Improving the efficiency of producers' marketing abilities and production practices.Plan of Work

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Hickman County CES

Title:
Improving the efficiency of producers' marketing abilities and production practices.
MAP:
Improving Agricultural Profitability by Using Proper Marketing and Management Skills
Agents Involved:
Melissa Goodman, Paula McCuiston, Mattea Mitchell
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Beef
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Grain Crops
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Farm Management
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Ag Marketing
Situation:

It is easy to say that Kentucky is an agriculture based state. There are over 40,000 beef cattle producers in Kentucky and over one million head of beef cows. Kentucky is the eighth largest beef state in the U.S. and has the largest herd east of the Mississippi River. Even with high prices it is important to continue to educate beef producers on best management practices to: keep costs down, optimize income through management and marketing, be good stewards of the land and practice good animal welfare. The overall goal is to provide Hickman County beef producers with the tools necessary to be profitable and sustainable.


While cattle prices continue to rise, grain crop production is facing a downward pressure with severe economic distress (high inputs, low commodity prices, high land rent, flooded machinery market) for the foreseeable future. Using the same strategies as with beef production, the overall goal for grain producers is to provide them with the tools necessary to be profitable and sustainable throughout the duration of the economic distress. Hickman County is a rural county that is predominantly crop fields. Excellent soils next to the Mississippi River allow farmers opportunities for good yields with moderate rainfall.


In 2012, Hickman County had 298 farm operations on 141,131 acres, which represented 91.0% of total county land. In comparison, Kentucky's farm operations made up 51.6% of the state's total land area, and U.S. farm operations made up 40.5% of total land area in the country. In the year 2012, total crop sales in Hickman County were valued at $56,841,000, whereas the state of Kentucky total was 2.3 billion; total animal sales for Hickman County were valued at $102,398,000, whereas the state of Kentucky total was 2.8 billion.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Maximize profits for commercial producers.


Improve sustainability of crop production systems.


Improved farm economic status.


Producers save money by making informed selection decisions.


Reduce operating expenses.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Use diagnostic services to identify insects, disease and weeds.


Adopt one or more fertility management recommendations.


Implementation of on-farm trials.


Test forage for nutritional quality.


Employ record systems to track drug use, vaccines, chemicals, feed additives, and the movement of cattle on and off operations.


Use proper cattle handling and movement techniques.


Construct a cattle handling facility.


Utilize knowledge to become competitive in the market.


Use the feeder cattle futures and options market to make price predictions and predict market direction.


Participate in KBN marketing programs (CPH, MAG 60).

Initial Outcomes:

Awareness of current land grant research concerning grain crop production.


Increased knowledge of upcoming year tax changes and markets.


Identification of IPM practices for grain crops production.


Understanding importance of and frame work of on-farm trials.


Identify herbicide resistant pests and strategies to overcome these pests.


Gain knowledge of the beef industry and information and tools to succeed in beef production.


Knowledge of safety on the farm.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Knowledge of safety on the farm.

Indicator: Children show a better knowledge of safety on the farm.

Method: Self Reports & Observation

Timeline: Fall 2018


Intermediate Outcome: Maximize profits for commercial producers & Improve sustainability of crop production systems

Indicator: 50% of participants will indicate knowledge increase

Method: Post Program Evaluation

Timeline: February 2019


Long-Term Outcome: Producers save money by making informed selection decisions

Indicator: 50% of participants will indicate knowledge increase

Method: Post Program Evaluation

Timeline: Fall 2018


Initial Outcome: Increased knowledge of upcoming year tax changes and markets

Indicator: Participants will utilize the Purchase Farm Analysis Groups information

Method: Communication with Farm Analysis Group

Timeline: December 2018


Intermediate Outcome: Better production and marketing of producers products.

Indicator: Producers will utilize resources provided by Ag Extension Agent.

Method: Bi-Annual Visits

Timeline: 2018-2019

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: 1st – 6th Grade

Project or Activity: AG Farm Safety Day

Content or Curriculum: UK Educational Materials, Various Farm Safety Materials

Inputs: Extension Staff, Hickman County FFA Advisor and Members, Fire and Rescue, Ambulance Service, Gibson Electric, River Valley Ag Credit, Hickman County Farm Bureau, Various Hickman County Farmers

Date: Fall 2018


Audience: Purchase Area Cattlemen

Project or Activity: Beef Field Day

Content or Curriculum: Supplied by Ag Agent

Inputs: Ag Agents (Hickman, Fulton, and Carlisle), Young Farmer Advisor, Purchase Area Cattlemen's Association, and Local Sponsors

Date: Summer 2019


Audience: Adult Farm Women and/or Female Landowners

Project or Activity: Women in Agriculture

Content or Curriculum: Issues Affecting Women in Agriculture

Inputs: Four River Counts Extension Ag/FCS Staff, Local Banks, Soybean Board, River Valley Ag Credit, Program Volunteer, Extension Homemakers

Date: Fall 2018


Audience: Beef Producers

Project or Activity: Annual Beef Production Meeting

Content or Curriculum: Murray State University Agriculture Science Professor

Inputs: Ag Agent, Young Farmer Advisors, Local Ag Retailers, Murray State Professors

Date: March 2018


Audience: Hickman County Row Crop Producers

Project or Activity: Early Winter Meeting (Ag Economics Update)

Content or Curriculum: Supplied from Ag Agent

Inputs: Ag Agent, Local Banks, Financial Management Representative or Ag Economics Specialist

Date: December 2018


Audience: Purchase Area Grain Crop Producers

Project or Activity: Winter Ag Conference

Content or Curriculum: Supplied from Agents

Inputs: Ag Extension Agents, Young Farmer Advisors, Local Ag Retailers

Date: February 2019


Audience: Purchase Area Cattlemen

Project or Activity: Master Marketer

Content or Curriculum: Supplied by Specialist

Inputs: PACA, Purchase Area Extension Agents, Local Businesses

Date: Fall 2018


Audience: Purchase Area Cattle Producers & Ag Agents

Project or Activity: PACA Kansas Trip

Content or Curriculum: Agent Developed Curriculum

Inputs: PACA Committee Members, Hickman County & Calloway County Extension Agents, Young Farmer Advisors, Local Beef Producer, Kansas Local Veterinarian

Date: July 2018


Audience: Hickman/Fulton Grain Crop Producers

Project or Activity: Variety Trials

Content or Curriculum: University of Tennessee Grain Crops

Inputs: Ag Extension Agents (Hickman/Fulton), UT Grain Crop/Variety Trials Specialist, Local Banks

Date: Crop Year 2018


Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Newspaper and Newsletter Articles

Content or Curriculum: University of Kentucky Programming

Inputs: Ag Extension Agent, UK Research Information, eXtension Resources

Date: 2018-2019


Audience: Hickman County Producers

Project or Activity: Kentucky Beginning Farmer / DEAL Mentor

Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Ag Finance Corporation

Inputs: Ag Extension Agent, Kentucky Ag Finance Corporation

Date: 2018-2019



Success Stories

Early Career Farming Program

Author: Mattea Mitchell

Major Program: Farm Management

Early Career Farming Program

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents from Fulton, Hickman, and Carlisle Counties talked for several years of developing a program for the producers in their counties that were beginning their own operations or working into becoming the decision-makers of the family operations.Existing programs like Ky FarmStart or Next Generation Farmer were programs that had some of the topics these producers needed, but did not fit into large grain only operations or grain/contract livestock operations

Full Story

WAVE 4 River Counties Ag Initiative

Author: Mattea Mitchell

Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture

WAVE 4 River Counties Ag Initiative

According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, Hickman County had 246 farm operations on 118,474 acres representing 88% of the county's total land. Total value of crop sales were $56,171 and animal sales were $102,692. Hickman County is a predominately farming community with production of row crops, livestock, poultry, and hog barns.When looking at the four river counties as one, 83.53% of the land is used for crop production. Last year, there were $359,967,000 of products sold across 960 farm

Full Story
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