Extension
It Starts With Us
Agriculture Production
23-24 Ag Production, Profitability and Awareness
Jason Phillips, Catherine Webster
Forages
Beef
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Grains
Situation: According to the most recent Agriculture Census, Simpson County has 467 farm operations on 101,530 acres, which represents 67.7% of total county land. In comparison, Kentucky’s farm operations make up 51.6% of the state’s total land area. The majority of Simpson County producers remain reliant on income from traditional commodities such as grain crops, tobacco and livestock production. Public Awareness about agriculture production is increasingly important due to a growing population of citizens without an agricultural background or knowledge about the food production process. The Simpson County Extension Council and Ag Advisory Council identified the importance of providing programming to improve practices and profitability for crop and livestock producers as well as promoting agricultural awareness in these areas.
Long-term Outcomes: Clientele will improve crop and livestock production systems by minimizing costs of production and efficiently utilizing resources. Implementation of these practices along with improved marketing skills will increase profitability. Through increased profitability for local farm families and the local economy, the quality of life for residents in Simpson County will improve. In addition, increased agricultural awareness will allow local citizens to understand the dynamics of our food production systems. This will allow families to make more informed decisions about food consumption and purchases, understand the impact of regulations affecting agricultural production, provide a better overall understanding of production systems, and provide a positive source of information for the public about food production in the U.S. Youth will be advocates for agriculture and healthy & sustainable food systems.
Intermediate Outcomes: Clientele will implement a variety of improved crop and livestock production practices and marketing techniques utilizing knowledge gained through Extension training, workshops, field days, publications, newsletters, newspaper articles and radio programs. Awareness programs will result in accurate and agriculture friendly discussions, social media posts and community leadership. Youth can explain the role of agriculture in daily life to others.
Initial Outcome: Clientele will be better equipped with knowledge to take, follow and implement Extension soil test fertility management recommendations; scout for weeds, insects and diseases; select disease resistant and higher yielding varieties; make timely plantings; research new technologies; enter into sustainable crop lease agreements; improve their marketing decisions; make better management decisions to optimize their individual cropping system; understand how to take a fact-based approach when assessing agriculture and food related information. Youth will gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and animal sciences.
Initial Outcome: Producers will increase their knowledge, make practice changes and increase overall profitability while improving the public perception of agriculture and the long-term sustainability of our food systems.
Indicator: The number of producers indicating knowledge, practice, profitability and awareness as a result of information presented at Extension sponsored events. Participants in youth programs will demonstrate a skill that was learned or improved.
Method: Post-meeting evaluations
Timeline: Evaluations will be given immediately following programs and one to twenty four months following training sessions.
Audience: Current & prospective crop producers, agribusiness
representatives
Project or Activity: Grain day
Content or Curriculum: Grain production education
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, facilities, UK specialists, UK publications
Date: Winter 2024
Audience: Current & prospective grain & forage producers, Agribusiness
representatives
Project or Activity: Promoting UK Performance Trials
Content or Curriculum: small grain, soybean, corn hybrid and forage
performance variety trial information and education
Inputs: radio programs, newsletters, one-on-one consultations
Date: 2023-2024 program year
Audience: Extension Agents, current & prospective crop producers,
landowners, agribusiness representatives
Project or Activity: UK Zoom Program Series
Content or Curriculum: Timely beef and forage production information accessible by
agents and clients anywhere there is an internet connection
Inputs: Agent time, paid staff, UK specialists, Computers, Extension pubs
Date: 2023-2024 program year
Audience: Crop and Livestock Producers
Project or Activity: Phase I Programming for Crops/Livestock
Content or Curriculum: Educational information pertaining to crop and
livestock production
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, newsletters, Kentucky Office of
Agricultural Policy, UK resources
Date: January-April 2024
Audience: Current & Perspective Tobacco Producers, Agribusiness
Representatives
Project or Activity: Tobacco Production & Disease Control
Content or Curriculum: variety selection, pest management, fertility,
tillage, sucker control, GAP training
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, UK specialists, Extension publications,
newsletters, radio programs
Date: January 2024
Audience: Current & perspective hemp producers, agribusiness
representatives
Project or Activity: Hemp programming
Content or Curriculum: Hemp for grain, cbd, hemp systems; in-county hemp production plots
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, facilities, UK specialists, UK publications
Date: 2023-2024 program year
Audience: Current & Perspective beef producers, agribusiness
representatives
Project or Activity: Educational Beef Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Cattleman’s Association, UK, industry
educators, Beef Council
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, meeting facilities, UK specialists,
Industry specialists, Radio programs, Newsletters
Date: 2023-2024 program year
Audience: General public, current and prospective beef producers
Project or Activity: Beef Month Promotion
Content or Curriculum: beef educational information, mass media
awareness, food safety
Inputs: Agent’s time, media outlets, paid staff, newsletters
Date: May 2024
Audience: current and prospective beef producers
Project or Activity: Simpson/Warren Beef Tour
Content or Curriculum: beef educational information, Extension Beef Specialists, Kentucky Beef Network
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, newsletters
Date: July 2023
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Ag Awareness Breakfast
Content or Curriculum: agriculture promotion and awareness, showcase
local food products
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, newsletters, radio programs, local food
producers, Ag Advisory Council
Date: March 2024
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Youth Ag Education
Content or Curriculum: agriculture promotion and awareness for school age children
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, newsletters, radio programs, presenters,
UK publications, Ag Advisory Council
Date: September 2023-May 2024
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Franklin-Simpson Boofest
Content or Curriculum: showcase past and present agricultural production through AGgtivities
methods and agencies supporting agriculture
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, media promotion, newsletters, Ag Advisory Council
Date: October 2023
Audience: Outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts
Project or Activity: Wildlife Field Programming and Video Series
Content or Curriculum: provide wildlife managers key research and information in improving wildlife habitat
Inputs: Agents time, video equipment and software, paid staff
Date: August 2023-February 2024
Audience:
Project or Activity: In the Field with UK Extension Video Series
Content or Curriculum: timely agriculture and horticulture topics addressed by Simpson and Allen County Extension Agents for Agriculture and posted to YouTube for viewing
Inputs: Agents time, video equipment and software, paid staff
Date: 2023-2024 program year
Audience: Industry
Project or Activity: SOKY Commercial Pesticide Training
Content or Curriculum: Commercial Pest Control Education
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, facilities, UK specialists, industry specialists, UK publications, newsletters, radio programs
Date: November 2023
Audience: Agricultural producers
Project or Activity: Private Pesticide Applicators Training
Content or Curriculum: proper handling, storage, application methods, calibration, etc.
Inputs: Agent’s time, paid staff, meeting facility, UK resources, newsletters, radio program
Date: February – March 2024
Author: Jason Phillips
Major Program: Beef
Simpson County Beef producers expressed a desire to see the University of Kentucky Meat Science Lab and to tour the Eden Shale Farm in Owenton, KY. The meats lab tour provided insight that was beneficial for all beef producers and especially helpful to those that produce direct-to-consumer beef products. The Eden Shale Farm featured many practices from the University of Kentucky and Kentucky Beef network that are extremely practical for producers to utilize on their own farm. A
Author: Jason Phillips
Major Program: Grains
Over the last few years, Italian Ryegrass has become an increasingly problematic weed for grain producers in Simpson County and in south central and western Kentucky. It grows aggressively and competes for light, nutrients and water with desirable crops. It can be challenging in winter wheat, corn and soybeans. Several Simpson County producers have had to destroy corn crops and replant due to the invasive nature of Italian Ryegrass. The first herbicide resistant Italian R
Author: Jason Phillips
Major Program: Local Food Systems
Fresh food accessibility can be minimal when operating on a limited budget. This can be especially true without knowledge of how to properly grow and prepare fresh food products. Residents of the Franklin Housing Authority expressed an interest in learning more about growing fresh vegetables, proper gardening techniques and utilization of fresh vegetables in recipes. In response, the Simpson County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources and Simpson County NEP Ass
