Agriculture Production, Management, and EnvironmentPlan of Work

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Daviess County CES

Title:
Agriculture Production, Management, and Environment
MAP:
Agriculture Production, Management, and Environment
Agents Involved:
Hardy, Heisdorffer
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Farm Management, Economics and Policy
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Grains
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Agriculture and Extension Leadership Development
Situation:

Equity in farm business has been on a path of decline since approximately 2014, as net revenues have fallen due to inventory supply expansion and demand destruction related to trade policy and COVID-19-induced economic recession.  Rapid increase in farmland values have leveled from the 2006 to 2013 period, while at the same time, revenues from grain and livestock receipts have declined, forcing many to acquire farm operating loans based on collateral rather than cash flow lending standards, further eroding equity in their land holdings.  COVID-19 has arrived to bring further trouble to the agricultural economy.  Restrictions on travel have reduced motor vehicle travel and subsequent ethanol consumption, the sink for nearly 40% of the U.S. corn crop, during a period when South America is capitalizing on Chinese agricultural tariffs of imported agricultural commodities from the United States.  In the past two years, nearly 20% of net farm income has been comprised of government subsidies.  This non-recurring income has kept farms going but has become essential for survival, rather than the safety net as designed.  Continuation or curtailing quantitative easing could be how the future of some businesses are determined.        

In 2018 the National Gardening Survey indicated that 77% of American households garden in some way. Recent trends indicate that more and more Americans are growing their own food (35% of households), while interests in ornamentals remains high, particularly in the area of gardening to support pollinators and other ecological uses of plants. American gardeners will continue to look to Cooperative Extension for specific answers to their gardening questions while protecting the environment 

Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:
Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:

Initial Outcome:  Participants will identify what is required to attract pollinators and butters.  

Indicator:  Number of people who can list 2 requirements to attract pollinators and butters. 

Method:  Self-reporting survey after meeting 

Timeline:  Summer-Fall 2021 and  Late Spring 2022


Intermediate Outcome:  People will use Extension information to maintain gardens properly  

Indicator:  Number of people using Extension information to maintain gardens properly

Method:  Follow up self-reporting survey  

Timeline: July-October 2021 and March-June 2022


Long-term Outcome: Maintain or increase ag profit or reduce expense and/or risk

Indicator: Financial reporting

Method: Observation of KFBM summaries

Timeline: Summer 2022

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Newspaper and Newsletter Audience and Gardeners 

Project or Activity: Best Management Practices to Protect the Environment, such as: Rain gardens, IPM, and protecting pollinators

Content or Curriculum: Extension publications

Inputs: Agent, Extension Master Gardeners

Date: July-December 2021 and January-June 2022


Audience: Grain Farm Business Managers

Project or Activity: Ag Expo

Content or Curriculum: Research-based discussion of production challenges

Inputs: Extension Specialists and Curriculum

Date: January 2022


Audience: Beef Farm Business Managers

Project or Activity: CPH 45 Feeder Calf Marketing

Content or Curriculum: Beef IRM committee recommendations

Inputs: Extension Specialists and Local Sale Committee

Date: 2021/2022


Audience: Agronomists, Seed Dealers, Grain Producers

Project or Activity: Daviess County Grain Research and Demonstration Plots

Content or Curriculum: Provide unbiased data supporting the efficacy of seed brands promoted in our area

Inputs: Seed companies and local plot planning committee

Date: 2022


Audience:  Gardeners, General Public

Project or Activity:  Vegetable Gardening 

Content or Curriculum:  UK Publications

Inputs:  Agent, Extension Master Gardeners

Date:  July-October 2021 and February-June 2022


Audience:  Gardeners, General Public

Project or Activity:  Attracting Pollinators and Butterflies

Content or Curriculum:  Extension Publications

Inputs:  Agent, Extension Master Gardeners

Date:   July - September 2021 and March 2022


Audience:  Gardeners, General Public

Project or Activity:  Advanced Gardening Topics

Content or Curriculum:  Extension Publications including Extension Master Gardener Manual

Inputs:  Agent, Extension Specialists

Date:  2021/2022



Success Stories

Private Pesticide Applicator Training

Author: Clinton Hardy

Major Program: Chemical Management

Nearly 16 million dollars are invested annually on pesticides applied to Daviess County corn and soybean land for control of insects, weeds, and disease.  In addition to the decision of how to most effectively utilize pesticide resources for the greatest return on investment, farms must include employee and personal protection, environmental stewardship, and nearby sensitive area considerations in their pesticide management decisions.  Above all, the seasonality of outdoor activity lim

Full Story

Daviess County High School Crop Scouting Team

Author: Clinton Hardy

Major Program: Pest ID

Grain production is the primary agricultural enterprise in Daviess County encompassing more than 150,000 acres annually; nearly half the land surface of the county.   An important task assigned to farmers, production salespeople, extension agents, and agronomists each growing season is the evaluation of growing crops for pest control issues related to insect, disease, and weed problems.  Crop evaluation of these occurrences requires time, training, and knowledge.  Most non-farm cr

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Daviess County Extension grain variety demonstration plots for corn and soybeans

Author: Clinton Hardy

Major Program: Grains

Land utilized for corn and soybean production comprises approximately 148,000 acres, nearly 50%, of Daviess County’s land surface.  Combined, their gross value annually meets or exceeds 200 million dollars.  The Daviess County Extension grain variety demonstration plots for corn and soybeans are the most trusted and relied upon source of data chosen by farmers and landowners when selecting brands to plant on their farms.  Major regional and national seed suppliers contact th

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Extension Master Gardeners Play Vital Role in Reaching Others with Science-Based Gardening Information

Author: Annette Heisdorffer

Major Program: Master Gardener

Extension Master Gardener volunteers play a vital role in the outreach of the Cooperative Extension Service into the community. They seek opportunities to fulfill their goal of helping others through sharing science-based gardening knowledge gained through this extension program taught by the horticulture agent in Daviess County.   A total of 50 Extension Master Gardeners reported that they volunteered 3,393 hours toward educational projects involving horticulture in the community this

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Providing Science-Based Gardening Information through Partnership with Library

Author: Annette Heisdorffer

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

Due to the pandemic, a different way to reach people with local science-based gardening information was needed.   Therefore, a partnership between the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service and the Daviess County Public Library was developed. Gardening programs were presented by the horticulture agent through PowerPoint during Facebook Live and recorded by the library. During the second year of the partnership, eight presentations were delivered on topics such as Dividing Perennials;

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Using Virtual Horticulture Webinar Wednesday to Provide Science-based Gardening Information

Author: Annette Heisdorffer

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

Horticulture Webinar Wednesday virtual programming was developed by Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents for Horticulture Education in March of 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic to reach  citizens of the Commonwealth.  The Daviess County Horticulture Agent serves as one of those team members. Webinars were presented live through the virtual format of Zoom on Wednesdays and recorded.   The format includes a question-and-answer period after the live presentati

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