In the post-burley tobacco era, livestock and forage production are a major portion of the agricultural economy in Estill and Madison County. Madison County harvests 52,000 acres of hay not including alfalfa each year and Estill County harvests 8,410 acres. Most livestock producers invest significant time, machinery, infrastructure, and finances into forage production. With this investment, producers look for more efficient ways to produce more tonnage of stored forages with higher nutritional values, lower dry matter losses, less weeds, and proper packaging.

In an effort to help our farmers become better and more efficient hay producers, the Madison and Estill County Extension Agents for Agriculture and Natural Resources partnered to offer the first in the area Hay Production Short Course. This program took place over 10 weeks from February to April 2018 consisting of 6 classroom sessions rotated between Madison and Estill County Extension Offices. Participants were provided a binder and all speaker notes plus supporting Extension publications over all topics. Speakers included UK Extension specialists and a segment by Madison County Extension Agriculture Extension Agent. The six sessions covered a range of topics including: haymaking overview/cool season forages, soils and fertility, machinery and marketing, warm season forages/baleage, hay production economics, and hayfield weed control. The final educational opportunity included a tour of UK Extension Forage Variety Trials at Spindletop farm in Lexington. Twenty-six participants took part in the short course. Surveys were given before and after to measure knowledge gained. Fifty-nine percent of participants indicated themselves to have no knowledge or beginning level knowledge prior to start of the school. At the conclusion, eighty-seven percent of participants considered themselves as having intermediate or above average knowledge of the topics presented. Farmers who do a better job of hay production will increase feed value to their livestock and reduce input costs thus helping our local agriculture economy increase in value as well as viability.