Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Agribusiness grants available


Kentucky Proud Promotional Grant
Deadline: On-Going
Funding Amount: Up to $12,000 per year; $1 for $1 match
Eligible Entities: Kentucky farmers and agribusinesses
Overview: The Kentucky Proud Promotional Grant is a cost share program to help Kentucky farmers and agribusinesses pay for advertising and marketing expenses. The award amount is based on 10% of direct farm impact; for a farmer it would be 10% of their total farm gross sales. The applicant must be a registered member of Kentucky Proud to apply and use the Kentucky Proud logo/brand in marketing efforts paid for with program funds. Examples of fundable items include TV ads, radio ads, web expenses, hats, t-shirts, demos, sampling, labels, packaging, tradeshows, UPC, and bar codes. 

Conservation Stewardship Program
Deadline: March 2, 2018
Award Amount: Minimum annual payment of $1500
Eligible Entities: Landowners in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland conservation requirements and have current farm records with USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). 
Overview: The Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) works with landowners to build upon existing conservation efforts while continuing their farming practices. CSP recipients work with NRCS to develop a customized plan to increase productivity of their farm while protecting the value of the land. Some benefits producers have seen from the CSP are increased cattle gains per acre, increased crop yields, decreased inputs, wildlife population increases, and better resilience to weather extremes.  

Leopold Conservation Award Program
Deadline: Nominations due by April 15, 2018
Award Amount: $10,000 award, one award in KY per year
Eligible Entities: Landowners
Link: https://sandcountyfoundation.org/our-work/leopold-conservation-award-program/application-info  & link to applicationOverview: The Leopold Award is given annually to a conservation minded land-owner who has embraced practices to improve and sustain their land. The program is seeking nominations for the 2018 award. If you know someone that is a good fit, please pass their information along. 

The Home Depot Foundation - Community Impact Grants Program
Deadline: Now Open! Due by December 31, 2018
Funding Amount: Up to $5,000 in gift cards to purchase tools, materials, or services
Eligible Entities: Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations and tax-exempt public service agencies including schools
Overview: The Home Depot Foundation offers Community Impact Grants to provide support in the form of gift cards to use for projects in their local communities in various ways including community gardens. 

Please call us at 859-550-3972 or email kcard@kcard.info with questions. KCARD's Agribusiness Grant Facilitation Program is here to help!







Dealing with natural disasters — like flooding



LITTLE ROCK – With flooding expected across large parts of Arkansas this week, the Cooperative Extension Service is ready with information to help prepare for and recovery from natural disasters. 
The National Weather Service offices in Little Rock, Memphis, Tennessee; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Tulsa, Oklahoma, all issued flood watches and flash flood watches on Tuesday. Arkansas can expect from four to six inches of rain through Friday, according to the National Weather Service Little Rock office.
Information for dealing with natural disasters such as flooding, storm damage and more can be found here: https://www.uaex.edu/environment-nature/disaster/ .
The page includes:
·       Be Aware and Prepare: Flooding in Arkansas: https://www.uaex.edu/environment-nature/disaster/docs/BeAware_Flooding.pdf
·       Managing financial resources after a disaster: https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSHEC-67.pdf
·       Replacing valuable papers after a disaster: https://www.uaex.edu/health-living/personal-finance/Replacing%20Valuable%20Papers.pdf 
·       Planning for Food after a Disaster: https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSHED-81.pdf
The page also links to the Arkansas Drought Resource Center, which provides valuable information on burn bans, water restrictions, livestock care, fisheries and more; information on salvaging timber and assessing storm-damaged trees; managing the impacts of flood and more.
Arkansas residents can also locate their local Cooperative Extension Service agent through the online directory at https://www.uaex.edu//counties/default.aspx.
The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system. 

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.  

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Friday, February 16, 2018

Prairie View A&M develops livestock management videos


Prairie View A & M University (PVAMU) researchers and extension agents developed a community-based website providing short videos demonstrating livestock management concerns for the local farmers and ranchers. PVAMU created the videos to assist in identifying livestock management issues and solving them. The resource builds on the needs of clientele and adds to the existing literature regarding goat research. The entire project seeks to adapt the use of smart media as an invaluable tool to allow extension agents to assist their clientele in identifying livestock management issues and ultimately finding solutions for these issues. Currently, PVAMU is developing an app for on-site diagnosis tool.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Veterinary internships available

The Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), in collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim – Veterinary Public Health, is hosting two summer 2018 internship opportunities. The Institute will host two students with interests and experience in veterinary medicine and/or international agricultural issues.
Veterinary students of any year or classification and graduate students are eligible to apply to the program. Selected interns will be matched with mentors for an approximate ten-week summer internship. Interns will gain hands-on experience while working on projects related to the economics and detection, control, and mitigation of high consequence transboundary animal diseases.  For this opportunity; there will be two internships; one focused on an international veterinary/agricultural topic and one focused on a domestic veterinary/agricultural topic.  
International Internship:
Domestic Internship:
Applications are now available and are due by 5 p.m. CST on March 16, 2018.
For more questions or information about the internships visit our website or contact Miguel Gonzalez, IIAD Program Manager, at miguel.gonzalez@ag.tamu.edu, 979-845-2855.

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Arkansas Forage and Grassland Council to address variety of topics

Forage recovery, weather outlook, livestock hauling rule changes on Feb. 22 AFGC agenda


By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – Helping winter-damaged forage recover, getting the latest on the spring weather outlook and understanding changes in livestock hauling rules are on the agenda for the Feb. 22 Arkansas Forage and Grassland Council’s winter meeting in Conway.

The meeting will be held Woodland Heights Education building is located at 4215 Prince Street.
Registration opens at 9 a.m., and the program begins at 9:30 a.m. Registration is $25 per person and $10 for students. Pre-event registration will help ensure there are enough materials and lunch for all. For info, or to register, call Linda McCargo at 501-671-2171.

“Weather conditions over the past six months have certainly been unfavorable for Arkansas pastures,” said John Jennings, professor-forage for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

“Questions coming in regarding what to do for a spring forage crop include, ‘how will this cold winter affect my pastures?’ ‘what about armyworms?’, and ‘what are other producers doing?’” he said. “Producers will hear about new forage research on spring and fall forages. These studies are evaluating options ‘outside the box’ and match up with the unusually dry fall and odd winter weather. Arkansas producers also will tell about how they incorporated some of these different options to boost their forage production.”

The agenda:
·       9:45 a.m. - Riding the weather rollercoaster – outlook for 2018, John Lewis, senior forecaster - National Weather Service – Little Rock,
·       10:15   New research for spring pasture - Kenny Simon, extension program associate-forages, Division of Agriculture.
·       New research for fall pasture – John Jennings, professor-forage, Division of Agriculture.
·       11:15   Department of Transportation farm vehicle regulations status update – Major Jay Thompson, Arkansas Highway Police.
·       Noon    Lunch
·       1 p.m. - When will armyworms strike this year? – Kelly Loftin, extension entomologist
·       1:30 p.m. – Non-conventional forages in a double-crop system – producer experience
·       Luke Alston, Holly Springs Homestead - Polk County
·       Jeff Montgomery, Diamond M Ranch - Yell County
·       2:15 p.m. - Coping with current conditions for forages and livestock
·       John Jennings
·       Paul Beck, interim director, Southwest Research and Extension Center
·       3 p.m. - Adjourn

Learn more about managing forage and livestock by calling your county extension office or visiting www.uaex.edu.

About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system. 

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.  


The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact the Fruit Research Station as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay. 

Monday, February 12, 2018

Missouri Extension Offers Program to Learn About State and Federal Resources on Feb. 14 in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - University of Missouri Extension invites beginning farmers and ranchers to attend a free workshop about resources offered by state and federal agencies.
"Understanding the Alphabet Soup of USDA Programs" will be the topic of the Women in Dairy event held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, at the Greene County MU Extension Center, 2400 S. Scenic Ave., Springfield.

Speakers will review resources offered to farmers and ranchers at the Farm Service Agency and explain funding options available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, said Reagan Bluel, MU Extension dairy specialist.

During the afternoon session, speakers will explain the planning and operational orders process needed to apply for state and federal resources available to veterans. Missouri AgrAbility Project state director Karen Funkenbusch and representatives from other agencies will give case studies.

"This is a great opportunity to meet your local USDA FSA and MU Extension representatives and learn how to get started in farming and ranching," said Bluel. "It is also a good time to network with others interested in farming and ranching."

Pre-registration is needed since a free lunch is being served. Doing registration online at http://extension.missouri.edu/greene is preferred but can also be done by contacting Bluel by telephone at 417-847-3161 or email BluelRJ@missouri.edu.

MU Extension, through a grant from the USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach to help veterans and socially disadvantaged persons who want to farm, offers the program to increase agribusinesses and enterprise development. USDA helps fund this program as part of an $8.4 million set of grants to 24 states through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, also known as the 2501 Program.