ID-160: Burley and Dark Tobacco Production Guide, 2025-2026

Andy Bailey, Bob Pearce, Travis Legleiter, Edwin Ritchey, Will Snell, Ric Bessin, Wayne Sanderson, Ann Fisher | Jan. 27, 2025 (Major Revision)

Labor challenges and increasing production costs have continued to reduce profit margins for all tobacco growers. According to the 2022 Ag Census results, the total number of tobacco farms in the U.S. dropped to 2987. This was 3250 fewer tobacco farms than reported in the 2017 Ag Census. Growers choosing to remain in tobacco production must continue to take steps to be efficient while maintaining a high-level of cured leaf quality and productivity. The recommendations described in this guide represent the best-known practices for producing high yields and good quality burley and dark tobacco.

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AEN-178: Wetland Curriculum for Kentucky High Schools

Emily Nottingham, Tiffany Messer, Carmen Agouridis | Jan. 23, 2025 (New)

Wetland curriculum for high schoolers is designed to provide students with knowledge concerning the natural environment and its associated problems with water quality and quantity, along with awareness of how to help solve these problems. The wetland curriculum introduces water quality concerns in surface and groundwater from humans (e.g., urbanization, mining activities, agricultural practices) and environmental factors (e.g., flood events, droughts). It also includes learning about wetland processes (e.g., nitrogen cycle, water cycle, phytoremediation, sorption, nutrient mixing, microbial activity) and functions (e.g., water storage, water treatment, animal and pollinator habitat, flood control, recreation). Implementation of the wetland curriculum into science classes allows students to make connections between restoration, environmental policies and regulations, and the engineering design process.

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HENV-202: Planting Along Your Stream, Pond, or Lake

Carmen Agouridis, Ashley Osborne | Aug. 15, 2024 (Minor Revision)

Kentucky has more than 90,000 miles of rivers and streams and thousands of ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands. You can improve your surroundings and the quality of your stream, pond, or lake by planting an area called a riparian buffer or buffer zone.

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HENV-203: Stormwater

Carmen Agouridis, Ashley Osborne | Aug. 15, 2024 (Minor Revision)

As stormwater moves across lawns and paved areas, it picks up bacteria, nutrients, sediments, heavy metals, and chemicals before traveling through the storm sewers to our water bodies. Because the stormwater is not cleaned or treated, it creates harmful conditions for the environment and for us.

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AEN-176: Providing and Improving Drinking Water for Livestock

Steve Higgins | Aug. 9, 2024 (New)

Water is a fundamental requirement for livestock. Depending on the species, livestock will consume two to six times more water than forages or feed. Nevertheless, drinking water quality for livestock is commonly overlooked, which can result in huge implications to animal health, well-being, and optimal productivity. To that end, providing adequate water sources for livestock is crucial.

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ID-242: Central Kentucky Backyard Stream Guide

Carmen Agouridis, Amanda Gumbert, Chris Sass | Jul. 2, 2024 (Minor Revision)

Many urban homeowners are not sure what to do about the stream in their backyard. Who owns it? How can I take care of it? What plants are good for my streambanks? These common questions lead to some confusing answers. This publication is designed to help the homeowner of a backyard stream appreciate this resource, protect personal property, and improve water quality and habitat.

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ID-279: Understanding and Protecting Kentucky Wetlands

Amanda Gumbert, Tiffany Messer, Emily Nottingham | Jun. 10, 2024 (New)

Wetlands are areas where water either covers the soil or soil is saturated permanently or seasonally. Wetlands have soils that have developed anaerobic (lacking oxygen) conditions in the upper part of the soil layer, known as hydric soils. Plant species that have adapted to survive in these conditions are known as hydrophytes. Since water is essential for almost everything on earth, wetlands are one of the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet and are home to plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish that are uncommon in other ecosystems.

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IP-73: Living Along a Kentucky Stream

Katherine Bullock, Amanda Gumbert, Lee Moser | May. 10, 2024 (Minor Revision)

Streams are a part of our rich natural legacy. That's why it's important to protect, improve, and preserve them for generations to come.

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AEN-175: Rain Traps for Watering Livestock in Remote Locations

Steve Higgins | Mar. 25, 2024 (New)

The availability of abundant, clean water can be the most limiting factor for a grazing operation. Rainfall has been harvested for thousands of years to provide water for crops, humans, and livestock. A familiar example is a cistern adjacent to a barn or house. This old concept still offers opportunities and, with a little ingenuity, can be used to provide abundant, clean water for almost any situation and location.

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AEN-174: Drone Sprayer Sizing for Agricultural Applications

Joshua Jackson, Karla Ladino | Mar. 6, 2024 (New)

Sprayers are essential in agriculture, since they apply products that control weeds, pests, and diseases. In recent years, drone sprayers have gained popularity due to advantages associated with their flexibility in application timing, ability to operate without being constrained by ground conditions, and ease of deployment. Given the growing number of manufacturers and the wide range of available sizes, it can be challenging to select an optimally sized drone sprayer for a user's specific needs, as this decision carries significant economic implications.