With the Buffalo Trace counties representing a large portion of rural area, forage production plays a vital role for agriculture across the five counties. With one of the largest alfalfa producing counties in the state along with high ranking grass hay production, offering a program to focus on improving forage quality would benefit local producers and agriculture operations in the Buffalo Trace Counties. The area Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents worked with specialist, agents, and local producers to develop and implement a program to offer education on improved forage quality and stored feed sources. Thirty area producers registered for the six session program that covered forage topics of Soil Fertility, Machinery, Cool/Warm Season Grasses, Storing Forages, Weed Control, and Marketing. Those registrants represent 10,369 acres across the area with a total of 5,412 acres of forages for focused improvements. The group has had positive comments about the educational program and will be completing a survey to see planned improvements for their operations. With only 30% of the participants using weed control methods for hay production, improvements are possible with discussions from those in attendance. The program offered many facets to those that utilize hay as part of their livestock operation as well as those that produce forages for cash sales for other livestock operations. 

The Program was planned by Ag Agents in Lewis, Fleming, Bracken, and Mason Counties. Sessions were alternated between counties. Working together as a team we recruited farmers, prepare meals for the group, and facilitated the meetings.