Bridging the disconnect with ‘People’

Agriculture leaders from across the industry came together last Wednesday for the Sampson County Cooperative Extension’s Report to the People event at the Agri-Extension Center. The meeting was full of shared insights into what leaders called the positive growth of the field in 2023.

The Report to the People is an annual event hosted by Sampson County Cooperative Extension to demonstrate how that growth has benefited the citizens and communities of Sampson County.

“Our programs reflect the needs of the community in their quest to learn new skills, attitudes, and behaviors which can enrich and enhance their lives,” County Extension Director Brad Hardison wrote in column for the Sampson Independent on April 12, 2024. “We focus on three core program areas that include agriculture and food, health and nutrition and 4-H youth development – There are programs for everyone.”

The big highlights from the report, much like last year’s, came from the morning session, which covered those core program impacts for 2023.

The program impact reports included presentations from Sampson County Extension agents. Livestock specialist Paul Gonzalez addressed ag and food, discussing the importance of using technology and data analysis to improve cattle production, while also highlighting the value of hands-on training and education for producers. His other main point he stressed was the importance of building relationships with clients and providing personalized service.

Amanda Knight was tasked with the 4-H youth development presentation. Her insight was focused on their involvement in agricultural education initiatives. One of her big highlighting being the importance of providing opportunities for young people to learn about agriculture and develop valuable skills.

She also shared some of the steps they took toward achieving that last year, including efforts to establish a cattle project.

“The cattle project has went really well,” Knight said. “It’s really has been successful in teaching them about livestock by providing hands-on experience for our youth and fostering a connection between them and 1000-pound animals. It’s been invaluable to the parents to who we also get to teach when they bring their child to 4-H.

“I truly thank the parents and other agents in helping make the program successful. It really allows us to emphasizes the value of providing livestock education to children who do not grow up on farms, teaching them responsibility, teamwork, and humility.”

Also of note, Knight touched on the growth of shooting sports, which she said is slowly growing due to challenges implementing the program in schools because of background checks and responsible leadership. The support she has received from the community, however, has her optimistic as she said they are getting aid, including donations of land, equipment and ammunition from the community.

Eileen Coite handled the final portion of program impacts, where she concentrated on the importance of agricultural education and community development in Sampson County. In her presentation, she focused a lot on the partnerships with Extension and Friends of Agriculture in the county.

Of her many highlights, the efforts of staff, volunteers and sponsors in organizing Ag Day, and the event itself, which had over 2,000 attendees this year. The issue, she stressed, was the need for continued support from county administration and commissioners to help serve the citizens of Sampson County. With that, she further emphasized the significance of bringing the non-farm community together with farmers to learn about agriculture and its contributions to the state’s economy.

“It’s amazing that people don’t know where their food comes from and the same can be said about adults,” Hardison said. “It’s also amazing that people get mad when they get behind a tractor on the way to work or wherever they’re going and they get mad when they can’t get around and pass them. That said, I bet they don’t get mad when they pull up and get their Bojangles biscuits or stop to get lunch at Eddie’s.

“Needless to say, there’s a disconnect between all this and that’s what we’re trying to do with our programs is trying to relieve some of that — be it for our kids or our adults because we also teach the parents too. Either way, it’s all about continuing to help our farmers and bridging the disconnect between them and our community.