Livestock & Crop ProductionPlan of Work

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Warren County CES

Title:
Livestock & Crop Production
MAP:
Increasing Agriculture Awareness & Profitability
Agents Involved:
Joanna Coles &Kristin Hildabrand
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Commercial Horticulture
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Beef
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Grain Crops
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Integrated Plant Pest Management
Situation:

In 2012, Warren County’s total value of crop sales was $54,967,000 and total value of livestock sales was $59,738,000. With this large emphasis and economic impact, livestock and crop programming is important to Warren County farmers.

The 2012 Ag Census ranks Warren County as #1 in fruit, nut and berry production and #31 in vegetable production. It also includes 1,715 acres of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod.

Long-Term Outcomes:
• Livestock operations will reports increased profitability and sustainability
• Crop producers will improve profitability through better production and marketing management
• Individuals will improve environmental quality through reducing, reusing and recycling and best management conservation practices
Intermediate Outcomes:
• Farmers will adopt Extension recommendations, utilize best management practices and marketing strategies
• Farmers will apply new technologies
• Farmers will recycle pesticide containers and dispose of pesticides in the proper manner
• Consumers will conserve water and follow best management practices to improve water quality
• Consumers will reduce nonpoint source pollution
Initial Outcomes:
• Farmers will increase husbandry knowledge, learn recommended production practices and aspire to implement them in their farming operation to improve profitability
• Farmers will gain knowledge in recommended production and marketing practices for grain, forage and woodland crops
• Individuals will learn benefits of recycling, responsible use of pesticides, conservation practices, nonpoint source pollution and energy & natural resource conservation
Evaluation:
Initial Outcome: Gained knowledge in the areas of animal husbandry and production practices. Producers will learn about best management & production practices
Indicator: Individuals state they gained knowledge and aspire to implement practices on their farm
Method: Post educational activity evaluation
Timeline: Throughout the year


Intermediate Outcomes: Individuals implement production practices learned during educational activities to increase profitability
Indicator: Number of practices adopted and implemented
Method: Post evaluations and follow up surveys
Timeline: 6-8 weeks after educational activity


Long-term Outcomes: Farmers will be more profitable by applying learned marketing strategies and production practices
Indicator: Number of participants who adopt recommended practices and impact increased profitability
Method: Evaluations, follow up surveys and testimony
Timeline: On going

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Beef Producers

Project or Activity: Beef Quality Assurance

Content or Curriculum: Best Management Practices and Consumer Confidence

Inputs: BQA manual, facilities

Date: Fall 2017


Audience: Beef Producers, Industry Representatives

Project or Activity: Beef Field Day

Content or Curriculum: Back grounding, health facilities

Inputs: Farm operator, facilities, sponsors, tables, av equipment

Date: September 21, 2017


Audience: Beef Producers

Project or Activity: Educational Beef Meetings

Content or Curriculum: Nutrition, health, marketing, policies

Inputs: Agents time, facilities, sponsors, industry reps, volunteers

Date: October 19, November 16, December 21, January 18, February 15,

March 15, April 19, May 17, 2017-18


Audience: Crop & Livestock Producers

Project or Activity: Rinse & Return

Content or Curriculum: Proper disposal of pesticide containers

Inputs: KDA staff, facilities, advertisements, volunteers

Date: September 2017 & May 2018


Audience: Homeowners, Crop & Livestock Producers

Project or Activity: Private Pesticide Applicators Training

Content or Curriculum: Pesticide Safety, Worker Protection Standards,

recordkeeping, Understanding Pesticide Labels, crop related pests,

restricted use pesticides

Inputs: Facilities, videos, publications

Date: January – February 2017


Audience: Grain Producers & Industry

Project or Activity: Grain Day

Content or Curriculum: Production practices

Inputs: Farm operator, sponsors, specialists, lync

Date: November 2016


Audience: Industry Representatives

Project or Activity: SoKY Commercial Pesticide Training

Content or Curriculum: General Pesticide Use

Inputs: Agents time, specialist, facilities

Date: December 2016


Audience: Commercial Beekeepers

Project or Activity: Warren Co. Beekeepers Association monthly meetings

Content or Curriculum: Local beekeepers, Extension specialists and agents

Inputs: Meeting space, time and mail outs

Date: July – June 2017



Audience: Commercial & Sustainable Horticulture Producers

Project or Activity: Warren County Beekeepers Association  

Content or Curriculum: Hive health & management, honey products & marketing

Inputs: Meeting space, time, mail outs

Date: 4th Tuesday of each month  



Audience: Commercial Producers and Horticulture Enthusiasts 

Project or Activity: Media Appearances via Radio and Television

Content or Curriculum: Up-to-date information for producers

Inputs: Promotional materials, visual aids

Date: Ongoing throughout the year


Audience: Commercial Growers and Landscapers  

Project or Activity: SOKY Pesticide Training

Content or Curriculum: General pesticide use

Inputs: Speakers, conference area, food, materials

Date: December 2017



Audience: Home and Commercial Gardeners

Project or Activity: Horticulture Newsletter

Content or Curriculum: Commercial and consumer gardening

Inputs: material, postage, envelopes, time

Date: Throughout the year



Audience: Commercial & Sustainable Horticulture Producers  

Project or Activity: Beginning Beekeeper Workshop

Content or Curriculum: Hive health & management, honey products & marketing  

Inputs: Meeting space, time, mail outs

Date: Winter 2017-2018



Success Stories

Woodland Owners Short Course

Author: Joanna Coles

Major Program: Woodland Education

The Woodland Owners Short Course (WOSC) is targeted at Kentucky’s private woodland owners and is designed to assist private woodland owners in the management of their woodlands. The WOSC is the largest woodland owner educational program offered in Kentucky and is supported by more than 10 forestry and natural resource agencies and organizations. Warren County had 88 woodland owners & 14 forestry professionals attend representing 9362 woodland acres.Short-term impacts: A pre-test and po

Full Story

SOKY Commercial Pesticide Training

Author: Joanna Coles

Major Program: Integrated Plant Pest Management

Application of crop protection chemicals and lawn/landscapechemicals is an important industry in South Central Kentucky. Professional applicators must receive training to stay current on issues,pests, techniques, and safety for the products they apply.  They need toreceive 12 hours of continuing education during a three year cycle to maintaintheir applicator license.  3 of these hours must address specific topicsthat pertain to their license category.  Many applicators were having

Full Story

Master Cattlemen

Author: Joanna Coles

Major Program: Beef

Kentucky is the largest cow and calf producing state east of the Mississippi River. Simpson, Allen, Warren and Logan Counties rely heavily on income from cattle with just shy of 60,000 beef cows located in this four county area according to the most recent county estimates from the USDA. Cattle producers in these four counties voiced a need for in-depth beef cattle educational programming to help increase profitability.  Therefore, Extension Agents for Agriculture in the aforementioned coun

Full Story
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