Dear Extension Family,
I hope everyone had a restful weekend and is ready to tackle another productive month. It’s been a busy fall season with strong participation at the National FFA Convention, Sunbelt Ag Expo, and the South Carolina State Fair. I continue to be impressed by the dedication and teamwork that make these events successful and showcase the best of Clemson Extension across the state.
As we move through our financial system transition and prepare for upcoming budget adjustments, I want to thank each of you for your patience, professionalism, and focus on service. Your efforts—whether helping at the fairgrounds, supporting local food drives, or assisting communities affected by the government shutdown—truly demonstrate what it means to serve South Carolina.
Thank you for all that you do to make Clemson Extension a trusted partner in every county. Let’s keep working together to move our organization—and our mission—forward.
Rural Health and Nutrition – Food Pantry Guide!!
Clemson Extension’s Rural Health and Nutrition Teams have developed a comprehensive Food Pantry Guide to support communities in improving food access and promoting healthier choices. The guide provides best practices for establishing, managing, and sustaining food pantries, with an emphasis on food safety, nutrition education, and community partnerships. By combining research-based strategies with local engagement, Clemson Extension aims to strengthen food security and empower individuals and families across South Carolina to make nutritious, affordable food choices.
https://www.clemson.edu/extension/health/resources/food-pantry-guide.html Please share. RHN team is working on getting this guide out to the state. More info to come about an Extension food drive.
Clemson World – Remembering Cooperative Extension’s Izora Miley
In 1921, Izora Miley joined the Cooperative Extension service and went on to serve Hampton County for 26 years. During her tenure, she dedicated herself to empowering farm families by teaching practical skills such as food preservation, nutrition, sewing, and home management. Through these efforts, she helped improve the daily lives and well-being of countless households.
To learn more, please see the Clemson World article recounting her story: Clemson World – “Common Threads”
State Fair:
A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to making this year’s South Carolina State Fair booth a success! This year’s display highlighted the innovative work happening across Clemson Cooperative Extension, featuring 4-H’s STEM Artificial Intelligence activity, Food Safety Tailgating tips, and Dr. Beecher’s impressive aquaponics and hydroponics exhibits.
Looking ahead to next year the State Fair will run from October 15–25. If you are interested in showcasing your programmatic work, please reach out—this is a fantastic opportunity to share your impact with a statewide audience.
National 4-H Week culminates at the State Fair
National 4-H Week was celebrated October 5-11, 2025, this year and youth are learning skills such as teamwork, resilience, and communication—skills that will serve them in their career and for life. The week culminated at the South Carolina State Fair with youth showcasing their skills through various exhibits! Our 4-H members well represented the fair’s theme of “Harvesting happiness” from ceremonies, livestock shows, exhibits, rides, and more!
On Thursday, October 9th, 4-H State Teen Council joined the American 250 Day Proclamation honoring South Carolina’s agricultural roots while celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary. Additionally, on Saturday, October 11th, South Carolina 4-H celebrated another 4-H Day at the South Carolina State Fair. Over 100 4-H members, volunteers, parents, and agents from all over the state gathered for county roll call and a parade of counties in the Nutt Cattle Arena.
And everyday from opening day to closing day was filled with members and their show animals in the barns and showrings, entries from our youth in crafts and baked goods, and Agents staffing the AI in Agriculture exhibit in the Extension Booth at the Ellison Building. From start to finish, 4-H made its mark at the South Carolina State Fair—celebrating learning, leadership, and community while truly harvesting happiness along the way!
2025 SC State Fair 4-H Poultry Showmanship, October 11, 2025
A little rain did not deter the sunshine that was under the poultry showmanship tents at the 2025 South Carolina State Fair Poultry Showmanship Competition held on Saturday, October 11. There were 66 contestants registered, 16 Cloverbuds, 30 Juniors and 20 Senior 4-H members. It was a great day for learning, friendly competition and the support of loved ones.
The top three division (Cloverbud, Junior and Senior) winners were invited to participate in the Championship Round. Final results were:
3rd Place: Mary Anna Childers, Cherokee
2nd Place: Emma Uhall, Abbeville
1st Place: Blake Proffit, Clarendon
Thanks go out to Mr. Clint Attaway-South Carolina State Fair, Steve Hucks-South Carolina 4-H Agent and 4-H Ambassadors for keeping the competition moving. Special thanks goes out to Christine Heinrichs from the American Poultry Association (APA) for donating books she wrote as additional awards for each division.
Congratulations to all our participants and winners. Special Thank You to the South Carolina State Fair hosting the show, providing premiums for awards and for the support of the South Carolina 4-H Program.
The South Carolina State Fair hosts an annual Dairy Costume Contest
The South Carolina State Fair hosts an annual Costume Contest for their junior exhibitors that traditionally falls on the Friday evening of the Dairy Show. Through this competition, youth showcase the South Carolina State Fair theme which was “Harvesting Happiness” with their Dairy Cattle. 13 youth teams dressed up and paraded their entries to an enthusiastic crowd. Sutton Norris, Laurens/Greenville 4-H Dairy Club received a first place award and Sawyer Norris, Laurens/Greenville 4-H Dairy Club was selected as second. Awards were graciously provided by Dairy Alliance.
The South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation Scholarships awarded at the South Carolina State Fair.
The South Carolina State Fair works cooperatively with the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation to offer six (6) specific scholarships to qualified South Carolina youth applicants that are exhibiting at the State Fair. This competitive scholarship competition has a series of requirements that must be completed to be considered eligible to be considered for this tremendous honor. The following scholarship awards were awarded during the 2025 South Carolina State Fair:
Market Goat: Ellen Shaw, Newberry
Congratulations to the 2025 South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation Scholarship recipients. We encourage all interested youth to apply for 2026 and view specific requirements that will be available in July from the South Carolina State Fair website.
Additional scholarships are presented at the South Carolina State Fair through generous donations from individuals and or groups. Please check out additional scholarships awarded at the 2025 South Carolina State Fair: https://www.scstatefair.org/competitions/livestock-scholarships/.
Thank you to South Carolina Farm Bureau, South Carolina State Fair and additional donors for their generous support of South Carolina livestock and equine youth.
2025 South Carolina State Fair 4-H Rabbit Showmanship Results
The South Carolina State Fair 4-H Rabbit Showmanship Competition was held on Saturday, October 11. There were 56 youth registered: 12 Cloverbud, 24 Junior and 20 Senior 4-H members.
The top two division (Cloverbud, Junior and Senior) winners were invited to compete for Overall Showmanship honors. Final results were:
Overall Grand Champion – Emma Uhall, Abbeville County
Overall Reserve Champion – Arden Epps, Colleton Count
Much appreciation to Mr. Clint Attaway-South Carolina State Fair, Freddricka Presley, South Carolina 4-H Agent-Florence County and Eric Eliassen, South Carolina 4-H Agent- Lexington County for keeping the competition running smoothly.
Congratulations to all of our participants and award recipients. Special thanks to the South Carolina State Fair for hosting the show, providing awards and for their continued support of the South Carolina 4-H Program.
Savannah Swine Project
South Carolina 4-H members from the Savannah Valley region recently completed the 2025 Market Hog Project, which began with a kickoff event in July and concluded with the annual sale on October 25. Fifteen youth showcased their hard work through participation in the Orangeburg Fair, the South Carolina State Fair, and the Regional Record Book Contest. Congratulations to Lawson Weilnau, Champion Senior; Paige Ulmer, Reserve Champion Senior; Kolsen Gibson, Champion Junior; and Sadie Hutto, Reserve Champion Junior. For more information about the 2026 Savannah Valley Swine Project, contact Meghan Barkley at mebarkl@clemson.edu
FFA National Convention 2025
The Honorary FFA American Degree is the highest honor presented by the National FFA Organization to individuals who have rendered exceptional service to agricultural education and the FFA. This prestigious recognition honors those who have gone above and beyond to advance agricultural education, strengthen the FFA, and make a lasting difference in the lives of students.
The Honorary FFA American Degree symbolizes a deep commitment to agricultural youth, leadership development, and the future of agriculture in America. Representative Patrick Haddon is the epitome of dedication to the future of Agriculture. On Friday, October 31, 20225, Representative Haddon was awarded the Honorary FFA American Degree at the 98th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN. While currently serving as First Vice Chairman of the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee and Chairman of the Operations and Management Committee, Representative Haddon has been an outstanding advocate for Agricultural Education, the SC FFA Association and South Carolina 4-H.
Representative Haddon continues to be a dedicated and influential supporter of South Carolina’s agricultural future and the FFA is grateful for his leadership.
Salesforce:
Please make sure your Salesforce entries are complete. Program Events require the Extension Project Number, County, Hours of Interaction, and note, please update the Status bar, as well.
Interactions require the Extension Project Number, County, and Hours of Interaction.
Check out Extension Foundation for Resources!
Reminder: Don’t forget to take advantage of your Extension Foundation membership! Established 19 years ago by Extension Directors and Administrators, the Foundation supports Cooperative Extension professionals through professional development and exclusive resources—helping increase visibility, impact, and effectiveness in addressing local issues.
Check out Connect, the Foundation’s private social platform for Cooperative Extension staff, Land-grant University professionals, community partners, and federal agencies. Connect lets you share resources, promote events, and collaborate nationwide. With over 150,000 monthly public views, it’s also a great place to highlight your programs. Specialized groups focus on key national priorities like Health Equity, Workforce Development, Climate, and Urban Extension.
Anyone at a Land-grant University can join—no membership required. Create your free account today!
Congratulations to Dr. Robert Carter
I would like to congratulate Extension Agent Dr. Robert Carter for recently publishing a book, Catawba Nation Ethnobotany. Researched and written by Dr. Robert Carter, Outdoor Education Coordinator and Clemson Extension Agent, this book compiles research detailing the variety of uses for plants the Catawba had.
Davidson College hosted a lunch and learn on September 24.
Congratulations to Mrs. Amy Dabbs!
Members of the five cohorts of the Extension Emerging Leadership Initiative and the Walker family gathered at SC State University to honor the legacy of the late Dr. Marlyne R. Walker (2020 EELI graduate and SC State University alumna). Marlyne passed away in 2022 and was a positive, enthusiastic, and dedicated leader in Clemson Extension and the Extension Emerging Leadership Initiative. In 2023, an award was created in her honor to keep expanding the legacy of leadership, service, and mentorship.
The 2025 recipient of the Dr. Marlyne Walker Memorial Leadership Award is Mrs. Amy Dabbs, Statewide School and Community Gardening Coordinator. Amy exemplifies transformational leadership in Cooperative Extension through her visionary work in school and community gardening programs across South Carolina. As a graduate of the inaugural Extension Emerging Leadership Initiative (EELI) cohort in 2020, Amy has demonstrated exceptional growth in leadership capacity, translating her passion and purpose into measurable statewide impact. Amy’s exceptional work has earned significant recognition with her programs receiving several national awards. She makes significant contributions across Extension teams in Horticulture, Agriculture, Rural Health, 4-H, and Natural Resources, demonstrating the interdisciplinary leadership cultivated through EELI . She played a pivotal role in establishing the TEACH Center in Charleston, SC, demonstrating her commitment to building sustainable infrastructure that supports ongoing education and community engagement. Congratulations to Amy for her outstanding work!
Congratulations to our Agents that got promoted!
Congratulations to our agents on their well-deserved promotions! Your dedication, hard work, and commitment to serving our communities have not gone unnoticed. Each of you has demonstrated exceptional leadership and professionalism, and this achievement reflects your continued excellence and impact.
Associate UK45
- Chase Baillie
- Camden Bryan
- Bailee Floyd
- Brad Fowler
- Bethany Funkhouser
- Rogan Gibson
- Laura Hair
- Jevencia Hill
- Kristin Kunde
- Samantha Porzelt
- Elizabeth Rowe
- G. Kyle Smith
- Catherine Watts
Senior Associate UK47
- Katie Collins (Altman)
- Drew Jeffers
- Travis Mitchell
- Miracle Rabon
Senior UK49
- Tine Horn
- Zachary Snipes
Distinguished County Agent
- Sherry Davis-Livingston
- Jeffery Fellers
We’re proud to celebrate your success and look forward to seeing the great things you’ll accomplish in your new roles.
Job Openings
We have new openings to fill with talent. The following positions with their job ID numbers are currently posted on the Clemson Careers website. http://www.clemson.edu/careers
- Nutrition Educator, Spartanburg County, Job ID 110021
- Nutrition Educator, Florence County, Job ID 110020
- Nutrition Educator, Kershaw County, Job ID 110019
- Nutrition Educator, Laurens County, Job ID 110023
- Building/Ground Supv II, SC Botanical Gardens, Job ID 110016
IN CLOSING …
As we wrap up a full and successful October, I want to express my gratitude for your continued dedication, creativity, and teamwork. From representing Clemson Extension at statewide and national events to developing innovative community resources like the Food Pantry Guide, your work continues to make a meaningful difference across South Carolina. The stories and successes shared this month—whether at the State Fair, in classrooms, or in local communities—reflect the passion and purpose that define our organization. Let’s carry this momentum forward into the busy months ahead, continuing to serve, educate, and inspire.
As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Cooperative Extension.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
- The 2026 holiday schedule is now available on the Office of Human Resources website. In accordance with state law, Clemson University will close on Election Day in 2026. To meet this requirement and maintain the customary five-day winter break, there will be no optional holiday in 2026.
- Please share your latest accomplishments, awards, publications and other newsworthy updates with Christi Leard ccampb3@clemson.edu to get in the Director’s Newsletter!
