Webster County, Kentucky is a diverse agricultural county.  Corn, soybeans, tobacco, hay, wheat grain sorghum, industrial hemp, beef cattle, poultry, fruits, vegetables and beekeepers can all be found throughout this rural area of the commonwealth.

There is approximately 170,000 acres of cropland in Webster County with about seventy-five percent of that in row crops and tobacco.  Animal agriculture has a major financial impact in the county.  In 2017, animal sales totaled 88.7 million.

As with any industry, agriculture is ever changing.  Input costs are continuously on the rise, weather patterns can’t be predicted, but can change everything.  New farm bill legislation and new rules for pesticide use are just a few of the changes farmers face annually.  

Webster County Extension, University of Kentucky Extension Specialist and local businesses worked together to offer educational opportunities for producers in Webster County.  In 2020, topics ranged from extending the grazing season by utilizing summer annuals to tobacco production update and GAP training; and farm bill decision aide training to dicamba certification training.  Producers learned new techniques, recommendations and skills that are non-biased and research-based that can help producers make more informed decisions for their operation.  In the words of one producer that attended the 2020 grain day, “The information we received today can be the difference between being profitable or in the red…and that’s what Extension does.  I’m glad they are part of my team”.