Extension
It Starts With Us
Management and Marketing
Enhancing Livestock and Crop Profitability
Pat Hardesty
Beef
Grain Crops
Grain Crops
Forages
Agriculture producers must continue to improve management/marketing skills to remain profitable and sustain a strong agricultural economy. Beef, dairy, grains and tobacco generate approximately $29 million. With these production systems, protecting the environment is also a responsibility producers are challenged with! With guidance from the Extension Council, the Taylor County Cattlemen’s Association directors and dairy committee, educational programs are planned which highlight management/marketing skills, protecting the environment and providing local foods.
Producers will sustain profitability through enhanced management and marketing skills by the implementation of technology, marketing strategies, BMP’s and management of expenses.
Producers will enhance profitability through the adoption of best management practices and marketing skills while controlling costs.
Producers will gain knowledge of how new technology improved practices and marketing strategies will enhance profitability.
Initial Outcome: Producers shall begin to enhance profitability through gained knowledge of improved management and marketing skills
Indicator: Producers are motivated to adopt best management of production and marketing.
Method: Surveys, Observation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Intermediate Outcome: Producers adopt recommended practices that were learned through educational programs.
Indicator: Producers will implement management practices
Method: Surveys, Observation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Long-term Outcome: Producers will improve profitability through enhanced management and marketing skills and adoption of new technology.
Indicator: Profitability is enhanced by using technology, enhanced management and marketing
Method: Ag. statistics, savings, observation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Audience: Tobacco Producers
Project or Activity: Tri-County Tobacco Meeting
Content or Curriculum: Float Bed Management, Fertility, GAP Training
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications
Date: February 2020, 2021
Audience: Dairy Producers
Project or Activity: Tri-County Dairy Shortcourse
Content or Curriculum: Nutrition, Calf Barns, Dry Cow Management
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications
Date: February-March 2020, 2021
Audience: Grain Producers
Project or Activity: Tri-County Grain Meeting
Content or Curriculum: Persistent Weeds, Technology, Farm Bill, GPS, Ag. Apps
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications
Date: December 2019, 2020
Audience: Grain Producers
Project or Activity: Variety Research Trials
Content or Curriculum: Variety Selection
Inputs: Cooperator, Industry, Agents
Date: Summer 2019, 2020
Audience: Grain Producers
Project or Activity: Grain Marketing Group
Content or Curriculum: Marketing Strategies
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications, Commodity Challenge
Date: Quarterly throughout the year
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: Pasture to Plate
Content or Curriculum: Feeding techniques from weaning to finish, carcass evaluation, consumer preference
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications
Date: Throughout the year
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: Taylor County Cattlemen's Association Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Management and Marketing Topics
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications
Date: September 2019- April 2020
Audience: Grain Producers
Project or Activity: State Water Hemp Control Research Plot
Content or Curriculum: Herbicide and Timing Selection
Inputs: Specialists, Agents
Date: Summer 2019
Audience: Farm Families
Project or Activity: Farm Family Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Beef, Grain, Farm Safety, 4-H, Family & Consumer Sciences
Inputs: Specialists, Extension Staff, Host Farm, Leaders, Sponsors
Date: May 2019 - August 2019
Author: Kara Back
Major Program: Farmer's Markets
The Taylor County Farmers' Market recently received a USDA small business promotion grant to use toward the famers' market in Taylor County. In cooperation with the health department and the extension office the market is working toward a revitalization. Increasing interest within the market throughout the community by increased advertisement on radio paper and social media. While also, providing opportunities for vendors to utilize free advertisement, resources provided by the market, e
Author: Patrick Hardesty
Major Program: Grain Crops
After the introduction of glyphosate in the mid 1970’s, it was primarily used as a burndown herbicide in corn and soybeans. Since the introduction of Roundup Ready crops in 1996, glyphosate has been used widely for burndown and in-crop weed control with the increase in use and many dropping pre-emerge herbicides from their weed control program weeds have become resistant. Two weeds, palmer amaranth and waterhemp, were identified as resistant in 2005. These pigweeds are v
Author: Patrick Hardesty
Major Program: Grain Crops
Taylor County ranks 35th in the state for grain production with approximately 13,500 acres of corn harvested for grain. Approximately 6,000 acres have fungicides applied by helicopter.In cooperation with the Adair County Extension Office and U.K Plant Pathologist, a fungicide efficiency trial was conducted using a drone for application.Using water sensitive strips to test for coverage, it appeared to have better coverage than helicopters. The fungicide application by the drone improv
Author: Patrick Hardesty
Major Program: Beef
With approximately 12,000 beef cows, beef cattle income ranks second in the county. To improve profits and sustainability, beef educational meetings were conducted in cooperation with the Taylor County Cattlemen’s Association. These included Artificial Insemination and Sexed Semen; Fall Seeding Alternatives; Fall Feeding Strategies; Minerals, Protein Tubs and Ytex Fly Tags; and Animal Disease Traceability.To promote the beef industry in Taylor County, the Association also cooked at several
