Website/Online Content
Neil G. Kelly
REGIONAL EXTENSION AGENT
ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM
1 REGIONAL EXTENSION AGENT, ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM, Headland, AL, 36345
2 Outreach Coordinator, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, , ,
3 Extension Speciaist/Diagnostician, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, , ,
4 Regional Extension Agent, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Ashland, Al, 36251
5 County Extension Coordinator, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Cullman, Al, 35055
6 Extension Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, , ,
7 Extension Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, , ,
8 , Alabama Cooperative Extension System, , ,
9 Regional Extension Agent, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Mobile, Al,
10 Extension Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Mobile, Al, 36689
11 Professor/Extension Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, , ,
12 Extension Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, , ,
Farming Basics Mobile App, launched in 2019, is a critical learning tool for beginning and experienced farmers. It is also a major educational tool for Regional Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, and Extension Coordinators across Alabama and the Southeast. It is a peer-reviewed publication that went through a rigorous development process with extensive data management system, information linkage (coding), and image library constructed by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) Information Technology Team with input from the app team. The app has an extensive ‘road-map’ with the first version currently available worldwide across all devices and platforms. The app was tested at the alpha- and beta-testing stages with written reviews at the planning stage, hence this is a truly peer-reviewed product as required by ACES.
The app has informational features such as vast library of 50 horticultural crops, 100+ insect and disease description and images, and fertilizer and irrigation calculators. The functional aspects that add tremendous value and uniqueness to the Farming Basics app include location services linked to REAs statewide so that beginning farmers can easily locate and directly contact Extension for help. Another critical functionality is the link to Commercial Horticulture online event calendar and ability to add events to native scheduling services on Apple or Android devices. The app also links growers to pest alerts, social media, and USDA price listing for horticultural commodities. The app has been marketed through an attractive push-card or post-card that is mailed or inserted into other promotional packets, distributed at grower conferences and large exhibitions, and PDF is embedded in digital media. The Alabama IPM Communicator E-newsletter with 3,080 subscribers was also used to promote the app. Beginning farmers can also email questions regarding the app and get response within 24 hours. We have also connected the app to beginning farmer training videos on YouTube that has resulted in over 300 views. Till date, the app has been installed over 500 times with nearly 55 percent installations on Android phones worldwide and overall rating of 4.8. Impact evaluations for the app will be collected in Fall 2020. https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/ipm-farming/farming-basics-mobile-app/