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: May 2023
Long Term Outcome: Improved Soil Fertility Management
Indicator: Soil Testing
Method: UK Soil Data
Timeline: September 2022-May 2023
Initial Outcome: Youth & Young Farmers Participation
Indicator: Number of youth & young farmers networking
Method: Survey
Timeline: September 2022-May 2023
Long Term Outcome: Improved Marketing of Farm Products
Indicator: Market Reports, new markets created, sale bills.
Method: producer survey
Timeline: September 2022-May 2023
Intermediate Outcome: Improved forage Management
Indicator: Forage yields and grazing days
Method: surveys
Timeline: September 2022-May 2023Intermediate Outcome: Improved grain yields
Indicator: Grain Yields
Method: NASS
Timeline: September 2022-May 2023
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 2023
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 2023
Activity: DHIA Testing
Audience: Dairy Producers
Content or Curriculum: Production Record Keeping
Inputs: DHIA testers
Date: July 2022- June 2023
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 2022- June 2023Activity: Adair County Junior Cattlemen Association
Audience: Youth Cattle Producers
Content or Curriculum: 4H Livestock curriculum
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: July 2022- June 2023
Activity: Adair County Feeder Cattle Program
Audience: Cattle Producers
Content or Curriculum: Feeder Calf Protocol
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: July 2022- June 2023
Activity: Commercial Vegetable Production Seminars
Audience: Hort Growers
Content or Curriculum: UK Specialists
Inputs: Agent & Volunteers
Date: Winter2023
Activity: Forage Testing
Audience: Forage Producers
Content or Curriculum: Forage Testing Lab
Inputs: Dairy One Forage Lab
Date: July 2022- June 2023
Audience: Beef
Activity: Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Selected by participants
Inputs: Agent & Specialists
Date: Fall 2023
Audience: Horticulture Producers
Activity: Farmer’s Market
Content or Curriculum: Marketing
Inputs: Agents & Volunteers
Date: Summer 2022
Audience: Horticulture Producers/Home hort
Activity: Garden Shortcourse/Garden Club Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener publications
Inputs: Agents & Volunteers
Date: Winter 2022-23
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Soil Testing
Content or Curriculum: Fertilizer Recommendations
Inputs: Agent, Staff, UK Regulatory Services
Date: July 2022- June 2023
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 2023
Activity: Animal Waste Nutrient Testing
Content or Curriculum: AGR-1
Inputs; UK Regulatory Services
Date: July 2022- June 2023
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Phase I Cost Share Programs
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Input: Cattleman’s Association, Agents, & Staff
Date: July 2022- June 2023Audience: Youth Farmers
Activity: CAIP for Youth
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications/GOAP
Input: Cattleman’s Association, Agents, & Staff
Date: July 2022- June 2023
Audience: All Producers
Activity: Pesticide Certification
Content or Curriculum: KY Pesticide Safety Training Program
Input: Agents, UK Publications
Date: Spring 2023
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Animal Science/Livestock Club
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum
Date: September 2022-May 2023
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 2022-May 2023
Audience: Family
Project or Activity: Family Gardening Program
Curriculum: UK Gardening related publications
Inputs: Volunteer Leaders, Community Leaders, Parents, Office Staff
Date: January-August 2022
Audience: Gardeners
Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program
Curriculum: UK Gardening related publications
Inputs: Specialists, agent, staff
Date: 2022-2023
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Grains
Since 2019, the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service has participated in research trials evaluating the use of drones for fungicide applications in grain crops. Two research projects in wheat and two research projects in corn have been conducted. Initial research projects have proven that drones are an effective tool to apply fungicides on these crops to control diseases.In 2022 the scope of the research expanded to begin to evaluate different fungicide chemistries applied to w
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Forages
In late 2021, fertilizer prices reached an all-time high. As a result, many cattle farmers greatly reduced or skipped fertilizer applications in 2022. Without a change in management, disregarding soil fertility will result in a reduction in animal performance due to poor performance of forages. During the fall of 2022, the Adair County Extension ANR utilized data collected in previous years of bale grazing demonstrations and other published works to develop the program “C
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Beef
Adair County is known for having a strong beef industry. In 2021, Kentucky National Ag Statistics estimated a total cattle inventory for Adair County at 39,500. Whether it’s someone who grew up on a beef farm or a newcomer of Adair County, each year there are numerous clientele who reach out to the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service for assistance in developing their beef operation.Seeing the need for beginning level education in beef production, the Adair County Cooper
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Forages
In 2022, the Adair County Agriculture Advisory Council identified weed control in hay and pasture fields as an emerging issue facing Adair County livestock producers. Over the past decade buttercup has continued to increase across pastures and in more recent year’s poison hemlock and been a threat to not only forages bases, but also livestock in general.In 2023, the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service collaborated with the Adair County Soil Conservation district on an effort t
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Master Gardener
In Adair County, the Extension Master Gardeners are working diligently to improve the quality and quantity of life via education in the area of horticulture. In the spring of 2023, the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service with volunteers of the Extension Master Gardener program constructed and installed raised beds at a local elder care facility. Extension Master Gardener assisted patients with seeds and transplants and provided education on how to care for the plants thr
