Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: John Fourqurean
Major Program: Grains
Crop production is a major part of the agriculture economies in Western Kentucky, with Corn, Soybeans, and wheat being the major crops produced in most counties. To meet the needs of producers, Ag agents in Hopkins, McLean, and Webster Counties have worked together to identify the educational needs of Grain Producers and develop programs to meet those needs. In addition to the Tri-County plot work that has been done in the past, agents have worked to provide additional opportunities and del
Author: John Fourqurean
Major Program: Grains
Tri-County Ag Extension Group Educational Series Tri-County Ag Extension Group consists of Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents in Webster, McLean and Hopkins Counties. The counties are not only alike geographically, but also agriculturally. Many producers in the tri-county area farm in all three counties. With specialist demand during the “winter meeting season” coupled with travel constraints, moving toward multi-county educational opportunities just mak
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Grains
Since 2019, the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service has participated in research trials evaluating the use of drones for fungicide applications in grain crops. Two research projects in wheat and two research projects in corn have been conducted. Initial research projects have proven that drones are an effective tool to apply fungicides on these crops to control diseases.In 2022 the scope of the research expanded to begin to evaluate different fungicide chemistries applied to w
Author: Samantha Anderson
Major Program: Grains
The Kentucky Soybean Variety Performance Tests are conducted annually across the Commonwealth. During the 2022 growing season, McCracken County Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Samantha Anderson, collaborated with the University of Kentucky Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and local producer, Josh Goodwin, to conduct this high value research in McCracken County. These tests provide an unbiased and objective estimate of the relative performance of soybean varieties commercia
Author: Raul Villanueva
Major Program: Grains
A soybean farmer from Lyon Co. has cooperated with my Dectes program since 2019. My frequent visits to his farm have strengthened our relationship. In 2022 by mid-June, he reported about 40 acres lost to a snail attack. I visited the farm, and learned he was ready to replant without solving the cause of the problem, this is, the high snail population. I recommended him to apply molluscicide to reduce the snail population firsthand and then replant. He followed my recommendations and was able to
Author: Brandon Sears
Major Program: Grains
Madison County has seen an increase in grain crop production over the past 15 years and now has several new grain and feed bins in the area. Agriculture Development Cost Share funds through the CAIP program as well as depressed beef cattle markets and attractive grain production margins have helped farmers increase grain crop acres and on-farm storage.Unfortunately, with more grain bins in the community comes the increased risk of grain entrapment for farm workers. Madison County Farm Bureau, Ma
Author: Raul Villanueva
Major Program: Grains
In 2022, The entomology program at the REC-Princeton has three undergraduate students: two from Murray State University and one from the University of Kentucky. Overall, students are asked to help in different projects during summertime. This year, I received a grant to hire an undergraduate student from Murray State University who was trained to work with slugs in our lab in 2021. Based on this work she was the coauthor of a presentation on the Ag-Expo in Owensboro on January 26, 2022, this stu
Author: Robert Smith
Major Program: Grains
The expansion of the bourbon industry, decline in tobacco, consolidation of the dairy industry and prices of grain commodities have all been catalysts in the expansion of grain production in Nelson County. With that expansion comes the need to educate the grower on the best practices of grain production to ultimately increase their resiliency and profitability. To address these educational needs I reached out to several farmers to discuss what it was that they would like to learn mor
Author: Jessica James
Major Program: Grains
For the Grain Crop Short Course, I partnered with Katie Hughes in Union County. This way, we could reach more producers by combining the two counties. This was a 4 week program and only on Tuesdays. The first two Tuesdays were at the Union County Extension Office and the last two were at the Henderson County Extension Office. We had good attendance at all meetings. The first meeting was Jan. 10th and the topics were Grain Drying and Storage. The other topic was Grain Hauling and Mobile Apps. The
Author: Curtis Judy
Major Program: Grains
In February 2023, Extension agriculture agents from southwestern Kentucky and north-central Tennessee hosted the ninth Kentucky/Tennessee Grain Conference in Russellville, KY. Agents from Todd and Logan Counties in Kentucky; and Montgomery and Robertson Counties in Tennessee cooperated in this effort, along with specialists from both states.The program included a grain market update and presentations on controlling herbicide-resistant weeds, grain storage options, severe weather impacts on
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Grains
Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties have traditionally been some, if not, Kentucky’s largest burley tobacco producing counties. However over the past 15 years the amount of tobacco grown has rapidly decreased. Traditional burley farmers have switched to the production of grain, specially corn, wheat, and soybeans. Agriculture agents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties (W8) joined efforts to provide an educational program for produce
Author: Gary Bell
Major Program: Grains
Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties have traditionally been some, if not, Kentucky’s largest burley tobacco producing counties. However over the past 15 years the amount of tobacco grown has rapidly decreased. Traditional burley farmers have switched to the production of grain, specially corn, wheat, and soybeans. Agriculture agents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties (W8)
Author: John Tucker
Major Program: Grains
2023 Winter Ag ConferenceThe Winter Agriculture Conference is a meeting that has taken place for several years previously. However, there has been a 3 year break due to Covid and bad weather. It is a multi-county, as well as multi-organization event. This year, we teamed up with adult agriculture educators from WKCTC to bring an informational meeting to the farmers in Western Kentucky. The meeting was hosted in Pilot Oak, Kentucky by Lowry farms. Agriculture agents from Graves, Fulton, Cal
Author: Kevin Lyons
Major Program: Grains
Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties have traditionally been among Kentucky’s largest burley tobacco producing counties. Over the past fifteen years the amount of tobacco grown has rapidly decreased. Traditional burley farmers have switched to the production of grain, especially corn, wheat, and soybeans. Agriculture agents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties (W8) joined efforts to provide an educational program for grain producers. The education
Author: Thomas Miller
Major Program: Grains
Photo Tom Miller – bottom 2 heads undamaged, top head severely damaged by cold temperatures After a very warm February and March, Ballard County Wheat Growers woke up to damaging cold temperatures on March 15th and again on the 17th through the 21st. Ballard County Mesonet records indicated a temperature of 21.7 on Wednesday March 15th and 22.5 on March 20th. These temperatures are cold enough to damage a developing wheat head while it is moving up
Author: Adam Huber
Major Program: Grains
Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties have traditionally been some, if not, Kentucky’s largest burley tobacco producing counties. However over the past 15 years the amount of tobacco grown has rapidly decreased. Traditional burley farmers have switched to the production of grain, specially corn, wheat, and soybeans. Agriculture agents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties (W8) joined efforts to provide an educational program for produce
Author: Katie Hughes
Major Program: Grains
The Grain crops short course series was 4 weeks that was hosted by Union and Henderson Co ANR agents where 2 weeks were in one office and the other 2 in the other office. If producers attended 3 out of the 4 weeks then their private applicator license was renewed. There was an avg of 20 producer for each meeting. The topics that were discussed were grain drying and storage, grain hauling and moblie apps, corn diseases, weed control lessons and preparation for next crop season, soybean diseases,
Author: Colby Guffey
Major Program: Grains
ThGrain producers are continually faced with decisions of new products that are marketed to increase bushels per acre or lower input costs per acre etc. In 2022 a grain producer contacted the Clinton Co ANR Agent to inquire about setting up a trial with a product that is marketed as reducing the amount of commercial Nitrogen needed for the corn crop. In collaboration with the Cumberland Co ANR Agent a demonstration trial was setup with four replications 2 treated replications of the
Author: Clinton Hardy
Major Program: Grains
The widespread adoption of fungicide application to growing corn has led to improved yields by better control of foliar diseases of corn. This adoption has created a paradigm shift in the farmer approach to in season corn management and ever increasing opportunities related to application technique, fungicide options and now, reduced height corn varieties which increases the number of acres low-clearance ground equipment can navigate. In order to provide research based data farmers c
Author: Raul Villanueva
Major Program: Grains
The University of Kentucky Grain Crops Integrated Pest Management group recognized the need to organize and conduct a conference featuring both University of Kentucky Extension Specialists and guest speakers from universities in other states to provide a diverse range of topics and enhance education of integrated pest management practices. The goal was to create a better understanding of integrated pest management among stakeholders in agriculture, including producers, crop consultants and
Author: Raul Villanueva
Major Program: Grains
The UK-REC group created a 5-week webinar series in November and December of 2022 to provide stakeholders with research-based information, and also provide Certified Crop Advisor continuing education credits, County Agent In-service training, and pesticide applicator training to clientele. The webinar series was organized by Jason Travis, Extension Associate, and hosted by the Southern Integrated Pest Management Center. These webinars had more than 227 total attendees. In addition to local
Author: Raul Villanueva
Major Program: Grains
The IPM Field Day at the UK-REC returned to Princeton, KY on June 29, 2023. The 2023 event was the fourth year for the field day that featured research updates from University of Kentucky Pest Management faculty including Dr. Kiersten Wise, Dr. Raul Villanueva, Dr. JD Green, and Dr. Erin Haramoto. The event also featured walking plot tours of weed science research plots at the University of Kentucky led by Dr. Travis Legleiter. The half day event was attended by 89 individuals who influenc
Author: Raul Villanueva
Major Program: Grains
The Grain Crops Integrated Pest Management group of the UK-REC Princeton organized and conducted a conference featuring field crop Extension Specialists from Princeton and guest speakers from universities in other states to provide a diverse range of topics and enhance education of integrated pest management practices. The goal was to provide different points of view and to create a better understanding of integrated pest management among stakeholders in agriculture, including producers, crop co
Author: Robert Kirby
Major Program: Grains
Corn is still a traditional crops several farmers in E3 still grow to sale and be used as feed on the farm. With the cost of production per acre increasing each year higher yields are needed to compensate for the expense. Corn growers need to be educated on new technology and production strategies that are research based and shows successful results. To meet the educational need agents in E3 invited Dr. Chad Lee to come and do an area meeting and present research based findin
Author: John Grove
Major Program: Grains
Answered a March phone call from a corn grower who was pre-purchasing nitrogen fertilizer. Also wanted to early purchase nitrogen loss inhibitors but was confused as to what product(s) to buy. We discussed his fields (topography, drainage, irrigation), soils (texture, tilth, wetness potential, organic matter), usual corn management (planting date, row spacing, hybrid maturity, seeding rate) and usual nitrogen management (rate, fertilizer sources, timing, placement). It turns out that he was inte
Author: Leann Martin
Major Program: Grains
Kentucky and Tennessee are both large grain crop producing states, boasting a total of 11,916,769 acres and $3,147,933,000 in annual grain crop sales, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture from the United States Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistic Services. Seeing the importance of continued growth in both production yields and personal attributes of the grain crop producer, the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agents in Logan & Todd County (KY) and Mont
Author: Colette Laurent
Major Program: Grains
January of 2023 brought with it changes to both Commercial and Private Pesticide Applicator Programs. These programs have not undergone significant changes since 1978. Therefore, understanding the changes is important for many Kentucky growers when making management decisions. The Wheat Science Group and Grain Crops Group continue to offer educational information on these changes through newsletters and in person meetings. The 2023 Winter Wheat Meeting was o
Author: Teresa Rogers
Major Program: Grains
In March 2023, KATS held two identical Drone Sprayer Workshops; one in Princeton and the other in Lexington, two days apart. Working with others in Lexington and at the Fayette County Extension Office, we were able to reach both the western part of the state as well as central part of KY with valuable and requested information. In total we filled our capacity and had 50 participants, with a waiting list of others who wanted to attend.
Author: Teresa Rogers
Major Program: Grains
During the last year I have been able to assist with other programs outside my MJR. In July of 2022, I filmed and edited a day long program for Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. In May of 2023, I filled in as the primary contact person on the day of Wheat Field Day and helped with the set up. In June of 2023, I also assisted in the planning and set up of the Pest Management Field Day.
Author: Teresa Rogers
Major Program: Grains
The Kentucky Agriculture Training School held a full schedule of in-person workshops at UKREC and also utilized the Caldwell, Hopkins, and Fayette County Extension Offices. Despite that the UKREC ‘normal facilities’ were destroyed by the EF-4 tornado a year earlier, we have been able to return to the UKREC farm and offer beneficial workshops. KATS held 5 workshops in this reporting period with 131 participants, representing over 360,000 acres at a value of over $5,770,470.
Author: Carrie Knott
Major Program: Grains
In Spring of 2023, a freeze event occurred at a susceptible wheat growth stage. During the course of visiting with ANR agents and their farmers, a 'crash course' on growth stage was provided.One farmer said he planned to apply a plant growth regulator, but it would probably be two week or more before he would. However, the wheat was at a growth stage that if he waited that long he would be off label with the application AND it would reduce final grain yield.The crash course in growth sta
Author: Raul Villanueva
Major Program: Grains
Snails and slugs are becoming important and recurrent pests in field crops. For soybeans there was no product registered for their control. Working with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s personnel, the manufacturer, KY soybean growers, and Villanueva as the entomologist for field crops; an effective molluscicide was registered under the EPA 24(c) section for management of snails and slugs on soybeans. This is an effective molluscicide (a metaldehyde-based bait (Deadline® M-PS)),
Author: Timothy Stombaugh
Major Program: Grains
With increased cost of granular inputs (fertilizer and seeds), producers are becoming more aware of the precision with which they are applying these inputs to fields. A new online calculator tool and test procedure handbook was developed to help producers test and visualize the distribution patterns of granular applicators, calculate optimum swath width, and visualize the consequences of incorrect swath patterns. Producers implementing these tools will significantly increase the use
Author: Kelsey Mehl
Major Program: Grains
Red crown rot of soybean was first found in Kentucky in 2021. As part of our efforts to see the effect this disease has on the soybean crop in Kentucky, I held a field day to show what red crown rot looks like in the field and to help see the spread of the disease in the state,. During the small field meeting, we had and agent and producers come to learn more about the disease. I was able to show in field examples and talk about how to help manage this new disease in the field. We were also able
Author: Joshua Jackson
Major Program: Grains
The success of any chemical application in agriculture relies heavily on timing, making it crucial to consider factors such as weather conditions, soil moisture, and the feasibility of ground-based equipment. However, the advent of drone sprayers has revolutionized the industry by offering farmers enhanced flexibility even in challenging conditions. Moreover, recent changes in regulations have paved the way for the deployment of larger drone sprayers, generating a growing interest among fa
Author: Chad Lee
Major Program: Grains
Through the James B Beam Institute, I taught 40 hours of grain crops management and grain quality to employees of James B. Beam Company. This was the second time I taught this course. The apprentices this time had less farm experience and ranged from advanced degrees in chemical engineering to the a GED. These employees were all working in the new Booker distillery. I introduced the cohort to at least four farmers from Kentucky and with help from JBBI personnel, we videoed corn growth and develo
Author: Chad Lee
Major Program: Grains
Several corn fields in central Kentucky were damaged by hail storms in 2023. I visited fields, and reviewed images from several farmers and county extension agents to help them determine the extent of damage and potential management options. Most of the corn recovered well. Several fields in Madison County had more extensive damage and, after visiting with him in the field, the county extension agent was comfortable walking fields and checking corn stalks for damage. He was able to determine whi
Author: Chad Lee
Major Program: Grains
The Kentucky Distillery Association has a leadership group comprised of members from various distilleries across Kentucky. For their sustainability meeting, they asked me to speak about what practices are farmers are doing towards sustainability. I was able to discuss practices such no-tillage, reduced tillage, crop rotations, and the challenges farmers face each year. This was a second cohort. We are working through the Beam Institute with the distilleries and producers to help each explain sus
Author: Sam McNeill
Major Program: Grains
The USDA Rural Development Office in Kentucky and the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board made cost-share funds available in 2022 for energy efficiency projects on farms and small rural businesses. Both programs required an energy assessment as part of the cost-share application. UK Cooperative Extension Service engineers from the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department were asked to provide technical assistance in the form of energy assessments for potential program applicants. T
