Katie Holzhause Paris, Kentucky Extension Associate University of Kentucky Department of Animal and Food Sciences

Please describe your agricultural background.
I grew up on a small farm in northern Kentucky, riding horses and raising sheep and chickens for 4-H. I was very active in the FFA into my college years where I continued with my animal husbandry projects and received my American FFA degree. I became interested in dairy in college where I participated in Dairy Club, National Dairy Challenge and ADSA, as well as the Block and Bridle club.

I have always had a passion for animals and recently purchased a small farm so I may continue raising my own livestock and garden.

What territory will you cover?
The Kentucky Farm Start program is designed to serve Kentucky farmers and includes University of Kentucky research as well as research from the University of Tennessee.

What are your new responsibilities?
I am building a web-based computer application for dairy farmers that will allow them to plan management and economics of an entire dairy operation. It will include everything from milking and herd management to manure management. The goal is to provide new farmers with the information they need to start their own successful operation.

This project is supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

What previous positions have you held?
I previously worked for a large and small animal veterinarian. I've also worked as a farm hand, a customer service representative, and in several sales positions – I sold diesel truck parts and motor oil! – prior to accepting my position at the University of Kentucky.

What excites you most about working in your new role?
I am thrilled to be able to turn research at the university into a tool farmers can access and utilize on a daily basis.

How will you be of most help to dairy producers in your region or area of expertise?
Making information and research streamlined in presentation and applying it to real-life situations will be helpful for new farmers across the state.

Why did you choose to work for this organization?
The University of Kentucky is constantly conducting research and determining ways to deliver information directly to the producers in the state. I want to help people learn useful information and apply it to real-world scenarios so the research can be utilized by the people for whom it is intended. By working with the university, I am able to help relay useful information outside the walls of the College of Agriculture, which is why I chose UK.

What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
My goal is to provide an accurate model and application for farmers so they are able to make informed decisions based on their specific situation. Seeing real-world application and utilization of years of research is my main goal in this position. PD