Dear Reader,

I am excited to present the 2019 edition of AgKnowledge magazine, an annual publication of Kentucky State University's (KYSU) Land Grant Program including its College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment and its Cooperative Extension Program. This annual report is designed to highlight the research and Extension activities that our faculty and staff are conducting at Kentucky State University.

Over the past year, the Land Grant Program's faculty, staff and students have concentrated on a wide variety of research endeavors aimed at helping Kentucky farmers and communities. Organic research focused on introducing goats into crop rotations as well as hemp variety trials ahead of the passage of the Farm Bill late in 2018, which legalized industrial hemp production. Moving forward, our work in hemp will help current and new producers find a profitable market for this emerging commodity.

Research efforts continued in horticulture culminating in the release of our third pawpaw cultivar in September, KSU-Chappell™. Our faculty and researchers also continued work in the areas of urban agriculture, livestock nutrition and forestry. The Aquaculture Research Center had research accomplishments in indoor shrimp production, aquaponics, koi breeding, and largemouth bass production.

In the coming year, we will continue our research efforts to benefit Kentuckyians, we will continue to build valuable partnerships with community and government organizations, and we will promote our programs and potential to prospective students and collaborators.

Kentucky State University's agriculture programs continue to make great strides. We are here to serve you, our stakeholders. Please give us your feedback and let us know how we can help you solve your problems.

Follow us on social media—@kysuag on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram—and visit us on the web at kysu.edu/ag to keep up with our day-to-day activities in communities near you. Subscribe to our newsletters, sign up for our workshops. Join us for a campus visit or invite us to your school or community event. We can't wait to work with you.

Thanks again for reading, and we hope you can use the information provided in this magazine. If you have questions, please call (502) 597-5120 or email kysuag@gmail.com.

Check out KYSU AG on social media!

Kirk Pomper, Ph.D. Land Grant Director and Interim Dean of the College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment Kentucky State University