AgriLife Extension’s Kara Matheney receives Cattle Raisers honor

Media contact: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu

FORT WORTH –– Kara Matheney, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Washington County, received the Outstanding Beef County Extension Agent award at the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Convention recently in Fort Worth.

Matheney was nominated for her leadership with the annual South Texas Cow-Calf Clinic, one of the oldest and longest-standing Extension educational programs in the state. The program attracts more than 300 participants in an eight-county area and provides ongoing educational programming in promoting beef production throughout South Central Texas.  

“Extension programs are truly making a difference in Washington County under Kara’s leadership,” according to the nomination. “She does an outstanding job of involving her committee members in all aspects of her programming and regularly works with key leaders in her community to ensure her programs are marketed to the appropriate group of clientele.”

Programming included the South Central Texas Cattlemen’s Short Course,spacea four-session series focusing on cattle outlook, cost and profit analysis, and a multi-county beef tour.

According to the nomination, the impacts from the program indicated significant increases in knowledge in subjects related to pasture management, the value of high-quality forages and the importance of developing a good vaccination program with their veterinarian.

Ninety-four percent of the participants in the programs anticipated receiving an economic benefit from their participation, with an average of $2,286 per participant and an average increase of almost $20 per head of livestock.