CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 09/10/98

UGA Internet Site Identifies Hay Sources

Sidney Law didn't intend to become such a popular guy. But once farmers learned Law could lead them to hay at easy prices, his phone started ringing off the hook.

Soon Law, a Washington County agent with the University of Georgia Extension Service, had to find a better way to get the word out. Now his office maintains a World Wide Web site <http://www.griffin.peachnet.edu/ga/washington/> to direct drought-plagued Georgia farmers to the hay they need.

"Some local cattlemen were telling me, 'We've been feeding hay all summer,'" Law said. "I just felt sorry for them. They've had a rough summer. So I started looking for hay sources."

Hot, dry weather from late spring through most of the summer parched Georgia pastures and other grazing. Georgia farmers normally cut and store hay during the summer to feed livestock during the winter. But the summer drought has left them facing a serious shortage of hay.

Law found some hay in Kentucky, including some free hay. The agriculture department there worked with Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin to get the word out. And a news release from Irvin's agency connected the words "free hay" with Law's Sandersville, Ga., office.

"'Free' wasn't quite right," Law said. "Some Kentucky farmers had some free hay. But you had to transport it down here. All of the hay had a cost in one way or another."

The cost was often low, though. And Law's phone was constantly busy.

"The demand for hay information was overwhelming," said Bill Lambert, assistant dean for extension with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "The Internet site is an attempt to ease the burden of calls and improve the flow of information."

The Web site lists the names, addresses and phone numbers of hay sources. It gives the type of bale and the kind of hay, too, along with the amount available and price. It also provides information on forage fields, pasture for rent and transportation available.

Lambert has instructed county agents in all Georgia counties both to direct farmers to the Web site and to provide hay information to Law's office to keep the site up-to-date.

"We will also be working closely with the Georgia Farm Bureau and other agencies to make this as complete an information site as possible," Lambert said.

Farm Bureau will publish a hay directory in October. The sources in it will be listed on the UGA Web site. The directory will be available in all county Farm Bureau and Extension Service offices, too.

Locally, Lambert said, county Extension Service agents may work with farmers, businesses and agencies on hay deals. Law, for instance, worked with other Washington County farm groups to bring two tractor-trailer loads of reduced-price Kentucky hay to 20 livestock farmers. Two local trucking companies did the hauling free as a backhaul.

"The information flow is beginning to work well," Law said. "We're hoping to eventually hear from a lot more sources, especially from those closer by. Some farmers even in Georgia were able to make hay this summer. The need for hay is strong. We just need to help connect that demand with the supply."

Dan Rahn is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Tommy Irvin
Bill Lambert
Sidney Law
Jimmy R. Lee
After a hearty climb, Connect Abroad Italy students pose in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. (Photo by Angel Bhardwaj) CAES News
UGA ranks as leading doctoral institution for study abroad 12/20/24 Angel Bhardwaj
The University of Georgia remains among the top 10 U.S. universities for study abroad participation, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report released by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State. UGA boasts the highest study abroad participation to enrollment ratio of the top 7 ranked doctoral institutions, earning the No. 7 spot in overall participation and No. 3 in short-term study abroad programs.
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
From left, CAES Associate Professor Abigail Borron and Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars Mihai Suteu, Daniyar Memedemin, Alina Zaharia, Andreea Ona and Daniel Chiciudean stand in front of an image of the Romanian flag projected onto a barn at UGArden. CAES News
Fulbright Scholars unite with UGA Extension to envision ag outreach model in Romania 12/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Arriving on the Athens campus of the University of Georgia in August 2023, five Romanian scholars experienced the same anticipation, excitement and apprehension as many first-year students.  Chosen as Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars, each serves on the faculty at one of three Romanian universities, specializing in fields from economics and engineering to plant breeding and biotechnology. The five scholars comprised the first cohort of the Romanian Extension Education Development Program, an ambitious three-year pilot effort to facilitate planning and implementation of extension services in Romania. 
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
In developing markets where making staple foods is a daily task and warmer climates where food spoilage is common, foods that have more longevity and are easily preserved can enhance economic opportunities by reducing food preparation tasks and lower environmental impact. CAES News
CAES researchers look to reduce food waste by extending shelf life 12/16/24 Lillian Sosbee
“Use by,” “Sell by” and “Best by” dates on food packaging can be helpful indicators of how long a consumer can store a food item before eating, but often these dates lead to high quantities of wasted food. About one-fifth of food produced for human consumption is discarded before it can be eaten, equating to 1 billion meals a day and contributing to global food insecurity.
Recognizing the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates CAES News
UGA celebrates 15 years of Bulldog 100 12/13/24 Rachael Andrews
The University of Georgia Alumni Association released the 2025 Bulldog 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates. The program, organized by the Division of Development & Alumni Relations, celebrates 15 years of honoring alumni and their entrepreneurial endeavors. Among this year’s class, businesses are headquartered in a total of eight states, with 87 of the businesses located in Georgia. In total, 142 alumni representing over two dozen industries are being recognized as a part of this year’s list.