Certified Agroforestry Professionals | The Center for Agroforestry

Certified Agroforestry Professionals and Learning Network Goals

The Center for Agroforestry established the Certified Agroforestry Professionals (CAP) program to identify trained agroforestry technical assistance providers (TAPs) and experienced agroforestry producer mentors. Our objectives are to:

Legitimize and recognize those who have advanced knowledge about these practices as local leaders and consultants.
Incentivize continuing education in agroforestry for TAPs to sustain their up-to-date knowledge base.
Ensure that best available information and best practices are shared among practitioners and assistance providers (and simultaneously dispel misinformation that can have long-term consequences for producers).
Ultimately create a standard for training and certification that can be applied across the region with partnering organizations.

Introducing our public, online network map of certified agroforesters!

Using an interactive map interface, we created this geographic database of consenting certified agroforesters in the state of Missouri. Please visit the interactive map below if you are interested in learning more or connecting with CAP participants about agroforestry.

[MAP COMING SOON]

Certification Program Eligibility and Requirements

In order to obtain certification, participants must achieve the following:

Completion of the Center for Agroforestry’s Agroforestry Training Academy and/or a Graduate Certificate, Master’s, or PhD through the University of Missouri’s Agroforestry graduate program
A passing score on the 3-Section Agroforestry Certification Exam (score of 80% or higher)
Active Missouri residency or employment
Completion of 6 hours of approved continuing education annually, such as webinars, hands-on workshops or in-person experience field days hosted by the Center for Agroforestry or other relevant organizations

Have questions about the program or eligibility requirements? Contact Kelsi Stubblefield (k.stubblefield@missouri.edu) for more information.

Eligible participants are invited to test their knowledge online with a 3-Section Certification Exam. Refresh your agroforestry knowledge by reading our Training Manual for Applied Agroforestry Practices. Once eligible participants have passed the certification exam, they will be asked to submit a portfolio detailing their experience and specialty knowledge areas.

Program participants are required to complete 6 hours of continuing education annually. We will share continuing education opportunities as they become available. The following are approved recurring continuing education events from the Center for Agroforestry and our collaborating partners: the Association for Temperate Agroforestry’s North American Agroforestry Conference, Ask an Agroforester Webinars, and Agroforestry Training for Natural Resource Professionals workshops.

Are you hosting an event that should count for continuing education credits? Please submit your event using this form. We will review submissions on a monthly basis and add them as relevant to the CAP continuing education calendar.

Value for Certified Agroforestry Professionals

The Missouri CAP pilot is available for participants free of charge as a tool for gaining insights from initial CAP participants about how the program can improve as it is regionalized.

Obtaining certification validates the depth of skills and knowledge required for successful long-term planning, design, and implementation of integrated perennial tree and shrub crops managed as part of a diversified farm system.

Becoming part of this standardized professional development and recognition program identifies individuals as a trained and trusted agroforestry TAPs or producers. This visibility, through the CAP Network Map, can increase your engagement, e.g., through planning and design contracts or mentorship, with others seeking expert knowledge. Passing the certification exam and maintaining certification demonstrates a dedication to professional development and a commitment to a deepening collective knowledge in agroforestry.

This content was developed with support from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2023-38640-39573 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number ENC23-224. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.

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