Madison County Extension Center would like to introduce to you our new County Extension Director, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, and Livestock/Horticulture Agent.

County Extension Director - Elizabeth Ayers (elizabeth_ayers@ncsu.edu)

Elizabeth Ayers was born and raised in Madison County. Graduated from

Madison High School and went on to graduate from Clemson University with a B.S. in Agriculture Education and a M.S. in Plant and Environmental Science. She is not new to North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Elizabeth worked for 10 years as Madison Extension’s tobacco, livestock and consumer horticulture agent. She also worked for 5 years as the Small Farms and Alternative Agriculture Agent. I look forward to serving my community and being able to give back to the place I have always called home.

FCS or Family and Consumer Sciences Agent - Jessica Mollet (jjmollet@ncsu.edu)

Jessica Mollet is the new N.C. Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent in Madison County. She is a licensed and registered dietitian in N.C. who previously had a private practice in Madison County. Jessica received her B.A.

in Education at UNC – Chapel Hill and a B.S. with a double-major in Dietetics as well as Nutrition and Health at Kansas State University. She is a Master Gardener, a Master Food Volunteer and ServSafe Certified.

Jessica is passionate about helping people learn how to improve their health and wellbeing with tasty, simple, and inexpensive meals, especially with foods that come from right here in our county.

“The pandemic has really highlighted issues around food, nutrition and health. In Madison County we are lucky to have a rich growing season and access to many wonderful local small farms. This makes it easier to enjoy delicious seasonal foods, whether from our backyard and community gardens, or the many small farms located in our county.”

“These past two years have been challenging for most of us, and that has taken a toll on our health. Getting back to eating real food is an instrumental part of regaining our health. I look forward to learning with, sharing and assisting residents in exploring ways to bring tasty, healthy, simple and inexpensive meals to our tables.”

Livestock/Horticulture Agent - Peyton Duckett

Peyton Duckett is the new N.C. Cooperative Extension Livestock and Horticulture Agent for Madison County. Peyton has been a Madison County

resident for her entire life, growing up on a small commercial beef operation in Little Sandy Mush. She was involved in FFA and 4H throughout her middle school and high school education. After high school, she earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in animal science from North Carolina State University, and she is currently working on her master’s degree in animal science, with a minor in agriculture education and extension.

She is committed to helping livestock farmers in the area improve their production toward their goals and potential, while also doing everything possible to help livestock and crop producers reach their most sustainable potential, improving their annual yields and maintaining soil health in the process.

“I can’t wait to help current and future producers of crops and livestock solve problems and contribute to the growth of Madison County agriculture in quantity and quality.”