Extension
It Starts With Us
Strengthening Adair County's Agriculture Industry
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Nick Roy
Beef
Grains
Agriculture
Forages
In Adair County, crops and livestock generated 69.3 million dollars according to the last Ag census in 2017. Adair County’s livestock sector primarily consists of poultry, beef, and dairy which generate 69% of ag cash receipts. Grain crops generated 11.2 million dollars in cash receipts. Other areas such as tobacco, equine, and horticulture also made contributions to overall ag income.
The Adair County Agriculture Advisory council developed a list of concerns which pose the greatest risk to Adair County's Agriculture Industry. From that list, the council has assisted the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service develop the following plan of work to address those concerns.
Improve marketing of beef cattle to improve the overall profitability of beef producers.
Improve milk productions while identifying areas for dairy operations to become more efficient.
Improve management of forage production systems to meet forage needs of livestock.
Improve environmental stewardship following ag water quality plans and nutrient management plans.
Improve management of grain crops to follow or exceed trendline yields while increasing profitability.
Develop agriculture leaders in Adair County to ensure the continued success of the local agriculture industry.
Expand access to locally produced foods and improve profitability among those who produce those foods.
Beef farmers will implement weaning and marketing strategies proven to improve marketing and profitability.
Farmers will develop and implement ag water quality plans and nutrient management plans to ensure efficient use of animal waste.
Adair County youth and young farmers will participate in educational and leadership programs
Dairy producers improve milk production on a per head basis.
Improved forage management results in and increased production, increased quality, and/or decreased cost of forage production.
Grain crop producers adapt best management practices to improve yields and manage input costs
Farmers will learn develop strategies for best utilizing animal waste products.
Farmers will learn how to utilize cover crops in crop rotation.
Adair County young farmers and youth will develop networks to encourage growth and development.
Farmers will learn about marketing techniques, avenues, and options for their products.
Livestock producers will learn and develop best practices for forage management
Intermediate Outcome: Increased Use of Cover Crops
Indicator: Acres in cover crops
Method: Survey
Timeline: September 2021
Long Term Outcome: Improved Soil Fertility Management
Indicator: Soil Testing
Method: UK Soil Data
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021
Initial Outcome: Youth & Young Farmers Participation
Indicator: Number of youth & young farmers networking
Method: Survey
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021
Long Term Outcome: Improved Marketing of Farm Products
Indicator: Market Reports, new markets created, sale bills.
Method: producer survey
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021
Intermediate Outcome: Improved forage Management
Indicator: Forage yields and grazing days
Method: surveys
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021Intermediate Outcome: Improved grain yields
Indicator: Grain Yields
Method: NASS
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021
Audience: Burley Growers
Activity: Center of KY Tobacco Meeting/GAP
Content or Curriculum: GAP, KY Tobacco Guide
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, Volunteer Farm, Sponsors
Date: Winter 2021/22
Audience: Dairy Producers
Activity: Center of Kentucky Dairy Short course/Center of KY Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Reproduction, Dry Cow Mgt, Heifer Mgt, Animal Well being
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, Volunteer Farm, Sponsors
Date: Winter 2021/22
Activity: DHIA Testing
Audience: Dairy Producers
Content or Curriculum: Production Record Keeping
Inputs: DHIA testers
Date: July 2021- June 2022
Activity: Adair County Cattlemen’s Meetings
Audience: Cattle Producers
Content or Curriculum: Enterprise improvement through genetics, health, and pre-conditioning.
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: July 2021- June 2022Activity: Adair County Junior Cattlemen Association
Audience: Youth Cattle Producers
Content or Curriculum: 4H Livestock curriculum
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: July 2021- June 2022
Activity: Adair County Feeder Cattle Program
Audience: Cattle Producers
Content or Curriculum: Feeder Calf Protocol
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: July 2021- June 2022
Activity: Commercial Vegetable Production Seminars
Audience: Hort Growers
Content or Curriculum: UK Specialists
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: Winter 2021/22
Activity: Forage Testing
Audience: Forage Producers
Content or Curriculum: Forage Testing Lab
Inputs: Dairy One Forage Lab
Date: July 2021- June 2022
Audience: Beef
Activity: Pasture Walk
Content or Curriculum: Selected by participants
Inputs: Agent & Specialists
Date: Fall 2022
Audience: Horticulture Producers
Activity: Farmer’s Market
Content or Curriculum: Marketing
Inputs: Agents & Volunteers
Date: Summer 2021
Audience: Horticulture Producers/Home hort
Activity: Garden Shortcourse/Garden Club Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener publications
Inputs: Agents & Volunteers
Date: Winter 2021-22
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Soil Testing
Content or Curriculum: Fertilizer Recommendations
Inputs: Agent, Staff, UK Regulatory Services
Date: July 2021- June 2022
Activity: Adair County Grain Field Day/Center of KY Grain Crops Meeting
Audience: Grain Producers
Content or Curriculum: Fertility, Plant Population, Weed Control
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, Volunteer Farm, Sponsors
Date: Summer 2021/Winter 2022
Activity: Animal Waste Nutrient Testing
Content or Curriculum: AGR-1
Inputs; UK Regulatory Services
Date: July 2021- June 2022
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Phase I Cost Share Programs
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Input: Cattleman’s Association, Agents, & Staff
Date: July 2021- June 2022Audience: Youth Farmers
Activity: CAIP for Youth
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications/GOAP
Input: Cattleman’s Association, Agents, & Staff
Date: July 2021- June 2022
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Pesticide Certification
Content or Curriculum: KY Pesticide Safety Training Program
Input: Agents, UK Publications
Date: Spring 2022
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Animal Science/Livestock Club
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum
Date: September 2021-May 2022
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Country Ham Project
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum and Trained Volunteers and
Specialist
Inputs: Volunteer Leaders, Parents, Specialist, Community Leaders, Office Staff
Date: September 2021-May 2022
Audience: Family
Project or Activity: Family Gardening Program
Curriculum: UK Gardening related publications
Inputs: Volunteer Leaders, Community Leaders, Parents, Office Staff
Date: January-August 2022
Audience: Loggers
Project or Activity: Master Logger TV
Curriculum: UK Gardening related publications
Inputs: Specialists, agent, staff
Date: Winter 2022
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Substance Use and Mental Health - ANR
Ask any farmer, they know farming is stressful, most know of at least one individual who has committed suicide, or they may know of someone or have concerns about depression about a friend or neighbor. Recent research out of University of Kentucky finds that for every suicide, 135 people are affected. There is a community impact of this mental health crisis which requires a community solution.Through cooperation with the South East Center for Agriculture Health and Injury Prevention, the A
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Forages
In 2021, livestock farmer’s budgets were broken with a dramatic rise in fertilizer prices. Farmers were left wondering how they could meet the fertility needs of their forage crops in 2021. Demonstration work conducted by the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service in previous years surfaced quickly as one strategy livestock producers could employ to deal with high fertilizer prices. Since 2016, the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service has worked with local
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Soil testing
In 2022, fertilizer prices increased nearly three-fold compared to 2021. The increase in prices brought attention to the need to use both fertilizers and animal manures effectively to grow crops. In Adair County, a large amount of animal manure is produced annually from beef, dairy, and poultry operations. During the winter of 2022, multiple educational programs were held addressing grain producers, dairy and beef cattle producers, and poultry producers. Strategies were s
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Master Gardener
The Adair County Extension Master Gardener program was offered in 2022 with the goal of expanding horticulture education efforts offered by the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service. Through the hard of volunteers, the fruits of this effort are already being harvest. In late Spring 2022, one participant began developing curriculum for a series of education meetings targeting youth. Soon after other Master Gardener participants volunteered to offer assistance in teaching t
