Author: Nicholas Carter
Planning Unit: College of Agriculture
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
Plan of Work: Community and Economic Development
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
In the fall of 2012 Fayette County was invited to assemble a three member team to attend the Beef Cattle IRM Leadership program and tour in Ashville North Carolina. During this very beneficial and useful program it was determined that one of the major issues affecting the Agriculture Industry in Kentucky was that we needed to tell the story about Agriculture and educate the young people about Agriculture. In looking at that possibility in Fayette County it was determined that we would select sixth graders as our target for this year. We worked to build a partnership between the Fayette County School System and other Agriculture Partners such as Fayette County Farm Bureau , Fayette County Conservation District, Fayette County Cattlemen's Association, Locust Trace students, teachers and administration and agents from Fayette County Extension Service. It was determined to have an Agriculture Education Day at Locust Trace School in Fall of 2017. Presentation were made in the following areas of equine production, large and small animal production, veterinary science, environmental science, greenhouse and aquaculture, gardening, biotechnology, and crop production. We hosted 250 + students and it was very well received and found to be very successful in communicating the story about Agriculture and where their food comes from. More Agriculture Education Events are planned for Fall of 2018 with an event planned at Bluegrass Stockyards with the Fayette County Farm Bureau Young Farmers leading the program.