HomeMy WebLinkAboutAg & Extension 10-02-07 Revised agenda
NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA
ST. CROIX COUNTY AGRICULTURE & EXTENSION COMMITTEE
October 2, 2007 9:00 am.
Agricultural Service and Education Center
1960 8" Ave., Baldwin, WI
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
DATE OF NEXT MEETING — November 6, 2007
APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT:
• Federal Budget
• State Budget Report
• County Budget Report
• WACEC
• Personnel
• Strategic Planning
• Other Administrative Items
OLD AND NEW BUSINESS:
AGENT'S REPORTS:
WNEP Update
• Mary Lestrud
Resource Agent
• Pete Kling
Ag Agent
• Crop update
• Winter Educational Programming Efforts
Family Living
• No report
4 -H Youth Development
• No report
Horticulture Agent
• No report
ADJOURN
SUBMITTED BY: Kimberly Reaman
DATE: September 25, 2007
Copies to: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD
COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Items for County Board approval must be submitted to the County Clerk's office by
Wednesday morning preceding a County Board meeting.
9/25/2007 4:26 PM
Agriculture and Extension Committee - October 2, 2007 Page 1 of 2
AGRI(JTJ,rrt1lll•: AND EXTENSION COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 2, 2007
Present: Ronald Raymond, Lois Burri, Bill Peavey, Gene Ruetz, Sharon Norton- Bauman, Lee Milligan, Pete Kling, Ruth Hilfiker, Martha
Mabis, and Mary Lestrud.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Ron Raymond.
Date of next meeting was set for November 7, 2007 at a am.
Burri moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. Ruetz seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Peavey moved that the previous meeting's minutes be approved. Norton- Bauman seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Ruetz moved that the vouchers be approved. Raymond seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Agriculture Agent's Report
Milligan reported that yields are down considerably from normal due to drought and storm damage. He has been working with a number
of producers regarding decisions on harvesting the storm damaged crop. Corn silage is done and producers are hampered harvesting high
moisture corn due to rain.
Milligan is developing a dairy calf school for this winter to disseminate new research regarding improving the health of dairy calves.
Milligan is leading the planning efforts for the Western Wisconsin Ag Lenders Conference. This is an annual event attended by 85 -110
agricultural lenders from Western Wisconsin.
Dairy modernization has been a significant educational effort by Milligan the last couple of years. Milligan has been able to utilize a UW
Extension agricultural engineer's expertise over the last several years to make about 30 -40 farm visits regarding dairy modernization.
Currently a 150 -cow dairy is finishing the installation of a low cost parlor. This will reduce the time required to milk by an hour and the
next generation has indicated they will join the farm business as a result of the modernization efforts being done on the farm. This farm
has also added a freestall barn and is seeking information on dairy calf housing from Milligan.
This winter Milligan will also continue the Farm Business Arrangement educational programming efforts. There continues to be interest
in this area and support from agricultural lenders.
Community Resource Development Agent's Report
Kling gave an update on UWEX strategic planning. The overall UWEX institution is conducting strategic planning for the integration
with the 2 -year college system. At the county level, each UWEX office is conducting a strategic planning initiative to gather information
about county -wide issues as well as issues specific to each program area. Staff will compare existing educational programs with identified
needs and develop goals and objectives to meet those needs. The local strategic planning process will begin by developing a survey
instrument to use with multiple audiences. Staff will conduct brief face -to -face interviews with comity board committee chairs and
phone interviews with town board chairs and village /city mayors. UWEX partners and the public at large will be encouraged to complete
the survey after participating in an existing educational program and /or meeting. Results will be shared with the Extension Committee
and UWEX Western District and is scheduled for completion by December, 2007.
Kling gave an update on the Earth, Wind, and Fire project and handed out the new brochures. To date, the project has developed a
website www.bioeneMyf)rum.com received $50,000 in grant money, completed a brochure, and completed the first two of five
bioenergy roundtables. In the coming months the project will finalize the date for five spring bio- energy forums, complete remaining
roundtable discussions on woody biomass and agriculture, and sponsor a bioenergy tour.
Nutrition Educator and Nutrition Educator Coordinator's Report
Mary Lestrud, Nutrition Coordinator, and Martha Mabis, Nutrition Educator, discussed current programming in food security and
nutrition education in St. Croix County. Mabis' summer work with young low- income parents at WIC, involved educating them about
increasing their use of locally grown produce. Results show that 98% of WIC parents were planning to visit a local farmers' market this
year, an increase of 16% from last year. The current WIC focus is on Fast, Convenient and Cheap Meals. Coordination is being done with
HCE clubs, who will be providing bags of soup ingredients for hungry young families at WIC.
Mabis and Lestrud are working with the Food Resource Collaborative of St. Croix County to find ways to bring more food into the county
for hungry families. Current data shows that many young families are skipping meals or feeding children at the expense of parents to
make ends meet. :Lestrud is training New Richmond youth about hunger as they work to support the Empty Bowls program to be held in
New Richmond on Oct. 25th This program will raise money and awareness about local hunger issues. Lestrud and Mabis will attend a
Hunger Summit in Steven's Point to learn about more ways to reduce hunger locally and state -wide.
Lestrud and Mabis will team -teach a series of programs for low- income families in the St. Croix Central and Baldwin- Woodville school
districts. Parents and children will learn to cook healthy meals on a budget. Coordination with the Family Living Agent will involve
enrollment of drug court families trying to turn their lives around. Past classes have made a big impact for the families involved, as they
learn about the importance of family meals, taste new foods and learn cooking skills.
Horticulture Educator's Report
Direct Marketing, Small Business Start-up — Hilfiker reported that she assisted two new horticulture businesses develop this past
month. On -farm counseling and publications written by Hilfiker were provided. Hilfiker also facilitated a joint production counseling
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Agriculture and Extension Committee - October 2, 2007 Page 2 of 2
session with Dr. Brian Smith of UW -River Falls. The fruit farm is planning to plant the new Lydecker Plum developed by Dr. Smith. The
vegetable farm will be a new Community Supported Ag farm in the Star Prairie area.
Raymond moved to adjourn. Peavey seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned
Respectfully submitted,
Eugene Ruetz
Secretary
pmh
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