Extension
It Starts With Us
Livestock & Crop Production
Increasing Agriculture Awareness & Profitability
Joanna Coles &Kristin Hildabrand
Commercial Horticulture
Beef
Grain Crops
Integrated Plant Pest Management
In 2012, Warren County’s total value of crop sales was $54,967,000 and total value of livestock sales was $59,738,000. With this large emphasis and economic impact, livestock and crop programming is important to Warren County farmers.
The 2012 Ag Census ranks Warren County as #1 in fruit, nut and berry production and #31 in vegetable production. It also includes 1,715 acres of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod.
• Livestock operations will reports increased profitability and sustainability
• Crop producers will improve profitability through better production and marketing management
• Individuals will improve environmental quality through reducing, reusing and recycling and best management conservation practices
• Farmers will adopt Extension recommendations, utilize best management practices and marketing strategies
• Farmers will apply new technologies
• Farmers will recycle pesticide containers and dispose of pesticides in the proper manner
• Consumers will conserve water and follow best management practices to improve water quality
• Consumers will reduce nonpoint source pollution
• Farmers will increase husbandry knowledge, learn recommended production practices and aspire to implement them in their farming operation to improve profitability
• Farmers will gain knowledge in recommended production and marketing practices for grain, forage and woodland crops
• Individuals will learn benefits of recycling, responsible use of pesticides, conservation practices, nonpoint source pollution and energy & natural resource conservation
Initial Outcome: Gained knowledge in the areas of animal husbandry and production practices. Producers will learn about best management & production practices
Indicator: Individuals state they gained knowledge and aspire to implement practices on their farm
Method: Post educational activity evaluation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Intermediate Outcomes: Individuals implement production practices learned during educational activities to increase profitability
Indicator: Number of practices adopted and implemented
Method: Post evaluations and follow up surveys
Timeline: 6-8 weeks after educational activity
Long-term Outcomes: Farmers will be more profitable by applying learned marketing strategies and production practices
Indicator: Number of participants who adopt recommended practices and impact increased profitability
Method: Evaluations, follow up surveys and testimony
Timeline: On going
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: Beef Quality Assurance
Content or Curriculum: Best Management Practices and Consumer Confidence
Inputs: BQA manual, facilities
Date: Fall 2017
Audience: Beef Producers, Industry Representatives
Project or Activity: Beef Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Back grounding, health facilities
Inputs: Farm operator, facilities, sponsors, tables, av equipment
Date: September 21, 2017
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: Educational Beef Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Nutrition, health, marketing, policies
Inputs: Agents time, facilities, sponsors, industry reps, volunteers
Date: October 19, November 16, December 21, January 18, February 15,
March 15, April 19, May 17, 2017-18
Audience: Crop & Livestock Producers
Project or Activity: Rinse & Return
Content or Curriculum: Proper disposal of pesticide containers
Inputs: KDA staff, facilities, advertisements, volunteers
Date: September 2017 & May 2018
Audience: Homeowners, Crop & Livestock Producers
Project or Activity: Private Pesticide Applicators Training
Content or Curriculum: Pesticide Safety, Worker Protection Standards,
recordkeeping, Understanding Pesticide Labels, crop related pests,
restricted use pesticides
Inputs: Facilities, videos, publications
Date: January – February 2017
Audience: Grain Producers & Industry
Project or Activity: Grain Day
Content or Curriculum: Production practices
Inputs: Farm operator, sponsors, specialists, lync
Date: November 2016
Audience: Industry Representatives
Project or Activity: SoKY Commercial Pesticide Training
Content or Curriculum: General Pesticide Use
Inputs: Agents time, specialist, facilities
Date: December 2016
Audience: Commercial Beekeepers
Project or Activity: Warren Co. Beekeepers Association monthly meetings
Content or Curriculum: Local beekeepers, Extension specialists and agents
Inputs: Meeting space, time and mail outs
Date: July – June 2017
Audience: Commercial & Sustainable Horticulture Producers
Project or Activity: Warren County Beekeepers Association
Content or Curriculum: Hive health & management, honey products & marketing
Inputs: Meeting space, time, mail outs
Date: 4th Tuesday of each month
Audience: Commercial Producers and Horticulture Enthusiasts
Project or Activity: Media Appearances via Radio and Television
Content or Curriculum: Up-to-date information for producers
Inputs: Promotional materials, visual aids
Date: Ongoing throughout the year
Audience: Commercial Growers and Landscapers
Project or Activity: SOKY Pesticide Training
Content or Curriculum: General pesticide use
Inputs: Speakers, conference area, food, materials
Date: December 2017
Audience: Home and Commercial Gardeners
Project or Activity: Horticulture Newsletter
Content or Curriculum: Commercial and consumer gardening
Inputs: material, postage, envelopes, time
Date: Throughout the year
Audience: Commercial & Sustainable Horticulture Producers
Project or Activity: Beginning Beekeeper Workshop
Content or Curriculum: Hive health & management, honey products & marketing
Inputs: Meeting space, time, mail outs
Date: Winter 2017-2018
Author: Joanna Coles
Major Program: Woodland Education
The Woodland Owners Short Course (WOSC) is targeted at Kentucky’s private woodland owners and is designed to assist private woodland owners in the management of their woodlands. The WOSC is the largest woodland owner educational program offered in Kentucky and is supported by more than 10 forestry and natural resource agencies and organizations. Warren County had 88 woodland owners & 14 forestry professionals attend representing 9362 woodland acres.Short-term impacts: A pre-test and po
Author: Joanna Coles
Major Program: Integrated Plant Pest Management
Application of crop protection chemicals and lawn/landscapechemicals is an important industry in South Central Kentucky. Professional applicators must receive training to stay current on issues,pests, techniques, and safety for the products they apply. They need toreceive 12 hours of continuing education during a three year cycle to maintaintheir applicator license. 3 of these hours must address specific topicsthat pertain to their license category. Many applicators were having
Author: Joanna Coles
Major Program: Beef
Kentucky is the largest cow and calf producing state east of the Mississippi River. Simpson, Allen, Warren and Logan Counties rely heavily on income from cattle with just shy of 60,000 beef cows located in this four county area according to the most recent county estimates from the USDA. Cattle producers in these four counties voiced a need for in-depth beef cattle educational programming to help increase profitability. Therefore, Extension Agents for Agriculture in the aforementioned coun
