2004 Walter Barnard Hill Awards for Distinguished Achievement in University Public Service & Outreach

Kenneth L. Lewis

Kenneth Lewis has been working as a county extension agent in Georgia since 1982; he currently serves as the County Extension Coordinator and Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent for Crisp County. In this position, Lewis is responsible for the management of a full-time staff of 4, for the county extension department’s budget, and for the educational programming for about 150 full-time farmers in the county. Lewis is also responsible for assisting his county in receiving a $20 million community grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Enterprise Zone Program employment, economic stability, and he quality of life for this area.

Lewis balances a county program heavy in research and demonstrations with a broad-based educational program supporting agriculture, livestock, and horticulture. He also serves as a valued advisor to Crisp County farmers, home-owners, and fellow county agents in the West District. Lewis averages more than 1,200 client consultations and agriculturally related problem-solving visits each year. The extensive knowledge Lewis has acquired through his research of watermelons has led to the creation of the watermelon and cantaloupe variety demonstration plots located in Crisp County. He has also established a watermelon research and demonstration center in Crisp County.

Lewis has also developed the first county-extension-sponsored precision soil sampling (grid mapping) program in the state, in which he mapped more than 2,000 acres for local farmers. Another emphasis of his work has been in the area of water quality. Lewis co-managed the Gum Creek Water Quality Demonstration Program in Crisp and Dooly counties, and under his leadership, farmers learned new ways to protect the environment without decreasing their profits. Lewis also provided leadership to a wellhead protection program that resulted in the proper curbing of more than 350 wells.