Extension
It Starts With Us
Management and Marketing
Enhancing Livestock and Crop Profitability
Pat Hardesty
Beef
Grains
Grains
Forages
Agriculture producers must continue to improve management/marketing skills to remain profitable and sustain a strong agricultural economy. Beef, dairy, grains and tobacco generate approximately $29 million. With these production systems, protecting the environment is also a responsibility producers are challenged with! With guidance from the Extension Council, the Taylor County Cattlemen’s Association directors and dairy committee, educational programs are planned which highlight management/marketing skills, protecting the environment and providing local foods.
Producers will sustain profitability through enhanced management and marketing skills by the implementation of technology, marketing strategies, BMP’s and management of expenses.
Producers will enhance profitability through the adoption of best management practices and marketing skills while controlling costs.
Producers will gain knowledge of how new technology improved practices and marketing strategies will enhance profitability.
Initial Outcome: Producers shall begin to enhance profitability through gained knowledge of improved management and marketing skills
Indicator: Producers are motivated to adopt best management of production and marketing.
Method: Surveys, Observation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Intermediate Outcome: Producers adopt recommended practices that were learned through educational programs.
Indicator: Producers will implement management practices
Method: Surveys, Observation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Long-term Outcome: Producers will improve profitability through enhanced management and marketing skills and adoption of new technology.
Indicator: Profitability is enhanced by using technology, enhanced management and marketing
Method: Ag. statistics, savings, observation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Audience: Tobacco Producers
Project or Activity: Tri-County Tobacco Meeting
Content or Curriculum: Fertility, GAP Training, Disease Management
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications
Date: February 2023
Audience: Dairy Producers
Project or Activity: Tri-County Dairy Shortcourse
Content or Curriculum: Nutrition, Calf Barns, Dry Cow Management
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications, Leaders
Date: February-March 2023
Audience: Grain Producers
Project or Activity: Tri-County Grain Meeting
Content or Curriculum: Persistent Weeds, Technology, Farm Bill, GPS, Ag. Apps
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications
Date: December 2022
Audience: Commercial Applicators - Category 1, 10, 12
Project or Activity: Tri-County Pesticide Certification
Content or Curriculum: Pesticide Safety and Proper Usage
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications
Date: November 2022
Audience: Grain Producers
Project or Activity: Grain Marketing Group
Content or Curriculum: Marketing Strategies
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications, Commodity Challenge
Date: Quarterly throughout the year
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: Pasture to Plate
Content or Curriculum: Feeding techniques from weaning to finish, carcass evaluation, consumer preference
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications, Leaders
Date: Throughout the year
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: Taylor County Cattlemen's Association Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Management and Marketing Topics
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Publications, Leaders
Date: September 2022- April 2023
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Livestock Handling, Feeding, and Equipment
Inputs: Specialists, Agents, Leaders
Date: Summer 2022
Audience: Goat Producers
Project or Activity: Goat Production
Content or Curriculum: Management & Marketing Topics
Inputs: Specialists, Agents
Date: February 2023
Author: Kara Back
Major Program: Local Food Systems
The Taylor County Farmers' Market is off to a wonderful start for the 2023 season. Total vendor count for the first half of the season is 11 and customer count is 952+. The spring festival had an increase this year from 62 last year to 133 customers. Each month an event has been scheduled to increase customer count. Upcoming events for the market throughout the season are a petting zoo, health fair, national farmers' market week celebration, fall festival, and more. The farmers'
Author: Patrick Hardesty
Major Program: Beef
With approximately 12,000 beef cows, beef cattle income ranks second in the county. To improve profits and sustainability, beef educational meetings were conducted in cooperation with the Taylor County Cattlemen’s Association. To promote beef in the county, the Association cooked at the C & S, Mission Store customer appreciation, Juneteenth celebration, Murakami employee appreciation, Kentucky Christian School fundraiser, Bluegrass Stockyards customer appreciation, Chamber o
