Shelby County CES

Title:

Agriculture Awareness and Sustainabilty

MAP:

Environmental & Agricultural Awareness & Sustainability

Agents Involved:

Corinne Belton, Regina Browning

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Chemical Crop Management Tools

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Sustainable Agriculture

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Local Food Systems

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Chemical Livestock Management Tools

Situation:

Over the last 15 years, Shelby County has experienced a large influx of growth from Louisville Metro and surrounding counties. This growth has led to a large non-rural population that has limited knowledge of rural environments, natural resources, and sustaining those for future generations. Local leadership identified a need for educational programming in this area to help protect and beautify our county's natural resources.

Local food continues to be in demand from consumers, restaurants, retail outlets and institutions (including schools). However, there is a disconnect between the production, processing, marketing, and distribution segments of the local food system, especially for small and minority farmers. With sales from Kentucky food products expected to increase from $14 million (2014) to $24 million in 2020, Extension has resources to educate agricultural producers in production, value added opportunities, business planning and marketing strategies to expand the local food system for the demand.

Chemical application at its best is simultaneously safe, effective, economical and environmentally-conscious. Achieving each of these attributes for plant and livestock pest management is an ongoing educational process for a variety of groups, including farm managers and workers, point-of-sale employees, gardeners, crop advisors, and industry and government agency representatives. This process will include educational sessions, hands-on demonstrations, test plots, coordinated recommendations, and site-specific farm visits by various extension personnel. In addition to timely and relevant updates on chemicals, focus areas are chemical safety, efficacious usage, and integration of diversified approaches alongside chemicals. Attention to these foci will benefit not only applicators, but anyone who comes in contact with Kentucky livestock for food or enjoyment, with agricultural fields, or who uses Kentucky food, fuel and fiber crops as part of everyday life.

Long-Term Outcomes:

*Increase access to local foods in restaurants, retail outlets, school and other institutions

*Maintain or increase consumer confidence/demand in local foods

*Improve sustainability of animal livestock production systems

*Reduction of drift related complaints and damage

*Reduction of crop injury due to pesticide applications (rate, compatibility, application conditions)

Intermediate Outcomes:

*Develop an Ag Plan using decision making tools

*Diversify the types and varieties of produce grown and sold

*Apply food safety practices and/or procedures

*Home Based Microprocessing Certification

*USDA GAP Certification

*Market agricultural products locally

*Use diagnostic services to identify insects, livestock diseases, plant diseases and weeds

*Use diagnostic agent, specialist, veterinarian, UK VDL recommendations

*Evaluate chemical storage, handling and disposal

*Adopt recommended application techniques

Initial Outcomes:

*Review types and varieties of produce

*Interpret food safety handling procedures

*Understand procedures for safe food processing

*Identify production methods and agricultural food products that extend the growing season

*Read and comprehend directions for applying chemicals (timing, application conditions)

*Observe proper chemical handling, storage and cleanup in home, farm or business

*Chemical selection, mixing, compatibility

*Understanding IPM (triggers, thresholds, etc)

*Awareness of concern due to antibiotic resistance in livestock chemicals

*Proper identification of livestock diseases

*Understanding drift mitigation methods

*Identify pesticide-sensitive areas around fields

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Producers develop KOSA about types of produce, food safety, chemical handling, storage, clean-up and safety, livestock diseases, antibiotic resistance.

Indicator: Increased KOSA about types of produce, food safety, chemical handling, storage, clean-up and safety, livestock diseases, antibiotic resistance.

Method: Self-reporting, end-of-program evaluation

Timeline: Annually and post-training

Intermediate Outcome: Individuals will develop and utilize an ag plan, attain food safety certification, market more products locally, and apply recommended chemical and antibiotic application techniques

Indicator: Increase number of producers with a complete ag plan, with food safety certification, who are marketing more products locally and properly applying chemicals and antibiotics

Method: Self-reporting, surveys

Timeline: Annually

Long-term Outcome: Safe, wholesome, local foods are more widely available to consumers in a variety of marketplaces from sustainable crop and livestock production systems.

Indicator: Greater availability of local foods

Method: Observation, self-reporting

Timeline: Year-to-year over the next decade

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Local producers and consumers

Project or Activity: Rooted in Shelby

Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Proud, increasing awareness of local foods

Inputs: Kentucky Proud, local producers, local consumers, restaurants

Date: Year-round

Audience: New-to-Farming and Small Farmers

Project or Activity: For Rookie Series

Content or Curriculum: UK publications

Inputs: UK publications, specialists, agents

Date: October 2019

Audience: Ag and Horticulture producers

Project or Activity: Produce Best Practices Training

Content or Curriculum: PBPT materials

Inputs: Powerpoint, specialists, agents

Date: Year-round

Audience: Livestock Producers

Project or Activity: Beef Quality & Care Assurance (BQCA)

Content or Curriculum: BQCA curriculum

Inputs: BQCA  curriculum, video, agents, specialists

Date: Year-round

Audience: Women Farmers

Project or Activity: Women in Agriculture

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications

Inputs: Agents and Women Agricultural Professionals

Date: 

Audience: Ag and Horticulture Producers

Project or Activity: Private-Use Pesticide Training

Content or Curriculum: Private-Use Pesticide materials

Inputs: Private-use Pesticide materials, video, specialists, agents

Date: January/February 2020

Audience: Grain Producers

Project or Activity: Grain Production Update

Content or Curriculum: Chemical management and safety publications

Inputs: UK publications, specialists, industry representatives, agents

Date: February 2020

Audience: 4-H School Clubs

Project or Activity: Entomology

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications, 4-H Entomology Curriculum

Inputs: Agents and Staff

Date: Nov 2019