Success StoryCounty Agricultural Development Council Continues Important Work Even in Challenging Times



County Agricultural Development Council Continues Important Work Even in Challenging Times

Author: Anthony Tackett

Planning Unit: Bourbon County CES

Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy

Plan of Work: Management, Production & Marketing of Agriculture Products

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

During the past year the Bourbon County Extension Service has worked extensively with the state level Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, and our local County Agricultural Development Council in supporting innovative projects that help increase local farm income.  During a normal year acting as liaison and facilitator between these groups takes significant time and coordination.  This past year the ongoing pandemic and a vacant staff point of contact position has made this even more challenging.  Despite these factors the Bourbon County Extension Office has worked effectively with these groups in carrying out local projects.  We worked with the existing group in completely revising the County’s 5-year comprehensive plan.  After the plan was completed, we worked with local leadership in replacing all but 2 of the council’s existing membership due to new member term rotation guidelines.  After new council membership was in place a orientation meeting was coordinated between the local council and the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy to ensure the new council members understood their roles on the overall council.  The Extension Service then set about organizing the first ever virtual annual program investment area county meeting to help local producers understand the upcoming application process and guideline changes.  Over 70 local producers took park in this online process which is almost %100 of historic in-person participation levels.  In order to accommodate producers who were unable to participate online and still comply with current social distancing guidelines, we held numerous individual ‘mini orientations’ to help everyone understand the current year application investment areas and process.   The Extension Office successfully helped coordinate the submission and review of dozens of local agriculture investment projects.  These projects represent tens of thousands of dollars invested in local agriculture improvement activities.  In order to comply with ongoing social distancing guidelines, the Extension Office has designed a hybrid meeting process to accommodate both in person and online participation of County Agricultural Development Council members in meetings.  All of the examples above are just a few of the ways  the Bourbon County Extension Office continues to support important work in our agriculture community even in challenging times.  






Stories by Anthony Tackett


Electronic Delivery Created for the Private Pesticide Applicators Program

about 2 years ago by Anthony Tackett

Everyday business processes had to be completely rethought during the Covid-19 pandemic. Even routin... Read More


Horticulture Webinar Series

about 2 years ago by Anthony Tackett

In an effort to adapt to changes in program delivery brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Hor... Read More


Stories by Bourbon County CES


Recipe for Life During a Pandemic

Recipe for Life During a Pandemic

about 2 years ago by Karen Denniston

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic will not stop the production of the Bourbon County Recipe for Life! Each ... Read More


Bourbon County Extension "Programs to Go"

Bourbon County Extension "Programs to Go"

about 2 years ago by Karen Denniston

COVID-19 safety restrictions changed the look of Bourbon County FCS programming! No longer were ther... Read More


Stories by Farm Management, Economics and Policy


Small Diversified Farms Series

Small Diversified Farms Series

about 2 years ago by Samantha Anderson

With a recent nationwide renewed interest in local food production, information on homesteading prac... Read More


Reaching out one producer at a time

Reaching out one producer at a time

about 2 years ago by Vicki Shadrick

The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service provides practical research-based education... Read More