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Home My WebLink AboutAg & Extension 12-02-08 NOTICE OF MEETING AND ST. CROIX COUNTY AGRICULTURE & EXTENSION COMMITTEE December 2, 2008, 9:00 a.m. Agricultural Service and Education Center 1960 a Ave., Baldwin, WI CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING DATE OF NEXT MEETING — January 6, 2009 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: • Horticulture Agent - Horticulture Program Summary Report • Resource Agent - District Sustainable Energy meeting • 4 -H Youth Development - Update on Educational Programs for 4 -H Youth Development • Ag Agent - Educational Program Updates • Family Living Report • "EP Update ADJOURN SUBMITTED BY: Pete Kling DATE: November 19, 2008 Copies to: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Items may be taken in different order) 11/19/2008 2:29 PM Agriculture & Extension Committee December 2, 2008 Agricultural Service & Education Center Convened: 9 am Baldwin, WI Adjourned: 10:30 am Present: Gene Ruetz, Bill Peavey, Linda Luckey, Lee Milligan, Pete Kling, Joan Sprain, Marie Witzel, Martha Mabis, Mary Lestrud, Richard Marzolf, and Chuck Whiting. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Ruetz. Date of next meeting was set for January 6, 2009. Peavey moved that the previous meeting's minutes be approved. Ruetz seconded the motion. Motion carried. Peavey moved that the vouchers be approved. Luckey seconded the motion. Motion carried. Administrative Report Budgets: Whiting updated the committee on the County budget. Milligan updated the committee on the impact of the projected Wisconsin budget deficit on the UW- Extension budget. Ruetz noted the St. Croix County Board approved a resolution supporting the St. Croix County Fairplex. A copy has been passed on to the Fairplex fund raising committee. Other Administrative Items: Kling invited committee members to the December 16, 2008 all staff in- service at the Beaver Creek Preserve. The in- service will focus on UW- Extension programming related to energy efficiency and will include a discussion about potential cross programming activities. The WACEC executive committee will be attending to provide input on how this may be implemented on a more regional scale. Sprain reported that on Tuesday, December 9 a state review team will be spending a day with staff to review our efforts to reach underserved audiences (racially and ethnically diverse). At the January committee meeting, staff will share information from the review. Agricultural Agent's Report Milligan reported on the past educational meetings including the Parlor User's Group and Land Use Study Group. Milligan has been involved in a number of farm visits relating to budgeting, farm succession, and crop and dairy production issues. The Farm City Day evaluation has been completed and results will be shared at a later date. Milligan has developed a number of educational meetings including the Dairy Road Show, Crop Decision Webinar Series, Ag Lenders Conference, Reduced Tillage, Farm Management Seminar, and presentations to the Glenwood City High School agriculture classes. 1 Additional meetings are being planned for dairy production issues, farm succession and estate planning and dairy facilities tours. Horticulture Educator 2008 Summary Report Hilfiker provided a summary of her horticulture programs during 2008. Her program objectives for commercial fruit and vegetable growers included: 1) improving direct marketing skills 2) increasing marketing opportunities available in the St. Croix River Valley 3) increasing knowledge of integrated production management. To strategically achieve these objectives, two workshops were held on Increasing Farm Market Sales in the St. Croix River Valley, farmers' market surveys were conducted in Hudson and River Falls, and 101 growers were provided consulting on production and marketing issues. Direct marketing opportunities were increased by newspaper articles written by Hilfiker each month for local papers. Assistance was provided to start farmers' markets in Prescott and Hammond. A Dine Fresh, Dine Local event was held by the Buy Fresh, Buy Local Promotional Committee which Hilfiker is a member. The Western WI Farm Fresh Atlas was again developed and distributed to 45 locations in the two county area. Hilfiker also wrote a "Farm -to- School" grant with the dietician of the New Richmond Middle School which resulted in the school purchasing fruit and vegetables from eight local growers for a weekly "Local Foods Day" the first two months of school. Grocery store sales were also increased by Ruth's discussions with the mangers of local food co -ops, natural food and independent grocery stores. Hilfiker co- coordinated a Grape Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Field Day at Martel Vineyard this fall in Somerset with 35 attending and increasing their IPM knowledge by 64 %. Hilfiker discussed her program objectives for turf and ornamental businesses which include 1) increasing the use of environmental landscape management techniques and 2) increasing acreage of prairie habitat with larger land owners. To achieve these objectives Ruth organized a NR -151 Nutrient Management Planning Workshop in Hudson for 40 golf course, park, and school grounds managers. All attending developed draft plans. Twenty -six other turf and ornamental businesses were given individual consulting and eight land owners developed prairies. Hilfiker summarized her work with home and community horticulture including advising the St. Croix Community Garden whose 60 volunteers produced and donated 4,800 of produce during the growing season; all of which was donated to the less fortunate at 27 locations. Ruth taught 230 4`" graders in New Richmond how to plant a tree and each class planted an 8 -foot tree in Mary Park. Statistical summaries of Hilfiker's work included: 269 commercial horticulture businesses provided educational consulting and teaching by Hilfiker and 542 people were provided home and community horticulture advising and programs. Hilfiker's horticulture web site had 1,229 hits this year and her columns had a reach of 24,200. 4 -H Youth Development Agent Report 4 -H Youth Development Agent Marie Witzel updated the committee on several workshops held this month. The first was the club officer training which started with a session taught by Witzel on how to create a welcoming club environment for new families and included sessions taught by UW -River Falls Falcon 4 -H members to help youth prepare for their specific role as a club officer. There were about 40 youth attending the workshop. Witzel held a new volunteer orientation in November which trained 15 new adults to become 4 -H leaders. This training consists of an application (which allows a criminal background check), a workshop including more details about the St. Croix County 4 -H program, child abuse and how to work with youth and an enrollment form which includes a behavior expectation form signed annually by 2 volunteer leaders. She also discussed the new club leader training which 18 leaders attended. It focused on the charter system for 4 -H clubs, risk management and best financial practices. This is a new statewide annual training for club leaders. She also attended Tech Talk 2008 where she learned more technology ideas to help teach and work with youth. From that she learned more about Facebook, which has caused a couple problems in the county since she began. As a follow up she will be offering a technology training for adults and youth in 2009. Resource Agent Report Kling stated that the County Energy Committee had its first meeting November 18. Daryl Standafer was elected chair, Fred Horne, vice chair, and Jerry VanSomeren, secretary. The committee's next meeting will focus on developing a plan of action which will likely be linked to the County Board strategic initiative of reducing overall county energy consumption by 10% by 2013. Kling is working with the Planning and Zoning Department on the County's Comprehensive Plan update. Kling helped facilitate an issues and opportunities workshop in November where the County Citizen Advisory Committee identified key issues related to various plan elements. Other municipalities (Deer Park, Emerald, Richmond) who are in the process of writing their own plans also participated in the workshop. Family Living Agent Report Sprain reported that she was contacted by St. Croix County Behavioral Health to work together with others from the Substance Abuse Committee to create an educational effort to reduce underage drinking in the county. She also shared that the region has the highest teen binge drinking in the state. Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Richard Marzolf Secretary mh 3