February 2026: Monthly Director’s Letter

Dear Extension Family,

Before we get into the updates in this month’s newsletter, I want to take a moment to recognize several members of our Extension family and thank you all for the tremendous work happening across the state.

First, I want to give a special shout-out to Zach Snipes for the excellent feature in Clemson World. It was a great article that highlighted the important role Extension plays in serving communities and addressing real-world needs. Zach’s work is a great example of how Extension professionals are making a difference every day. When you see him, please take a moment to thank him for the work he does representing Extension so well.

We also have several exciting events happening across our programs. The WAgN Conference is just around the corner, and Charley and the WAgN team have been working incredibly hard to ensure a strong Extension presence at the State Fairgrounds in Columbia. I appreciate the effort that has gone into preparing for this important gathering.

The Spring Dairy Show is also approaching, and I understand we are seeing record participation. The last update I received from Lucy indicated around 150 youth entered in showmanship alone. The recent dairy showmanship workshop in Laurens County also had a tremendous turnout. Events like this highlight the strength of our youth livestock programs and the dedication of our agents and volunteers.

Across 4-H, we continue to see incredible momentum. The 4-H Cooking Challenge is another outstanding example of the meaningful opportunities our staff are creating for youth across the state. These programs truly demonstrate the impact Extension has on developing the next generation.

I also want to thank everyone who represented Extension during Clemson Day at the State Capitol and throughout the recent budget hearings. I was unable to attend in person, but I followed the proceedings closely. Several senators spoke directly about the importance of Extension—not research or teaching, but Extension—and how critical your work is in their communities. They emphasized how responsive you are and how much they rely on Extension. Hearing that level of support from multiple legislators speaks volumes about the work each of you does every day.

Mr. Lanford also attended the luncheon and shared that President Jones, Provost Smith, and University leadership highlighted the great work being done by Extension. That recognition is not about those of us in administration—it reflects the dedication of our agents, specialists, and staff who are serving communities across South Carolina.

We also had a tremendous FFA Day at the State Capitol. As Commissioner Hugh Weathers put it, there wasn’t room to fit another blue and gold jacket on the State House steps. They were packed from top to bottom. I want to recognize Troy Helms and the team who helped coordinate and support that event. The feedback from legislators about the students and the program was overwhelmingly positive.

Looking ahead, we are preparing for 4-H Day at the Capitol on March 10, and I know it will be another great opportunity to showcase the impact of our youth programs and the leadership development happening through 4-H.

Programmatically, I also want to recognize the work of our district directors and program team directors. The plans of work they have helped develop are guiding our efforts and demonstrating the measurable impact Extension is making across the state. Being able to clearly show how our programs affect communities and improve lives is incredibly important as we continue moving forward.

I know Kimberly Baker is working hard on the new legislative initiative related to food safety. This work reflects the continued relevance of Extension in addressing emerging issues that affect families and communities across South Carolina.

With everything going on in the world today, there can be a lot of uncertainty. Recently, my pastor shared a sermon about helping other people, and it reminded me immediately of the Extension Service. That is exactly what you do every day…you help people improve their lives, their farms, their families, and their communities.

Thank you for the work you do across our counties and across this state. Your dedication truly makes a difference, and I am grateful for each of you.

Reminders from Coffee Chat on 3-4-26:

• Denise Attaway: Encourage team members to email her with stories or events they want publicized so she can help get the word out.
• All interested staff: Consider attending the Spring Dairy Show (March 27-29) and/or volunteering, as invited by Mark Cathcart and Lucy Charping.
• All staff: Consider attending open office hours with the Dean, as encouraged by Patricia Whitener.

Extension Center for Health Outreach (ECHO)

We are pleased to announce the Extension Center for Health Outreach (ECHO) leaders are Sarah Griffin, PhD, MPH, Interim Director, and Hannah Wilson, PhD, RDN, LD, Interim Assistant Director. Dr. Griffin is a Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and PI of the Healthy Options Program, which is in its 8^th year of operation with the Rural Health and Nutrition team. Dr. Griffin’s expertise is in chronic disease prevention and management and intervention science. Dr. Wilson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences and PI of several USDA-funded projects in partnership with the Rural Health and Nutrition team. Dr. Wilson’s expertise is in community nutrition and chronic disease prevention and management. ECHO’s mission is to elevate health across South Carolina and the nation through innovative, community-drive research and Cooperative Extension practice. We do this through advancing new health research opportunities in rural South Carolina, along with Cooperative Extension teams, and by ensuring robust evaluations of health programming to demonstrate impact. Currently, there are seven research projects operating within the ECHO umbrella. To learn more about ECHO, please contact Dr. Griffin at sgriffi@clemson.edu.

50th Annual Bull Test/Sale Recap

Lee Van Vlake–Livestock and Forages Program Team Director

The 50th Annual Clemson Extension Bull Test Sale was held February 7, 2026, at the T. Ed Garrison Arena in Pendleton, SC. The sale was phenomenal, offering top-notch genetics and resulting in our highest average sale price ever at $7,366. A total of 54 bulls sold for $397,750. The CUCES Bull Test and sale was coordinated by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service Livestock and Forages Team along with the Piedmont Research and Education Center Beef Farm.  

The sale ring was packed with enthusiastic bidders, and online and phone bids were major contributors to the event’s success. This year’s group of bulls represented some of the most complete and industry-leading genetics we have ever offered. DV Auction once again handled our online bidding, attracting participants from across the country. Bulls were purchased by buyers in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia.

The highest-selling bull was Lot 29, an Angus bull consigned by Berry Wells Farm (Johnathon Wells) of Rayle, Georgia. Osage Farms Inc. of Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, purchased the bull for $14,000. Osage Farms acquired four bulls in total during the sale. Lot 29 was a true standout, earning the award for highest overall Average Daily Gain (ADG) at 6.13 pounds. He was a high-performing bull throughout the test, with several Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) ranking in the top 10 percent.

The second highest-selling bull was Lot 21, an Angus bull consigned by Shuffler Farm (Eugene Shuffler) of Union Grove, North Carolina. Shaw Family Farm purchased Lot 21 for $12,000. He posted an impressive set of EPDs and was designated an Elite bull in our program. Lot 21 also won an award for highest test ADG of 6.13 pounds and achieved a negative Residual Feed Intake (RFI) during the testing period.

Breed averages were as follows:

Angus              $7,463 (27 bulls sold)

SimAngus       $8,187 (12 bulls sold)

Balancer          $4,500 (1 bull sold)

Hereford          $6,950 (5 bulls sold)

Red Angus      $6,035 (7 bulls sold)

Simmental       $8,250 (2 bulls sold)

After the bulls sold 24 high quality open Heifers were offered.  These heifers came from 3 farms and averaged $3412.  We appreciate this high-quality offering and the support from the consigners and buyers of these heifers. 

On behalf of Clemson University, the Cooperative Extension Service, and the Clemson Bull Test Program, we extend our sincere thanks to our consignors, buyers, and bidders for their dedication to breed improvement and excellence in genetic advancement within the beef industry. The confidence you place in the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Bull Testing Program is both humbling and greatly appreciated.

The 50th Annual Sale was conducted by Col. Dale Stith of Mays Lick, Kentucky. Ringmen included Mr. Scott Weller of Virginia, Mr. Michael Ryan of Townville, South Carolina; and Mr. David Gazda of the American Angus Association. These gentlemen are true professionals, and we thank them for a job well done. Despite the excitement and energy in the sale ring, they never missed a bid.

Please mark your calendars for Saturday February 6, 2027, for another powerful offering of industry-improving bulls. I would like to thank the CUCES Livestock and Forages Team, Piedmont Research and Education Center Beef Farm, and CUCES Field Operations.  

2026 Horse Communication and Bowl

The 2026 South Carolina 4-H State Horse Communications and Horse Bowl Contest was held Saturday, February 28 at Clemson University-Poole Agriculture Center.  Throughout the two contest, 85 South Carolina 4-H’ers participated and showcased their passion for the equine industry.

The Horse Communications Contest provides youth with the opportunity to showcase their public speaking skills as individuals or teams.  Youth share their gained equine knowledge through research and deliver their findings to a committee of judges.  

Cloverbud Horse Communications Contest:

Team Presentation

Aubree Spencer and McKinley McIntire-Colleton

Cloverbud Team Demonstration:  Aubree Spencer and McKinley McIntire-Colleton

Results from Junior Horse Communications Contest:

Individual Presentation-6 participants

1. Anna Kain, Horry
2. Alana Shirk, Richland

Public Speaking-4 participants

1. Anna Grace Pukl, Lexington
2. Tyler DeVizo, Dorchester

Team Presentation

1. Eleanor Jiles and Malia Edwards-Colleton

Jr. Team Demonstration:  Eleanor Jiles and Malia Edwards-Colleton

Junior People Choice Award Winner:  Cece Kenyon, Colleton

Senior Horse Communications Contest:

Individual Presentation-9 participants

1. Hennelly Gavin, Lexington
2. Ellie Shaw, De La Howe

Public Speaking-4 participants

1. Hennelly Gavin, Lexington
2. Madeline Anderson, Lancaster

Senior People Choice Award Winner:  Hennelly Gavin, Lexington

Through the Horse Bowl Competition, participants demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of various aspects of equine science, including anatomy, nutrition, diseases, management practices and breed characteristics.  Contestants work in teams to answer questions accurately and efficiently, fostering teamwork and collaborative problem-solving skills among participants.   

Junior Horse Bowl Individual Results-26 participants

1. Taylor Mitchell, York
2. Bailey Edmonds, Lexington
3. Marlee Knoppe, Dorchester
4. Aria Jinnette, Greenville
5. Haven Bell, Lexington

Junior Horse Bowl Results-5 Teams

1. Stablemates Purple & Happy Hooves:  Aria Jinnette, Ellee Macek, Taylor Mitchell, Olivya Bonner and Zoe Barton
2. Lexington Horse Club:  Bailey Edmonds, Haven Bell, Enslie Guidotti and Ireland Kozemko
3. Lowcountry Clovers:  Kylee Mason, Elise Elliott, Tyler DeVizio and Marlee Knoppe
4. Stablemates Green:  Noelle Miller, Amber Leonard, Adalynn Trudell and Mia Smith
5. Thundering Herd:  Catherine North, Dizon Freeman, Jacob Blair, Lizzie Bade and Alise LeRoy

Senior Horse Bowl Individual Results-36 participants

1. Ruby Warren, Greenville
2. Piper Finneran, Anderson
3. Reace Hutto, De La Howe
4. Allison Jewell, Laurens
5. Madelyn Anderson, Lancaster

Senior Horse Bowl Results-7 Teams

1. Stablemates:  Allison Jewell, Ruby Warren, Levi Warren and Aerin Leonard
2. Trotting Tigers:  Piper Finneran, Jenahvieve Harkai, Riley Webster and Olivia Siemens
3. De La Howe:  Ellie Shaw, Lindsay Boggs, Reace Hutto and Morgan Craig
4. Lexington/Lancaster/York:  Madelyn Anderson, Hennelly Gavin, Eli Hutson and Hadley Rissel
5. Lowcountry Clovers:  Allison DeLuca, Christopher DeLuca, Summer Shiell and Brystol Williams

Senior Horse Bowl Stablemates (L to R):  Aerin Leonard, Levi Warren, Ruby Warren and Allison Jewell

A sincere thank you to the outstanding group of 4-H Agents, officials, volunteers, Clemson Block & Bridle Members and State 4-H Staff who all ensured that the event ran smoothly.    

Special thanks to Elizabeth Buist Memorial and Clarence W. Senn ’34 Memorial Endowment for their generous support of these annual events. 

SC Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (SCEAFCS) National Awards Deadline Approaching

Attention SC Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (SCEAFCS) Members:

Mark your calendars! The deadline for national awards applications is quickly approaching.

The Awards Committee is available to review submissions and provide feedback. If you would like assistance or wish to have your application reviewed, please contact Mrs. Yaniqua Eyabi at yeyabi@scsu.edu or 864-252-0115.

All national applications must be submitted through the 2026 National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) Awards Submission Portal by March 13. This timeline ensures adequate processing and submission to the National Office by March 15.

We encourage all eligible members to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase your outstanding work. We look forward to celebrating your achievements!

Deon S. Legette – Associate Extension Director

Salesforce

Please take a moment to update your Title on your User Profile in Salesforce.  To do so, hover over your photo icon along the top toolbar and click.  This will open up to your User Profile.  Please update your Title to reflect your County and Program team, ex) Anderson – Agronomic Crops Agent. This helps easily identify users when navigating in Salesforce.

Salesforce will now automatically send a reminder email when one of your Program Events has concluded.

What to expect:

When an event ends:

• You’ll receive a reminder email.
• A task will be created to remind you to complete required reporting fields.
• A banner will appear at the top of the record reminding you to complete required reporting fields.

The reminder is simply to ensure the following fields are completed for reporting purposes:

• Event Status
• Extension Project
• Program County
• Hours of Instruction

The banner will remain visible until you manually dismiss it.

Why we’re doing this:

This update helps ensure timely and accurate reporting across all programs without relying on manual follow-up.  

Other things to note:

• Outlook has begun phasing out the Salesforce connector within Outlook.  If it has not been disabled for you already, it will be unavailable soon.  Please note you will have to adjust your workflow if you are utilizing this tool. https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=002723592&type=1
• Due to an update, Eventbrite will now only allow participants to be added to an event for 10 days after the event ends.  If you have issues with Eventbrite, please see: https://www.eventbrite.com/help/en-us/

Congratulations to Mark Cathcart!

I would like to congratulate Mark Cathcart for being the recipient of the 2025 Friend of the Fair Award at the joint meeting of the Georgia Fairs Association and the South Carolina Association of Fairs.

Congratulations to Lee Van Vlake!

Congratulations to Lee Van Vlake on being selected as the SC Cattlemen’s Educator of the year. This is a most deserved and earned award.  You are not only a great educator but you are a great team leader and it is evident by and through your team.  -Tom Dobbins

Congratulations to our Rural Health and Nutrition Team!

On behalf of the Rural Health and Nutrition team, Danielle McFall and Melissa Bales represented Health Extension for Diabetes to receive the national award at the Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) Extension Leadership Conference in Savannah, Georgia. They received Excellence in Extension Award- Honorable Mention

Service Milestones:

I would like to congratulate the following on their service milestones to Clemson University:

Lance Beecher, Extension Associate Specialist Food Systems and Safety/Water, 20 years.

Extension in Clemson World

See what our professionals are doing in the counties…

Home-Field Advantage

Tiger Tell: How to Beekeep for Beginners

Fleet Safety: AAA Driver Training

Important tips and reminders:

March: Training & Record Keeping

Per State Fleet policy, all Clemson Cooperative Extension drivers must complete AAA Driver Improvement Training every three years.

·   Check Your Status: Please verify your last certification date. If you are approaching the 3-year mark, please schedule your refresher.

·   Record Keeping: Once you have completed the course, please share a copy of your completion certificate with Fleet Management (rbean@clemson.edu).This allows us to assist you with maintaining accurate records.

Did You Know? (Safety Fact)

·   Distracted Driving: South Carolina law prohibits the use of handheld devices while driving. Drivers using handheld devices are significantly more likely to be involved in a crash. Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Ryan Bean

State Fair:

The 2026 South Carolina State Fair is set to run from Thursday, October 15 through Sunday, October 25.  Please plan to represent Extension at our booth in the Ellison Building on one of these days.  Any questions or comments, please reach out to Becca Hedden at rthomp7@clemson.edu

Sunbelt Ag Expo

I am pleased to announce the official call for nominations for the 2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award.  This award is open to any South Carolina farmer or member of a farming family that is actively involved in the agriculture industry and is at least 21 years of age.  

To make a nomination, please use the following JotForm link –https://form.jotform.com/260074486530153.  Once completed, save as a pdf, and return to me via email or hard copy. A preview of the nomination application can viewed/printed from the pdf FOY nomination attachment.   

To receive full consideration, completed nomination forms must be submitted by April 20^th, 2026, to:

Brian Callahan, SC Sunbelt FOY Coordinator 

(Electronic submissions):  bcallah@clemson.edu OR 

(Hard copy submissions): 352 Halton Road, Suite 302, Greenville, SC  29607 

Dates for the 2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo are October 19-22^nd.  For more information, visit the Sunbelt Ag Expo website at: https://sunbeltexpo.com/

If you have questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  Thank you for your support of this program – Brian

NEW! SCBG Wildflower Walks

Greetings from the South Carolina Botanical Garden! We have some exciting news that we hope you all will help us share. CU students and employees can enjoy free guided wildflower walks at SCBG!

Step into spring with us! Clemson University students, faculty, and staff are invited to enjoy free weekly guided wildflower walks along our peaceful Natural Heritage Trail. Wander at a relaxed pace with an experienced guide, soak in the beauty of the spring while discovering the hidden stories of our local plants and wildlife.

On Wednesdays, beginning March 11, join us to discover brand-new landscapes—fresh blossoms, unfolding leaves, and the ever-changing colors of spring. No two walks are the same, so come often and watch the Garden come alive! Space is limited, so pre-registration is required.

More details can be found on our Eventbrite registration page.

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

• 4-H Program Coordinator, Clemson, Job ID 110215
• SCBG Building/Ground Supervisor II, Clemson, Job ID 110016
• 4-H Youth Development Agent, Fairfield, Job ID 110191
• Livestock and Forages Agent, Saluda, Job ID 110092
• EFNEP Nutrition Educator, Spartanburg, Job ID 110021
• EFNEP Nutrition Educator, Florence, Job ID 110020
• EFNEP Nutrition Educator, Laurens, Job ID 110023
• Mobile Food Processing Associate, Clemson, Job ID 109966

IN CLOSING …

This month’s updates highlight the outstanding work taking place across Clemson Cooperative Extension and the many ways our faculty and staff are serving communities throughout South Carolina. From youth development and agriculture to family and community health, the programs and recognitions shared here reflect the dedication and impact of our Extension professionals. Thank you for continuing to share your stories, support Extension events, and build strong relationships with the stakeholders and communities we serve. Your work truly demonstrates the value of Extension across our state.

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

• April 22-23, 2026: The 45th SCAEAP Annual Conference in Greenville, SC.
• May 20-22, 2026: SC Association of County Agricultural Agents (SCACAA) & SC Association of Extension 4-H Agents (SCAE4-HA) Joint Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference in Lexington, SC.
• Please share your latest accomplishments, awards, publications and other newsworthy updates with Christi Leard ccampb3@clemson.edu to get in the Director’s Newsletter!