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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAg & Extension 04-05-05 ST. CROIX COUNTY AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSON COMMITTEE April 5, 2005 Agricultural Service & Education Center Convened: 8:30 am Baldwin, Wi. Adjourned: 9:30 am Present: Ronald Raymond, Lois Burri, Bill Peavey, Gene Ruetz, Lee Milligan, Jim Janke, Kimberly Reaman, Jon Behling, Mary Lestrud, and Martha Mabis The meeting was called to order by Chairman Ron Raymond. Date of next meeting was set for May 3, 2005 Peavey moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. Burri seconded the motion. Motion carried. Burn moved that the previous meetings' minutes for March 1 and March 4 be approved. Ruetz seconded the motion. Motion carried. Peavey moved that the vouchers be approved. Raymond seconded the motion. Motion carried. Unfinished Business Staffing Discussion — Raymond reviewed the discussion with Mike Perkl, UWEX District Director from March 4th. Administrative Report Federal Budget - No report State Budget — No report. County Budget No report WACEC — Lestrud discussed the state WACEC conference in June and passed out registration materials. It was decided by the group that Lois Burri will procure an auction item to represent our county WACEC delegation." Administrative Appointment — Moved by Ruetz, second by Peavey to re- appoint the current Department Head model of shared leadership for administrative responsibilities: Reaman — primary county contact and budget; Milligan — primary state contact and personnel; Lestrud — WACEC contact, performance evaluation and marketing; Janke — staff meetings, civil rights compliance, technology and marketing. Motion passed. 1 4 -11 Youth Development Agent's Report Summer Assistant Position — Heidi Vanderloop has accepted the position and will begin on May 31 sc New Club Initiative — The focus of this campaign is solely on starting new clubs in the "Urban" counties identified in the Western District. Reaman had discussed the contract for the new club initiative with one of the summer assistant candidates. The candidate is unable to make a commitment due to transportation constraints. Plat Book — It has come to the 4 -H Leaders' Council attention that Cloud Cartographics, Inc is selling advertising for the "New St. Croix County Plat Book'. This is not the 4 -H sponsored plat book but a private company. Letters were sent to all the current advertisers in the book sponsored by 4 -H to inform them that Cloud Cartographics is soliciting advertising to publish a plat book and that those proceeds do not support the St. Croix County 4 -H program. Ag Agent Report i Milligan's educational efforts this winter has focused on four major areas: dairy production, agronomy, beef production, and farm management. Dairy production educational efforts included the Low -cost Parlor and Facilities Seminar, UWEX Dairy Team, Gaining a Competitive Advantage, and a small group tour to Western Minnesota to tour compost dairy barns. Milligan is hosting a two -day UWEX Dairy Team in- service in mid April. He has coordinated the topics and speakers. He has also coordinated a tour of Emerald Dairy and TMF facility Milligan is also coordinating a dairy facility tour in early April at the Haase and Kokowski dairies. Milligan is working with several producers on developing concept designs of low -cost parlors and cow and young stock housing. Milligan is also helping coordinate the April 22 St. Croix County Dairy Recognition Banquet. Summer dairy efforts will likely include an educational tour or meeting on compost barns Efforts in the agronomy area included two pesticide applicator training programs attended by over 70 producers. Thirty -eight crop producers participated in a reduced tillage meeting. A grain crops update was held. Milligan was invited to speak at Polfus Implement Appreciation Day on Asian soybean rust. Over 50 producers participated. This summer there will be a crop plot at the Emmert farm. The plot will feature demonstrations on tillage, diseases, and weed control. Milligan will also develop a corn silage and high moisture corn field day in late August. In mid April, Milligan will be sampling alfalfa fields for brown root rot. This is a new disease to Wisconsin and was found by Milligan in St. Croix County in 2004. Wisconsin UWEX agents are making an effort in 2005 to determine the extent of the disease in the state. Milligan hopes to collect 15 to 20 samples. 2 ST. CROIX COUNTY AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSON COMMITTEE April 5, 2005 Agricultural Service & Education Center Convened: 8:30 am Baldwin, Wi. Adjourned: 9:30 am Present: Ronald Raymond, Lois Burri, Bill Peavey, Gene Ruetz, Lee Milligan, Jim Janke, Kimberly Reaman, Jon Behling, Mary Lestrud, and Martha Mabis The meeting was called to order by Chairman Ron Raymond. Date of next meeting was set for May 3, 2005 Peavey moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. Burri seconded the motion. Motion carried. Burn moved that the previous meetings' minutes for March 1 and March 4 be approved. Ruetz seconded the motion. Motion carried. Peavey moved that the vouchers be approved. Raymond seconded the motion. Motion carried. Unfinished Business Staffing Discussion — Raymond reviewed the discussion with Mike Perkl, UWEX District Director from March 4th. Administrative Report Federal Budget - No report State Budget — No report. County Budget No report WACEC — Lestrud discussed the state WACEC conference in June and passed out registration materials. It was decided by the group that Lois Burri will procure an auction item to represent our county WACEC delegation." Administrative Appointment — Moved by Ruetz, second by Peavey to re- appoint the current Department Head model of shared leadership for administrative responsibilities: Reaman — primary county contact and budget; Milligan — primary state contact and personnel; Lestrud — WACEC contact, performance evaluation and marketing; Janke — staff meetings, civil rights compliance, technology and marketing. Motion passed. 1 4 -11 Youth Development Agent's Report Summer Assistant Position — Heidi Vanderloop has accepted the position and will begin on May 31 sc New Club Initiative — The focus of this campaign is solely on starting new clubs in the "Urban" counties identified in the Western District. Reaman had discussed the contract for the new club initiative with one of the summer assistant candidates. The candidate is unable to make a commitment due to transportation constraints. Plat Book — It has come to the 4 -H Leaders' Council attention that Cloud Cartographics, Inc is selling advertising for the "New St. Croix County Plat Book'. This is not the 4 -H sponsored plat book but a private company. Letters were sent to all the current advertisers in the book sponsored by 4 -H to inform them that Cloud Cartographics is soliciting advertising to publish a plat book and that those proceeds do not support the St. Croix County 4 -H program. Ag Agent Report i Milligan's educational efforts this winter has focused on four major areas: dairy production, agronomy, beef production, and farm management. Dairy production educational efforts included the Low -cost Parlor and Facilities Seminar, UWEX Dairy Team, Gaining a Competitive Advantage, and a small group tour to Western Minnesota to tour compost dairy barns. Milligan is hosting a two -day UWEX Dairy Team in- service in mid April. He has coordinated the topics and speakers. He has also coordinated a tour of Emerald Dairy and TMF facility Milligan is also coordinating a dairy facility tour in early April at the Haase and Kokowski dairies. Milligan is working with several producers on developing concept designs of low -cost parlors and cow and young stock housing. Milligan is also helping coordinate the April 22 St. Croix County Dairy Recognition Banquet. Summer dairy efforts will likely include an educational tour or meeting on compost barns Efforts in the agronomy area included two pesticide applicator training programs attended by over 70 producers. Thirty -eight crop producers participated in a reduced tillage meeting. A grain crops update was held. Milligan was invited to speak at Polfus Implement Appreciation Day on Asian soybean rust. Over 50 producers participated. This summer there will be a crop plot at the Emmert farm. The plot will feature demonstrations on tillage, diseases, and weed control. Milligan will also develop a corn silage and high moisture corn field day in late August. In mid April, Milligan will be sampling alfalfa fields for brown root rot. This is a new disease to Wisconsin and was found by Milligan in St. Croix County in 2004. Wisconsin UWEX agents are making an effort in 2005 to determine the extent of the disease in the state. Milligan hopes to collect 15 to 20 samples. 2 Farm management education efforts have focused on strategic planning and farm business analysis. Milligan taught 1.5 days of the 3 -day Building a Vision curriculum to sixteen producers. The Western Wisconsin Farm Income Tax Workshop was attended by over 25 people. Phil Harris, UWEX Farm Tax Attorney, was the guest speaker. Milligan is working with over 20 producers in helping them calculate their cost of production. This should be completed by the end of April. A beef cow /calf workshop was coordinated by Milligan at Triple C Farms. Fifty -four producers and youth participated. A livestock handling tour is being scheduled for late June at the Lund and Erickson farms. Milligan is working on finding a host for Farm City Day. Milligan taught a business planning session at the Marketing Alternatives for Small Farms. Seminar. Jon Behling and Milligan will continue their efforts in this area. Milligan is contemplating working with a UWEX forage specialist to develop a horse pasture management program. Horticulture Educator Report The Marketing Strategies for Small Producers workshop was held on Saturday April 2 2005. Sixty -two people participated with 14 speakers and 16 sessions held throughout the day. Comments were very positive from participants and a follow -up meeting on regional direct marketing will be held this coming summer. Resource Agent Report Janke said that funding has been made available through three sources to conduct Cost of Community Services Studies for four towns in Western Wisconsin. The Town of Richmond was selected for the first study, and the project is underway. Six clients received business management counseling in March. The most recent comprehensive planning workshop was held on March 16 with 23 participants. The next workshop is scheduled on April 27. Topics are the housing and intergovernmental elements. The series will end in May. Janke asked the committee to forward suggestions to him for future workshop topics. 3 Farm management education efforts have focused on strategic planning and farm business analysis. Milligan taught 1.5 days of the 3 -day Building a Vision curriculum to sixteen producers. The Western Wisconsin Farm Income Tax Workshop was attended by over 25 people. Phil Harris, UWEX Farm Tax Attorney, was the guest speaker. Milligan is working with over 20 producers in helping them calculate their cost of production. This should be completed by the end of April. A beef cow /calf workshop was coordinated by Milligan at Triple C Farms. Fifty -four producers and youth participated. A livestock handling tour is being scheduled for late June at the Lund and Erickson farms. Milligan is working on finding a host for Farm City Day. Milligan taught a business planning session at the Marketing Alternatives for Small Farms. Seminar. Jon Behling and Milligan will continue their efforts in this area. Milligan is contemplating working with a UWEX forage specialist to develop a horse pasture management program. Horticulture Educator Report The Marketing Strategies for Small Producers workshop was held on Saturday April 2 2005. Sixty -two people participated with 14 speakers and 16 sessions held throughout the day. Comments were very positive from participants and a follow -up meeting on regional direct marketing will be held this coming summer. Resource Agent Report Janke said that funding has been made available through three sources to conduct Cost of Community Services Studies for four towns in Western Wisconsin. The Town of Richmond was selected for the first study, and the project is underway. Six clients received business management counseling in March. The most recent comprehensive planning workshop was held on March 16 with 23 participants. The next workshop is scheduled on April 27. Topics are the housing and intergovernmental elements. The series will end in May. Janke asked the committee to forward suggestions to him for future workshop topics. 3 Planning continues for a Legislative Call Trip in 2006 to be coordinated with the Chippewa Valley Rally. Janke has applied for a grant to conduct a survey of entrepreneurial opportunities in the business services sector. Ruetz moved to adjourn. Peavey seconded the motion. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Gene Ruetz Secretary pmh 4