Our Impact
Making A Difference in Our County
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is working hard for its constituents. The following are examples of Extension’s impact in the county over the past year.
4-H Youth Development
For youth, 4-H District Project Achievement saw a 48% participation increase, with 34 students presenting in 2024. This public speaking contest helps youth to showcase their projects, build life skills, and develop selfconfidence.? Southeast District Junior/Senior Project Achievement was held at Rock Eagle 4-H Center on January 31-Feburary 2, 2025. Evans County had twenty-one 4-H’ers compete! 15 of those students placed in the top 3 of their project area with 1 advancing to state. Our county won two awards: 2nd place for Greatest Improvement (because we had 10 more participants than we had last year!) and also 2nd place for percentage of juniors placing in the top 3. Pictured below is our county group before leading morning inspirations in the Rock Eagle Chapel for over 60 attendees at DPA.
Participating in educational judging events help 4-H’ers learn to make and defend decisions, work with a group, and to speak in public. These events provide an opportunity for 4-H’ers to learn about a variety of topics while gaining valuable life skills.? On April 21, 2025, Evans County 4-H members competed at the Area Poultry Judging Contest in Lyons, GA. 4-H Poultry Judging is an evaluation event in which students learn and understand standards used in poultry and egg production and marketing, and apply the standards in a realistic decision-making situation. During the contest, participants judge both live specimens and market poultry, identify parts of birds already prepared for market, and evaluate eggs as to their quality and readiness for market.?Evans County 4-H was represented by 12 students: Ariella Altman, Micheal-Asher Altman, Tristan Brewton, Citlaly Hernandez Ramirez, Kevin Juarez, Michael LaSala, Ariana Lester, Allisson Martinez, Tiya Patel, Carter Perrin, Breanna Stephens, and Brayden Tapley.?Michael LaSala won 2nd High Individual Overall Junior out of over 100 students. Our Senior Team placed 4th at the Area Contest and advanced to the State Contest!?
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Our Agricultural and Natural Resources agent conducted three local research plots in Evans County (cotton, peanuts, and tobacco) to help provide growers with unbiased, research-based data on variety performance and best practices to improve yield.
In addition to this, the Evans County Extension Office successfully hosted four production meetings, drawing a total of 140 participants in Spring 2025. These sessions focused on key agricultural topics, including Peanuts, Tobacco, Cotton, and Pecans. Thanks to the generous support of local business sponsors, a complimentary meal was provided at each meeting.?These meetings play a critical role in supporting local rowers by offering timely updates on crop research, pest management strategies, and best production practices. Additionally, they serve as an essential resource for growers to earn continuing education units (CEUs) required to maintain their private pesticide applicator licenses. Participants earned one hour of private pesticide CEU credit per meeting, contributing toward the three-hour?requirement mandated every five years by the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture.
Candler-Evans ANR Agent Ross Greene collaborated with local organic onion farmer, Chance Callaway, to conduct the first organic onion variety trial in Georgia. While the University of Georgia Extension has carried out Vidalia Onion variety trials for over 30 years, this is the first time a trial has focused specifically on organically grown varieties.?Organic growers face unique challenges due to limited options for weed, insect, and disease control. Identifying onion varieties with strong natural disease resistance is especially important for successful organic production.?The trial included seven organic onion varieties and was recently completed with harvest, drying, and grading. Evaluations are underway to assess total field weight, marketable yield, size distribution, and overall plant health. Unlike conventional Vidalia production, where jumbo-sized onions are preferred, organic markets typically favor medium-sized onions. The trial tracks size categories—pewee, medium, jumbo, and colossal—to help guide variety selection based on organic market needs.? The results are still being processed, but the data will be made available to growers before seed orders are placed in July. This trial aims to provide organic producers with practical, research-based information to support better decision-making and production outcomes.
Family and Consumer Sciences
?Our Family and Consumer Sciences agent secured a $2,000 Share Health Southeast mini grant to launch the “Eat Well Evans” nutrition initiative. The campaign kicked off in June with a healthy recipe demonstration and education on reducing cancer risk.
The Evans County FACS Program wrapped up another successful tax season providing free preparation and electronic filing services for Evans and surrounding county residents, drawing clients from Tattnall, Candler, Bulloch, Emanuel, Laurens, Toombs, and Johnson counties. Our FACS agent prepared 25 tax returns at no charge in the Evans County Office with an estimated cost savings of $250 per client, totaling a savings of approximately $6,250 in fees. This service is made possible through a partnership with the Internal Revenue Service and the Charles Schwab Institute of Financial Planning which allows certified volunteer preparers to assist eligible taxpayers at no cost. This service has grown in Evans County with many clients returning annually and sharing via word-of-mouth to friends and family members. Our FACS agent is proud to offer such an impactful program and looks forward to continuing this impactful outreach in years to come.
During the American Heart Association’s National Heart Month, our FACS program conducted educational events at Claxton Elementary School, Action Pact Senior Center, and Evans County Library to educate participants on reducing their risk for cardiovascular disease by controlling their blood pressure. On February 13, 48 Claxton Elementary School teachers, faculty, and staff members attended and had their blood pressures checked by CES nursing staff and East Georgia Healthcare Center staff and were entered into a drawing for a self-care basket graciously donated by Kemp’s Pharmacy. Earlier that week, our FACS Agent provided a program at Action Pact Senior Center and at Evans County Library. Evans Memorial Hospital staff members were on site to conduct blood pressure checks at educate participants at the library’s drop-in event.