September 2024
Family & Consumer Sciences—-Joy Powell, Agent & County Director
The FCS program offers various educational opportunities in the fields of the following: Family Economics, Health and Safety, Human Development, and Nutrition. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a member of one of our FCE Clubs located throughout the county, please contact the Extension Office at 722-3229. UT-TSU Extension provide equal opportunities in programs.
The next county wide FCE is planned for December 4th It will be at the Wayne County Ag Center at 10:00 am. The county Council will be at 9:30 am. Our FCE Clubs are going strong with monthly meetings and their own projects for their individual clubs.
I will be offering a Fall Canning Class at the Ag Center on Oct. 15th from 10am-12. If interested call the office to sign up. The cost is $15.00 for supplies and a product to carry home.
I continue to work with the local Senior Citizens Centers offering nutrition and physical activity programs throughout the year. Waynesboro and Collinwood Senior Centers have a great and growing attendance along with countless fellowship on a daily basis. I work with the Assisted Living offering weekly exercise classes.
I continue to offer Co-Parenting classes when needed for divorcing parents with children under the age of 18. This is a required class the judge orders for these parents.
I have officially become a certified HUD Counselor. This was a big undertaking for me. I took on this challenge in order to continue to provide first time homebuyer education classes to our county residents.
Agriculture & Natural Resources
The 2024-2025 TAEP Applications will soon be available on-line. One big change this year is that all TAEP applications must be submitted on-line. There will be no paper booklet applications available and producers will not be able to submit applications through regular mail. Applicants must have a valid email address to apply on-line. If you don’t currently have an email address you can establish one or use a family members email address.
The TAEP application period is October 1-7. For those who may need assistance in applying on-line you can contact the Extension Office at 722-3229 and schedule a time to come by for assistance. Anita will be in the office October 1 – 4 to assist those that need help applying on-line.
Some notable changes to this year’s program:
- All TAEP applications must be submitted on-line and producers will need a valid email address, access to both an electronic device and the internet. *** For more information about the 2024 TAEP and to apply go to: www.tn.gov/taep
- BQA Certification is no longer be required to apply for TAEP and will become a part of the Master Beef Producer Program.
- An approved Master’s Certification will now be required by all applicants at the time of reimbursement. All grants will be paid at the 50% level.
- Both Hay Storage and Hay Equipment will be offered and qualified producers can apply for either this year.
- The eligibility for hay equipment has changed. Only producers that cut 100 acres of first cutting hay can apply.
- For Hay storage there is now a 1200 sq. ft. minimum and only stand-alone sheds will be allowed. Side sheds to existing structures will not be eligible.
- Rotary cutters have been added to the livestock equipment list and must be a minimum of 8ft.
- GPS’s have been removed from both the Row Crop and the Livestock Equipment programs.
*** These are just a few of the main changes in the 2024 TAEP. For more information contact the Wayne County Extension Office or visit the TAEP web-site: www.tn.gov/taep
Lawrence/Wayne County Cattlemen’s Association Fall Field Day
The Lawrence/Wayne County Cattlemen’s Association have planned their Fall Field Day for Saturday, October 5 beginning at 9:30 am at the Wayne County Extension Office located in Ag Center. The field day is open to all.
A sponsored lunch will conclude the field day. Pre-registration is required by Thursday, Oct. 3rd by calling either the Wayne County Extension office at 722-3229 or emailing– abutler1@utk.edu
For those that may need assistance in the on-line application process of applying for TAEP—
We will have volunteers and computers on hand prior to the field day beginning at 8am to assist you in this process. Remember that you must have a valid email address in order to apply. If you don’t currently have an email address you can establish one or use a family members address.
Livestock Producers in Wayne County Are Eligible for Drought Recovery Assistance
| The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Lawrence County has announced that FSA is now accepting applications for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for grazing losses due to drought. The deadline to apply for 2024 LFP assistance is January 30, 2025. LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land. For LFP, qualifying drought intensity levels are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor. Producers in Lawrence County are eligible to apply for 2024 LFP benefits for grazing losses on native pasture, improved pasture mixed forage, and forage sorghum. Visit the FSA LFP webpage for a full list of eligible counties and pasture types. Livestock eligible for LFP include alpacas, beef cattle, bison, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, ostriches, reindeer, or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland. Recently, FSA updated LFP policy to expand program eligibility to include additional income producing grazing animals, like horses and ostrich, that contribute to the commercial viability of an agricultural operation. Livestock used for hunting and consumption by the owner and horses and other animals that are used or intended to be used for racing and wagering remain ineligible. As a reminder, producers who want to participate in many USDA programs including disaster assistance programs like LFP, must file timely acreage reports by filling out the FSA-578 form to remain eligible for program benefits. Livestock producers interested in applying LFP should contact the Lawrence County FSA at 931-762-6913 Ext #2 with any questions about the eligibility of specific livestock and forage crops. More information in USDA disaster assistance is available at farmers.gov/recover |
4-H Youth Development – Callie Fisher, UT Agent
Hello, Wayne County! My name is Callie Fisher. I am the new UT 4-H agent. I received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Tennessee Technological University. I am excited to begin working with Mrs. Samantha to share all the fun and exciting things that 4-H offers.
I reside in Lawrence County on my family farm, where we raise beef cattle and quarter horses. I grew up in 4-H, showing cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs. It is through the 4-H program that I found my passion for agriculture. My goal is to help youth in 4-H find their passion and ensure that their experience in 4-H is as memorable as mine was.
Join us on Tuesdays at 4:00 at the Ag Center beginning September 24th for Livestock Judging Practice. Participants will learn how to evaluate cattle, goats, sheep, and swine based on their purpose. This contest is open to students in 4th-12th grade.
I am thrilled to be part of the Wayne County community and I am looking forward to meeting each and every one of you. I can’t wait to share my passion for 4-H and agriculture with you all.
4-H -Youth Development – Samantha Morrow, TSU Agent
It’s time to begin 4-H Classroom Club meetings for the year – if Mrs. Callie and I haven’t been to your student’s classroom yet, we’ll be there very soon! We’re very excited to get the new year of 4-H meetings started!
It’s been a busy summer, between 4-H camps, day camps at the office, and judging team practices! We had 4-H members at several different 4-H Camps this year, including 28 campers at Junior Camp, 2 campers at Electric Camp, 1 camper at Academic Conference, and 2 campers at Junior High Camp! At the office, we hosted multiple day camps, including topics such as STEM, sewing, cake decorating, and art! We had 4-H members train for and compete at two regional contests – FCS Skillathon and Grill Masters! At the FCS Skillathon, our Junior High team took third place, with Kameryn Rich placing 1st overall and Reece Morrow placing 6th overall as individual, and our Senior High participant placing 3rd overall as an individual!
During the upcoming 4-H meetings in the classroom, in addition to conducting enrollment, we will be discussing the contests that will take place during the second meetings. The 4-H members will receive a newsletter with upcoming dates and information for the digital poster contest, regular poster contest, and recycled ornament contest. Information for these contests is also in Google Classroom.
We will be conducting our 2nd Annual 4-H Fall Exhibit competition this year. Information is going home with the 4-H members, as well as is available on our Facebook page and in the Google Classroom. The contest is open to all students in 4th-12th grade, and there are many categories in which the participants can enter exhibits. Please note that the entry window for the exhibits is September 23-25. Entries will not be accepted prior to or after the window. Entries must be brought to the Ag Center with a completed form – we will have forms available at the office if needed. Only one entry per category per participant, but participants can enter as many categories as they wish!
Our Annual 4-H Chick Chain and Ham Show and Sale will be September 28 at 9am at the Ag Center. After the show, Red Sex-link Pullets, bacon, and country ham will be auctioned, with all proceeds from the auction going to the 4-H members. If you plan to purchase pullets at the auction, please be sure to bring a cage to take home your pullets.