2016 Colleton Clemson Extension Advisory Committee Meeting

Ten members of the Colleton County Clemson Extension Advisory Board came together on Monday, February 1 to discuss future endeavors. The topics discussed include the formation of an Agribusiness team, political maneuvering for millions of dollars of disaster assistance, and much more simple plans like the regular brown bag lunch at the Extension office on Mondays. The five Clemson Extension staffers that were present had prepared handouts with all the pertinent information and even served up a chili and cornbread supper.

Clemson Extension Colleton County Advisory Board

            
Alta Mae Marvin is the manager for the Colleton County Clemson Extension service and she has been on the job since 2000. She had just returned from a workshop concerning the formation of the new Clemson Agribusiness Team, which will be directed by Kathy Coleman, who previously served as lobbyist for Clemson Extension. Laura Lee Rose works in the office at 611 Black Street and hosts the Monday brown bag lunches that are intended to gather their Master Gardener graduates and other gardening enthusiasts together for fellowship about growing food and flowers.

Clemson Extension Staffers

Longtime staffer Marion Barnes gave an insightful talk on the economic impact of the October flooding on S.C. agriculture producers. With continued wet weather since October, many farmers can’t even get the old crop out of the fields in order to plant this year’s crop. “It’s called preventive planting, and the $46 million dollar projected losses so far from this will cause a ripple effect through the state’s economy,” said Barnes. “Another concern brought to the forefront is farm machinery becoming bogged down during work in this wet environment, and we need to create a farm safety specialist position in S.C. to assist and educate workers about safety issues.”

To view the entire article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about Agribusiness in S.C. click on October Flooding - Hugh Weathers