Author: Steven Musen
Major Program: Farm Management
The District 4 counties have provided programming for our Ag. lending clientele for a number of years. This year's program is especially important as we look at the financial conditions of our farmers now that we have entered a period of uncertainty with threatened international tariffs on agriculture commodities and declining farm income.The Kentucky Ag. Lenders Conference program was planned by committee with District 3 ANR Agents and U.K. Ag. Econ. Specialists. Topics covered were tailore
Author: Bethany Wilson
Pulaski County is the third largest county by area in Kentucky. It is third in cattle and calf production, third in forage production, and grain crops are growing in importance. Over 1700 individual farms are in Pulaski County and farm size is increasing.Pulaski County has been with and without an ANR agent since late 2015. Producers still have issues and are still coming to the Extension office for help. The Pulaski County Agriculture Council still meets. The Phase I Council still must fun
Author: Christin Herbst
According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture, Carroll County has 53,562 acres of land in 278 farms. Livestock production is a popular form of farming in the county. A majority of farms (147) in the county have cow/calf operations but additional animal production systems include meat and milk goats (30), poultry (24), sheep (5), swine (3), and llamas (2). Over the past several years, there has been an increased interest in raising rabbits for meat consumption.Supporting local far
Author: T. Adam Probst
Now in it's 52nd year, the Woodford County Farm Tour showcases different aspects of agriculture throughout the county to the public. A combined effort of the Woodford County Extension Service, Woodford County Conservation District, Kentucky Fish & Wildlife, and Woodford County Fiscal Court, the farm tour exposed over 250 participants to current hemp, water quality, and drone research being performed at the C. Oran Little Research Farm. Other stops included the equine program
Author: Victor Williams
Planning for ProfitA local cattleman identified the need for more training in financial planning and budgeting. As a result, ANR Agents from Jackson, Laurel and Clay Counties collaboratively planned, resourced and executed a three part series on legacy and asset management in the first quarter of 2018. The three programs were: Planning for the Next Generation of Landowners, Can I Afford This, and Minimizing Tax Burden/Maximizing Tax Benefits. The Agents leveraged local experts t
Author: Nick Roy
According to the 2012 Ag. Census, the Adair County agriculture industry produced over $53 million dollars in products. While production had increased by $6 million since 2007, the number of farm operators had decreased by 12.7%. Upon further inspection of the data, female operators were found to have decreased at a rate of 30.5% compared to males at only 10.7%. In response, the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service collaborated with the Columbia USDA Service Center to offer a Wo
Author: Linda McClanahan
Over the last several years Extension has been partnering with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing to develop and test the efficacy of a novel intervention, didactic readers theater, focused on health and safety of farmers ages 45 and over. Initial focus groups with farmers and their spouse that led to development of this program were held in Mercer County. This program, funded by NIOSH and developed by agricultural nurse Dr. Deborah Reed, debuted in Mercer County originall
Author: Jennifer Rogers
I work with a farm that is going through bankruptcy. Every year we have to submit a plan to the bankruptcy court on how they are going to succeed that year and have money to pay to unsecured debts through the court. This how allowed us to get very detailed on the budget for the farming operation and know how much revenue we need to generate in order to make things cash flow. In doing this we outline the projected yield and projected price of the crop. In 2017 there was a
Author: Jeffrey Casada
A local cattleman identified the need for more training in financial planning and budgeting. As a result, ANR Agents from Jackson, Laurel and Clay Counties collaboratively planned, resourced and executed a three part series on legacy and asset management in the first quarter of 2018. The three programs were Planning for the Next Generation of Landowners, Can I Afford This, and Minimizing Tax Burden/Maximizing Tax Benefits. The Agents leveraged local experts to speak to clients on the
Author: Curtis Judy
The total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 provided unique challenges and opportunities to communities in southwestern Kentucky, particularly for those that were bisected by the eclipse centerline. Todd County was one of those counties where almost the entire county experienced the total eclipse for a duration of 2 minutes and 30 seconds or more. No one knew how many visitors would travel to or through Todd County to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event. Our Local Emergency Manageme
The total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 provided a unique opportunity for residents of Todd County. They had a “front row seat” to witness a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event without leaving their backyards. Since Todd County was bisected by the eclipse centerline; the entire county experienced a total eclipse duration of at least 2 minutes and 30 seconds--there were no bad viewing locations anywhere in the county. Local resident
Author: David Coffey
A local cattleman identified the need for more training in financial planning and budgeting. As a result, ANR Agents from Jackson, Laurel and Clay Counties collaboratively planned, resourced and executed a three part series on legacy and asset management in the first quarter of 2018. The three programs were: Planning for the Next Generation of Landowners, Can I Afford This, and Minimizing Tax Burden/Maximizing Tax Benefits. The Agents leveraged local experts to speak to clients on the
Author: Garrard Coffey
A farmers breakfast series was started in January of 2018. A total of 5 breakfast meetings were held at the Whitley County Extension Office. A total 21 participants came to at least one meeting. Topics of discussion during the session were pasture weed control, CAIP program, marketing beef cattle, pasture renovations, hay production, and other farm management topics. Many of the participants were funded for the first time on the CAIP program. They are using knowled
Author: Robert Kirby
In Knox County to increase Ag Council participation, we developed new ideas for programs and to accomodate producers and clientele who can't participate at evening meetings. The first Monday of each month continues to be set aside for a morning meeting called News and Views. Producers are invited to come to the office at 7:00 am for coffee, juice and refreshments and have an impromptu discussion pertaining to the topic that they have an interest and allows for the agent to remind them of the
Author: Whitney Carman
Grayson County is home to over 1400 farms made of over 200,000 acres total (6th in KY), and the average age of the operator is 58 years old. This statistic is one that is not old, but it still has effects on farming in Grayson County. In the last two years, there have been several transitions of farming operators due to death, farm transition, and other related factors. The Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent as well as the USDA Farm Production and Conservation Office had noticed a
Author: Gregory Halich
There has been a big push the last few years by forage specialists to promote year-round grazing, where no hay or only a few weeks of hay is fed. Graze 300 is a similar program that has been implemented in a number of states to promote just 1-2 months of hay feeding. While the intention of these efforts is good (trying to reduce hay feeding costs), the net effect on overall profitability has not been evaluated. It has just looked at one side of the equation: reduced hay feeding cost, but has not
Drive through a major cattle producing area in Kentucky from December to March and you will see tractors hauling round bales. Sometimes they will be going from a barnlot directly to a feeding area. Sometimes they will be traveling on a public road to get to a more remote spot where cattle are located. Sometimes this hay will be fed in a drylot, sometimes it will be fed on the edge of a pasture next to the road, and sometimes you will even see this hay unrolled out in the pasture. There are
Author: Heather Graham
The Wolfe County ANR Program partnered with Wolfe County Farm Bureau for the first Annual Farm Field Safety Day. The event was held in October at the Hazel Green Park. 76 people were in attendance. When people arrived to the park, the were able to tour the park and Animal Shelter as well as help themselves to a meal. After the meal, the program began with demonstrations. A local farmer had brought 2 heifers and a corral to demonstrate cattle handling safety. Along with KBN Area Coordinator they