Winter 2015 ag newsletter

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Cooperative Extension Service Pendleton County 45 David Pribble Drive Falmouth, KY 41040 (859) 654-3395 Fax: (859) 654-3397 http://ces2.ca.uky.edu/ pendleton/ Lindie Huffman County Agent for Agriculture & Natural Resources

WINTER 2015 An Agricultural Newsletter Greetings Agriculture Community, Happy New Year! The year of 2014 came and went and brought prosperity for many Kentucky Farm Families. Total agricultural cash receipts are expected to top 5.6 Billion dollars for the 2014 year. Kentucky Agriculture is stronger than it has ever been and is estimated to continue to rise as cattle prices are at an all time high and KY continues to diversify in agriculture production.

It is my hope that in the new year you make a resolution to expand your own agricultural knowledge and pursuits by taking part in a variety of extension programs. Be sure to utilize our Free Soil Sampling program, check out the Shared Use Equipment program operated by our local Cattleman’s, and always call with agriculture questions. We are here to help with your agricultural needs.

Have meeting suggestions? Give us call and we will see what we can do!

Wishing you a healthy and prosperous 2015 production season and year!

Stay Warm Ag Community!

Lindie Huffman Pendleton County Cooperative Extension Agent Agriculture & Natural Resources

In This Issue: FEATURE ARTICLE: FARMERS MARKET

2

AGENTS CORNER

3

FARM BILL UPDATE: CROP INSURANCE ELECTION

4

FEATURED PROGRAM: MASTER CATTLEMAN 2015

5

UPCOMING AGRICULTURE 6 & 7 MEETINGS

Agricultural Expressions “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

The Grazing Gazette

PENDLETON COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKET

Hosts first Market Appreciation Event

A

ugust 9th 2014 The Pendleton County Farmers’ Market members celebrated National Farmers’ Market Week.

As part of their celebration they host-

County Farmers’ Market also invited local musicians to play, local author to share his book, and a local chef to perform live cooking demonstrations and samples of recipes performed with products gathered directly from the Farmers’ Market Vened their first annual market appreciation event. The dors. Market patrons were then invited to sample a market day celebration served as an event to thank buffet of food prepared with the freshest produce.

You can’t get much more farm to table than that. customers for their continued support of the mar All in all there were over ket and tied together the 165 patrons who attended culture of food, art, and the market during Nationmusic as a celebration al Farmers’ Market Week. of the local community.

The Pendleton County Farmers’ Market has hopes

As part of the celto not only make this an ebration event the Pendannual event, but also to leton County Farmers’ provide other opportuniMarket invited other local ties for more community organizations to particiorganizations to get inpate by setting up booths volved and host Farmers’ to advertise the work they Feast events and Local do in the community. ComFarm Tours in conjunction munity is the foundation of Beekee, of Bubbly Bee Soaps conducts business with with the River Valley Agthe Farmers’ Market. Orgaa local patron. Photo by: Lindie Huffman, PC Ag & ritourism Alliance and the nizations on hand for the Natural Resource Agent.

Pendleton County Coopday included the Pendleton erative Extension Service.

County Historical Society, The Pendleton County Beef Cattle Association, and

The market is comprised of 14 vendors as of The Pendleton County Cooperative Extension Service.

2014 and hopes to continue to grow its membership Each group was encouraged to pass out literature to better serve the citizens of Pendleton County with or provide interactive demonstrations to customers. access to fresh locally grown produce. Each vendor The Pendleton County Cooperative Extension Serraises, grows and produces 100% of the fare they vice provided free samples of KY Plate it UP Recipes sell. The market products range from tomatoes and to patrons and awarded them with a handy kitchen apples, maple syrup and wine, hand painted gourds gadget or reusable grocery tote for participating. and house plants, to homemade soaps and lotions.

While the Pendleton County Beef Cattle Association The vendors are proud of being a 100% local marwas there grilling their famous rib-eye sandwiches. ket, meaning no wholesale of products is allowed.

In addition to the many organizations who

For more information about our venparticipated in the days events, the Pendleton dors or joining the market visit our website.

•Pendleton County Cooperative Extension Service•

WINTER 2015

UPDATE

the AGENT’S CORNER A friendly reminder that all CAIP projects must be completed and receipts turned in by JUNE 11, 2015 before 3:30PM. Educational requirements must also be completed prior to.

All educational programs will be advertised through The Grazing Gazette Newsletter on pages 6 & 7 in Upcoming Agriculture Meetings.

The Cooperative Extension Service prohibits discrimination in its programs and employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

To file a complaint of discrimination, contact Tim West, UK College of Agriculture, 859-257-3879; Terry Allen or Patty Bender, UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity, 859-257-8927; or the USDA, Director Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W Whitten Bldg.,14th & Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 (202-720-5964).

FarmersAlmanac This month’s full Moon, the Full Wolf Moon, occurs on January 4 at 11:53 P.M. EST. January 4 is the time of perihelion, when Earth is closest to the Sun for the year: “only” 91,402,423 miles away!

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SEASON •Ag riculture & Natur al Resources•

The Grazing Gazette

FARM BILL UPDATE

Coverage Selection for New 2014 Farm Bill Safety Net Programs Begins Nov. 17 Producers have Until March 31, 2015, to Choose the Program Best for their Operation WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2014 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds farm owners and producers that the opportunity to choose between the new 2014 Farm Bill established programs, Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), begins Nov. 17, 2014, and continues through March 31, 2015. The new programs, designed to help producers better manage risk, usher in one of the most significant reforms to U.S. farm programs in decades.

“USDA is committed to keeping farm owners and producers well informed on all steps in this process to ensure that they have all of the information that they need before making their coverage choice,” said Farm Service Agency Administrator Val Dolcini. “The new ARC and PLC programs provide a more rational approach to helping farmers manage risk by ensuring families don’t lose the farm because of events beyond their control.”

USDA helped create online tools to assist in the decision process, allowing farm owners and producers to enter information about their operation and see projections that show what ARC and/or PLC will mean for them under possible future scenarios. Farm owners and producers can access the online resources, available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc, from the convenience of their home computer or mobile device at any time.

“In addition to the new online tools, USDA has done extensive outreach, including partnering with State Cooperative Extension Services to hold meetings and meet with farm owners and producers,” said Dolcini. “USDA leaders will continue visiting with farm owners and producers to share information and answer questions the new programs. We want to help producers boil the information down, understand their options and make the best decision on which program – ARC or PLC – is right for them.”

Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice (which includes short grain rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat. Upland cotton is no longer a covered commodity.

Dates associated with Now through Feb. 27, 2015 Farm owners may visit their local Farm Service Agency office to update yield history and/or reallocate base acres.

ARC and PLC that farm owners and producers need to know: Nov. 17, 2014, to March 31, Mid-April through October 2015 2015 Summer 2015 Producers make a one- Producers sign contracts Payments issued for 2014 time election between for 2014 and 2015 crop crop year, if needed ARC and PLC for the 2014 years. through 2018 crop years.

To learn more about which safety net options are most appropriate for specific farming operations, farmers can use new Web tools at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc, which can be accessed from the convenience of a home computer or a mobile device at any time. To learn more about upcoming educational meetings, farmers can contact their local Farm Service Agency county office at http://go.usa.gov/pYV3 Today's announcement was made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

•Pendleton County Cooperative Extension Service•

WINTER 2015

FEATURED PROGRAM

Now Taking Applications Don’t miss out on this program!

DATE

TIME

LOCATION

Mar 24

6:30 PM

**TBD**

Apr 7 Apr 21 May 5 Sept 8 Sept 22 Oct 6 Oct 20 Nov 10 Nov 24

6:30 PM

**TBD**

6:30 PM

**TBD**

The Master Cattleman Program is premiere educational program for those engaged or interested in the Beef Cattle Industry. This program allows you to network with other producers and specialists, while also taking you through all aspects of the Beef Industry across 10 sessions, which also feature excellent meals featuring what else, BEEF. The sessions include the following topics:

• • • • • • • • • •

Management Skills Forages Nutrition Facilities and Animal Behavior Environmental Stewardship and Industry Issues Genetics Reproduction Herd Health End Product Marketing and Profitability

6:30 PM

**TBD**

6:30 PM

**TBD**

6:30 PM

**TBD**

WHO: ANY PRODUCER (MAX OF 35 PARTICIPANTS) HOW: CONTACT THE EXTENSION OFFICE FOR MORE

6:30 PM

**TBD**

WHAT: EACH PARTICIPANT RECEIVES:

6:30 PM

**TBD**

6:30 PM

**TBD**

6:30 PM

**TBD**

INFO ON PARTICIPATING *MUST ATTEND 8 OF 10 SESSIONS*

• • • •

EADY REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR EACH SESSION R A MASTER CATTLEMAN FARM GATE SIGN FIVE STATE CERTIFICATION PREPARATION FOR COW COLLEGE

COST: $50 REGISTRATION FEE - ALL MEALS & MATERIALS

**This program offered in conjunction with Northern KY Ag Agents** **Not offered every year.**

•Ag riculture & Natur al Resources•

Upcoming Agriculture Meetings

DATE TIME JAN 5-6

JAN 13 JAN 20

FEB 17

FEB 18

MEETING

LOCATION

FRUIT & VEGETABLE GROWERS TRADESHOW - This meeting serves as the annual point of information for fruit DAY TIME and vegetable growers. This is the preLEXINGTON, KY Conference miere event for an array of topics from wine making to vegetable production and KY Proud to Bee Keeping.

PRIVATE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR 10:00 AM TRAINING - For individuals seeking pesticide card for purchase of restricted PC EXTENSION & use chemicals.

OFFICE **This training will not be offered again 6:30 PM until May 12, 2015** EGG MARKETING 101 - Are you a poultry producer? Do you sell Eggs? This PC EXTENSION 6:30 PM meeting is going to help you receive top $ OFFICE for your eggs and ensure product safety.

BQA & EPD Training - BQA = Beef Quality Assurance is an opportunity for cattle producers to learn best management practices and ensure wholesome 10:00 AM products.

EPD = Expected Progeny Differences PC EXTENSION & provides producers with an education OFFICE on how to interpret data on registration 6:30 PM papers. **These required for some CAIP programs. These will not be offered again until September 2015** SOIL MANAGEMENT 101 - Part 1 Kenton County Soil is the foundation to all life and is the Extension Office 6:30 PM key to profitability for any farming opera**Meal** tion from grains to cattle to horticulture.

10990 Marshall Provided We will take you from the ground up in Rd, Covington, KY this multi part series and teach you how 41015 to manage your soils for profitability.

CAIP APPROVED

BE SURE TO REGISTER FOR ANY OR ALL PROGRAMS BY CALLING THE PENDLETON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE @ 859-654-3395 or ONLINE Pendleton.ca.uky.edu/

Upcoming Agriculture Meetings DATE TIME FEB 19

6:30 PM

FEB 24

6:30 PM **Meal** Provided

FEB 26

6:30 PM **Meal** Provided

MAR 10

MAR 12

6:30 PM

6:30 PM **Meal** Provided

MEETING

LOCATION

PENDLETON COUNTY FARMERS MARKET - Are you interested in joining the Pendleton County Farmers’ Market PC EXTENSION or finding out more information about OFFICE some of your favorite products? Be sure to join us for our 2015 Market Kick off Meeting.

SOIL MANAGEMENT 101 - Part 1 Campbell County Soil is the foundation to all life and is the Environmental key to profitability for any farming operaCenter tion from grains to cattle to horticulture. 1261 Race Track We will take you from the ground up in Road this multi part series and teach you how Alexandria KY to manage your soils for profitability.

41001 Tobacco GAP Training - Good Agricultural Practices is a best management practices education course for tobacco farmers. This program is required by to- PC EXTENSION bacco companies in order for producers OFFICE to sell their tobacco crop.

UK Tobacco Extension Specialist Bob Pearce will be instructing.

GENERAL GAP TRAINING - GAP or Good Agricultural Practices is a best management practices course for farmers. Examining contamination points PC EXTENSION for crops. Farmers’ Market Vendors can OFFICE receive their Sampling Certificate upon completion of this course. *DOES NOT QUALIFY TOBACCO PRODUCERS** SOIL MANAGEMENT 101 - Part 2– Campbell County Expanding on concepts learned in part 1 Environmental of this series, we take a look at soil manCenter agement for specific crops and produc1261 Race Track tion. Soil health can play a key role into Road being a successful agrarian. Join us for Alexandria KY this hands on class.

41001

CAIP APPROVED

BE SURE TO REGISTER FOR ANY OR ALL PROGRAMS BY CALLING THE PENDLETON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE @ 859-654-3395 or ONLINE Pendleton.ca.uky.edu/

Agriculture Newsletter Enclosed