Winter 2023-2024 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Winter 2023/2024 Page 27 PSU Equine Extension Receives National Environmental Award Press Release The Penn State Extension equine team recently received a Search for Excellence Award in Environmental Quality, Forestry, and Natural Resources for its pro- gram, “Improving Environmental Stewardship on Equine Farms,” from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents during a ceremony in Des Moines, Iowa. Extension educator and equine team member Laura Kenny also won a Distinguished Service Award. “Our team has focused on horse pasture management as a key educational area for many years in Pennsylvania,” said Dan- ielle Smarsh, equine extension specialist and assistant professor of equine science in the College of Agricultural Sciences. “We’re proud to receive national recog- nition for the hard work our team has put into this area.” The NACAA is a profes- sional extension organization that connects peers and encourages professional development. The organization includes extension educators working in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and natural resources, 4-H youth development, community development, aquacul- ture, and related disciplines. “This program has been a team effort since its inception,” Kenny said. “All of the educators and conservation professionals who have contributed their exper- tise over the years have made it a very effective course. Follow-ups show that participants change their farm management because of the course, and pasture quality has improved on these farms.” Along with Kenny, who submitted the application, and Smarsh, the award-winning pro- gram team included Penn State Extension educators who have contributed to the program within the past three years: Brittani Kirkland, former equine educa- tor; Heidi Reed, agronomy educa- tor; Justin Brackenrich, field and forage crops educator; Nicole Thompson, agronomy educator; and Leanna Duppstadt, field and forage crops educator. According to their findings, Pennsylvania horse farms often need assistance with pasture management and frequently face issues such as soil erosion and nutrient loss to surface water. In many instances, equine farm owners have limited back- grounds in agronomy and envi- ronmental issues. The program’s main objectives are to help horse farm managers learn more about pasture management techniques and increase the use of environ- mentally beneficial practices on their farms. Improving the overall condition of pastures to reduce erosion and nutrient runoff risk is also a program goal. The program activities in- clude the flagship “Environmen- tal Stewardship Short Course,” which has been offered annually, both virtually and in person, for many years, with Kenny leading the program since 2018. The course is taught through lectures, question-and-answer sessions and practice activities. The course covers topics such as forage biology, grazing management, soil fertility, weed management, toxic plants, pasture renovation, manure manage- ment and solving farm drainage problems. A workbook that was developed in 2021 to guide participants includes reflection questions, record-keeping forms and on-farm activities. The second program activ- ity is the Equine Pasture Walks, which are evening workshops developed to introduce land- owners to pasture management concepts with hands-on activi- ties. Each workshop generally covers soil fertility, pasture evaluation and plant identifica- tion. In addition to these activi- ties, the team fields individual phone calls and emails and provides on-farm pasture consul- tations to horse farm owners and managers. The team estimates that the ongoing program has positively impacted more than 1,500 acres and 700 horses since 2018. Aside from her work with the equine extension team, Kenny received an individual award from the NACAA. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes excellence in the field of professional extension for members with more than 10 years of service. Kenny has served in exten- sion roles in New Jersey and Pennsylvania since 2008. She has worked as an equine educator at Penn State for the past seven years, focusing on improving en- vironmental stewardship on horse farms. She also contributes to programs on horse health, forage quality and training conserva- tionists to successfully work with horse farms. Kenny is active in the Pennsylvania Association of County Agricultural Agents and serves as membership secretary. Within NACAA, she serves as the northeast vice chair of the leadership and administrative skills committee. “I am honored to be selected for this award,” Kenny said. “It is a privilege to serve the Pennsylvania equine community in this role. I’m very grateful to all the mentors I’ve had over the years and for the strong support from my team.” Smarsh said Kenny is a vital member of the team who is very deserving of this award. “She routinely goes above and beyond when assisting horse owners with their pasture and horse issues,” Smarsh said. “We are very grate- ful to have her on the team.”