2009 ANR Highlights
From Extension Collaborative Wiki
2. Briefly describe your significant activities and program highlights for 2008/2009
University of Tennessee Extension
State Biofuels Initiative. Extension's role is working with farmers to grow switchgrass as feedstock for the pilot plant being built by Dupont Danisco.Growers sign a 3 year contract. Extension provides seed, technical assistance and an annual per acre payment. 1950 acres were contracted this year added to the 723 acres contracted in 2008. The third and final contract cycle in 2010 will add 3000 acres. Ethanol production will begin in this year.
Organics. UT Extension has launched a statewide organic agriculture initiative in partnership with UT Ag Research and the state department on agriculture. Research and demonstrations will be conducted on-farm as well as on a newly dedicated 21-acre research unit. Extension will help growers learn about production, marketing, and becoming USDA-certified.
Forages. Forage based cow-calf operations are our top ag enterprise In 2008-09 we alunched an initiative to help producers maximize efficiency and decrease waste in forage production. Improved hay storage, better feeding management and adding clovers to grass pastures were the focus.
Beef Cattle Improvement Initiative. Begun in 2000 this program has educated over 5500 beef producers in the Master Beef Producer program. Graduates indicate they expect a $2000 to $6000 gain in ther operations from the knowledge they gained. The beef quality assurance program is a companion eduacational program that covers issues like herd health, cattle handling,and trailer safety Over 13,000 producers have been certified.
University of Kentucky
The seeblue gogreen initiative was launched in the fall of 2008 to capitalize on the seeblue logo adopted by the University of Kentucky. Resources were pulled together from many sources to provide green ideas for a range of activities. The broad headings of “Home” includes resources on air, conservation, construction, energy, pest management, soil, toxic/hazardous materials, water, waste reduction and wildlife. The heading “Farm and Woodlands” include the same resources except for construction and the heading “Youth” includes the same except for constructions, pest management and wildlife but adds health. Other major headings include community, garden, golf/turf, work, and travel.
An equine working group for agents was established to involve agents from not only agriculture but also 4-H and to a lesser extent FCS. This effort was designed to complement the Equine Initiative, a major program of emphasis at the college level. Agents assist Extension specialist to direct their focus towards topics of interest to all horse owners in Kentucky and share successful programs state wide.
A Moneywise web site was established due to concerns expressed during a state level issues flow process of exploring issues of concern to clientele. At the time fuel cost and fertilizer prices were high and the average citizen of Kentucky was struggling with finances. All program areas cooperated to develop resources. The ANR group concentrated on the Farmwise section listing many tips for coping and providing specific resources for many commodities and production input areas.
Kentucky continues to emphasize major programs such as Master Cattleman, Master Gardener, Master Grazer, the Innovative Tobacco Grower Program and others. Extension agents play a major role in helping administer the programs offered by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board that assist producers with improved agricultural practices in a wide range of agricultural production areas.
University of Florida
- RREA funds were leveraged with other public and private funds in development of a public broadcasting program on “Sustainable Fishing” program for the Living Green TV series. http:www.livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu The program was aired by PBS TV stations throughout Florida and the Southeast United States, with a viewership of more than 16 million people.
- In wildlife management activities, programs were attended by more than 500 individuals at the Wildlife Expo (Milton, FL), and Ag Adventure Days (Quincy, FL) provided information to more than 11,000 individuals at these large scale events. These various activities are estimated to have influenced habitat management on more than 1,023,000 acres.
- In marine and coastal program activities, workshops on sustainable fisheries were held in Florida and the region, including the annual meeting of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association, and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. A website was created at http://catchandrelease.org to serve as a one-stop shop of science-based content (videos, PowerPoint presentations, photos and publications), about sustainable fishing. The website were mentioned as the “go-to” site in the August 2008 edition of national Sport Fishing Magazine.
- There has been a rising interest in pond management on properties. Consequently, a two-day intensive day workshop on pond management was held for extension agents. These agents assisted more than 200 landowners with pond management problems. More than 150 landowners from 7 states attended “managing ponds for fishing” at the Sunbelt Ag Expo; additional workshops were held in Florida that were attended by 400 landowners.
- Specialty Crops Research Initiative. Four proposals were funded last year and UF/IFAS was not the lead except for one planning grant. This year we were successful on three (UF/IFAS lead on two).
- Food Safety Issues will continue to be a major focus of our fresh fruit and vegetable groups both with the agents and industry. Right now we continue to concentrate on tomatoes, leafy greens, melons and berries and small farm issues.
- Continue to take the educational lead for implementation of BMP on farms. Continue to work with FL Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Agriculture on all water quality and quantity issues.
- Legislature passed bills that make UF/IFAS Extension responsible for educational programs on BMPs for the Green Industry and Florida Friendly Landscaping.
- Held first Statewide Small Farm and Alternative Enterprise Conference. FAMU was a partner. It was a two day event that was attended by more than 800 people. Our Department of Agriculture was a sponsor ($25,000) and has committed to sponsor next year ($15,000).
- Bio-fuels continues to be a major emphasis in the state. Looking how to form teams to address issues.
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) - IFAS extension faculty are part of a UF team awarded nearly $26 million to help speed the transformation of scientific discoveries into medical advances for patients. In winning the National Institutes of Health’s Clinical and Translational Science Award, UF joins a prestigious consortium of medical research institutions.
- Florida 4-H is enjoying its centennial with events spanning the 2009 calendar year.
Current ANR/CRD Projects North Carolina A&T State University
Livestock Outdoor Swine Growers’ School Southeast Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers: Responding to Market Demand: NCA&TSU and USDA Agency Collaboration with Socially-Disadvantaged Outdoor Hog Producers (SDFRP/CSREES) Southeast and Piedmont Mitigating Risk for Producers Raising Livestock on Pasture (Southern Region Risk Management/Coalition for Farm and Rural Families) Down East
Horticultural Production Seasonal Crop Diversification and Sequencing (Tobacco Trust Fund) SE/NE Plasticulture Alternatives Project Statewide A&T University Farm Horticulture Unit Demonstrations and Research in Alternative Enterprises Piedmont Preparing Hmong Farmers to Meet Niche Production and Marketing Opportunities in Local Food Systems (DHHS/Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program) Upper Piedmont Beginning Farmer Project Southeast FACT (Farmers Adopting Computer Technology) Statewide Women in Agriculture::Farm Bill Features for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Center for Environmental Farming Systems Small Farm Unit ‘Seasons of Sustainability’ Southeast Wayne County Local Foods Initiative Southeast North Carolina Sustainable Foods Initiative: Farm to Fork Statewide
Food and Farm Safety Partnerships are the Foundation for the Sustainability of Agriculture: Food Safety (SDFRP/CSREES/Operation Spring Plant) Southeast North Carolina Fresh Produce Safety Task Force Executive Board/Educational Committee/Curriculum Preparation and Training Statewide ATV Safety Training Statewide AgriAbility North Carolina Agromedicine Institute Board of Partners Southeast
Community Gardening Children, Youth and Families at Risk Sustainable Communities Project: Integrated Educational Programming with Community Gardening (CSREES) Piedmont/Sandhills/Northeast Executive Committee NC Community Garden Partners Statewide Discover Agriculture 4H Agricultural Literacy Project Southeast/Piedmont
Community Development Community Voices Statewide Voices Reaching Visions Statewide N.C. Natural Hog Producers Cooperative Southeast
Natural Resources RREA Projects Silviculture Southeast Agroforestry Statewide
