EXTENSION REPORT

Technology on the Farm Today

            The farm of today is considerably different than the farm of the past. While there are indeed still full time farmers who base their livelihood on producing the food and fiber that runs this country, their numbers have definitely decreased over the years. Larger and more specialized equipment has enabled fewer of us to produce the commodities that in years past took a larger percentage of the population to produce.  However, there are still a lot of people who enjoy “agriculture” and producing something from the land. Many of these folks work full-time jobs and farm as a hobby. The farming that these folks do can range from back-yard gardening to raising cattle or goats. There are an increasing number of small (2-10 acre) farms around where people raise a variety of plants or animals. Many of these producers are new to farming. Maybe they didn’t grow up on the farm. Some of these smaller producers did grow up on the farm, but maybe they came along in a transition time when their family moved away from farming full time to take jobs in other industry. In either case, they are looking for information that the Extension system has historically provided.

            It has always been the role of Extension to help educate producers. In years past, a visit from the county agent would bring news of current research and innovative practices from the universities. As time went on, extension agents utilized county and regional meetings as well as farm visits to help bring that current research and innovative practices to the people. Much as our everyday life has changed over the years, so has the way that Extension brings information to the people. The internet and the ability to distribute information to large groups of people through one venue have affected extension just like it has every other facet of our everyday life. Every state extension service will have some form of website available to its producers. The website for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System is www.aces.edu

Email address: kellewi@aces.edu
Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222\

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.