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
Intermediate Outcome: Increased Use of Cover Crops
Indicator: Acres in cover crops
Method: Survey
Timeline: September 2021
Long Term Outcome: Improved Soil Fertility Management
Indicator: Soil Testing
Method: UK Soil Data
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021
Initial Outcome: Youth & Young Farmers Participation
Indicator: Number of youth & young farmers networking
Method: Survey
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021
Long Term Outcome: Improved Marketing of Farm Products
Indicator: Market Reports, new markets created, sale bills.
Method: producer survey
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021
Intermediate Outcome: Improved forage Management
Indicator: Forage yields and grazing days
Method: surveys
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021Intermediate Outcome: Improved grain yields
Indicator: Grain Yields
Method: NASS
Timeline: September 2020-May 2021
Audience: Burley Growers
Activity: Center of KY Tobacco Meeting/GAP
Content or Curriculum: GAP, KY Tobacco Guide
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, Volunteer Farm, Sponsors
Date: Winter 2020/21
Audience: Dairy Producers
Activity: Center of Kentucky Dairy Short course/Center of KY Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Reproduction, Dry Cow Mgt, Heifer Mgt, Animal Well being
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, Volunteer Farm, Sponsors
Date: Winter 2020/21
Activity: DHIA Testing
Audience: Dairy Producers
Content or Curriculum: Production Record Keeping
Inputs: DHIA testers
Date: July 2020- June 2021
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 2020- June 2021Activity: Adair County Junior Cattlemen Association
Audience: Youth Cattle Producers
Content or Curriculum: 4H Livestock curriculum
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: July 2020- June 2021
Activity: Adair County Feeder Cattle Program
Audience: Cattle Producers
Content or Curriculum: Feeder Calf Protocol
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: July 2020- June 2021
Activity: Adair County Young Farmer ProgramAudience: Young Farmers
Content or Curriculum: UK Specialists
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: Winter 2020-21
Activity: Commercial Vegetable Production Seminars
Audience: Hort Growers
Content or Curriculum: UK Specialists
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: Winter 2020/21
Activity: Forage Testing
Audience: Forage Producers
Content or Curriculum: Forage Testing Lab
Inputs: Dairy One Forage Lab
Date: July 2020- June 2021
Audience: Beef
Activity: Pasture Walk
Content or Curriculum: Selected by participants
Inputs: Agent & Specialists
Date: Fall 2021
Audience: Horticulture Producers
Activity: Farmer’s Market
Content or Curriculum: Marketing
Inputs: Agents & Volunteers
Date: Summer 2020
Audience: Horticulture Producers/Home hort
Activity: Garden Shortcourse/Garden Club Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener publications
Inputs: Agents & Volunteers
Date: Winter 2020-21
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Soil Testing
Content or Curriculum: Fertilizer Recommendations
Inputs: Agent, Staff, UK Regulatory Services
Date: July 2020- June 2021
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: Summer 2020/Winter 2021
Activity: Animal Waste Nutrient Testing
Content or Curriculum: AGR-1
Inputs; UK Regulatory Services
Date: July 2020- June 2021
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Phase I Cost Share Programs
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Input: Cattleman’s Association, Agents, & Staff
Date: July 2020- June 2021Audience: Youth Farmers
Activity: CAIP for Youth
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications/GOAP
Input: Cattleman’s Association, Agents, & Staff
Date: July 2020- June 2021
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Pesticide Certification
Content or Curriculum: KY Pesticide Safety Training Program
Input: Agents, UK Publications
Date: Spring 2021
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Animal Science/Livestock Club
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum
Date: September 2020-May 2021
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Country Ham Project
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum and Trained Volunteers and
Specialist
Inputs: Volunteer Leaders, Parents, Specialist, Community Leaders, Office Staff
Date: September 2020-May 2021
Audience: Family
Project or Activity: Family Gardening Program
Curriculum: UK Gardening related publications
Inputs: Volunteer Leaders, Community Leaders, Parents, Office Staff
Date: January-August 2021
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
In 2020, our daily routines were altered as a pandemic swept across our nation. Traditional in-person Extension programming was halted: however the needs of local citizens remained.The Adair County Extension staff worked together to develop a “grab and go” educational gardening program to provide families educational assistance in planting, growing, and harvesting fresh home grown produce.Seeds and plants were donated and purchase from local businesses. Extension agents d
Author: Michael Rose
Major Program: Agriculture
In 2020, our daily routines were altered as a pandemic swept across our nation. Traditional in-person Extension programming was halted: however, the needs of local citizens remained.The Adair County Extension staff worked together to develop a “grab and go” educational gardening program to provide families educational assistance in planting, growing, and harvesting fresh homegrown produce.Seeds and plants were donated and purchase from local businesses. Extension agents d
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Dairy
In Adair County, the dairy industry produce $13.2 million dollars in products each year. Mastitis not only reduces milk quality, but also results in a reduction in the amount of milk produced and sold from the farm. In 2020, the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service launched the Adair County Milk Quality Initiative (ACMQI) to improve milk quality among Adair County dairy farms.26 of the Adair County dairy farms (93%) opted to participate in the ACMQI program. The first step of t
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Forages
In Adair County, Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue is a staple forage source for livestock. While providing a reliable source of forages for Adair County livestock farmers, KY 31 Tall Fescue is also known to contain an endophyte that has negative impacts on livestock performance. It is estimated that the endophyte contained in KY 31 costs Kentucky livestock producers $200 million annually. In 2020, a survey of KY 31 Tall Fescue growing on Adair County farms was conducted. The purpos
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy
As one of the largest employing industries, Agriculture is the back bone to the local economy in Adair County. It’s history and productive land make Adair County an ideal agriculture hotspot for years to come. The Adair County Cooperative Extension Service works alongside multiple organizations to educate and develop the future farmers and leaders of Adair County. Since 2017, $109,850 of county agriculture development funds have been invested in the Youth Agricultur
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Horticulture, Commercial
In Adair County, small farmers are looking for ways to increase on-farm income with minimal inputs of land and machinery. Annual horticultural crops can often provide such an opportunity to farmers. In 2020, a demonstration plot was conducted growing green beans using no-till practices. To plant the beans, a sweet corn planter owned by the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service was utilized. A variety was selected based on trials conducted by the University of Kentuck
