ABSTRACT
Summary West Virginia's livestock industry is characterized by relatively small units located predominantly on rough terrain not suited to highly mechanized or intensive agriculture. As a result of changes in West Virginia agriculture during the last 40 years, there has been a reduction in support from agribusiness, marketing alternatives, and profitability. Some agriculturalists contend that if present technology were adopted, beef and sheep farms in mountainous regions could be profitable and could contribute to the local economy. The objective of the Allegheny Highlands Project (AHP) was to test the effectiveness of a method for delivering technological information to farmers to promote rural development. A multidisciplinary team of specialists in agronomy, animal science, farm management, and veterinary medicine worked together to provide producers with a package of recommendations to increase production and/or profitability. Comprehensive production, inventory, and financial data were collected on 65 farms from 1971 through 1979. Linear regression analyses were used to assess the importance of years of project participation, year of entry into the project, farm size, farm enterprise, method of technology transfer, and time devoted to farm operation on changes occurring in farm production, inventory, and income. Hay yields/ha, 205-day weights of calves, market weights of calves, value of calf/cow, lambing percentage, marketable lamb-crop percentage, weight of lambs when sold, kg of lamb marketed/ewe, and value of marketable lambs/ewe all increased with years of participation in the project. Large farms without nonfarm income had higher hay yields/ha than other farms. The 205-day weights and market weights of calves were less on farms managed by part-time farmers who placed minor emphasis on farming. Large farms had more liabilities, receipts, expenses, and net income than smaller farms. Most production goals established on a farm basis were achieved, whereas production goals for the project area were not achieved. The package approach used in the AHP was successful. Farmers benefitted from increased production and increased income. Farmer and community attitudes became more positive, and cooperation increased. The University benefitted from increased contacts with clientele, which stimulated research and teaching. Elements found necessary for a successful project were: goals and procedures, competent staff, appropriate disciplines to meet farmer needs, mutual confidence between farmer and field staff, community involvement, adequate funds, administrative support, continuity of staff, and adequate time. The authors concluded that much of the present technology is applicable but needs modification to meet individual needs, that one-to-one contacts are the most effective means of getting technology adopted, that people farm for different reasons, and, in general, that changes occur slowly.
