Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service Annual Report to the People November 2010 Sumter 4-H’er Recognized Nationally Sumter County 4-H has experienced some new and exciting ventures this year. To start, the State 4-H Teen Council Program was lead by Christopher Sumpter, a Sumter County teen. In addition to serving as President of the State 4-H Teen Council, Christopher was awarded a trip to the National 4-H Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, and he was selected to serve on the National 4-H Design Team, which plans the National Conference. He is the second South Carolinian to hold this position. In addition to this office, he also served on the National Leadership Team. Chris is the first South Carolinian to achieve this honor. SC 4-H Teen Clemson Extension Council 115 N. Harvin Street Meets with 5th Floor State 4-H Sumter, SC 29150 Congress Phone: (803) 773-5561 Fax: (803) 773-5561 www.clemson.edu/extension Sumter Youth Place Third in “Iron Chef” Competition Three youth from Sumter County members to demonstrate their Mission Statement competed in the “Healthy Lifestyle culinary and food safety skills. Judges Competition.” Madsion McTeer, and observers were able to witness The mission of the Alton Jones, and Mandashia Isaac not only how well these young rd Cooperative Extension placed 3 in the Cloverleaf (ages 9- people can cook but how much they 11) division in the “Iron Chef” know about overall health, Service is to provide sound, Competition. The SC 4-H Healthy nutrition and scientifically based Lifestyles Challenge, modeled after wellness — information to South the Food Network’s “Iron Chef,” skills to take brought teens from across SC for a them Carolinians and help them cook-off challenge at the SC State through life,” use that information to Fair. The event was held Saturday, said Pam improve the quality of their October 23 — “SC 4-H Day”. The Ardern, lives. purpose of the SC 4-H Healthy Ed.D., SC 4-H Lifestyles Challenge was to allow 4-H State Leader. [Type sidebar [Type sidebar content. A sidebar is a On-Farm Testing of Private Applicator standaloneAgricultural supplement to the Impacts main document. Varieties Important to Training Offered Locally It is often aligned on the left or right of the page,Lee/Kershaw/Sumter or located at the top or bottom. Use the Area Growers Clemson Extension offers training Text Box Tools tab to change the formatting of to anyone needing a license to use the sidebarCounties text box. : 2009-10 or supervise the use of agricultural TypeRandy sidebar content. Cubbage, A sidebar isAgent a standalone supplement to the main document. It is often pesticides labeled for “restricted aligned on the left or right of the page, or use only.” This license is intended locatedWeed at the top Controlor bottom. Use Still the Text a Box for commercial farmers, foresters Tools tab to change the formatting of the sidebar textSignificant box.] Cost in or nursery operators only. Producing Corn and Training was offered in early When a corn grower invests February, 2010, to a group of Soybeans $400 per acre for out-of- folks in the tri-county area. pocket costs to grow an acre Anyone completing the full day of corn, after the fertilizer training and making a minimum investment, the second grade of 80 on the final exam highest input in that cost is (graded by the Department of purchasing the seed. Once the Pesticide Regulation) is eligible seed is in the ground, his for the license issued by the choices are over in respect to regulatory agency. The licensee the right variety. Across the must then earn five hours of state, Extension agents recertification credit on that One of the main costs of producing establish on-farm variety tests license to maintain eligibility for either corn or soybeans relates to with grower cooperators who another five year block. This is an weed control -- specifically are looking for facts. These ongoing training provided by resistant pigweed. The average tests offer comparisons of Clemson Extension in the county cost of herbicides used to minimize varieties which the seed office that gives private yield losses in both of these crops companies offer for sale in the applicators an opportunity to stay ranges from $35-$50 per acre, respective areas. The plots abreast of any pesticide issues that mainly to control the Palmer grown in our tri-county area could affect them, their business, amaranth species of pigweed. An are harvested and the data or the environment around them. ongoing project, in cooperation summarized with data from with our state weed specialist, is other county Extension tests. Rust Monitoring Project collecting seeds from these weed This information is placed Since the threat of Asian Soybean plants near harvest time. We agents on a website which growers Rust arrived in the state several harvest seed from fields randomly can access or mailed direct to years back, Extension agents have selected fields that look suspicious them. This on-going project been asked to help monitor the to the problem of resistance to benefits both farmers as well soybean crop in the counties on an herbicides. Our specialist as agricultural seed dealers. annual basis, particularly in areas establishes tests over the winter to The grower can see how a exhibiting humid conditions. We grow out new weeds from these specific variety performed in randomly select fields of differing seeds and treats them with all participating counties and maturity beans and monitor those herbicides representing the various how the yield averaged across fields from early bloom until the families of weed killers registered the board. These county trials pod fill stage, the most susceptible for use on corn and soybean crops. combined with data from the growth stages for impact from the This is to check for resistance to experiment stations give disease. With the price of other herbicides formulations. growers greater insight into soybeans hovering over $11 per More resistance continues to be what to expect from the acre and a normal yearly average documented each season as seed varieties being promoted by of 25 to 30 bushels per acre, the samples from new fields are sent to the seed vendors. potential impact on farms could be the Edisto Research & Education devastating if the disease were to Center near Blackville for testing. go unchecked. Lee Van Vlake-Area Livestock Agent State Livestock Programs Lee Van Vlake serves as the livestock specialist for eleven counties. He Place picture caption here planned, coordinated, and implemented 10 beef cattle programs in the Pee Dee Region. Over 350 producers participated in these programs. These programs included information on forages, general management practices, marketing, proper culling, fencing, and other practices associated with beef Along with another Area cattle management. Van Vlake assisted Livestock Agent, Van Vlake the Central Cattlemen’s Association on planned, coordinated, and programming and implementing implemented the Third Annual meetings. Members are from Sumter, Cattlemen’s Day held at T. Ed. Lee, and Clarendon Counties. He Garrison Arena in Clemson South makes many farm visits on a weekly Carolina. This program was held basis to assist and educate livestock clientele in the Pee Dee Region. Farm in conjunction with the Clemson visits include education on forages, marketing, herd health, reproduction, and SCCA bull sale. He also bull selection, heifer selection, pasture management, fencing, facilities, assists all the 4-H agents in the equine management, goat production and many other facets of animal Pee Dee Region with 4-H agriculture. livestock programs, including conducting three livestock showmanship programs for kids and parents who were showing Fire Ant livestock in the many county fairs and the State Fair in South Demonstration Carolina. These were held in Marlboro, Horry, and Sumter Plots Program Counties. Also, he joined with In addition, this agent works with the area 4-H agents in presenting a Fire Ant Demonstration Plots Program. The focus of Fire Ant Pee Dee Region 4-H Short Course Demonstration Plots is to research how well fire ant baits work in a pasture held at the Pee Dee Research and or hayfield situation. Once these products are tested and researched, Education Center. instructional programs are presented to livestock producers on selecting products and time of application. Confined Animal Manure Program As the Area Livestock Agent, Van Valke also works with the Confined Animal Manure Mangers. An owner or operator of an animal confinement facility must pass an examination to become a Certified Animal Waste Applicator. To help local farmers’ meet this requirement, Van Valke planned, coordinated, and implemented 9 CAMM trainings throughout the Pee Dee Region. The trainings were held in Sumter, Florence, Dillon, Kershaw, Lee, and Darlington Counties. Horticulture Agent- Amanda McNulty lively and entertaining manner at civic and social organizations McNulty writes columns for both throughout the area. She also the Sumter Item and the State serves as co-host on ETV’s newspaper, reaching over 180,000 “Making It Grow” gardening readers through these outlets. Her program which reaches 130,000 radio spots, with gardening viewers and which this past year tidbits, are heard by listeners garnered yet another Emmy across the state on ETV Radio. award. She uses these events to promote Swan Lake Gardens and We strive to ensure that our other Sumter features as a family Extension office serves as a or garden-club destination welcoming and vibrant center of Horticulture Agent Amanda (including descriptions of the horticultural knowledge in the McNulty uses her public speaking many fine restaurants visitors can Sumter community. skills to share Clemson’s enjoy). research-based information in a Gardening is Alive in Sumter Gardening is alive and well in Sumter County.