By: Ryan Duey
Luke Byers of the Kansas State Research & Extension River Valley District spoke to members of the Clay Center Lions Club during their regular meeting on November 12th.
Byers is the District Agent of Agriculture & Natural Resources. The River Valley District covers four counties: Clay, Cloud, Washington, and Republic. While each county has its own extension office, agents cover all four counties.
Byers gave his take on the vision of Kansas State University, as a land grant university, and the extension’s role in supporting rural communities.
“The vision of the Land Grant University System was basically the intention of not leaving the agricultural community, the rural communities that make up the majority of the land area in the nation, in the proverbial dust, but rather to allow them to grow in tandem with industrial society. So, basically what I’m saying is the Extension System is a validation of the agrarian lifestyle, its heritage, and its values by providing resources and research to help rural communities grow in tandem with the industrial society.”
As an agriculture and natural resources agent, Byers’s work includes supporting the local farmers throughout the District. He said he doesn’t just hold farm meetings.
“There are a lot of different things that I’m doing on a daily basis. I’m providing for clients, you know whether it be on a one-on-one basis, where people call me and say I have this specific question or a specific issue I’d like to address, or you know it’s in a group fashion at a meeting or an event where I’m delivering things on a broader topic to help people apply to their own farming operations.”
Byers said that they use their resources to help at the local level. All area agents and other information on the River Valley Extension District can be found on the Kansas State Research and Extension website.
