UGA Extension Office

Agriculture & Natural Resources

 

Heard County does not currently have an ANR Agent. For more information, please feel free to contact our neighboring counties:

Carroll County - 770-836-8546

Coweta County - 770-254-2620

Harris County - 706-628-4824

Troup County - 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.
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.

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

  • Millipedes and Centipedes (B 1088) Millipedes and centipedes do not carry diseases that affect people, animals or plants. Millipedes do occasionally damage seedlings by feeding on stems and leaves, and may enter homes in large numbers during periods of migration and become a considerable nuisance. They do not cause damage inside the home, although they may leave a stain if they are crushed. Centipedes, which have poison glands and can bite, pose an occasional threat to humans.
  • Commercial Watermelon Production (B 996) Watermelon is a warm-season crop related to cantaloupe, squash, cucumber and pumpkin. Watermelons can be grown on any well-drained soil throughout Georgia but are particularly well adapted to the Coastal Plain soils of South Georgia. Watermelons will continue to be an important part of vegetable production in the state. Increases in average yield per acre will continue as more growers adopt plastic mulch, intensive management and new hybrid varieties.
  • PFAS: Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (TP 119) Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of more than 9,000 manmade synthetic chemicals that have been in use worldwide since 1940, primarily in industry and numerous commercial and consumer products. The widespread use of PFAS for the past several decades has raised concerns due to their persistence, bioaccumulative nature, and potential adverse health effects. On April 10, 2024, the US EPA announced the final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS, setting limits for five individual PFAS. Since then, UGA Extension specialists and agents have received numerous inquiries from diverse groups of citizens and organizations seeking information about PFAS, their environmental and human health consequences, and treatment systems for removal or reduction of PFAS from drinking water. This publication accumulates information about the background, uses, and environmental and human health consequences of PFAS chemicals. It also discussed the EPA's primary drinking water regulation standards for various PFAS chemicals and appropriate water treatment systems for removal or reduction of these chemicals from drinking water. Testing options and PFAS monitoring efforts by the Georgia EPD are included, along with references to important sources for further learning on this topic.