Our Impact
Making A Difference in Our County
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension continues working hard for its constituents. Where we translate the science of everyday living for families, farmers and communities to foster a healthy and prosperous Georgia.? The following are examples of Extension’s impact in the county over the past year.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Extension agriculture programming includes in-field projects and formal education in collaboration with 禁漫天堂 agriculture specialists for local agriculture producers who use this information to base their production managemant decisions.??
In 2024, Cook County had a total farm gate value of more than $129,794,436. Cook County is home to traditional crops like corn, cotton, peanuts and soybeans, in addition to fruits and vegetables. Peppers, cabbage, collards, kale, squash, blueberries, blackberries, and muscadines are produced in Cook County. Our Cook County Extension office is a Cook County Farmer's go-to-source for accessing the latest, unbiased, research-based information related to agricultural production.
Cook County farmers have access to unbiased research based information to assist in production decisions. Much of that data is generated locally through collaborations with 禁漫天堂 Extension and local growers. In 2024 Cook Extension collaborated with local growers and 禁漫天堂 Extension specialists to generate local data on; new peanut varieties in irrigated and non-irrigated environments; cotton varieties; fertilizer strategies for grafted watermelons; in addition to evaluating 10 peanut fungicide programs for disease efficacy. Data generated from Cook County Trials are disseminated locally in addition to being used by 禁漫天堂 Agriculture Specialists to present at county agriculture production meetings. Cook County trial data has also been presented at the annual Peanut Farm Show and South Eastern Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia, and nationally at the American Peanut Research and Education Society annual meeting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Beltwide Cotton Conference in New Orleans Louisiana.
Cook County Extension disseminates information locally through field site consultations, office visits,? phone contact, social media, Remind App, email and blog site posts.?禁漫天堂 Cooperative Extension in Cook County provides lifelong learning to the people of Cook County through unbiased, research-based education about agriculture, the environment, communities youth and families. This county? delivery system has been an effective tool for 禁漫天堂 Extesion for more than 100 years.?
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4-H Youth Development
The Cook County 4-H Program, led by 4-H Agent Katrina Laurel-Searcy, provides fun and educational activities including outdoor experiential learning and in-school program delivery. This allows 4-H members to acquire knowledge, develop life skills and form attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society. A total of 1050 youth enrolled in the club in 2024.
Cook County 4-H provides agricultural science programs to educate rural youth on agriculture, crop production, food sustainability, fiber, natural resources, fisheries and the environment. This is accomplished via the Georgia 4-H agricultural science curriculum and collaborations with other agriculture related entities.? Cook 4-H showcased excellence at District Project Achievement, a pivotal event fostering public speaking and research skills.? With one of the highest participation rates in the district, clinching 17 individual and 4 county awards, with one advancing to State Congress, it is no surprise that all competitors received full sponsorships, exempliftying strong community support towards youth development.
Additionally, Cook 4-H offers Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging Team, 4-H BB Team, Cooking Club, 4-H Yoga, & Forestry Judging Team global citizenship awareness programs, nutrition education, Project Achievement, residential camping experience through 4-H summer camps and leadership opportunities through county council and leadership positions at the district level. In 2024, Cook 4-H had one member represent our local club as elected officer of the Southwest District Senior Board of Directors.