Collaborators: Ky Department of Agriculture, ANR agent Glen Roberts, Ky State University Small Farm Assistant , Danny Adams, ANR Assistant , Terry Bertram, Ky Farm Bureau Federation, Wayne County Farm Bureau Federation, Valley Farm Center, UK Beef Nutrition Specialist, UK Soils Specialist, and UK Biosystems and Engineering specialists

Goals: Livestock and grain farmers are perceived as good stewards of the land. They farm in a sustainable environmentally friendly and profitable manner.

Through attendance at beef cattle meetings and grain meetings producers have learned from University of Ky extension specialist scientific principles to be able to farm sustainably.

Wayne County farmers have learned to conserve and improve soil by using no-till and crop residue. Decades of continuous no-till has improved soils to be able to produce better yields under environmental stresses than they were previously able to. They are able to take advantage of a local supply of poultry litter to reduce commercial fertilizer purchases. They have been able to save $250,000 annually by using poultry to reduce the purchases of commercial fertilizer. Recycling the poultry litter as a soil amendment reduces potential pollution and improves the soil fertility and soil health at the same time.

Beef cattle farmers have learned to rotationally graze and bale graze to naturally spread nutrients and reduce the need to purchase commercial fertilizers and to reduce manure concentrations which reduces potential pollution. They have also learned to graze more and bale less. This has improved forage quality and yield plus reducing machinery usage. Stockpiling fescue has improved beef cow nutrition in early winter.

Livestock and grain producers soil test, hay test and live plant nutrient test in order to apply the correct amounts of fertilizer and to supplement their animals with the correct amount and quality of supplements.

Wayne County farmers have been among the first to adopt no-till production and GPS systems to prevent over and under applications of fertilizer and chemicals. They also participate in the Ky Department of Agriculture chemical jug recycling program Rinse and Return. Over 1,200 jugs were recycled last year.