Extension
It Starts With Us
Crops & Livestock Management & Marketing; Horticulture & Forestry Production, Economics & Marketing
Agricultural Sustainability
Greg Comer, ANR Agent; Gary Druin, 4-H Agent
Local Food Systems
Grain Crops
Forestry Industry Education
Beef
Ohio County is one of the largest counties in Kentucky, encompassing nearly 381,000 acres. It is also ranked (in top 10%) as one of the largest farm cash receipts generating counties, with over $98 million in farm receipts, according to 2012 NASS statistics. It still has great potential for expansion, with over 100,000 acres of underutilized forages, 50,000 acres of Class II and III land still unimproved and 180,000 acres of undermanaged timber. However, expansion must be accomplished in a sustainable method using improved grazing management, better forestry management techniques, enhanced marketing skills, diversification of enterprises and other sustainable systematic approaches.
•Landowners/producers will adopt integrated production and management systems which are financially and environmentally sustainable.
•Woodland owners will adopt management systems which improve timber/wildlife productivity, while being ecologically sustainable.
•Farmer’s Market vendors will provide safe, nutritious, high quality produce for local consumers.
•Livestock producers will implement livestock marketing avenues which optimize profitability of their operation.
•Youth will use sound animal husbandry practices in maintaining their livestock projects.
•Landowners/producers will follow research based recommendations which protect the environment, while optimizing production.
•Producers will analyze market situations and utilize marketing approaches which optimize pricing opportunities.
•Livestock producers will improve handling facilities and animal handing skills to facilitate improved safety for livestock and handlers.
•Landowners/producers will utilize soil/forage testing, diagnostic services, IPM principles and best management practices which make their operations more sustainable.
•Forest landowners will seek professional assistance when marketing timber and use BMP’s which protect natural resources.
•Youth will care for livestock using proper animal husbandry practices.
•Livestock producers will improve forage utilization management, reduce winter feed needs, and adopt technologies/BMP’s which optimize resources.
•Grain producers will adopt use of new technologies for crop production, which improve efficiency.
•Producers will improve awareness of land-grant research in grain crop production, grazing management, and forage/grain variety trials.
•Producers will expand adoption of new technologies which improve efficiency, safety, and profitability of enterprises.
•Woodland owners will understand timber marketing options and utilize professional assistance for marketing and timber stand improvement.
•Livestock producers will improve utilization of forages, forage harvest management, and feeding management to reduce losses.
•Youth will use learn proper livestock management thru livestock projects
•Producers will utilize information from Extension, KDA and USDA to analyze market opportunities
•Increase in sales and vendors at Farmer’s Market
Evaluation:
Outcome: Landowners/producers utilize testing & diagnostic services, IPM principles and BMP to improve sustainability of agricultural enterprises
Indicator: Number of soil & diagnostic requests. Producers use of IPM & BMP’s
Method: Soil & diagnostics requests. Survey of producers on use of IPM & BMP’s
Timeline: Spring 2020
Evaluation:
Outcome: Increase in use of Farmer’s Market
Indicator: Vendor sales at Farmer’s Market
Method: Survey of receipts at Farmer’s Market
Timeline: Summer & fall 2019
Evaluation:
Outcome: Increase in Youth Agricultural Projects and agricultural knowledge.
Indicator: Number of youth developing agricultural projects and strengthening partnerships with Cooperative Extension, 4-H and FFA programs.
Method: Survey of Youth Agriculture Incentives Program
Time Line: August 2019-July 2020
Audience: Ohio County Youth
Project or Activity: Youth Agricultural Incentives Program
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Department of Agriculture Program, 4-H Livestock/Horse curriculum and Extension Publications
Inputs: KDA, Ohio County 4-H, Ohio County FFA, YAIP Committee
Date: Summer – Fall 2019
Audience: Pesticide users
Project or Activity: Pesticide Applicator training
Content or Curriculum: Pesticide safety training curriculum
Inputs: ANR agent
Date: Jan-March 2020
Audience: Landowners/producers
Project or Activity: Ag Development Cost-Share Educational Program
Content or Curriculum: Enterprise management & economics
Inputs: Agent & specialist
Date: Fall 2019
Audience: Beef/Forage Producers
Project or Activity: Beef/Forage Workshops
Content or Curriculum: Livestock management, herd health, forage utilization, weed control, etc.
Inputs: Agent, specialist, industry reps, NRCS, O.C. Cattlemen’s Assoc., farm suppliers
Date: Year-round
Audience: Landowners & producers
Project or Activity: Demonstrations
Content or Curriculum: field trials to demonstrate recommended practices and research
Inputs: agents, producers
Date: FY 2019-20
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: Livestock/Horse Club
Content or Curriculum: Livestock/horse project resources, skill-a-thon/judging, show ring
Inputs: Agents, specialist, leaders
Date: Year-round
Audience: Vegetable/fruit producers
Project or Activity: Good Agricultural Practices
Content or Curriculum: GAP curriculum
Inputs: Agent
Date: Winter/spring 2020
Audience: Home Gardeners
Project or Activity: Raising Your Own Vegetables
Content or Curriculum: U.K. pubs & recommendations
Inputs: Agent, specialist
Date: Winter 2019-2020
Audience: Beef producers
Project or Activity: BQCA Beef Quality Cattle Handling Assurance Certification
Content or Curriculum: KY BQA Certification curriculum
Inputs: Agent, BQA Manual, Videos
Date: Multiple times thru year
Audience: 4th Grade Students in Ohio Co. Schools
Project or Activity: Youth Ag Days
Content or Curriculum: KY Agriculture
Inputs: Agents, program assistants, specialist, Ag leaders, Ohio Co. Schools
Date: August-September 2019
Audience: Woodland owners
Project or Activity: Fall Forestry Webinars
Content or Curriculum: Current woodland management topics
Inputs: Extension specialist, agent, industry experts
Date: Fall 2019
Audience: Forage Producers
Project or Activity: W. Ky Summer Forage Tour (Field day)
Content or Curriculum: Pasture management, weed id/control, water quality, grazing management
Inputs: Agent, specialist, industry personnel, NRCS,
Date: Fall 2019
Audience: 6th Grade students
Project or Activity: Ag Camp
Content or Curriculum: Products from agriculture, careers
Inputs: Agents, NRCS, specialist, industry
Date: April-May 2020
Audience: Small farm & garden producers
Project or Activity: Small Farm & Garden Conference
Content or Curriculum: Livestock, crops, vegetables & fruits for small acreage
Inputs: Specialist, agents and leaders from S. Indiana & KY
Date: March 2020
Audience: Grain producers
Project or Activity: Grain Management/Marketing
Content or Curriculum: Grain production, marketing, new technologies, pest control & resistance
Inputs: Specialist, agent, industry personnel, NRCS, FSA, farm suppliers
Date: Winter 2019-2020
Audience: Beef producers
Project or Activity: Regional Beef Field Day (multi county)
Content or Curriculum: Beef management & marketing
Inputs: Area agents, industry personnel, specialist
Date: Sept. 2019
Audience: Woodland Management Personnel
Project or Activity: Fall Forest health Workshop
Content or Curriculum: Forest Health management topics, ie.. insect & disease ID,invasive species management, ect..
Inputs: Woodland specialist & industry professionals
Date: Fall 2019
Audience: Beef producers
Project or Activity: Midwest Beef Summit
Content or Curriculum: Beef management to improve longevity
Inputs: Specialist, industry personnel,
Date: August, 2019
Author: Gregory Comer
Major Program: Beef
The cost of production, in all aspects of agriculture, continues to increase while prices remain stable or decrease. This situation requires beef producers to analyze each decision carefully to maximize profit margins. For beef cow/calf operations, the cost of replacement breeding stock often takes 9 years before a positive return on investment occurs. The need to cull typically coincides with the conclusion of
Author: Gregory Comer
Major Program: Beef
Genetic evaluation has largely been developed and determined by using seedstock bulls, throughout the beef industry. However, Extension continually educates producers to utilize heterosis to increase the profitability and genetic merit of their progeny. With an increase in genomic testing and overall understanding of genetic merit, the goal for this project is to help producers adopt a new tool to utilize when selecting traits usi
Author: Gregory Comer
Major Program: Beef
According to the 2018 Kentucky Agriculture Statistics Service, Beef Cattle receipts for Kentucky totaled $750million in 2017. Enhancing management skills for beef producers is critical to the goal of improving profitability in beef enterprises. In a cooperative effort among the Green River Area counties and U.K. Extension Specialist, including assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and local cattlemen as
