Success StoryCampbell County Farm & Livestock Expo Celebrates AG in Campbell County!
Campbell County Farm & Livestock Expo Celebrates AG in Campbell County!
Author: Michelle Simon
Planning Unit: Campbell County CES
Major Program: Small Farm Management
Plan of Work: Agriculture and Natural Resource Education - Agriculture Awareness
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
Campbell County, Kentucky is the most northern county in the state and is experiencing the ripple effect of a growing population. New housing developments are being planned daily and the size of family farms are decreasing and increasing the gap between the urban and rural communities of the county. This causes a lack of knowledge about agriculture for the general population and a lack of resources for the agricultural population. The need arose to educate the non-farm audience while offering agricultural demonstrations and resources for the farm audience to help them preserve their farmland and improve their operations while dealing with the stress caused be economics, rising costs and loss of local farmland. In response to this need, Campbell County ANR Extension Agent, Michelle Simon, partnered with Campbell County Conservation District to host the Campbell County Farm & Livestock Expo. This Expo has been held for three years at the Alexandria Fairgrounds offering a multitude of activities, demonstrations and informational booths for the community including a live equipment auction, horse show, tractor driving contest, farm equipment demonstrations (sawmill, animal processing, lawn mowers, skidsteer attachments, etc), herding dog demonstrations, dairy processing demonstrations (including how to milk a cow), sheep shearing and goat hoof trimming. Educational discussions included building cattle scales, operating drones to spray crops and also health screenings to promote healthy lifestyles and preventing stress on farmers. Collaborating organizations included Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Campbell County 4H Extension, Campbell County FCS Extension, Campbell Conservancy, Campbell County Conservation District, Northern Kentucky Horse Network, Campbell County Cattleman’s Association, LFM Marketing & Events, Hinton Mills, Southern States Cooperative, Kentucky Dairy Development Council, Farm Bureau, Kentucky Proud, YoGoat Cincinnati and the Licking Valley Antique Tractor & Equipment Association. This event has grown every year and boasted attendance numbers of 200 people. As a result of these events, the local community has a better idea of the number of farms in Campbell County and what they produce, farmers have a local outlet to buy and sell farm related equipment, it has strengthened the relationship between Campbell County Extension and the Alexandria Fairboard, helped over 100 people attain farm serial numbers and farm tax exempt status, improved mental health awareness and increased knowledge of mental and physical health resources.
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