1. Electronic Ag News for Farmers, Agribusiness and Community Leaders
W. J. ETHREDGE, JR*,
Seminole County Extension, The University of Georgia, Donalsonville, GA 39845
ABSTRACT
Seminole County Extension responds to need for farm-
ers, agribusiness and general public to have timely tips
and educational information. New era of electronic com-
munication brings need for timely agricultural information
through email and the internet. Agricultural awareness
for community leaders and the general public is im-
portant as decisions are made by these folks who need
to be more informed and up to date about what is going
on in agriculture. New generation of farmers want infor-
mation electronically available.
The agent developed “Seminole Crop E News” electronic
newsletter to disseminate breaking news concerning ag-
riculture. He developed an email list of farmers, agribusi-
ness folks, and local community leaders and is continual-
ly expanding it. This newsletter contains many photos of
crops, insects, disease problems and farm activities. It
includes hot topics of concern to growers and excerpts
from scientist’s newsletters and links to websites and
downloads of timely interest.
“Seminole Crop E News” has been well received by
farmers and others on the over 200 person email list that
receives the newsletters. Newsletters are placed on our He developed an email list of farmers, agribusiness folks, and local community leaders and is continually expanding it.
UGA Seminole County Extension website (http:// This newsletter contains many photos of crops, insects, disease problems and farm activities. It includes hot topics of
www.ugaextension.com/seminole/ ) and can also be ac- concern to growers and excerpts from scientist’s newsletters and links to websites and downloads of timely interest.
cessed on other websites such as sowegalive.com, Ag- “Seminole Crop E News” has been well received by farmers and others on the over 200 person email list that receives the
fax.com , and WTVY.com. almost weekly newsletter. Two younger farmers recently stated that they like having cutting edge info they can pull up on
their blackberries, wherever they are.
If you’d like to be added to the recipient list , email the request to ethredge@uga.edu.
Agfax also sends out two newsletters and Ag Up-
dates that quotes the agent about 6 times per year
and sometimes reference my newsletter. One enti-
The newsletters are posted to the Seminole County
Agfax reported that they posted my newsletters for 34 weeks in 2009 and they record that they tled “Southeast Cotton” goes to 1,350 and
Extension website and archived there for reference.
were downloaded 7,752 times. Here’s a quote from Owen Taylor of Agfax “We posted 34 news- “PeanutFax” goes to 1,100 people.
letters from you. Figure an average download of 228 per issue.
So, 34 times 228 equals 7,752 deliveries. If you wanted to look at that another way, figure 4 pag-
es per newsletter for a total page delivery of 31,008. That's just over 6 cases of copying paper.”
If this is expanded to the total electronic delivery of 543 newsletters, then that equates to 73848
pages per year, or over 14 cases of paper.
The newsletter can also be accessed on other websites such as sowegalive.com ,and WTVY.com,which also posts
interviews with the agent. Also, Triangle Agrichemical Company Website puts a link to our webpage on their site.