Marshall County CES

Title:

Commercial Agriculture- Education, promotion, and awareness.

MAP:

Agriculture

Agents Involved:

NB

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Beef

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Grain Crops

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Forages

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

ANR Biotechnology

Situation:

49.2 % of Marshall County land is used for farming operations. Todays Marshall County Farmers seek additional education on topics relating to their operations. When surveyed the Marshall County Producers indicated their desire for more learning opportunities. 100% of the participants of the Forage/hay School indicated that they would like more trainings related to hay/forages and livestock. 100% of the beef Meeting attendees indicated that they would attend more educational beef cattle production related trainings. Over 95% of the Grain Grower meeting participants said that they would like me to have a yearly event relating to furthering their education on grain crop topics.

Also, there is a nation wide need for more agriculture awareness and education. In today's world, there are many topics related to agriculture that are misunderstood. Credible scientific information is often misinterpreted or ignored. Discrediable sources are often believed and many times agriculture takes the blame. Topics such as biotechnology, genetically modified organisms, agriculture production techniques and agriculture's environmental impact are often misunderstood. The community needs more educational opportunity on these topics and the farmers need help becoming better advocates for american agriculture.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Farmers will have the confidence necessary to manage a sustainable business, and communicate agriculture production awareness with the public. The implication of university recommendations will likely lead to:

improved quality of products (grain, animal health, etc.)

reduced expenses

maximized profits

minimized environmental impact

improved economic status of farm

improved farm stability

increased long term viability

Non farmer participants will have a understanding of agriculture science. They will be confident in their opinions on agriculture related topics, and have the education needed to evaluate media information. They will use unbiased research based information to construct their opinions. They will share their opinions with their communities.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Participants/farmers will utilize the land grant research, incorporate the best management practices, adopt the recommended tools, apply the unbiased information presented, utilize the diagnostic laboratory, soil test on their farms, and communicate with the public.

This information will allow non farmers to make informed decisions and evaluate their personal positions on topics such as agriculture production awareness.

Initial Outcomes:

Participants/farmers will become aware of land grant research, recognize best management practices, be introduced to tools (such as risk management tools), be given unbiased resources and information, understand the amount of unbiased or falsified information out there.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome:

Indicator:

Method: Evaluations, surveys, word of mouth, etc.

Timeline: 2020 

Intermediate Outcome: Participants/farmers will utilize the land grant research, incorporate the best management practices, adopt the recommended tools, apply the unbiased information presented, utilize the diagnostic laboratory, soil test on their farms, and communicate with the public.

This information will allow non farmers to make informed decisions and evaluate their personal positions on topics such as agriculture production awareness.

Indicator: 

Method: 

Timeline: 2020 and on-going

Long-term Outcome: Farmers will implement University of Kentucky recommendations and have the confidence necessary to manage a sustainable business, and communicate agriculture production awareness with the public. 

Indicator: Improved quality of products (grain, animal health, etc.), reduced expenses, maximized profits, minimized environmental impact, improved economic status of farm, improved farm stability and increased long term viability.

Method: Visual and verbal confirmation. 

Timeline: On-going

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Livestock/Forage Producers

Project or Activity: Beef meetings, field trips (Purchase Area Cattlemen's Association), UK masters programs (Master Grazer, Cattlemen, Stocker, or Marketer), BQA (Beef Quality Assurance), farm visits, social media, newsletter articles, etc.

Content or Curriculum: UK's unbiased researched based information and curriculums.

Inputs: Agent/Specialist time, training materials, advertising efforts, facilities, etc.

Date: FY 2020 and on-going.

Audience: Grain Growers

Project or Activity: Grain growers meetings, farm visits, social media, newsletter articles, field days, scouting, demonstration plots, etc.

Content or Curriculum: UK's unbiased researched based information and curriculums.

Inputs: Agent/specialist time, training materials, advertising efforts, facilities, etc.

Date: FY 2020 and ongoing.

Audience: Farmers/Everybody

Project or Activity: Agriculture awareness efforts (social media, non farmer programs, farmers trainings, informal day to day communications, youth programming, newsletter articles, etc.)

Content or Curriculum: UK's unbiased researched based information and curriculums.

Inputs: Agent/Specialist time, training materials, advertising efforts, facilities, etc.

Date: FY 2020 and on-going

Success Stories