Agriculture & Natural Resources

Heard County does not currently have an ANR Agent.

For more ANR information, please feel free to contact our neighboring counties:

Troup County call 706-883-1675

Below are some of UGA Extension's most broadly useful resources for those involved in agriculture on the farm, in schools, and around the home.

Production Agriculture

Statewide Variety Testing Which varieties should you plant? The variety testing team does the work and research for farmers.

UGA Weather Network Reliable weather information for agricultural and environmental applications, including soil temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and more.

Pesticide Safety Education Everything you need to achieve certification and maintain the knowledge to safely and effectively make use of restricted-use and all other types of pesticides.

Commodity Resources

Sustainable Agriculture A collection of resources for those interested in production and marketing practices that are profitable, environmentally sound, and that improve the quality of life for farmers, farm workers, and the community.

Ag Budgets and Economics Resources for production economics, farm management, marketing, situation and outlook, risk management, financial management, farm policy, labor, and taxation.

Farmgate Value Report Annual county-level reports documenting the value of all food and fiber commodities grown in the state.

Search for UGA Extension Publications

Home & Garden

Soil Testing Ensure that your soil is productive! Get your soil tested to determine the amount and kind of nutrients that should be added for the best growth.

Pest Management Recommendations for pest control around homes, on pets, in the home garden, and more.

Household Water Quality Water quality has an immediate and a prolonged effect on the health of your household. This publication series contains basic information about home water quality and treatment.

Home Garden Publication Series Topics include garden planning, soil preparation, weed control, pollination, disease and insect control, harvesting, and preserving.

Georgia Green Industry Professional Development The UGA Center for Urban Agriculture offers professional training and certifications for the Georgia Certified Landscape Professional, Georgia Certified Plant Professional exam and Super Crew employee training series.

Georgia Green Landscape Stewards The Georgia Green Landscape Stewards program provides fact-based information to help businesses and residences in Georgia implement sustainable green practices in their landscape.

Schools

Community and School Gardens This Community and School Gardens blog is designed to help community and school gardeners succeed by connecting them to UGA Extension and other research-based resources.

Lesson Plans and Teacher Resources Whether you'd like to help protect the environment, teach your students how to avoid chronic diseases with healthy food and physical activity, or train food handlers in your cafeteria, University of Georgia Extension can help.

Extension Publications

Toxic Weeds and Trees in Horse Pastures (B 1571) A handy reference for identifying weeds that are toxic to horses, with pictures to aid identification, a brief description of the plants, and the specific toxicity symptoms associated with common weeds and trees that are poisonous to horses. It also gives tips on how to better manage pastures to prevent pasture-related plant toxicities.

The Intersection of Mosquito Management and Pollinator Protection (C 1188) Mosquitoes can transmit a wide variety of pathogens and significantly reduce our quality of life with their aggressive biting behavior. On the other end of the spectrum, pollinators are a critical part of our natural environment, contributing significantly to food production and ecological diversity. Honey bees, along with other pollinators, are susceptible to pesticides, and significant bee kills have occurred because of mistimed or misguided pesticide applications. When conducted properly, an integrated pest management approach does not pose a significant risk to honey bee colonies.

Turfgrass Diseases: Quick Reference Guide (C 891) A handy reference for the causal agents, susceptible turfgrasses, conditions promoting disease, symptoms, and control of: brown patch, dollar spot, Pythium, Helminthosporium leaf spot, fading out, gray leaf spot, fairy ring, take-all root rot, rust, slime mold, and nematodes.

Enfermedades de Céspedes: Guia de Referencia Rapida (C 891-SP) Agente causal, céspedes susceptibles,condiciones que promueven la enfermedad, síntomas y control de mancha parda, mancha dólar, quemazón por Pythium, mancha foliar por Helminthosporium, marchitamiento por Curvularia, mancha foliar gris, anillo de hada, enfermedad toma-todo o pudrición radicular por Gaeumannomyces, roya, hongos gelatinosos y nematodos.

Cleaning Healthy, Cleaning Green (C 1114) People spend an average of 90 percent of their time indoors. Studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show levels of several common organic pollutants to be two to five times higher inside homes than outside. Many of these pollutants come from the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from household cleaning products. Indoor pollutants can be reduced by limiting the number of chemicals used indoors. By following three basic guidelines you can improve your indoor environment, save money, and help conserve natural resources.

Ornamental Plantings on Septic Drainfields (C 1030) Ornamental plantings can be attractive and beneficial options for the expanse of open ground designated for a septic drainfield. Properly chosen plants help manage moisture and nutrient levels in the soils around the drainfield, and can discourage activities that may cause site compaction and reduce the effectiveness of the system. The drawback is that poor plant choices can create costly maintenance issues, and any septic drainfield repair work could disturb planting areas that you value. By following a few simple guidelines, planting in these areas can be both pretty and practical.