Tammy Barnes
Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
Appalachian Regional Office
Topic Areas:
Crops, Livestock, Soil Health
Specific Areas of Expertise: Water conservation practices water quality, manure management, animal nutrition and grazing, farm management
Tammy Barnes is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist with a focus on carbon farm planning and livestock with the National Center for Appropriate Technology, where she provides technical assistance to producers in the Northeast region. Prior to joining NCAT, she was an Agriculture and Natural Resource Cooperative Extension professional in Kentucky and Southeast Oregon. Tammy’s stakeholder outreach and research efforts have focused upon water conservation and education through adaptive livestock grazing, irrigation management strategies, animal nutrition, soil nutrients, and manure management. She has also collaborated with community partners and natural resource professionals on stream and riparian improvement projects and other water/wildlife habitat issues. Before serving in the Cooperative Extension service, Tammy was owner/manager of a thoroughbred broodmare farm in Central Kentucky for 18 years. The highlight of her equine career was a homebred running in the Breeder’s Cup Championship Turf Sprint. Tammy lives in Kentucky and enjoys hiking, traveling, gardening, kayaking, riding, art, and volunteering with the 4-H youth program.
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, Rutgers University, Cook College
Master of Science in Animal Nutrition, University of Kentucky
Graduate Certificate in Stream and Watershed Science, University of Kentucky
Previous Experience:
Assistant Professor of Practice, September 2021 – September 2023
Oregon State University, Lakeview, Oregon
Cooperative Extension Agent for Lake County. Programing focused on alfalfa irrigation efficiency, soil bio-amendments, rangeland, stream assessments tool development, natural resource conservation, equine nutrition, and youth education.
Cooperative Extension Associate – Agriculture Water Quality and Nutrient Management Planner, March 2017 – September 2021
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
State nutrient management planner for manure application and water quality educator for producers and youth.
Senior Lab Technician – Equine Nutritional Biochemistry, January 2021 – March 2017
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Supervised and managed a variety of equine nutrition experiments and taught lab practicums within the Animal Science department.
Owner Manager, 2000 – 2017
Linhaven Farm, Versailles, KY
Managed daily activities of Thoroughbred broodmare facility, sales prep for commercial sales, bloodstock agent for domestic and overseas clients.
Current Professional Affiliations and Committees:
Organic Association of Kentucky
Featured Publications and Presentations:
Threat-Based Management for Creeks, Streams and Rivers: A Manager’s Guide for Understanding and Managing Flowing Waters in Sagebrush Ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest, PNW Extension Publication 273, in press. Sageshare.org
What’s the Scoop on Manure Management? Conference presentation at the KY Small, Limited-Resource, Minority Farmers Conference, November 2023.