Increasing Knowledge in Agriculture, Home and Community EnvironmentPlan of Work

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Crittenden County CES

Title:
Increasing Knowledge in Agriculture, Home and Community Environment
MAP:
Farm, Home and Community Economic Development
Agents Involved:
Brasher ANR, Barnes 4-H, FCS
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Home & Consumer Horticulture
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Beef
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Situation:
Agriculture is Kentucky's largest employer and accounts for the greatest amount of revenue in Kentucky's economy. Every person is impacted by Agriculture everyday in the foods that they eat and the fibers that are used in their clothes, homes, work places and vehicles.

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; Kentucky ranks third for beef cattle density (cows per square mile) in the US. Cash receipts for beef cattle in Kentucky are approaching a billion dollars and may reach that level in 2014 with record high beef prices. Even with high prices it is important 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. These educational programs are targeted to assist our local Agriculture and Natural Resource agents to provide Kentucky beef producers with the tools necessary to be profitable and sustainable.
Local food continues to be in demand from consumers, restaurants, retail outlets and institutions (including schools). However, there is a disconnection between the production, processing, marketing and distribution segments of the local food system, especially for small and minority farmers. With sales from Kentucky food products expected to increase from $14 million (2014) to $24 million in 2020, Extension has resources to educate agricultural producers in production, value added opportunities, business planning, and marketing strategies to expand the local food system for the demand.

Long-Term Outcomes:
-Increase in the number of vendors, variety of local food products, sales and/or profits at farmer’s markets, road side stands, or community supported agriculture
-Increase access to local foods in restaurants, retail outlets, school and other institutions
-Maintain or increase consumer confidence/ demand in local foods
-Maintain or increase economic stability of farm operations
-Improved farm economic status
-Sustainability of farm
-Long term viability
-Producers save money by making better selection decisions
-Reduce expenses
-Improved herd quality
-Increased profits of operation
-Build the reputation and value of KY cattle
-Improved end product quality and food safety
-Enhanced consumer confidence
-Youth will engage in entrepreneurial enterprise
-Youth will gain and maintain employment through life skill development
-Youth will be advocates for agriculture and healthy and sustainable food systems
Intermediate Outcomes:
-Develop an Ag Plan using decision making tools ( i.e. cost efficiency)
-Create a budget and/or marketing plan
-Diversify the types and varieties of produce grown and sold
-Apply best management practices in marketing (i.e. pricing)
-Apply food safety practices and/or procedures

Earn certification(s) for:
-selling and /or providing samples at farmer’s markets
-Home Based Microprocessing
-Microprocessing
-Better Processing Control School
-USDA GAP

Created and market safe food products
-Apply food safety practices
-Create value added agricultural food items
-Market agricultural products locally

Implement practices to control the breeding season and enhance production efficiency
-Test forage for nutritional quality
-Utilize a complete mineral supplement program
-Implement crossbreeding program
-Make EPD and selection decisions
-Implement practices to perform examinations of pelvic areas, reproductive tract scores, AI, pregnancy diagnosis, and/or animal evaluation
-Appraise management practice changes; employ record systems to track drug use, vaccines, chemicals, feed additives, and the movement of cattle on and off operations
-Youth will practice and apply skills and knowledge in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant science, horticulture and animal science
-Youth will adopt and practice skills that contribute to employability.
-Youth can explain the role of agriculture in daily life to others.
-Youth will set a goal and accomplish it.
-Youth can influence the purchase of Kentucky Proud products
-Youth can practice entrepreneurship skills related to agriculture and food systems
Initial Outcomes:
-Locate crop profiles, decision tools and resources
-Describe advantages and disadvantages of marketing strategies (i.e. CSA, U-Pick, Farm to School, freezer beef)
-Interpret food safety handling procedures
-Understand procedures for safe food processing
-Interpret purchasing rules and regulations from contract buyers
-Research liability issues related to food safety
-Identify production methods and agricultural food products that extend the growing season (i.e. high tunnels, hydroponics)
-Participants become certified KY Master Cattleman
-Increased awareness of the following beef practices: reproduction, genetics, nutrition, health, end product, general herd management, and economics and marketing
-Youth will gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant science, horticulture and animal science
-Youth will gain an understanding of healthy and sustainable food systems
-Youth will develop valuable life skills, including decision making, communications, record keeping, leadership and service
Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: KY Master Cattlemen Certified

Indicator: number of participants

Method: workshops

Timeline: Winter 2018


Intermediate Outcome: Test Forage for nutritional quality

Indicator: number of forage tests increase in office

Method: samples

Timeline: 2018-2020


Initial Outcome: clients learn to identify the safety and accessibility of their homes

Indicator: how many people attend the program

Method: educational programs

Timeline: Fall 2017


Intermediate Outcome: evaluate the home to optimize safety and independence

Indicator: continued attendance of program

Method: survey

Timeline: Winter 2018


Long-term Outcome: homes become more accessible

Indicator: clients change any barrier that prevents their home from being accessible and secure

Method: survey

Timeline: spring 2018


Initial Outcome: Clubs that provide youth with agriculture education and hands on opportunities

Indicator: Number of youth involved in clubs and programs

Method: educational programs/curriculum/visits to agriculture industries

Timeline: 2017--2022


Intermediate Outcome: Youth will apply their knowledge to start their own agriculture projects at their homes

Indicator: Number of youth involved in clubs and programs

Method: survey; educational programs/curriculum/visits to agriculture industries

Timeline: 2017--2022


Long-term Outcome: Youth will gain knowledge and skills they can use to become productive members of society and learn the importance of agriculture to the economy

Method: survey;educational programs/curriculum/visits to agriculture industries

Timeline: 2017--2022


Initial Outcome: School Enrichment that provide youth with agriculture education and hands on opportunities

Indicator: Number of youth in the school system

Method: educational programs/curriculum

Timeline: 2017--2022


Intermediate Outcome: Youth will apply their knowledge they have learned in school to start their own agriculture projects at their homes

Indicator: Number of youth increasing agriculture projects within their home

Method: survey; educational programs/curriculum

Timeline: 2017--2022


Long-term Outcome: Youth will gain knowledge and skills they can use to become productive members of society and learn the importance of agriculture to the economy

Method: survey; educational programs/curriculum

Timeline: 2017--2022

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Beef Producers

Project or Activity: Master Cattleman

Content or Curriculum: Master Cattleman curriculum

Inputs: specialists, agents

Date: Winter 2018


Audience: Home and Consumer Horticulturists

Project or Activity: various field days and

Content or Curriculum: University Publications

Inputs: specialists, cooperating producers, agents

Date: Spring 2018


Audience: adults, low resource families, grandparents

Project or Activity: Home Accessibility

Content or Curriculum: educational programs, media, public display

Inputs: agents, health professionals, senior service providers

Date: 2017-2018


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Clubs such as Jr. Beekeepers, Livestock, Dog,Tractor/Clubs promoting Ag Literacy within the community, Judging Contests, Skill-a-thons, Field Trips, Shows and Competitive events

Content or Curriculum: Curriculum

Inputs: Extension Agent, School, Agriculture Industry, Certified Volunteers, Volunteers, Businesses

Date: 2017--2022


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Day camps such as Farm Safety Days and day camps at Extension Office, Programs such as YELP, School Enrichment providing Ag Literacy in the Classroom

Content or Curriculum: Curriculum

Inputs: Extension Agent, School, Agriculture Industry, Certified Volunteers, Volunteers, Businesses

Date: 2017--2022




Success Stories

2017 Fall Bee School

Author: Dee Heimgartner

Major Program: Bees/Beekeeping

Four beekeeping associations and three related businesses in western Kentucky collaborated with Extension Agents from five counties to offer the 2017 Fall Beekeeper’s School at the Marshall County Extension Office. Program topics were organized into beginning and advanced tracks. Fifty-one people attended from seven counties in Kentucky and two in Illinois. Eight had not attended a bee school before. Topics included advanced and basic beekeeping, basic equipment and top bar hives, value ad

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County Fair Hay Quality Contest

Author: Dee Heimgartner

Major Program: Forages

Nutrition is an important part of a balanced diet and human food has a nutrition facts label on the package to read and help in deciding on nutritious food. A balanced diet is important for livestock also but there isn’t a label on the side of a hay bale for producers to read. It is also hard to guess the nutrition values of hay because quality can be greatly varied. Forage quality is affected by many factors including maturity stage, temperature, fertilizer, amount of leaf retention, and

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Master Cattleman Series

Author: Dee Heimgartner

Major Program: Beef

According to the 2012 agriculture census, Crittenden County has over 13,000 head of cattle. Seven of those Crittenden County beef producers participated in a Master Cattleman Series hosted by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension agents in Crittenden, Caldwell, and Trigg Counties. A total of 26 cattle farmers from the three counties participated in the 10 week series. Each class featured a topic related to cattle production and was taught by UK Extension Specialists.As a result of this

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Small Ruminant Producers Benefit From Extension Programs

Author: Dee Heimgartner

Major Program: Small Ruminants

According to the 2012 USDA Agriculture Census, Crittenden County has over 1,300 head of sheep and lambs ranking it seventh out of the 120 counties in Kentucky. While talking with several of these producers the Crittenden County Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent Dee Heimgartner realized that there wasn't a lot of educational opportunities for the small ruminant producers locally. To help get information to producers Heimgartner worked with Calloway County Agent Matt Chadwick t

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