Barren County CES

County Emphasis:

Agriculture Production & Management

Concentration 1:

Animal Production and Management

Concentration 2:

Plant Production and Management

Concentration 3:

Sustainability, Natural Resources and Wildlife Management, and Environment

Concentration 4:

Financial Security and Economic Well-Being

Situation:

Kentucky’s animal production and management strategies encompass sustainable practices, health-focused care, and economic viability across all species thus contributing significantly to the state’s agricultural landscape. Optimizing plant, crop and forage production is paramount as Kentucky producers navigate the challenges of economics, climate variability, and evolving consumer demands. Key challenges and strategies to enhance sustainable practices across various agricultural domains include:  rising input costs (seeds, fertilizers, machinery), crop price fluctuations, knowledge of soil health, and water management to produce high yielding crops for long-term productivity.

To meet the needs of Kentucky animal producers CES Extension will create or expand its efforts to offer need-based education and producer-focused programming for all species. Current/future activities include introducing programs to address and improve specific management systems and introduce new and emerging techniques, technology, and production systems for increased efficiency and profitability.  To meet the needs of producers, agents and specialists will continue to disseminate research-based information, offer workshops, field days, online resources, support local farmer’s markets, community gardens, community supported agriculture, and urban horticulture initiatives.

Kentucky’s Extension remains committed to developing adaptive management strategies for the critical issues facing the sustainability of farms, natural areas, and forests for today and in the future. Implementing soil and water conservation practices in both urban and rural watersheds is critical to the long-term sustainability of Kentucky’s natural resources.

Youth Focus

Educating youth about natural resources and environmental sciences is crucial for our future, as it empowers them to become proactive stewards of our planet. 4-H programs equip individuals with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to thrive in their personal lives, family lives, and communities.4-H projects in plant production and soil science can help young people develop life skills, learn responsibility, and gain knowledge about these fields through horticulture, plant science, and soil science projects and programs. 4-H projects in animal production and management can help young people develop life skills, learn about responsibility, and gain content knowledge about animals through breeding or market projects.

County Situation:

Barren County is one of Kentucky’s top production agriculture counties.  Barren County is at or near the top, in term of production in beef, dairy, and forages.   Barren County also boasts a strong poultry, grain, and commercial horticulture industry.  The traditional leader, burley tobacco, is still present but in much smaller quantities.  According to KY by the Numbers, Barren County is home to 1621 total farms with an average size 142 acres.  The average age of a Barren County farmers is slightly young than the national average at 57.6 years old.

In the fall of 2024 the Barren County Extension Council charged the agents with providing programming in the following areas:

            Sustainable land use and development

            Estate and succession planning

            Agriculture Literacy

            Cutting edge production practice, BUT provide back to the basics as well

            Basic financial skills and risk management

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Increase the use of sustainable management practices across all production methods and species.? 
• Continually adoption of new technology and production practices.
• Achieve long-term sustainability and resilience in agricultural practices through the widespread adoption of practices that enhance soil productivity, conserve water quality and quantity, and optimize resource use, leading to resilient agricultural systems capable of withstanding economic and environmental fluctuations.
• Strengthening local economies through improved farm sustainability and profitability, which are economic multipliers in local communities. Helping farm families successfully transition to subsequent generations. Helping new and beginning farmers enter farming operations. Helping to maintain or increase domestic markets and increase export markets for grain crops and tobacco by improving quality of commodities compared to that of foreign competitors.  
• Explore the use of emerging production technologies to achieve increased adoption of technologies such as monitoring crop productivity, crop quality, soil health, and soil moisture levels across Kentucky's agricultural sectors.
• Economic, social, physical, or environmental situations that will change because individuals or communities adopted new (or improved existing) actions, practices, and behaviors (these also take time to mature)). 

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Annually implement strategies and production methods that result in increased efficiency, and number of animals produced /maintained, and animals harvested or pounds of milk produced.? 
• Explore the use of emerging production technologies to achieve increased adoption of technologies such as monitoring crop productivity, crop quality, soil health, and soil moisture levels across Kentucky's agricultural sectors.
• Adoption of improved pesticide safety practices
• Increased adoption of effective crop protection (i.e. IPM) methods by stakeholders to manage diseases
• Increased number of stakeholders who scout for diseases, monitor disease risk factors, and use research-based information
• Early identification of potential disease outbreaks and awareness of disease trends
• Judicious use of pesticide-based disease management
• New or improved practices, behaviors, or choices that will occur in participants or communities because of the knowledge or awareness they gained from their contact with Extension (these are behavior change outcomes that are typically measured in follow-up evaluations because they require time to mature.) 

Initial Outcomes:

• Increase knowledge about sustainable and economically viable management practices.? 
• Increase skills related to efficient production methods across all species.? 
• Increase confidence in implementing new and emerging techniques, technology, and production systems.? 
• Increase adoption of data-driven practices through immediate trainings, workshops, and field visits to educate producers on the latest data-driven agricultural technologies, focusing on efficient resource utilization, pest resistance, sustainability, and yield improvements.
• Enhanced soil and water management programs by rolling out targeted extension programs that focus on soil and water management techniques to immediately improve crop yield potentials and promote environmentally favorable practices.
• Increase the awareness of sustainable forest management practices, economic pressures and technological barriers facing woodland owners and other interested individuals.  

Evaluation:

Outcome: Increased awareness of and use of safe/effective pesticide application methods 

Indicator: 

• Number of certified applicators earning continuing education credit. 
• Number of participants reporting an increase in knowledge on integrated pest management techniques.  
• Number of participants reporting an increase in their use of risk mitigation strategies for pesticide application.  

Method: Surveys at CEU events 

Timeline:  ANNUAL

Outcome: Improved production practices

Indicator: Number of producers who reported increased knowledge of crop and forage production, fertility management, varieties, pest control, and/or sustainable practices.

Method: Surveys

Timeline: Annual

Outcome: Increased management to address resources concerns 

Indicator: 

• Number of participants who reported that they developed new management plans. 
• Number of participants who reported an increase in the acres managed. 
• Number of participants (or state agencies) who reported that they implemented wildlife damage management practices  

Method: Follow-up Survey (Survey previous participants) and tracking number of management plans implemented by state agencies 

Timeline: Annually 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:  Agriculture Producers

Project or Activity:  Timely certifications include private pesticide, BQCA, CAIP requirements, as well as, interpretation of soil analysis, plant and disease identification, and farm/site visits for individual education

Content or Curriculum:  Presentation of more recent, research based best management practices plus multimedia information delivery

Inputs:  Specialist guidance, Land Grant research and agent expertise

Date:  Spring and Fall of each year

Audience:  Agriculture Producers

Project or Activity:  Financial Planning & Risk Management

Content or Curriculum:  Presentation of more recent, research based best management practices plus multimedia information delivery

Inputs: Specialist guidance, Land Grant research and agent expertise

Date:  Winter programming of each year

Audience:  Agriculture Producers

Project or Activity:  Workshops/classes that present the most recent, research based information concerning sustainability and natural resource management 

Content or Curriculum:

Inputs: Specialist guidance, Land Grant research and agent expertise

Date:  Year round programming

Evaluation:

Outcome: Increased awareness of and use of safe/effective pesticide application methods 

Indicator: 

• Number of certified applicators earning continuing education credit. 
• Number of participants reporting an increase in knowledge on integrated pest management techniques.  
• Number of participants reporting an increase in their use of risk mitigation strategies for pesticide application.  

Method: Surveys at CEU events 

Timeline:  ANNUAL

Outcome: Improved production practices

Indicator: Number of producers who reported increased knowledge of crop and forage production, fertility management, varieties, pest control, and/or sustainable practices.

Method: Surveys

Timeline: Annual

Outcome: Increased management to address resources concerns 

Indicator: 

• Number of participants who reported that they developed new management plans. 
• Number of participants who reported an increase in the acres managed. 
• Number of participants (or state agencies) who reported that they implemented wildlife damage management practices  

Method: Follow-up Survey (Survey previous participants) and tracking number of management plans implemented by state agencies 

Timeline: Annually