Grain production is a huge part of the local economy in south central Kentucky but with lower grain prices and profit deficits, it has become a major focus for efficiency. With increased efficiency, producers are able to expand their margins and allows them to continue production. The increased need for efficiency can be achieved with education and it is for that reason, the KY-TN Grain Conference continues to strive to educate producers to reach their highest potential for success.

The Cooperative Extension Services of the University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee have joined together to host the KY-TN Grain Conference to bring the grain producers of Logan (KY), Todd (KY), Montgomery (TN), and Robertson Counties (TN) as well as the surrounding counties the most up to date, research based information to help them increase their yields and their profits. The KY-TN Grain Conference is a day of education; a day where the specialists, representing both Universities, join forces to bring a wide selection of topics that will benefit every producer. Agri-Businesses from across both states also come to introduce new and innovating ideas and methods to the producers through a diverse trade show. Attendees were also given the opportunity to gain Certified Crop Advisor and or Commercial Pesticide Continued Educational Units to satisfy their required licenses obligations.

The very diverse program found favor to the 161 participants through topics of Grain Marketing Updates, Fertilizer Considerations, Agriculture Transportation Regulations, Soybean & Wheat Disease Updates, and personal testimony from a top corn producer, Dan Leupkes, from RFDTV’s Corn Warrior. Participants reported increased knowledge as a result of the program by:

90%        Grain Marketing Update               92%        KY/TN Agriculture Transportation Regulations

71%        Fertilizer Considerations               78%       Soybean & Wheat Disease Updates

98%       Speaker: Dan Leupkes

Furthermore, 98% of the participants plan to utilize information from the KY-TN Grain Conference in their farming operation and 77% of the participants feel that attending this Grain Conference will help them increase your farm income in grain production. 8 producers believe that the knowledge gained could potentially increase their income by saving on inputs and overall by $5 per acre to $5,000 where 4 producers believe they could potentially increase their income by $8,000 to $10,000+.

Providing opportunities for producers to gain knowledge and skills is an important part of the Cooperative Extension Services’ mission especially when that knowledge and skills leads to higher yields, higher efficiency and higher profits for the producers.