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.
Volunteers trained to educate community as whol on horticulture.
Intermediate Outcome: Increased Use of Cover Crops
Indicator: Acres in cover crops
Method: Survey
Timeline: May 2023
Long Term Outcome: Improved Soil Fertility Management
Indicator: Soil Testing
Method: UK Soil Data
Timeline: September 2023-May 2024
Initial Outcome: Youth & Young Farmers Participation
Indicator: Number of youth & young farmers networking
Method: Survey
Timeline: September 2023-May 2024
Long Term Outcome: Improved Marketing of Farm Products
Indicator: Market Reports, new markets created, sale bills.
Method: producer survey
Timeline: September 2023-May 2024
Intermediate Outcome: Improved forage Management
Indicator: Forage yields and grazing days
Method: surveys
Timeline: September 2023-May 2024Intermediate Outcome: Improved grain yields
Indicator: Grain Yields
Method: NASS
Timeline: September 2023-May 2024Intermediate Outcome: Community Education in Horticulture
Indicator: EMG Reports
Method: Survey
Timeline: September 2023-May 2024
Audience: Dairy Producers
Activity: Center of Kentucky Dairy Seminar/Center of KY Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Forages, Economics, Genetics
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, Volunteer Farm, Sponsors
Date: Winter 2025
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 2024- June 2025
Activity: Adair County Feeder Cattle Program
Audience: Cattle Producers
Content or Curriculum: Feeder Calf Protocol
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: July 2024- June 2025
Activity: Commercial Vegetable Production Seminars
Audience: Hort Growers
Content or Curriculum: UK Specialists
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: Winter 2025
Activity: Forage Testing
Audience: Forage Producers
Content or Curriculum: Forage Testing Lab
Inputs: Dairy One Forage Lab
Date: July 2024- June 2025
Audience: Beef
Activity: Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Selected by participants
Inputs: Agent & Specialists
Date: Fall 2024
Audience: Horticulture Producers
Activity: Farmer’s Market
Content or Curriculum: Marketing
Inputs: Agents & Volunteers
Date: Summer 2024
Audience: Horticulture Producers/Home hort
Activity: Garden Short course/Garden Club Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener publications
Inputs: Agents & Volunteers
Date: Winter 2024-25
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Soil Testing
Content or Curriculum: Fertilizer Recommendations
Inputs: Agent, Staff, UK Regulatory Services
Date: July 2024- June 2025
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: Winter 2025
Activity: Nutrient Management Planning
Content or Curriculum: AGR-1
Inputs; UK Regulatory Services
Date: July 2024- June 2025
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Phase I Cost Share Programs
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Input: Cattleman’s Association, Agents, & Staff
Date: July 2024- June 2025
Audience: Livestock Farms
Activity: Grassland Projects
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Input: Specialists Agents & Staff
Date: July 2024- June 2025
Audience: Forage Producers
Activity: South Central KY Hay Contest
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Input: Specialists Agents & Staff
Date: July 2024- June 2025
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Pesticide Certification
Content or Curriculum: KY Pesticide Safety Training Program
Input: Agents, UK Publications
Date: Spring 2025
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Animal Science/Livestock Club
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum
Date: September 2024-June 2025
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Country Ham Project
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum and Trained Volunteers and
Specialist
Inputs: Volunteer Leaders, Parents, Specialists, Community Leaders, Office Staff
Date: September 2024-June 2025
Audience: Family
Project or Activity: Family Gardening Program
Curriculum: UK Gardening related publications
Inputs: Volunteer Leaders, Community Leaders, Parents, Office Staff
Date: January-August 2024
Audience: Gardeners
Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program
Curriculum: UK Gardening related publications
Inputs: Specialists, agent, staff
Date: 2024-2025
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Beef
In the Fall of 2023, the Adair County Agriculture Advisory Council identified practices to reduce risk as one of their top three priorities for the upcoming plan of work. Activity monitoring systems for cattle have the ability to detect when animals may be experiencing a health event. These technologies can alert farmers of health concerns sooner than they may be able to detect them on their own. In response, the Adair County Cooperative Extension service secured funding thr
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Beef
Beef and dairy farming make up a large portion of the agriculture revenue in south central Kentucky. Farmers who adopt artificial insemination in their herds can access the best genetics in the world and improve cattle production while also decreasing injuries to employees often associated with running a herd bull. In July of 2024, the Adair Count Cooperative Extension Service collaborated with a local AI cooperative to teach producers how to AI cattle. The artificial insemina
