Agriculture Production and Management

Agriculture Production and ManagementPlan of Work

Back to the Program

Todd County CES

Title:

Agriculture Production and Management

MAP:

Improving Agriculture Production and Management

Agents Involved:

Curt Judy

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Grains

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Tobacco

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Horticulture, Commercial

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Farm Management, Economics and Policy

Situation:

The 2017 Census of Agriculture indicates there were 593 farms (167,953 acres) in Todd County that year, decreasing from 603 farms and 181,001 acres in 2012. These declines reflect both the state and national trends, where the number of farms has been on a long, steady decline. Average farm size in 2017 was 283 acres, down 17 acres from 300 acres in 2012. About 51 percent of county farmers (480) list farming as their principal occupation.
Farm products produced by Todd County farmers in 2017 ranked 7th statewide in cash receipts, generating over $175 million. This is down about 3 percent from the 2012 Census. Crop receipts accounted for almost $83 million (ranked 7th in Kentucky) and livestock receipts totaled almost $93 million (ranked 8th).
Major crops produced by Todd County farmers include corn, soybeans, wheat, dark fired tobacco, dark air-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, hay, and vegetables. Major livestock enterprises include beef cattle (mostly cow-calf production), dairying, and hog and poultry production (including eggs).
The major challenge for producers at this time is high input costs for fertilizer, chemicals, seed, and feed, etc. The cost of equipment, equipment parts and repairs have also risen significantly. On top of that, supply chain issues have meant that many chemicals and equipment parts are in limited supply and are largely unavailable or take months to get. The tobacco buyout in 2005 brought about a significant restructuring of the tobacco business. Production is now almost completely limited to contract production, and producers have made significant new investments, particularly in dark-fired tobacco barns. Growers are continually being asked to meet higher standards for their tobacco crops in terms of quality and cleanliness, etc. Contract cuts for dark tobaccos that occurred in 2020 have been largely restored as of the 2022 crop year. New types of tobacco (Connecticut Broadleaf, etc.) are filling in much of the farmer demand formerly occupied by burley pounds, but these tobaccos have less yield potential and no disease resistance.
In 2017, Todd County ranked 3rd in acres of vegetable production in Kentucky. Most are sold through the Fairview Produce Auction and the Miller Valley Produce Auction. Most producers receive their production education through the Fairview Auction (Extension education coordinated by the horticulture agent in Christian County). Direct support services for growers are provided by both Todd and Christian County Extension Offices.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Farm cooperators will improve their relative net returns or returns per unit of input resources in their agricultural enterprises.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Farm cooperators will adopt improved production, management, and marketing techniques in the areas of grain, beef, dairy, forage, tobacco, or horticulture production so that production is increased economically, or that costs are managed without sacrificing production.

Initial Outcomes:

Cooperators will gain knowledge on University of Kentucky recommendations relating to crop and livestock management, varying from beef cow herd management to tobacco and grain cultural management and pest control. They will also gain knowledge in the areas of livestock and crop marketing.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Cooperators will gain knowledge of University of Kentucky recommendations relating to crop and livestock management, varying from beef cow herd management to tobacco and grain cultural management and pest control. They will also gain knowledge in the areas of economic management, marketing, USDA programs, and farm-related regulations.
Indicators: Knowledge gained, skills acquired, etc.
Method: Producer reports, and/or agent observations, and/or surveys
Timeline: Annually

Intermediate Outcome: Farm cooperators will adopt improved production, management, and marketing techniques in the areas of grain, beef, dairy, forage, tobacco, or horticulture production so that production is increased economically, costs are managed without sacrificing production, or production and/or economic risks are reduced.
Indicators: Improved production, management, marketing techniques adopted
Method: Producer reports, and/or agent observations, and/or surveys
Timeline: Changes will be measured annually over the 4-year plan of work cycle

Long-term Outcome: Farm cooperators will improve their relative net returns or returns per unit of input resources in their agricultural enterprises.
Indicators: Net profitability, production costs, risk factors
Method: Producer reports, and/or agent observations, and/or surveys
Timeline: Accumulative changes will be measured over the 4-year plan of work

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Farmers and homeowners
Project or Activity: Soil testing
Content or Curriculum: UK soil test recommendations
Inputs: Agent time
Date: Program year

Audience: Farmers and homeowners
Project or Activity: Pest diagnosis and control recommendations
Content or Curriculum: UK pest publications and control recommendations
Inputs: Agent time, UK plant disease and insect diagnostic services
Date: Program year

Audience: Tobacco farmers
Project or Activity: Winter tobacco production meeting
Content or Curriculum: UK tobacco publications and resource material
Inputs: Agent time, UK tobacco specialist time
Date: Program year

Audience: Grain farmers
Project or Activity: KY/TN Grain production/marketing meeting(s)
Content or Curriculum: UK/UT grain production resource material
Inputs: Agent time, UK and/or UT specialist time
Date: Program year

Audience: Beef and Dairy farmers
Project or Activity: Beef production and/or forage meeting(s)
Content or Curriculum: UK beef/dairy/forage production resource material
Inputs: Agent time, UK specialist time
Date: Program year

Audience: County farmers
Project or Activity: Newsletters, news articles, etc.
Content or Curriculum: UK and other resource material
Inputs: Agent time
Date: Program year

Success Stories

Small Poultry Farm Biosecurity Training

Author: Curtis Judy

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

     In September, the Todd County Extension Office cooperated with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) and USDA APHIS to host a biosecurity training program for local organic egg producers.  These farmers have small commercial flocks of layers, mostly in the 8,000 to 20,000 bird range.  These birds often spend a significant part of their time outdoors on pasture which increases their potential exposure to diseases such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI