and protected agriculture at UF. Joint publications were produced and additional avenues for faculty collaborations in the future explored. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We presented the project results at various professional conferences in the U.S. and Spain, such as American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Annual Conference, Southern Region ASHS Annual Conference, Sustainable Agriculture Education Association Conference, and European Network of Organic Agriculture and Agroecology Teachers Workshop. Collaborative activities and the study abroad program carried out in this project were also introduced to the communities of interest through publications of conference proceedings and journal articles. A student in the study abroad course created a YouTube video about the organic agriculture study abroad experience in Spain. This video has been effectively used in promoting the study abroad program and as teaching resources in the organic and sustainable crop production courses at UF. The study abroad participants also shared their international learning experience at the internship and study abroad seminar in the Horticultural Sciences Department at UF. Information obtained from this project about organic agriculture regulations and development in EU, organic production and marketing in Spain, and protected culture has been well integrated into the courses on organic and sustainable agriculture and horticultural crop production at UF. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The long-term goals of this project were to internationalize the organic agriculture degree program for undergraduate students at University of Florida (UF) to help prepare them as the next generation of agricultural leaders and to enhance and integrate Florida and Spain’s organic agriculture research and extension programs to strengthen undergraduate education and improve the competitiveness of organic producers. A partnership has been successfully developed between faculty members at UF and Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) through this project. The study abroad course, international internship program, and faculty exchange program were established and implemented in this project. A two-credit study abroad course “Organic Crop Production and Marketing in Spain” was designed to provide students with direct experience of the organic industry in Spain and an appreciation of European organic food systems and regulations in comparison with those in the U.S. The study abroad course in Spain was offered in spring 2009 and summer 2011 with a total enrolment of 16 students at UF. During a six-day period, students visited UPM campus and organic teaching garden, diverse organic and biodynamic farms, processors, and distributors around Madrid and Valencia as well as the citrus research institute in Valencia. Students were required to write a daily travel journal and a comparative final report to enhance their experiential learning and stimulate critical thinking. The successful implementation of the course demonstrated the effectiveness of incorporating the study abroad program into the organic agriculture curriculum. The director for education and outreach for Florida Organic Growers and Consumers Inc. also participated in the study tour in 2009 to strengthen the relationships among stakeholders in Florid and Spain. The course evaluation results showed that the study abroad experience enabled students to achieve a comprehensive understanding of organic and sustainable agriculture within a global context. It encouraged students to think more critically about their role in sustainable food system development at local, national, and international levels. Students perceived this study abroad course as an invaluable opportunity to obtain an important global perspective for professional development, which is not commonly offered by regular courses. Moreover, it increased students’ intercultural competence and understanding. The cultural exchange was deeply appreciated by students and was regarded as another valuable aspect of the international experience. In addition to the study abroad course, we also provided international internships (2-4 months) for UF and UPM students to conduct projects relevant to organic farming. Two horticultural sciences students in the organic crop production specialization at UF participated in this internship program in Spain during spring 2010 and summer 2012, respectively. Under the supervision of Dr. Teresa Briz and Dr. Maria Molina at UPM, one of the intern students worked at the organic garden on campus and participated in an ongoing project of evaluating organic farms in Madrid. She also helped develop the questionnaire and conducted the survey to compare production systems and marketing strategies between organic farms in Florida and Madrid. The other UF intern student attended the organic agriculture class at UPM and was involved in a case study analysis of consumer perception of organic food in Spain, a market overview, and the assessment of the influence of social networks on certification, consumer awareness, and responsibility. The two intern students from UPM conducted their research projects at UF working with Drs. Mickie Swisher, Zhifeng Gao, and Xin Zhao, with the focus on organic markets and consumer studies. These projects served as the foundation of the students’ thesis research for completing their degree programs at UPM. The exit interviews with the undergraduate interns showed that the international internship program had a significant, positive impact on their language proficiency (English and Spanish), technical competence, and professional development. The UPM students commented that conducting the supervised research projects at UF greatly improved their critical thinking and technical writing skills. At the end of the internship, they expressed strong interest in pursuing graduate study in the U.S. The UF students considered this internship program as a great opportunity to integrate the global perspective into their field of study. The internship also provided an important learning experience that enhanced cultural exchange and students’ intercultural communication skills. The interns interacted actively with students and faculty at both institutions, contributing to internationalization of the research and education programs at UF and UPM. The faculty exchange program was implemented successfully throughout the project period. Dr. Mickie Swisher visited UPM in 2008, delivering two presentations to approximately 50 faculty members and 300 students at UPM, introducing academic systems and organic agriculture research, teaching, and extension programs at UF. Research areas of common interest covering a wide range of disciplines from crop production and pest management to food quality and safety as well as economics and marketing were identified. The follow-up visit by Dr. Carlene Chase to UPM in 2009 further prioritized the topics for joint research projects. In 2010 three UPM faculty members including Drs. Teresa Briz, Maria Molina, and Jesus Pérez visited UF. They presented their teaching and research projects on the European organic teaching network, organic agriculture perception levels, and soil fertility under organic farming. The UPM delegation toured the research facilities and laboratories as well as organic farms and markets. In addition to meeting with faculty members and students, they visited the Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers, Inc. and Quality Certification Services to exchange information on organic production regulation. Following the study abroad trip in 2011, Dr. Zhao extended her visit at UPM. She visited the vegetable crop research labs and other facilities on campus, attended the research seminar, and discussed extensively plans for future collaborations with the project participants at UPM. The reciprocal faculty exchange program was also successfully implemented during the final year of the project. The UF delegation consisting of Drs. Mickie Swisher, Zhifeng Gao, and Xin Zhao visited the Departments of Horticulture, Entomology, Food Science, and Agricultural Economics and the Biotechnology Center at UPM. Future collaborations in teaching and research were extensively discussed particularly in the area of horticultural crop production, agricultural economics, and consumer studies. The field trips in Madrid and Almeria and surrounding regions presented a great opportunity to observe the horticultural industry in Spain and to learn about their production and postharvest practices. In Dr. Teresa Briz’s visit to UF, she presented a seminar on organic food value chain in Europe to faculty and students in the Horticultural Sciences and Food and Resource Economics Departments. She also met with several faculty members in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) to discuss research collaborations. In her meetings with the CALS Associate Dean and the Executive Director of UF International Center, continuation of the cooperative agreement and institutional collaborations between UF and UPM and was discussed. The project participants at both UF and UPM were excited about future cooperation opportunities and we feel confident that the partnership established through this project will continue to grow and evolve.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Zhao, X., C.A. Chase, M.E. Swisher, and T. Briz. 2013. Opportunities and challenges in internationalizing organic agriculture education. HortScience 48:S25. (Presented at the Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science 2013 Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.)
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Zhao, X., C.A. Chase, and T. Briz. 2012. Incorporating study abroad into the undergraduate organic crop production program. HortScience 47:S215-S216. (Presented at the American Society for Horticultural Science 2012 Annual Conference, Miami, FL.)
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Collins, M.J., X. Zhao, and Z. Gao. 2012. A comparative analysis of organic retail market trends in Gainesville, Florida. HortScience 47:S294. (Presented at the American Society for Horticultural Science 2012 Annual Conference, Miami, FL.)
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Zhao, X., C.A. Chase, M.E. Swisher, T. Briz, and M. Asunci�n Molina. 2011. International field experience: an effective approach to enhancing organic agriculture curriculum. HortScience 46:S15-S16. (Presented at the Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, Corpus Christi, TX.)
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Xie, J., Gao, Z., Zhao, X., and Swisher, M. 2011. The Impact of country of origin label on consumers' willingness-to-pay for organic food. Agricultural and Applied Economics Association Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Briz, T., M.A. Molina, J. P�rez, X. Zhao, and C. Chase. 2010. La ense�anza de la Agricultura Ecol�gica en el contexto del proyecto A Florida-Spain Partnership for Strengthening Organic Agriculture, Research and Education: Una experiencia pedag�gica. III Jornadas Internacionales UPM sobre Innovaci�n Educativa y Convergencia Europea 2009. p. 1033-1039. ISBN 978-84-692-9417-8.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Briz, T., M.A. Molina, J. P�rez, X. Zhao, C. Chase, and M. Swisher. 2010. Collaboration between University of Florida and UPM regarding an international USDA organic project. Proceedings of ENOAT Workshop. Madrid, Spain. ISBN: 82 483 00641.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2009 Citation: Zhao, X., C. Chase, and T. Briz. 2009. Developing a new study abroad course on international organic agriculture at the University of Florida. Sustainable Agriculture Education Association Conference, Ames, IA.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Zhao, X., Z. Gao, and M.E. Swisher. 2009. Exploring undergraduate interest in organic agriculture curriculum. HortScience 44:1043. (Presented at the American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO.)
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Schroeder-Moreno, M.S., S.F. Clark, C.J. Byker, and X. Zhao. 2012. Internationalizing sustainable agriculture education. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development 2:55-68.

Progress 08/01/11 to 07/31/12

Outputs
Target Audience: Undergraduate students and faculty members in the organic and sustainable agriculture and related programs at University of Florida and Polytechnic University of Madrid were considered the primary target audiences. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The faculty exchange program was successfully implemented which was critical for this final project period. Knowledge, information, and insights obtained from our visit to Spain will be incorporated into courses on organic and sustainable crop production and protected culture at UF. Future collaborations in teaching and research were extensively discussed particularly in the area of horticultural crop production, agricultural economics, and consumer studies. Mechanisms for funding the undergraduate study abroad course and faculty and student exchange programs in the future were also explored. The project participants at both UF and UPM were excited about future cooperation opportunities and we feel confident that the partnership established through this project will continue to grow and evolve. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Project results on opportunities and challenges in internationalizing organic agriculture education were presented at the Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science 2013 Annual Conference. The project PI also presented the progress and results of the project at the International Science and Education Program Project Directors Meeting in May, 2013. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? This is the final year of the project which will be terminated at the end of this reporting period.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During the final year of this project, faculty members at University of Florida (UF) and Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) participated in the reciprocal faculty exchange program that aimed at developing and initiating collaborative research projects. The UF delegation consisted of three faculty members including Drs. Xin Zhao (Horticultural Sciences Department), Mickie Swisher (Family, Youth and Community Sciences Department), and Zhifeng Gao (Food and Resource Economics Department). Our visit to UPM was very well organized by our collaborator Dr. Teresa Briz. We had meetings with the university administrators and faculty members from several Departments, i.e., Horticulture, Entomology, Food Science, and Agricultural Economics. We visited the sensory study lab and other analytical labs in Food Science. Dr. José Durán, a distinguished professor in Horticulture at UPM gave a seminar on his research in greenhouse vegetable production and introduced to us the instrument he developed for monitoring nutrient levels in hydroponic systems. Areas of collaborative research in horticultural production were discussed. In addition, we visited the UPM biotechnology research center where we toured their facilities and labs and discussed with the director and researchers about future collaborations in student exchange programs. Before we headed to Almeria for extended field trips, we also visited an organic strawberry farm near Madrid at which fruit quality was the production target. The grower shared with us his integrated approaches for cultivating and marketing organic strawberries that stress the quality attributes of berries. The 3-day field trip in Almeria and surrounding regions presented us a great opportunity to observe the horticultural industry in Spain and to learn about their production and postharvest practices. We visited large-scale vegetable farms, plant propagator, greenhouse operations, and packing houses. While we were in Spain we also discussed with Dr. Teresa Briz about her visit to UF in July. During her visit, Dr. Briz presented a seminar on organic food value chain in Europe to faculty and students in Horticultural Sciences and Food and Resource Economics Departments. She also met with several faculty members in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) to discuss research collaborations. In her meetings with the CALS Associate Dean and the Executive Director of UF International Center, continuation of the cooperative agreement and institutional collaborations was discussed.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Abstracts: Zhao, X., C.A. Chase, M.E. Swisher, and T. Briz. 2013. Opportunities and challenges in internationalizing organic agriculture education. HortScience 48:S25. Conference Presentations: Zhao, X., C.A. Chase, M.E. Swisher, and T. Briz. 2013. Opportunities and challenges in internationalizing organic agriculture education. Southern Region ASHS meeting, Orlando, FL.

Progress 08/01/10 to 07/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: An undergraduate student from Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) completed a three-month internship at the University of Florida (UF) during September-December, 2010. The intern student conducted a study to assess consumer preference for organic foods as affected by different country of origin labels. She reviewed the literature, designed the questionnaire, carried out the study, and presented the project findings in English during a research seminar at the end of the internship. A project report in Spanish was also produced when the student returned to UPM. As part of the internship program, the student also attended some lectures of classes in the Horticultural Sciences Department and the Food and Resource Economics Department, which allowed her to further interact with students and faculty at UF. The exit interview with the student showed that this international internship provided a valuable academic experience for developing communication skills and understanding the scientific research process. The student considered this internship as a great opportunity to integrate the global perspective into her field of study. The internship activities enhanced cultural and social exchange and helped internationalize the education program at UF. The student indicated that the internship offered a unique experience to gain insights into both the American culture and the Spanish culture. In addition to the internship program, we continued to organize the two-credit study abroad course "Organic Crop Production and Marketing in Spain" which was offered in May 2011. The course format was similar to that of the 2009 study abroad course. During a six-day period, students from UF visited UPM campus and organic teaching garden as well as diverse organic and biodynamic farms, processors, and marketplaces around Madrid. Students took the high speed train from Madrid to Valencia and visited the citrus research institute and organic farms in the Valencia area. Having lunch with growers on their farms was one of the highlights of the farm visits and turned out to be a unique way to understand the organic production systems in Spain. Following the study abroad trip, Dr. Zhao extended her visit at UPM. She visited the vegetable crop research labs and other facilities on campus, attended the research seminar, and discussed extensively plans for future collaborations with UPM faculty members involved in the project. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Project results were presented at professional conferences. The study abroad course and internship program were introduced to UF students enrolled in courses related to organic and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Zhao recruited a summer intern student at UF to develop the Florida-Spain partnership project website. The student participated in the study abroad course and created a video clip about the Spain trip. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Mickie Swisher (co-PI), Dr. Xin Zhao (PI), and Dr. Zhifeng Gao (co-PI) at UF supervised the undergraduate intern student from UPM. Dr. Teresa Briz (collaborator) at UPM worked closely with Dr. Zhao in the process of planning and organizing the study abroad course. Six undergraduate students from UF participated in this study abroad course led by Dr. Zhao. Three undergraduate students from UPM also assisted with some of the farm tours around Madrid and Valencia. Dr. Zhao visited college administrators and faculty members at UPM discussing future development of the collaborative project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Undergraduate students and faculty members in the organic and sustainable agriculture and related programs at UF and UPM were considered the primary target audiences. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The international internship and study abroad course helped internationalize the research and education programs at both UF and UPM. During this project period, the study abroad course and international internship program were further developed to strengthen the organic agriculture education and research programs at UF. Successful implementation of these programs demonstrated that they can be an effective approach to incorporate the international component into the organic agriculture curriculum. After offering the international internships at both UPM and UF, we became more confident in developing the student exchange programs to foster the collaboration between the two institutions for enhancing organic agriculture research and education. The student feedback provided suggestions for improvement in supervising the intern students and organizing the research activities. Students who participated in the study abroad course in Spain indicated that the study abroad experience added a new global perspective to their understanding of career development. It also provided an excellent opportunity for students to interact with and learn from other cultures. Some challenges were identified while providing solutions to overcome these challenges will help enhance the design of study abroad courses in the future to better facilitate student learning.

Publications

• Zhao, X., Chase, C.A., Swisher, M.E., Briz, T., and Asuncion Molina, M. 2011. International field experience: an effective approach to enhancing organic agriculture curriculum. Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, Corpus Christi, TX.
• Xie, J., Gao, Z., Zhao, X., and Swisher, M. 2011. The Impact of country of origin label on consumers' willingness-to-pay for organic food. Agricultural and Applied Economics Association Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Schroeder-Moreno, M.S., Clark, S.F., Byker, C.J., and Zhao, X. 2011. Internationalizing sustainable agriculture education. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (submitted).

Progress 08/01/09 to 07/31/10

Outputs
International internship and faculty exchange programs were organized during the reporting period. An undergraduate student from the Organic Crop Production program in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida (UF) completed a three-month internship at the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) during February-May, 2010. Dr. Teresa Briz and Dr. Maria Molina at UPM supervised the intern student. The student worked at the organic garden on campus and participated in an ongoing project of evaluating organic farms in Madrid. She helped develop the questionnaire and conducted the survey to compare production systems and marketing strategies between organic farms in Florida and Madrid. The interview with the student upon her return revealed that the international internship experience was effective in terms of increasing direct exposure to the global organic agriculture industry, improving technical communication skills, and enhancing competence in professional development. Some areas were also identified for future improvement to better facilitate student housing and organize internship activities. During June 21-25, 2010, three UPM faculty members including Dr. Teresa Briz, Dr. Maria Molina, and Dr. Jesus Perez visited UF as part of the faculty exchange program under this project. They delivered a seminar on the European organic teaching network, organic agriculture perception levels and education programs at UPM, and soil fertility under organic farming. Faculty members and graduate students from the Departments of Horticultural Sciences, Agronomy, Entomology and Nematology, Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Food and Resource Economics, and Food Science attended the seminar and/or the follow-up meeting. The UPM delegation toured the research facilities and laboratories as well as organic farms and markets. They also met the representatives at the Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers, Inc. and Quality Certification Services to exchange information on organic production regulation. Project development and future opportunities for collaboration in organic agriculture research and education between UF and UPM were discussed extensively during their visit. PRODUCTS: The international internship program was developed successfully to complement the organic crop production curriculum at UF. The three-month undergraduate research internship in Spain working with UPM faculty stresses improvement of competence and competitiveness of UF students in the global market. This experiential learning approach allows students to well appreciate the international organic agriculture movement and develop problem solving skills within an international context. OUTCOMES: The undergraduate student at UF benefited substantially from conducting the three-month research internship at UPM and it fundamentally affected her interested area for graduate study. The student even suggested a longer duration for the internship to optimize improvement of her Spanish. The visit of UPM faculty members to UF helped internationalize the research and education programs in six Departments at UF as we actively exchanged technical information and shared research interests in various fields. It provided opportunities to develop and initiate collaborative research projects and to formalize mechanisms to transfer research findings at both institutions to classrooms and to producers. The face-to-face interaction definitely made the communication more effective. The European perspective of organic agriculture industry presented at their seminar was already incorporated into the course on organic and sustainable crop production at UF. Joint publications were discussed and additional avenues for interaction in the future explored. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Project results were presented at the National Seminar in Spain on innovation in teaching and adapting to the new EU regulations and the European Network of Organic Agriculture Teachers workshop held in Madrid. The study abroad course and internship program were introduced to UF students enrolled in courses related to organic and sustainable agriculture. FUTURE INITIATIVES: A student at UPM has been selected to complete a three-month research internship at UF during September-December, 2010. The student will be supervised to carry out a study on consumer preference for organic food as influenced by country of origin labels. The results will be presented at a professional conference in 2011. The student is also expected to sit in two courses on organic crop production and marketing. In addition, a student from UF will be conducting the internship at UPM in 2011. We will continue the networking with our partners at UPM to prepare for the next round of study abroad course in Spain and faculty exchange program taking into consideration of the feedback from previous participants. The project website will be further developed. Joint publications will also be produced.

Impacts
The international internship program turned out to be another effective tool of internationalizing the organic agriculture degree program for undergraduate students at UF. It provided a unique opportunity for intensive experiential learning and independent study with experts overseas, helping student develop and enhance skills in cross-cultural communication and problem solving. The faculty exchange program allowed UF faculty members to understand the state of the science in the partner country and incorporate shared research interests and results into their research and education programs. It stimulated international collaborative research aimed at strengthening the domestic and global competitiveness of the organic industries of both countries.

Publications

• Briz, T., M.A. Molina, J. Perez, X. Zhao, C. Chase, and M. Swisher. 2010. Collaboration between University of Florida and UPM regarding an International USDA Organic Project. Proceedings of ENOAT (European Network of Organic Agriculture Teachers) Workshop, Madrid, Spain, 6-8 September, 2010. ISBN 82 483 00641.
• Briz, T., M.A. Molina, J. Perez, X. Zhao, and C. Chase. 2009. La ensenanza de la Agricultura Ecologica en el contexto del proyecto A Florida-Spain Partnership for Strengthening Organic Agriculture, Research and Education: Una experiencia pedagogica. Libro de actas. III Jornadas Internacionales UPM sobre Innovacion Educativa y Convergencia Europea 2009. ISBN 978-84-692-9417-8.

Progress 08/01/08 to 08/01/09

Outputs
The partnership between the University of Florida (UF) and Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) was developed to enhance organic agriculture research and education programs at both institutions. Two of the UF team members participated in the faculty exchanges to explore the mechanism for international collaboration. Dr. Mickie Swisher (co-PI) visited UPM collaborators and students in 2008. She delivered two presentations to approximately 50 faculty members and 300 students at UPM, focused on introducing academic systems and organic agriculture research, teaching, and extension programs at UF. Opportunities for collaborative research were discussed extensively. A wide range of research areas of common interest were identified including food characteristics and quality, food safety, food marketing, vegetable grafting, soil ecology, pest management, production economics, and protected agriculture. Other potential areas were also discussed such as teaching methods and techniques, spiritualism and food, effects of international competition on small farmers, effects of multiple food labels, and water quality and management. Dr. Swisher's visit established the foundation for this long-term productive Florida-Spain partnership. The follow-up visit by Dr. Carlene Chase (co-PI) in 2009 further prioritized the topics for joint research projects and publications. She interacted with UPM collaborators from Departments of Crop Production, Economics and Agrarian Social Sciences, Chemistry and Agricultural Analysis, and Botany and Crop Protection as well as some administrators. In addition, plans for undergraduate internship and opportunities for extension collaboration were discussed. Students enrolled in the organic crop production specialization within the horticultural science major at UF are highly motivated to participate in international field activities to increase their competence and competitiveness in the global organic agriculture arena. Working in coordination with Dr. Teresa Briz at UPM, a two-credit study abroad course 'Organic Crop Production and Marketing in Spain' was established. It was designed to provide students with direct experience of the organic industry in Spain and an appreciation of European organic food systems and regulations in comparison with those in the US. The course was offered to ten undergraduate students from UF in May 2009. During a six-day period, students attended a special class on organic food quality and consumption and visited UPM organic garden, diverse organic farms, processors, and distributors around Madrid and Valencia. Students were required to write a daily travel journal and a comparative final report to enhance their experiential learning and stimulate critical thinking. The successful implementation of the course demonstrated the effectiveness of incorporating the study abroad program into the organic agriculture curriculum. The director for education and outreach for Florida Organic Growers and Consumers Inc. also participated in the study tour to strengthen the relationships among stakeholders in Florid and Spain. PRODUCTS: The new study abroad course developed through the collaboration with UPM colleagues added an important international component to the organic horticulture degree program at UF. The international field experience in Spain offered students a unique opportunity to directly observe, study, and reflect upon organic agriculture in Europe in order to provide a more comprehensive perspective on organic and sustainable agriculture. This course will be offered even beyond the project period as it will become an integral part of the organic agriculture teaching program at UF. OUTCOMES: Two faculty members at UF benefited immediately from visiting UPM collaborators in Spain in terms of strengthening their research on motivations of organic food purchasers and weed management in organic and sustainable cropping systems. The organic and sustainable agriculture research teams at both institutions have been connected to exchange information and formulate plans to facilitate cooperative research. The field experience in Spain for undergraduate students allowed them to 1) evaluate critically the crop management practices employed by organic producers in Spain, 2) understand opportunities and challenges for global marketing of organic agricultural and food products, and 3) identify issues and challenges that exist in local and national organic food systems in Spain as compared to in the U.S., within the context of global organic food systems. The ten undergraduate students who took the new study abroad course all considered it as an invaluable experience and highly recommended it to their peers. Teaching materials developed as a result of the international field study were also incorporated into the introductory organic production course at UF. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Results from the project activities were presented at the Sustainable Agriculture Education Association Conference in summer 2009. The new study abroad course was introduced to a broad audience of students at the UF study abroad fair. FUTURE INITIATIVES: UPM partners including Drs. Molina Casino, Perez Sarmentero, and Briz are planning to visit the project team at UF to further the research collaboration in organic crop production and marketing. A student from the organic horticulture program at UF is expected to complete a three-month internship hosted by UPM in spring 2010. Meanwhile, an intern from UPM will come to UF to study organic agriculture. Each student will be required to write a standard research report or extension bulletins at the end of the internship and to give a seminar presentation in their home institution upon return. A faculty mentor will work with each student to publish their project papers in peer-reviewed journals or develop presentations for national or regional conferences. The project website will be fully developed and joint publications produced. Evaluation will be performed as the project progresses.

Impacts
The project activities have facilitated collaborative research in organic agriculture at both institutions based on common interests. Joint projects and publications are under development. Efficient and novel mechanisms are being established for transferring research findings into teaching and extension materials/modules. The organic agriculture degree program for undergraduate students at UF has been significantly internationalized through this UF-UPM partnership. Direct exposure to international field experience led students to become more interested in the global development of organic agriculture and thus helped prepare them as the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Publications

• Zhao, X., C. Chase, and T. Briz. 2009. Developing a new study abroad course on international organic agriculture at the University of Florida (Oral). Sustainable Agriculture Education Association Conference, Ames, IA.