Clinton County Agricultural Development Board. Comprehensive Plan

Transcription

1 Clinton County Agricultural Development Board Comprehensive Plan

2 2008 Clinton County Agricultural Development Board I. Overview of County Clinton County has 639 farms which average 122 acres. 268 or 42% of the total farmers list farming as their major occupation while 371 or 58% are considered part time. The average age of full time farmers is 62 years of age. The county has rolling terrain with ridges and some tillable side slopes. Creek and river bottoms and terraces provide most of the 4,000 acres of class I land. An additional 11,000 acres is mapped as class II land. Pasture land describes 31,053 acres. Beef cattle are the prevalent means of utilizing this land. The average land

3 value is $1,300 per acre. The major farm income enterprises are beef cattle at $4,493,000, tobacco at $1,300,000, and dairy at $1,376,000. The total value of cash receipts for agriculture in 2007 was $12,649,000. Crops accounted for 2.8 million, poultry accounted for 4.2 million, while livestock enterprises were valued at $7,928,000. The numbers of farms have decreased and the average farm size has increased steadily since Fewer operators are farming more owned and rented acreage. The average age of the farmer has increased. The number of dairy farmers has dropped from 52 in 1982 to 22 in 2000, a 55% decrease. Hog farms have decreased from 43 in 1987 to 1 in 2008, an 82% decrease. Poultry 75 houses, 19 producers has increased from 0 commercial houses in 1987 to 75 in Since 1987 there has been a 40% decrease in the number of hired laborers on the farm. Farm input costs have increased steadily. We are seeing increases in the population, retirees, minority community, and urban and rural development. Clinton County has a population of 10,200. 2,073 live in Albany, the county seat. Of the rural inhabitants approximately 46% are on farm and 54% off farm rural. The 2008 median household income was $24,000 with 27% living below the poverty level. Unemployment figures for the second quarter of 2000 show the rate of 2.6%. 44.4% of the residents have completed high school and 7.2% have completed college. The addition of Clinton Center KTCTS and Daymar College are addressing these problems with local opportunities. II. Review of the Process The Clinton County Agricultural Development Board (Phase I) has in both formal and informal discussions received input from the following groups in developing this plan. (1) Clinton County Farm Bureau Federation, (2) Clinton

4 County Cooperative Extension Board and Council Leadership groups, NRCS Conservation District Board and Professional Personnel, F.S.A. Board and Personnel, Clinton-Cumberland Cattlemen s Association, Clinton County Poultry Association, Clinton County Fair Board, Clinton County Agriculture Advancement Council and Clinton County Judge Executive and Fiscal Court. III. Assessments Strengths 1. Valuable water resources, lakes & streams - springs. 2. Diversified land types 3. Majority of land suitable for pasture & forage 4. Ample labor supply 5. Willingness to work with neighboring counties on a regional basis. 6. Equity Group Poultry Production Weakness 1. Aging farm operators 2. Level of education 3. No available markets because of transportation 4. Karst topography Opportunities 1. Poultry 2. Increased Forage Production and rotational Grazing 3. Education and Demonstration 4. Value added wood products Threats 1. Development of farmland into subdivisions

5 2. Ground water contamination 3. Credit availability due to declining tobacco base 4. Increasing population 5. Increasing farm support costs IV. County Council Objectives - To promote and provide means for small farm sustainability for full and part time farmers. - To protect water and environmental quality in our unique location between two lakes. - To provide markets and marketing tools to allow for a reasonable price for farm commodities. - To encourage cooperation between farmers and farm groups and organizations to decrease input costs and increase product value and profitability. - To provide educational information from research, tours, trials, conferences and demonstrations. Short Term Priorities We will support efforts to generate the farm income lost from tobacco by the promotion of alternative crop and livestock enterprises. We have opportunities in vegetables, landscape plants, and poultry production. We will support efforts to improve marketing and value added production such as a grain cooperative, group cattle sales, cattle preconditioning and dairy replacement heifers. We support the genetic improvement of our beef and dairy herds as a necessary first step to more efficient production and improved profitability. Promotion of the purchase of better bulls, the use of quality semen in AI breeding and use of

6 quality replacement heifers will begin the process. The development of grouping and collective marketing will provide higher sales prices resulting in increased profitability when the quality improves. Long Term goals We will support the development of multi county marketing groups and viable value added production efforts which will help to insure the long term profitability for our farmers. We will encourage continuing education and retraining in formal and informal settings to better prepare our farmers for the future. We will support the Cooperative Extension Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Farm Service Agency in their educational and technical assistance roles. We will encourage networking and collaboration as a means of maintaining a healthy agricultural economy and a rural community lifestyle. Tactics for Leveraging Funds We will encourage proposals to include evidence of grants, matching funds, inkind contributions, dues, or other raised funds. We expect proposals to include a minimum of 50 percent or greater match for Phase I dollars and 50% cost share. The Clinton County Empowerment Zone will provide forgivable loans, no interest venture capital, and reduced rate production loans. The Clinton County Farm Bureau Federation Model Programs and other sponsoring groups will provide matching funds for local projects. Multi-county projects must justify the benefit to Clinton County farmers equivalent to the dollars requested. The long term adaptability, potential for growth, cash flow, and the ability to wean from Phase I money will be considered. V. Evaluation and Review

7 Recommendations: Equipment purchase cost share Forage improvement cost share Entrepreneurial startup cost share Poultry waste management Beef Genetics Dairy Genetics Agricultural Diversification Poultry Production KARE Program The board will consider these but will not limit its consideration to only these ideas. We will accept any proposal for evaluation and it will be judged on its merits. We encourage those suggestions which are within the spirit of this plan.

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