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Programs - Agriculture and Natural Resources
Listed below are programs offered through the
Bledsoe County Extension. For more detailed information
about the program contact the person listed with the program or the
Bledsoe County Extension. |
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Master Beef Producer Program
Contact: J.C. Rains
The Tennessee Master Beef Producer Program is an educational program designed to provide information to Tennessee cow-calf producers to help them be the very best in the country, improve their profitability and position the industy to be competitive with other states.
The Master Beef Producer Program is led by a team of University Specialist, and Agents, with support and involvement of representatives of state-level agencies, businesses, and organizations that have interest in the state''s cattle industry.
Participants will receive a reference manual, Master Beef Producer hat and farm sign in addition to the 10 educational sessions.
A fee of $100 covers the cost of the training sessions, educational manual and other teaching materials, as well as the Master Beef Producer cap and farm sign.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is offering scholarships to producers through the Tennessee Agricultural Enhance Program. They will cover $50 of the cost if the producer has a premises ID and BQA Certification.
The fall 2009 classes are scheduled for September 28 & October 1, 8, 12, 15, 19, and 22. Class begins at 6:00 PM. Classes will be held at the Bledsoe Telephone Co-op Conference Center in Pikeville.
To sign up for these classes please call or come by. You can click "Master Beef Producer Program" above for a schedule and registration form.
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Beef Quality Assurance
Contact: J.C. Rains
The mission of the Beef Quality Assurance Program (BQA) is to maximize consumer confidence and acceptance of beef by focusing on the producers'' attention to daily production practices that influence the safety, wholesomeness and quality of beef and beef products.
The program is a collaberation between The University of Tennessee Extension, The Tennessee Cattlemen''s Association, and The Beef Check-Off Program.
The BQA program is not a health program however it can be used in combination with one. It can simply be defined as "Doing the Right Things Right."
The workshops will cover topics such as: The HACCP Program, The Motive Behind a BQA Program, Critical Disease Control, Animal Identification, Economic Value of BQA, Production Practices and Improvements, Cattle handling Safety, Drugs & Vaccines Information and Use, Proper Administration, Animal Code of Care, Bio-Terrorism, Animal Safety, and Record Keeping.
While the cost of the workshops are free, producers that wish to be certified or re-certified must pay a fee to the Tennessee Cattlemen''s Association.
This BQA Certification is a requirement of the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program. Producer that are requesting cost share assistance must have this certification and Premises ID.
For more information about this program please call the UT Bledsoe Extension office at 423-447-2451 or visit http://www.tncattle.org/bqa.html.
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Tennessee''s Premises Identification System
Contact: J.C. Rains
The development of a national identification system has been driven by two basic needs. The first need is enhanced disease control and eradication cababilities whether the disease comes from a foreign animal disease outbreak or a biosecurity threat in order to protect the health of out national herd. The second need is to be able to meet the demands of our domestic and international consumers for source-varified, age-vearified, and process-varified products to assure them of a reliable, safe, and wholesome food supply.
The goal of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is to have the cabability to identify all animals and premises that had direct contact with a foreign animal disease (FAD) within 48 hours after discovery.
Three key components must be established to be able to achieve the goal of the NAIS. They are premises identification, animal identification, and animal tracking.
The first step in this process is Premises Registration. This is the step in the process that we are at now. Only pemises are being registered at the present time.
In order for a producer to register his/her premises, they must complete a form. The form is very simple. It basically ask who you, where are you and what do you raise. This forms may be obtained from the Extension office or Farm Service Agency. After completing the forms return to the UT Extension office or the FSA office.
The Premises ID is a requirement of the Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program. In order for producers to receive cost share assistance from this program, they must have their Premises ID and BQA Certification.
For more information come by the UT Extension Office or call at 423-447-2451. Or vist the Department of Agriculture''s website www.STATE.TN.US/AGRICULTURE/TPIS.
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Tennessee Master Gardener Program
Contact: J.C. Rains
The Master Gardener Program is offered by The University of Tennessee Extension. Its main goal is to increase the availability of horticultural information to improve quality of life with community garden/landscape programs. This could only be possible through the training and utilization of local volunteers. These volunteers, known, as Master Gardeners, aid the Extension Service by running plant clinics; answering phone requests for horticultural information; establishing and maintaining demonstration gardens; working with the handicapped, youth, the elderly, and other special groups in the community; designing and implementing community involvement projects; as well as coordinating Master Gardener training programs.
The purpose of the Master Gardener program is to train citizens as horticultural-educated volunteers of The University of Tennessee Extension and the Tennessee State Cooperative Extension Program to work in partnership with their counties to expand the educational outreach by providing home gardeners with researched-based information.
The initial training consist of a 14 week class that meets one night per week. Topics include the following: Basic Botany, Soils, Insects, Diseases, Ornaments, Weeds, Landscaping, Turf Management, Trees, Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, Organic, and more.
We now have the Sequatchie Valley Master Gardeners Asscoiation. These master gardeners are very active and are currently working on serveral projects in Bledsoe, Sequatchie and Van Buren Counties. They have a growing membership and meet quarterly to discuss plans for future projects and business.
The class will be offered again in January 2010. Apply now to ensure your seat in the class. Click on the Tennessee Master Gardener Program above to view and print an application.
For more information please call the UT Bledsoe County Extension Office at 447-2451 or stop by for a visit.
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Master Meat Goat Producer Program
Contact: J.C. Rains
Master Meat Goat Producer Program
The Master Meat Goat Producer Program is designed as an educational tool to provide information and insight to broaden production management skills and improve the competitive advantage in the market place; toward increased profitability for the meat goat producer.
The Master Meat Goat Producer Program will be led by a team of specialists and agents from Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee with the support and involvement from representatives of state-level agencies, businesses and organizations that have an interest in the states’ meat goat industry.
Topics for the course will include: Marketing, Economics and Budgeting, Environment, Fencing, Forages, and Structures, Nutrition, Health and Bio-security, Genetics, Reproduction, Predators and Predation, Behavior, Production Management, Carcass Merit and Food Safety.
The next class is scheduled to begin September 22, 2009. Please click "Master Meat Goat Producer" above for detailed agenda and registration form.
The cost of the course is $150. Producers that receive their Premises Identification are eligible for a $100 scholarship from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. For more information and future dates please contact J.C. Rains at the UT Bledsoe County Extension Office at 447-2451.
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Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program
Contact: J.C. Rains
2009-2010 Producer Cost Share Programs
- Livestock Equipment and Handling Faciltities
- Livestock Feed Storage
- Cattle Genetics
- Hay Storage
- Grain Storage
- Producer Diversification
- Feeder Calf Incentive
Applications will be available on-line and here at the office. For help completing the applications please call or come by the office.
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