East Meets Deep South

Eleven Extension leaders from China are in Alabama this week, Oct. 11-16, to study methods used to help U.S. farmers make better business decisions.

(Left: Harold Gaines, Extension farm analysis cooperator and farm leader in Autauga County, discusses his cotton production methods and how he is using farm analysis data to run his farming operation. He is shown here speaking to 11 Extension leaders from China who are studying how Extension methods are used in Alabama. )

They visited the Alabama Cooperative Extension System office Autauga County where Extension Economist Hal Pepper provided an overview of how area agents work out of that office. Pepper also explained how he and fellow economist Jamie Yeager conduct Extension work on behalf of producers in central Alabama.

Valerie Conner, interim Extension coordinator, explained how the Extension System is organized in Alabama. The Chinese also met Harold Gaines, an Extension farm analysis operator and visited a gin and the Chilton Regional Research and Extension Center near Clanton. During their stopover in Clanton, Extension Horticulturist Bobby Boozer discussed how winter hardy citrus, kiwifruit and chestnut trees were obtained from China and are being evaluated for commercial production in Alabama.

Posted by Jim Langcuster at October 14, 2004 01:34 PM