Our Impact
Making A Difference in Our County
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is working hard for its constituents. The following are examples of Extension’s impact in the county over the past year.
4-H Youth Development
Grady County 4-H offers comprehensive educational programs designed to develop leadership, citizenship, public speaking, and critical thinking skills in youth from grades four through twelve. With monthly in-school club meetings and after-school programming at the Extension Office, we reach approximately 450 youth annually. Our programs complement and enhance the Georgia Standards of Excellence by integrating UGA resources into the classroom. We also promote agricultural literacy through STEM programming, enhancing understanding of agriculture's role in health, well-being, and the economy. Many students and community members are unaware of the production processes of plant and animal products or the economic impact of agriculture. Even in an agricultural community like Grady County, the vital connection between agriculture, jobs, food, clothing, and lifestyle is often overlooked. Beyond in-school programming, Grady County 4-H members participate in Project Achievement, livestock shows, Cotton Boll & Consumer Judging, Horse Quiz Bowl, Hippology Teams, Archery, Modified Trap Shotgun, and Skeet, Trap & Sporting Clays teams. Leadership skills are further developed through project clubs and statewide leadership conferences such as Junior Conference, Senior Fall Forum, and State 4-H Council. Grady County 4-H offers a diverse range of opportunities for young people to grow and develop into exceptional adults, preparing them for future success and community involvement.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
The Grady County Ag & Natural Resources agent serves the citizens of Grady County in numerous ways. It is the job of the agent to provide the citizens of Grady County with research-based, unbiased information on the latest scientific research through programs and workshops, field days, blogs, newsletters and mass media, phone call and in-person consultations, print and online publications and on-farm research and demonstration trials. The topics the Grady County ANR agent spends most of his time on is row crop production, commercial vegetable production, pecan production, and homeowner issues. Every year, the ag agent conducts numerous winter production meetings for the farmers of Grady County. For 2023, the winter production meetings conducted were on the following topics: Peanut, Cotton, Row Crop Diesease, Vegetable, Pecan, Weed Management, Precision Ag & Irrigation. All of these meetings provided information and training to over 250 different individuals. The ag agent also participates in numerous on-farm research and demonstration trials with the farmers in Grady County. Cotton and peanuts are two of Grady County's most widely grown commodities. According to 2022 UGA Farm Gate Value data, Grady County ranks 26th in the state of GA for peanut production with over 10,000 acres with a value of $10,632,000 and cotton ranks 24th in the state with nearly 20,000 acres with a value of $23,434,800. In 2023, the ag agent conducted 2 cotton variety trials, 2 corn variety trials, a peanut variety trial, a ThryvOn cotton trial, a corn seeding rate trial, a soybean variety trial, a cotton nematode trial, and an at-plant insecticide peanut trial.
Family & Consumer Sciences
In response to Grady County's concerning 39% obesity rate, the Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) program launched educational initiatives aimed at adults. One such initiative was the introduction of a 12-week Walk-A-Weigh program designed to foster healthier lifestyles within our community. This practical approach addresses prevalent issues such as obesity, poor nutrition, food safety, and limited physical activity among Grady County residents. Participants engaged in comprehensive learning sessions covering nutrition, food labels, meal planning, and cultivating healthier eating habits. They also met weekly to receive support and engage in physical activities, fostering a holistic approach to improving their lifestyles. Recognizing an additional critical need within the community, the FACS agent collaborated with local Grady EMS to facilitate CPR/AED certification classes on a regular basis. This proactive initiative has empowered over 65 participants with essential life-saving skills, enabling them to confidently respond to emergencies and potentially save lives in their communities. Through comprehensive education and practical training, this effort contributes to create a safer and more prepared society. The FACS Programming also included various food lab programs aimed at promoting safe cooking practices, making healthy eating choices based on MyPlate guidelines, and teaching safe food preservation methods. The agent also obtained certification to teach and proctor ServSafe Manager Certification, enabling them to provide crucial training to restaurant managers, food handlers and owners in our community.