New Agriculture OpportunitiesPlan of Work

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Nicholas County CES

Title:
New Agriculture Opportunities
MAP:
Diversified Agriculture Opportunities
Agents Involved:
Russ Muntifering & Ashley Vice
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Local Food Systems
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Farm Management, Economics and Policy
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Situation:

Nicholas County has traditionally been one of the most tobacco-dependent counties in the state, both through history and total county revenue. There is a critical need to find crops/resources to fill this growing void. The diversification of the agriculture community is the only viable way to resolve this issue. Farmers must realize the need to add additional crops to diversify their operations and to keep a consistent flow of income to their operation and to the county.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Create diversified commodities that are sustainable in Nicholas County with markets for them. 

Intermediate Outcomes:

Increased acreage of nontraditional crops

Growth in local farmers market with increased customer base

Utilize nontraditional marketing options in the county

Initial Outcomes:
Producers investigate marketing options available to them
Increase in microprocessing certificates and farmers market producers
Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increase in microprocessor certificates

Indicator: Rise in number of microprocessors 

Method: Number of participants and graduates

Timeline: Ongoing


Intermediate Outcome: Increased acreage in nontraditional crops

Indicator: Growth in new/nontraditional crops in the county

Method: Census data/farm visits

Timeline: Ongoing


Long-term Outcome: Niche Market Producers

Indicator: Presence of KY Proud Producers in the county

Method: Marketing and presence on KDA website

Timeline: Ongoing

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Nicholas County Residents 

Project or Activity: Agriculture Diversification Field Days

Content or Curriculum: Specific diverse crop information 

Inputs: UK specialists, collaboration of agents and local organizations (Cattlemen's Association, Chamber of Commerce, Community Economic Development)

Date: 2021-2024


Audience: Nicholas County Producers

Project or Activity: Farm Visits

Content or Curriculum: Publications

Inputs: Publications, specialists, diagnostic testing

Date: 2021-2024


Audience: Nicholas County Producers

Project or Activity: Soil samples

Content or Curriculum: Publications

Inputs: Publications, specialists, diagnostic testing

Date: 2021-2024


Audience: Nicholas County Residents 

Project or Activity: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud 

Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up! Recipes 

Inputs: Newsletters, recipe cards 

Date: 2021 - 2024 



Success Stories

Nicholas County Agricultural Investment Program (CAIP) for 2022-2023

Author: Russell Muntifering

Major Program: Economic Development and Workforce Preparation - ANR

The County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) is the primary KCES liaison to the County Agricultural Development Council (CADC), and as such encourages and coordinates educational components for CAIP (County Agricultural Investment Program) producers’ educational requirements, and helps facilitate CAIP producer informational meetings to review annual program changes and guidelines. The immediate top priority of the Nicholas County ADC whose reappointed and new memb

Full Story

2023 Plant Order

Author: Shelby Cleaver

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

 This year the Nicholas County Extension went in together with Laurel County Extension among many other counties and put in a plant order for the communities. In these orders people in the community had a choice between 2 varieties of strawberries, blackberries, 2 varieties of blueberries, 2 varieties of raspberries, asparagus plants and onion plants. I had put this together for the community in a short time because of my start date but within that time we had 24 people put in orders for pl

Full Story

2023 Youth Livestock

Author: Shelby Cleaver

Major Program: Agriculture

Nicholas County Youth Livestock Shows were held June 14th-17th at our county livestock barn. The 4-H livestock club helped 26 youth with this program to educate on different strategies of showing and to become more comfortable around livestock knowing the basics and how to care for their livestock, they also went and competed in skillathons, went to the Kentucky Beef Expo Judging contest as well as other judging contests put on by surrounding counties. We had 15 kids that decided to participate

Full Story
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