July 15, 2005
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
TWO BARGAINING UNITS COVERED BY PROPOSED
CONTRACT
Washington
State University and the Washington Federation of State Employees
(WFSE) have reached an agreement regarding bargaining
units 1 and 11. Details are available at WSU
Today online.
ERS REPORT ON AGRICULTURE AND FARM POLICY
The Economic
Research Service (ERS) of the U. S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) has just released a report, The 20th Century
Transformation of U. S. Agriculture and Farm Policy (EIB-3),
which examines the context of structural change and policy developments
in agriculture. The authors present data on farm structure variables
over the last century and highlight the long-term forces that have
helped shape the current structure of U. S. agriculture and
rural life. A review of key developments in farm policy points
to the
challenges faced by policymakers in keeping pace with the continuing
transformation of American agriculture. This report is complemented
by Milestones in U. S. Farming and Farm Policy which appeared in
the June 2005 issue of Amber Waves.
You can see an electronic version of both of these documents:
The 20th
Century Transformation of U. S. Agriculture and Farm Policy (EIB-3)
Milestones in U. S. Farming and Farm Policy I think you will find these publications to be of interest.
PULLMAN IS SITE FOR ANNUAL MASTER GARDENER
CONFERENCE
Our
annual WSU Master Gardener Conference is being held this year in
Pullman, September 7-9. The program includes over 40 workshops
which are being conducted by WSU faculty and staff as well as special
sessions with Dr. James Green, national horticulture leader for
USDA-CSREES. With a theme of "Citizen Scientists", this
year's conference features the first annual "Diagnostic Bowl",
modeled after College Bowl contests, where teams of volunteers
from counties statewide compete to accurately use their WSU training
to diagnose plant problems. For more information, see the conference
Web site or call the central
WSU Master Gardener office at 1-877-WSU-MG4U.
COUNTY CIVIL RIGHTS SUCCESS STORIES
County
Civil Rights success stories from 2004 are available online for
viewing. This is a great way to view what other counties are involved
in
and where they are having success in reaching out to diverse audiences
with the programs they offer. Questions, please contact Rebecca
Armstrong at
armstro@wsu.edu or 509-335-2822.
AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONALS INVITED TO APPLY FOR FREE RETREAT
This fall, the Quillisascut Farm School of the Domestic Arts
is offering a five-day immersion experience for Extension and
other agricultural professionals based in the Pacific Northwest.
The retreat includes cooking lessons with a professional chef
and cheese-making sessions with Quillisascut director Lora Lea
Misterly, whose artisan cheeses are a staple of upscale restaurants
and shops throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Participants will also harvest herbs, fruits and vegetables and
visit local small farms that are successfully engaging consumers
and contributing to a community food system. The retreat is
designed as a co-learning experience, and includes presentations
by specialists
in sustainable production, farm direct marketing, value-added
processing, and human health and nutrition.
The retreat is scheduled for October 10 - 14 in rural Stevens
County, north of Spokane. Eligible applicants are university
extension and other agricultural professionals from Washington,
Idaho, Oregon and Montana. Participants will be selected
based on their ability to contribute to the retreat, and to apply
the experience to their professional efforts to enhance the
sustainability
of farms, ranches and community food systems.
This project is co-sponsored by WSU Extension in Stevens
County and the WSU Small Farms Team. It is made possible
through a
grant from the Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research
and
Education (SARE) Program.
More details and an application form are available at www.smallfarms.wsu.edu.
The application deadline is August 1. Project Contact:
Al Kowitz, Director, WSU Stevens County Extension (509)
684-2588
or
akowitz@wsu.edu. CAHNRS/EXTENSION
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
Registration is now open for the
CAHNRS/Extension
Employee Development Conference for Oct. 18 -
20, 2005. Registration
is $50 and does not include hotel or travel. The closing date for
registration is October 10, 2005.
If you want a sneak preview at the programming the link above
will give you hotel, parking, and agenda information. The agenda
information is towards the bottom; the planning committee will
continue to add descriptions to the courses as they become available.
The planning committee is very excited about this year's program.
They have tried to provide a wide variety of topics. Please be
sure to share this with all your colleagues and staff of WSU. Questions
regarding the registration should be referred to Denise Boyd at
509-335-2954.
WSU BEEF INFORMATION DAY TO TARGET MARKETING
"The Changing Beef Market" will be the focus of WSU
Beef Information Day scheduled September 24th, 9:00 am - 4:15 pm
at the Inn of the Lake (formerly the Hallmark Inn), Moses Lake,
WA.
An outstanding group of speakers who have responded to changing
beef demand with creative production and marketing programs, both
regionally and nationally are scheduled to speak including: Bill
Mies, vice president of national accounts sales eMerge Interactive,
College Station, Texas who will keynote the event.
Other topics on the program include:
- how the beef consumer has changed
- challenges and opportunities for producers in strategic alliances
- creative programs focusing on niche markets
- modern marketing avenues.
A $40 per person registration fee includes lunch.
To register or for additional contact Art Linton at (509) 786-9268
or at
alinton@wsu.edu.
AWARD RECIPIENTS
1. NATIONAL EXTENSION ASSOCIATION FOR FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
(NEAFCS) Continued Excellence Award
Betty Meloy, Grant County
During Betty's 12 1/2 years with WSU Extension she has made significant
impacts in a number of areas: diabetes education, financial management
education, nutrition and food safety education. In addition she
manages the food Stamp Nutrition Education Program.
NEAFCS Distinguished Service Award
Lana Cruse, Kittitas County
Two things Lana excels at are networking with community partners
and empowering volunteers. Lana has won national awards for work
in radio, packaged programs, feature stories and television.
She has had a successful school enrichment program with published
curriculum.
NEAFCS Mary W. Wells Diversity Award and Community Partnership
Award
Lana Cruse, Kittitas County
Lana Thomas Cruse is Washington's winner of the NEAFCS Mary W.
Wells Diversity Award for the Dia de los Niño's celebration
of children, diversity and literacy. This is a team award in
which Lana provided her organizational and publicity skills to
make this a successful community event, where families and youth
could attend 30 minute mini sessions, visit resource booths,
and participate in interactive stations. About one third of the
several hundred attending were Hispanic families.
2. WASHINGTON EXTENSION AGENTS AND SPECIALIST ASSOCIATION (WEASA)
and NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY AG AGENTS (NACAA) Awards
Service Awards
WEASA and NACAA Achievement Award - Tip Hudson, Grant County
WEASA- Presidential Leadership Award to Susan Kerr, Klickitat County
Communication Awards
NACAA- Search for Excellence National Finalist, Susan Kerr and
Brian Tuck, Oregon State University, for the Young, Beginning,
Small Farmers and Ranchers Program
NACAA- Regional Finalist in Learning Module, Susan Kerr, for the
4-H CCS Veterinary Science Materials
NACAA- National Finalist for Fact Sheet Development, Susan Kerr,
Linda Williams and Brian Tuck, for "Poultry and Green House
Resources for Small Scale Producers"
3. WASHINGTON STATE 4-H AGENTS ASSOCIATION (WS4-HA) and NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF EXTENSION 4-H AGENTS (NAE4-HA) Awards
Service Awards
-Achievement in Service Award to Jeanette Cornwall and Jan Klein
-Distinguished Service Award to Karen Robertson and Melodee Hanson
-Meritorious Service Award to Ann Hennings
-25 year awards to M. Christine Price, Jan Hiller, Dan Fagerlie,
Ann Hennings, Pat BoyEs and Melodee Hanson
Communication Awards
-State Winner in Educational Package Team- Susan Kerr and team
for 4-H CCS Vet Science Materials -State Winner in Diversity
Award- Lana Thomas Cruse for Día de los Ninos -Tie for
State Winner in Excellence in Teamwork for Elementary Agriculture
---Appreciation Day Julie Sorensen, Lana Thomas Cruse, Tip Hudson
and Sarah M. Smith -Tie for State Winner in Excellence in Teamwork-
for Día de los Ninos Lana Thomas Cruse and team -State
Winner and Regional Finalist for Promotional Piece Team- Mark
Heitstuman and MJ Meyer -State Winner in Published Photo- Karen
Robertson for picture of a boy tying knots in the Horse CCS curriculum
SCHEDULE
Linda is on annual leave through July 31st.
Next week Ed will be in Pullman Wednesday and in Spokane the rest
of the week.
Linda Kirk Fox, PhD
Dean and Director
Washington State University Extension
411 Hulbert Hall, PO Box 646230
Pullman, WA 99164-6230
509-335-2933 Office
509-335-9223 Desk/Voicemail
509-335-2926 FAX
lkfox@wsu.edu
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