Extension
It Starts With Us
Marketing, Diversifying, and Managing Local Agriculture
Local Foods and Sustainable Agriculture
Eric Baker, Isaac Hollon, Thays Flores
Local Food Systems
Sustainable Agriculture
Beef
Forages
Due to lower commodity prices and higher input prices, farms need to diversify and become more efficient in order to insulate against prolonged suppressed pricing.
Stabilize farm incomes using improved marketing techniques, development of a robust local food economy, and diversified enterprises.
Farmers and community members will adopt new technologies and practices based on research by land grant universities that encourage the use of local products, local marketing, practical risk management plans, and smart diversification.
Increase knowledge, and skills in production techniques, and marketing tools.
Initial Outcome: Increase knowledge, and skills in production techniques, and marketing tools.
Indicator: Use of marketing tools
Method: Inverviews
Timeline: Fall 2018
Intermediate Outcome: The adoption of new technologies to encourage local marketing.
Indicator: Increased awareness of local food systems in the local community
Method: Increased us of local food market
Timeline: Summer 2020
Long-term Outcome: Development of a robust local food economy
Indicator: stable, diverse local food market
Method: frequency of Farmers Market days and number of vendors
Timeline: Fall 2022
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Crop Production Meeting
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: Winter
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Livestock Production Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All year
Audience: Community members/ youth
Project or Activity: Horticulture Series
Content or Curriculum:
Date: Winter/Spring
Audience: Youth/Farmers
Project or Activity: Farm Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: Summer/Fall
Audience: Community members/ youth
Project or Activity:New Equipment and Fencing Demonstration
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: September-May
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Forage Management
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: Winter/Spring
Audience: youth
Project or Activity: Animal Science Project Group/Clubs
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: September-May
Audience: Community members
Project or Activity: C.A.I.P Cost Share Program
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Community members
Project or Activity: Farmer's Market
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Agriculture Marketing
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All year
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Financial Management
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: Winter
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: BQA Training
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: Fall
Audience: Community members/ youth
Project or Activity: Forest Management
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Farmers/ Youth
Project or Activity:Farm Tours/ Field Days
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Farmers/ Youth
Project or Activity:Ag. Diversification/Sustainability Seminars
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Author: Eric Baker
Major Program: Beef
KDA beef marketing specialist Tim Dietrich discusses grading feeder cattle at the Estill County Extension office.With lower cattle market prices, many producers are looking for ways to capture any premium for their calves. Along with more efficient production information, cattle producers inquire about marketing strategies and how their calves are graded using the USDA feeder calf grading system. In response, the Estill County Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources collaborated wi
Author: Eric Baker
Major Program: Swine
Farmers search for cheaper sources of livestock feed to improve net farm income without sacrificing animal performance. With soybean meal cost near $310 per ton and local grain producers selling damaged whole soybeans at a discount, some livestock producers consider purchasing discounted grain to include in their animal rations. There are many factors to consider before feeding damaged grains to livestock including the presence of lethal mycotoxins. In order to make the best decision, an Estill
Author: Eric Baker
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
With the Kentucky River coursing through our county, Estill County farm families and citizens know well the adversities of periodic flooding and associated damage.Nebraska grain farmers and livestock producers experienced a major flood in March 2019 that left the agriculture community with over a billion dollars of damages.Local Kentucky farmers and friends rose to the occasion to send aid through the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, local county Cattlemen Associations, and
Author: Eric Baker
Major Program: Beef
Kentucky has the largest beef cow herd east of the Mississippi and the eighth largest nationally, with approximately 1 million beef cows. Beef cattle provide our primary means of converting Kentucky's 7 million acres of pasture and forage into useful products.In Estill County, there are several young cattlemen that are grazing stocker cattle in partnership with a cattle buyer in another county. These cattlemen have requested educational sessions on stocker cattle production and marketi
