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Home My WebLink AboutAg & Extension 12-07-04 �C ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Clarence Malick, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Ronald Raymond, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Agriculture & Extension Committee DATE: December 7, 2004 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Agricultural Services & Education Center CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES ACTION ON VOUCHERS UNFINISHED BUSINESS: ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT • Federal Budget Report • State Budget Report • County Budget Report • Personnel • WACEC • Review of 2004 Budget End of Year Purchases FAMILY LIVING AGENT'S REPORT • Family Resource Center - Children's Holiday Shopping Fundraiser - Grow and Go Programs • HCE Planning for 2005 • Reading Festival • Jail Programming 4 -11 YOUTH AGENT'S REPORT • 4 -H Club Officer Training • Upcoming Jr. Leader Activities • Mediation with the Llama Committee • Plat Book Ad Sales • District Liaison Position AG AGENT'S REPORT Livestock, Farm Business Management and Agronomy Programming: • Beef Quality Assurance Program • Dairy Herd Health Conference • Ag Engineering Farm Visits • Low Cost Milking Parlor and Housing Conference • Building a Vision Programs • Dairy Road Show • Western Wisconsin Ag Lenders Conference • Beginner Farmer Workshop • Northwest Wisconsin Conservation Tillage Program HORTICULTURE AGENT'S REPORT RESOURCE AGENT'S REPORT • Cost of Community Services Study • Drinking Water Programs • Comprehensive Planning Workshops - Goal Setting - Public Participation • Economic Analysis NEW BUSINESS: ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order.) SUBMITTED BY: Kim Reaman DATE: November 23, 2004 COPIES TO: County Board Office County Clerk News Media/Notice Board Committee Members Y � r ' AGRICULTURE & EXTENSION COMMITTEE Tuesday, Dec 7, 2004 Ag Services & Education Center, Baldwin Convened: 9:00 a.m. Adjourned: 10:40 a.m. Present: Ronald Raymond, Jan Zoerb, Lois Burri, Bill Peavey, Gene Ruetz, Lee Milligan, Jim Janke, Kimberly Reaman, Mary Lestrud, and Martha Mabis Absent: Jon Behling The meeting was called to order by Chairman Ronald Raymond at 9:00 a.m. Date of next meeting was set for Tuesday, January 4, 2005 at 9:00 a.m. Bill Peavey moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. Gene Ruetz seconded the motion. Motion carried. Gene moved that the previous meeting's minutes be approved. Lois Burri seconded the motion. Motion carried. Lois moved that the vouchers be approved. Bill seconded the motion. Motion carried. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT Federal Budget Update - No report. State Budget Update - No report. County Budget - Reaman reviewed the 2004 budget. Depending on the final cost of the County Fair ribbon order, there could be between $2,000 and $4,000 left for end of year purchases. The staff has discussed the need for a folding machine and a scanner. Reaman will discuss the possibility of sharing the LCD scanner in the Engineering room with Heise. It is an efficient scanner, easily accessible to all who need it, and would only require mapping the UWEX computers to the building share directory. The staff will be meeting on Friday, Dec. 10 to review additional options for other end of the year purchases. WACEC Update - Ron Raymond agreed to be the representative to the WACEC Northwest District executive committee meeting on January 14 in Eau Claire. Performance Review - The committee would like to have an informal discussion about agent performance with Mike Perkl on Friday morning, March 4 and then have a tour and discussion at the John Vrieze farm. Mary Lestrud will check on Mr. Perkl's availability and Lee Milligan will coordinate with Mr. Vrieze. 1 • 'f 4 -H YOUTH AGENT'S REPORT Mediation with the Llama Committee: Reaman met with the parties involved in a disagreement over the llama project to determine a strategy to work together. An agreement was not reached and it became apparent during the meeting that one party was interested only in the showing aspect, not a well- rounded educational program. Leadership for the county llama project will continue to be provided by the current co- chairs. Unfortunately there are hurt feelings over the decision and a couple of families will not re- enroll in the llama project. District Liaison Position: The contract with the State 4 -H Program leader and USDA has been reduced to 25% time, which also reduces the District 4 -H Liaison position to 30 %. At this time, Reaman has decided not to pursue the opportunity unless discussion with the State Program Leader provides new information. RESOURCE AGENT'S REPORT Janke is working with the Planning Department and Extension Specialists to develop a proposal to examine the impact of agricultural use value taxation on the cost of community services. They are attempting to secure funding. Janke gave a brief update on the three drinking water testing programs that were held in September and October. 165 households participated. The first phase of the economic analysis project has been completed. Three goals have been identified by the study team. Action plans were developed and sub - groups are starting to implement them. AGRICULTURE AGENT'S REPORT Milligan coordinated two producer panel speakers for the Midwest Dairy Herd Health Conference in Eau Claire. The panelists were John Vrieze and Jim Lewis. They discussed low - cost bedding management practices and transition management of the dairy cow. Milligan and three UW- Extension specialists taught a pilot Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program to 21 western Wisconsin beef producers. Presentations and material were rated very well in the evaluations. Based on the experience of the presenters and suggestions from participants improvements will be made to the material. The winter educational opportunities will focus on dairy modernization, farm management and marketing, beef production and crop management practices. Upcoming winter meetings include: Low Cow Parlor and Housing Conference (District) Dairy Facilities Tour (Polk/Pierce /St. Croix) Ag Lender's Conference (District) Income Tax Management Seminar Building A Vision (Polk/Pierce /St. Croix) Farm Business Arrangements (District) Grain Marketing (Pierce /St. Croix) 2 Beef Cow Calf Seminar /Tour (District) Livestock Facilities Tour (Pierce/Polk/St. Croix Conservation Tillage Seminar (Pierce /St. Croix) Crop Production Seminar (Pierce /St. Croix) Alternative Ag Marketing Conference (District) Farm contacts include dairy stall design, corn dryer selection, dairy and livestock nutrition and housing issues, milk marketing, premise ID, manure management, milk quality issues, and farm management issues. FAMILY LIVING AGENT'S REPORT Martha Mabis, Nutrition Educator, discussed her current work with WIC clients, which includes a focus on happy and healthy holiday. She is helping low- income families understand the importance of including children in traditions, healthy eating, and continuing to get some physical exercise over the winter months. She is coordinating the "Venison to Feed the Hungry" program, which is growing every year. Hungry families appreciate being able to receive this additional source of protein in their diets, and also use the many venison recipes provided through this program. New Federal guidelines will no longer allow jail programming with the "Money for Food" program, which Martha has taught for many years. The federal government is tightening guidelines regarding only reaching food stamp eligible clients and believes that inmates don't fall in that category. Mary discussed her ongoing role to support the work of the St. Croix Family Resource Center. As incoming President of the Executive Board, her goals will be to secure stable funding and a program process for the long -term donor and public visibility program. She will work with the UW- Extension grant process to obtain some initial funding for database set -up, staff training, and staff follow -up with potential donors. She will also help the resource center pursue larger funding opportunities that are becoming available and look at expansion of services to Pierce and Polk County. Mary worked with the Children's Holiday Shopping Spree fundraiser, coordinating publicity and volunteer donations from HCE, 4 -H clubs, and the public. Mary discussed HCE programs, the aging of members, and her goal to improve the functioning of the Executive Board to encourage more input from members. Monthly programs have been planned for 2005. Mary does three leader training meetings for them each year at locations throughout the county as well as some special interest programs throughout the year. She showed pictures of their recent fall council meeting (attendance 85) where they discussed acceptance of others through a diversity program called For the Birds. Mary also worked with HCE and others to put on the l lth annual Reading Festival in October, which attracted about 150 children and 75 parents. Several parents have commented about how their children have become more interested in reading following the festival, and evaluation results from families that have attended for many years indicate that the festival helps their family focus on the importance of reading. Mary worked with United Way and the St. Croix Valley Community Foundation to sponsor an evaluation workshop, which also included private consultation with county non - profits and governmental departments (attendance 35). Extension specialist Ellen Taylor - Powell came from Madison to lead the workshop. Follow -up may result in further workshops and an informal group 3 of professionals who will work to collaborate on creating effective outcome measurements for their programs. Chair ruled meeting adjourned. Submitted by, Eugene Ruetz Secretary cz I 4