Extension
It Starts With Us
Increasing Knowledge in Agriculture, Home and Community Environment
Farm, Home and Community Economic Development
Brasher ANR, Barnes 4-H, FCS
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Beef
Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum
Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
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.
-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
-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
-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
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
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
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
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
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
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
