Author: Carol Hinton
Major Program: Farm Management
During the past 27 years I have been asked, ‘just what does UK College of Ag say we can make on this crop’, but to this extent I would never have ever thought I would be asked so many times to run an Enterprise Budget. Crop and livestock prices have been more than depressing for growers, and they began to realize that its time to put some numbers down on paper to verify what they were thinking. I worked closely with two growers on tobacco enterprise budgets. They ha
Author: April Wilhoit
The Fleming County Agriculture Advisory Council determined the need for a program on business planning for folks that were beginning with farming. The idea was tossed around because one of the farmers on the council was able to become a better manager of his dairy farm after doing a business plan. He went from barely making ends meet to becoming quite profitable in his industry. It was also determined that since the Ag Development Council for Fleming County had decided to allow
Author: Kenneth Burdine
Kentucky is home to over one-million beef cows and around 34,000 cow-calf operations. While cow-calf operations are easily the most common agricultural enterprise in the state, they have historically been very profit-challenged. During 2019, faculty in the department of Agricultural Economics began developing a program intended to improve the profitability of cow-calf operations across KY. The concept was for a set of regional full-day programs aimed at serious, profit driven cow-calf operators
Author: Shane Bogle
"What is risk management? Risk Management involves choosing among various risk management strategies and tools designed to reduce the financial effects of the uncertainties of weather, yields, prices, government policies, global economies, human factors, and other conditions that can cause dramatic fluctuations in farm income." (USDA Risk Management Education). In response to the 2018 Farm bill and low commodity prices, a regional risk management education series was offered
Author: Steven Musen
In Jessamine County and around the country, the agricultural economy is suffering through a down cycle of low commodity prices and high input costs. As restaurants, Hotels and Schools have closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation has got even more difficult because of the loss of markets and resulting decline in farm income. It is understood that in order to farming operations to remain in operation, farm managers must make every effort to reduce operating expenses and maximize income.
Author: Andy Mills
At the end of every winter -beef producer are left with a problem area where cattle were fed hay all season. These heavy use areas are normally compacted very rough from cattle track ruts, and normally covered in weeds. These areas, depending on the number of cattle fed, can range from one acre up to four acres. Usually starting in December the animals will be placed back in thee heavy use area to start the winter feeding again. Most cattle are not removed from these areas until April and it tak
Author: Beau Neal
With the explosive interest in hemp production the last couple years, education on the various issues regarding it seemed to lagging behind. There was a demand for a general hemp informational meeting for growers to get an idea of what it takes to actually produce the crop itself. Topics covered were Regulatory and Field Testing, Production Systems, Site Selection and Soils, Budgets and Risk Management, Cultivar Information, Fertility, Planting, Pest Risks and Management, Harvest, Harvest
After talking with a few farmers/producers in Fayette County, I realized there may be a serious need for H2A or migrant workers to have some guidance and health related information in Spanish once they arrive. H2A employees are extremely important to many of our farmers/producers and when spring time rolls around, these producers rely heavily upon them in regard to their farming operation. No matter what country some of these folks may come from, in many cases they are from very isol
Author: T. Adam Probst
Every year the Woodford County Agriculture Advancement Council administers the County Ag Investment Program of the Kentucky Ag Development Fund. In 2019, the Woodford County Extension Service hosted a producer workshop designed to assist producers in filling out the application, teach applicable projects, and allow producers opportunity to complete needed documentation. One hundred and one producers applied for funding with only 2 producers not meeting the minimum criteria for approv
Author: Benjamin Rudy
Early Career Farming Program (ECFP) - Local Executive and Judges MeetingCarlisle, Fulton and Hickman County had a market value of $337 million in agricultural products last year – equal to the single largest producing county in the state. This region spent over $70 million on fertilizer, seed and chemicals alone last year. After discussing with CEC board and Ag council, agents wanted to offer a program geared toward younger farmers getting ready to transition toward making farm decisions w
Author: James Morgeson
Washington County receives funds through The Governor's Office of Agriculture Policy from the Tobacco Settlement Funds allocated to the state each year. In 2019-2020 those funds where used for several programs in the county. The local Agriculture Development Board voted to give $27,000 to help a local dairy set up an on farm bottling facility, allocated $265,000 to the County Agriculture Investment program (106 farmers 50/50 cost share each receiving $2500 each), $47,000 to the N
Author: Chuck Flowers
Author: Samuel Cofield
Paying attention to details helps to improve the profitability of any business. Dr. Kenneth Burdine, Dr. Greg Halich, and Jonathan Shepherd from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food and Environment, Agricultural Economics Department developed a program titled Cow Calf Profitability. They worked with Extension Agents for Agriculture and Natural Resources across the state to deliver the program in five locations across the commonwealth. Program topics focused primarily on managem
Author: Nicole Rhein
On February 6th, 2020 Extension agents from Marshall and Livingston Counties and the local Young Farm Educator collaborated to offer a farm bill training. The training was lead by Ballard County Extension Agent, Tom Miller. Tom has a knack for making the complex decisions that farmers face easy to understand. When surveyed one producer commented, "(Tom had) excellent explanations." The training was designed to help grain farmers make decisions related to the 2018 Farm Bill. The m
Author: Jordan Shockley
Across Kentucky, we have seen an increase in the local food movement, where consumers prefer to eat food and consume beverages which are grown, farmed, or produced locally. The local food movement is evident from the recent boom seen in the craft food and beverage market. Furthermore, the staple spirit of Kentucky, bourbon, has seen a rapid expansion in production and new distilleries entering the market. As such, producers of craft foods and beverages targeting the local food
Author: Lindie Huffman
Every Extension Agent's favorite phone call is "I bought a farm. What can I do with it to make money?"The question is filled with opportunity, worry, aspiration, and many times a hint of fear. As Extension, we are the place to turn to for answers, and to be brought in so early we are poised to serve as a strong ally to help farmers achieve their goals. Since 2018 I have served as a consultant to over 36 farmers. Offering unique and tailor-made farm plans to fit not only their desir
Author: Jerry Little
The ANR agent was contacted by the Boyle county soil conservation board that the company that was contracted to pick up deceased farm animals in the county was going out of business on January 31st. The soil conservation board had been paying the $50,000 a year contract for the last three years. The company had picked up an average of 1500 deceased animals per year over the last three years.It was a no cost program for farmers that was run very well by the company. The ANR agent contacted
The ANR agent along with agents from Garrard, Lincoln, and Mercer counties conducted four area meetings. The tobacco meeting had 35 in attendance, area grain meeting had 37 in attendance, area forage meeting had 60 in attendance, and the area backgrounders meeting had 33 in attendance. Various topics are covered with specilists and agent delivering the educational materials. These meetings also satisfy the educational requirements for cost share funds. Producers told us in surveys that the
