Describe the Issue or Situation.

As margins continue to tighten on farm enterprises, it becomes even more important to adopt new technologies and participate in programs that help farmers improve efficiency and improve on-farm profitability.  

Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).

Extension and NRCS provide technical expertise to assist farmers to become more efficient in their farm enterprises which can lead to an increase in overall profitability.  NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) also provides cost-share dollars to farmers who adopt various management practices on their farm which improve management and productivity.  The focus on this year's field day was on the resources and cost-share programs that agencies can provide to assist farmers as they continue to struggle against higher input costs and the squeeze of inflation.  Speakers described the programs available and the process of applying for the cost-share money.  The host farm family discussed the programs they were currently doing and how the completed projects have helped them improve both profitability and efficiency.  The family discussed how they went through the process of working with Extension and NRCS to identify the areas that needed to be addressed in the beginning.  We provided interested participants the applications and were available to answer questions related to what assistance each agency can provide.  More than 40 applications for NRCS assistance were taken by farmers.  These projects have long lasting benefits to farmers and to the farms that these improvements are implemented.

Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience.

122 farmers and farm families participated in the program to learn more about what help and assistance is available in the ag community.

Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact. Please note that the outcomes statement must use evaluation data to describe the change(s) that occurred in individuals, groups, families, businesses, or in the community because of the program/outreach.

Bath County has been notoriously low in farmer participation in many the programs that can help them boost on-farm profitability.  The field day program hopes to change that by introducing these farm families to resources available through extension and NRCS.  Forty applications were picked up at the event.  Many participants talked to the NRCS staff to set up times to meet on farm to discuss implementing some improvements.  The next eighteen months will determine how successful the program was  overall, but through Extension and Conservation, there has already been some interest this year with four farms implementing recommended improvements and this program should continue to build on that.