Extension Trends 2019

Page 1

Extension

TRENDS

Practical education you can trust.

2019

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 1


A Message from the Director University of Idaho Extension had another banner year in 2019 helping individuals, businesses and communities solve problems, develop skills and build a better future. While this report contains the impact of our work in 2019, the first few months of 2020 have so dramatically impacted our world, I want to give you a brief update on how we have pivoted into the remote working environment and have been innovative in continuing to provide research based education to Idahoans. We have responded to questions and have continued to conduct field visits while maintaining social distance and safe hygiene practices. A few examples of how we have developed new resources or have revamped existing programs include the following: • A Sheep and Goat Webinar Series has been offered weekly since the first of April 2020. In addition to the weekly live webinars, videos of the presentations are available on the UI Extension Livestock YouTube channel. A new sheep and goat website was developed to provide additional information and resources. • Ag Talk Tuesdays are presented weekly by UI Extension personnel to discuss current crop issues and timely topics and are being offered virtually in 2020. Newsletters and the schedule of speakers can be found online. • COVID-19 Impact Planning Report was created by the UI Extension Rural Studies program as a unique resource for community leaders that links counties in Idaho to COVID -19 related data in real-time. • The UI Extension Idaho Victory Garden program is now available free of charge through December 31, 2020. This popular course teaches Idahoans how to plan, plant and harvest safe, healthy, homegrown produce. • UI Extension 4-H Youth Development has moved online by teaching animal science lessons, introduction to cooking, photography, entomology and other projects—a 10 session webinar series was viewed at 458 different sites in Central Idaho. A list of 4-H resources to be used at home is available. • “Don’t Corona My Cash” is an eight-class series developed by the UI Extension personal finance team. These classes were designed to help Idaho residents deal with financial issues brought on due to the pandemic. Recordings of the webinars are available online. • Additional classes can be found on our online calendar and cover a variety of topics. We are anxious to interact with you face to face again as we continue to help the people of Idaho build a better future. UI Extension will work hard by your side as we rebound from COVID-19 as we build a thriving, prosperous, healthy Idaho. Stay safe and healthy!

Barbara Petty Director, University of Idaho Extension

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UIBYExtension THE NUMBERS

73,478

$63k

estimated savings per year for Stockmanship School participants because of adoption of the practices they learned from the program.

Participants in 4-H Youth Programming

$5,504,173 in savings for growers who subscribed to PNWPestAlert.net alerts which resulted in 85,500 fewer gallons of chemicals into the environment.

Federal: $3,045,081 State: $12,737,309 County: $5,439,219 Grants: $4,768,420

2019 EXTENSION FACTS 87 UI Extension Educators

$58.18 &

$23.33

estimated saving per acre for farmers and ranchers that participated in Beginning Farmer and Rancher programs because of changes they are planning to make in their financial goals.

5% $760 decrease in rejected Idaho potatoes because of systemwide demonstrations by UI Extension faculty of better methods of harvest, saving approximately $500,000 per year for Idaho potato growers.

FUNDING BREAKDOWN

per week saved in food dollars by cooking school participants who changed practices based on the program.

92%

32 UI Extension Specialists 832,352 Web Page Views 440,793 Face-to-Face Interactions 90 Peer-reviewed Publications 65 Professional and Scientific Journal Articles

UI EXTENSION ADVISORY COUNCIL • • • • • • • • • • •

Mary Schmidt Russ Zenner Caroline Troy Sherm Takatori Gretchen Hyde Clark Kauffman Arlene Shaw Cathy Roemer Arnold Callison Joy Boyle Will Ricks

of Logger Education to Advance Professionalism program participants reported that they will improve their forestmanagement practices.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 3


EXTENSION TRENDS: ADA COUNTY

University of Idaho Extension, Ada County • www.uidaho.edu/ada • 208-287-5900

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 27,299 direct contacts • 5,241 youth participants • 373 volunteers • 23,773 volunteer hours • $298,000 extramural funding

UI Extension Educators Ariel Agenbroad ariel@uidaho.edu Community Food Systems & Small Farms Susan Bell sbell@uidaho.edu Horticulture

Andrew Bingham abingham@uidaho.edu Family & Consumer Sciences and Financial Management Sendy Martinez smartinez@uidaho.edu 4-H Youth Development

Bridget Morrisroe-Aman bridgeta@uidaho.edu Family & Consumer Sciences

Allen Taggart taggart@uidaho.edu 4-H Youth Development

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In 2019, UI Extension Educator Bridget Morrisroe-Aman organized and facilitated eight trainings for Master Food Safety Advisors, including teaching at four of the trainings. A total of 44 Master Food Safety Advisor volunteers were recertified and trained. These volunteers reached 1,236 contacts, taught six food safety classes and disseminated food safety information at seven outreach events. These volunteers contributed 913 volunteer hours, valued at $22,040 ($25.43/hour independent sector rate.) Morrisroe-Aman also partnered with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to deliver the Prevent T2 Diabetes Prevention Program. Four series of the program were presented from 2017-2019 and four are currently ongoing, one offered in Spanish. In 2019, a total of 60 Idahoans participated with 9.9 pounds average weight loss. Educator Andrew Bingham developed a finance themed escape room program in partnership with local libraries. The program was designed to engage youth and families in a topic that is generally not addressed often enough or discussed at length. In its preliminary stages the program reached 148 individuals and has engaged with 13 library partners to run the program once life returns to normal. Many Ada County youth face challenges regarding physical and mental health, college and career readiness, and access to quality youth programming. To help combat these issues, Educators Allen Taggert and Sendy Martinez have worked extensively with community partners (school districts, libraries and youth-serving nonprofit organizations) to reach underserved audiences and engage thousands of youth in high quality and engaging 4-H positive youth development programs. Programs include the annual 4-H Know Your Government Conference, FIRST LEGO League Tournament, the overnight 4-H Adventure Camp in Donnelly, and participation at the 2019 Western Idaho Fair. Through these kinds of activities and programs, youth were engaged by caring adults in transformative educational experiences that prepare them with the leadership skills they need to be active citizens, healthier and prepared for life. UI Extension Area Educator Ariel Agenbroad launched the Harvest Heroes Veteran Beginning Farming and Gardening program in 2019, the first of its kind in the state, providing a year-long hands-on training and mentoring program to 10 US Military Veterans and their families in the Treasure Valley. Additionally, she leads the Cultivating Success Small Farms Education program that continues to refine and innovate with in-person and online courses, webinars, publications and mentoring to beginning small scale farmers and ranchers in Ada County and those marketing to Ada County consumers.


Horticulture educator Susan Bell leads robust volunteer development programs with 35 first year Master Gardeners, 70 Advanced Master Gardeners, and 20 Master Composters. These volunteers donate approximately 5,500 hours annually, teaching classes in the community and staffing the free Plant Diagnostic Clinic for the public.

day camps in Ada and Canyon counties. In Ada, MOSS provided programming for Boise Parks and Recreation and NeighborWorks Boise reaching over 70 underserved youth. Ada County 4-H also participated in the Book and a Bite program in Kuna, engaging with hundreds of youth in handson activities.

4-H in Ada County

More than 35 community members came together to help youth evaluate the achievements they made in their 4-H projects, including representatives from the Idaho Human Society, YMCA, Idaho Out-of-School Network, Boise Parks and Recreation, Foothills Learning Center, Boise WaterShed Education Center, and more.

Ada County 4-H offers programming in four formats: clubs, short-term programs, in-school enrichment and camps. Over 30 4-H clubs in Ada County are led by 110 certified adult volunteers which meet regularly throughout the year and complete projects on a variety of topics. Short-term 4-H programs are offered seasonally by 4-H staff and volunteers to all youth interested in joining 4-H. In-school enrichment activities regarding financial education, healthy living and robotics are offered free of charge to schools. 4-H day camps and overnight adventure camps are offered during the spring and summer to all youth. A 4-H Yoga for Kids program was delivered at three sites in Ada County, reaching 64 youth. Program evaluations show 89% of youth reported that exercising is fun and helps them to relax, 58% have shown yoga poses to family members, and 69% have done yoga at home. Youth expressing that exercise is fun is an important social well-being indicator. Approximately 50 youth participated in Yoga for Kids at Hays House— Idaho Youth Ranch and at the Mountain Home Air Force Base as part of the Idaho Air National Guard Day Camps. The University of Idaho’s McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS) partnered with UI Extension 4-H to provide

On the Horizon Bingham has created a social security program and has presented it a handful of times to well-attended classes. Due to recent circumstances and feedback from those classes, the class will be taught online to reach more audiences. A plan to turn the class into a series by adding more social security and Medicare sections is being considered. This summer, Ada County 4-H will partner with Boise Parks and Recreation (eight locations), Boys and Girls Club—Moseley Center, NeighborWorks Boise, Idaho Youth Ranch—Hays House, and Meridian Parks and Recreation to focus on STEAM, short-term 4-H projects, health and nutrition and virtual programming with a goal of reaching over 300 youth for the summer. Staff will work with both Ada County and Expo Idaho to determine the best way to still honor and celebrate 4-H youth during the Western Idaho Fair while maintaining precautions for COVID-19. National 4-H Week and 4-H Open House will be held again this fall. Next spring the new Idaho Outdoor Quest event will be held with several outdoors-focused community partners. A 4-H Soccer for Success program in tandem with the U.S. Soccer Foundation and local community partners will be launched in the near future. The UI Extension Ada County Master Gardener and Advanced Master Gardener programs went into online classes this year for the first time. In addition to the transition to virtual classes, the Advanced Master Gardeners all agreed to call some of the new first year Master Gardeners to cheer them during the COVID-19 quarantine. This phone tree project received positive feedback from the first year Master Gardeners with many new friendships made. Agenbroad will continue to assist farmers markets across the Treasure Valley with resources such as the Adapting Farmers Markets webinar. This webinar taught farmers markets how they can adapt to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines so that they could still operate this summer. She will continue to help farmers markets adapt and innovate throughout the year.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 5


EXTENSION TRENDS: ADAMS COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Adams County • www.uidaho.edu/adams

2019 Impact The Ranchers Feeding Youth program offered by UI Extension, Adams County continues to provide programs to schools in Adams, Valley and Washington counties. This event features a half day of youth instruction about the beef cattle industry, including information about the byproduct uses of cattle, day-to-day ranch life, and how the industry protects natural resources. Volunteers attend 3-4 schools a year and also provide a local beef lunch prepared by local ranchers. Impacts show an increase in knowledge and more awareness of the beef industry and the different aspects of the rural lifestyle so closely tied to the industry.

2019 By the Numbers • 1,287 direct contacts • 1,129 youth participants • 15 volunteers • 100 volunteer hours • $2,000 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Adams County: Dean Dryden, Sandy Dryden, Dave Veselka, Shirley Florence, Sara Swain, Debbie Ellis, Meredith Bakula, Robyn Boyd, Fran Ogden and Weiser River Cattle Association leadership members.

UI Extension Educator Tyanne Roland 208-253-4279 tyanne@uidaho.edu

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UI Extension, Adams County also offers cattle industry learning opportunities including beef quality assurance classes for local producers. A new beef transportation quality assurance class and certificate is being offered in response to new mandatory requirements at some processing facilities.

4-H in Adams County The UI Extension, Adams County 4-H program continues to show growth in participation and new club offerings. Youth continue to attend district events like the 4-H Adventure Camp and state events like the Know Your Government Conference. Additionally, UI Extension, Adams County continues to offer the Idaho 4-H Rangeland Skill-a-thon and a 4-H curriculum has been published for teams to use to prepare for the annual competition.

On the Horizon The Adams County 4-H market beef program is seeing a marked increase in participation. In 2020, 13 market steers were weighed in Adams County. In previous years the average market steers at fair were four. This increase provides more opportunities for teaching beef-centric programs and support to the next generation of beef producers.


EXTENSION TRENDS: BANNOCK COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Bannock County • www.uidaho.edu/bannock

2019 Impact UI Extension Educator Reed Findlay worked with a group of field men, growers, specialists and educators to study thrips in alfalfa in Blackfoot and Mud Lake. This is a new pest and is a growing concern with clients. Initial survey results were presented at the Idaho Hay and Forage Conference. A regression equation was developed that will assist growers in determining the economic threshold of this pest and when to initiate control measures. An additional year of monitoring will be needed due to the late spring and unusual growing season this year.

2019 By the Numbers • 6,133 direct contacts • 3,715 youth participants • 46 volunteers • 6,675 volunteer hours • $65,647 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Bannock County: Lisa Hargraves, Curtis Austin, John McNabb, Ernie Moser, Teresa Von Busch and Karl Petit.

UI Extension Educators Reed Findlay 208-236-7310 rfindlay@uidaho.edu

Laura Foist 208-236-7307 laurafoist@uidaho.edu

Nikola Dalton 208-236-7312 nmdalton@uidaho.edu

Findlay also assisted UI Extension beef specialist Jim Sprinkle with water quality monitoring at the Mink Creek grazing allotments—work that is vital to ranchers. This study is designed to cast additional light on the source (cattle as well as wildlife, dogs and humans) of fecal coliform in the area. Past government studies did not use genetic markers to identify species contributions and thus cattle were assumed to be the primary contributors. This study has shown human contributions to be the main factor in fecal coliform contamination.

4-H in Bannock County The 4-H program continues to grow in Bannock County. The number of beef projects at the 2019 fair more than doubled and all projects were similar or higher. In 2019, nearly 100 youth from Oneida, Bannock, Butte and Teton counties attended 4-H Alpine Camp. Over 60 were youth from Bannock County. Faculty and staff provide a three-day training for camp counselors and counselors in training, which gives teens the tools they need to improve their leadership, conflict management and organization skills. A partnership through the 21st Century Afterschool program in the Pocatello/Chubbuck school district provided robotics programming to three elementary and one middle school program. UI Extension, Bannock County hosts the regional 4-H FIRST LEGO League competition in the fall with more than 12 teams competing. The Build Your Future program was brought to Marsh Valley High School, teaching students about career development and financial skills.

On the Horizon Findlay is studying the viability and agronomics of teff grass in Idaho. With new grant monies, the effects of planting date and harvest cutting height on teff grass production will be studied. This is a c-4 grass that has not been used as a pasture grass in Idaho. This year’s results show that even a late planting of teff can match yields of traditional grass forage crops. UI Extension Educator Nikola Dalton is bringing the Dabble in Dissection program to the county. The class has been taught to 37 youth through the homeschool community and a program has started at Marsh Valley High School. Dalton is leading the Idaho 4-H Rangeland Skill-a-thon team and hosting the competition in fall 2020 and is working with teams across the state on teen program evaluation, Leadership NOW! And the Volunteer Learning Network. UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 7


EXTENSION TRENDS: BEAR LAKE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Bear Lake County • www.uidaho.edu/bearlake

2019 Impact Youth are learning skills and life lessons through their involvement in UI Extension, Bear Lake County 4-H clubs and 4-H day camps. There is an increase in the number of teens that are involved in leadership activities such as Know Your Government. Youth are learning technology skills through 4-H activities presented in local schools. In the area of livestock production, clientele increased their knowledge and skills in stockmanship, farm and ranch management, and range and livestock management. Clientele also gained knowledge and skills in community development including farm succession and estate planning.

4-H in Bear Lake County 2019 By the Numbers • 10,066 direct contacts • 165 youth participants • 22 volunteers • 467 volunteer hours • $3,403 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Bear Lake County: JC Price, Jeff Smith, Scott Wells, Blake Wells, Danial Hardcastle, Mary Jensen, Jason Crane, Valerie Crane, Kevin Wells and Brandee Wells.

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Bear Lake County 4-H has a strong participation in 4-H day camps. In addition, the traditional club program is growing. The 4-H assistant restarted the 4-H horse program after 5-6 years without a program. The 4-H dog program is also active again after a few years without a dog club. Approximately 97% of market livestock members completed their projects.

On the Horizon The UI Extension, Bear Lake County staff are moving the 4-H livestock participants to traditional clubs and instituting the new online record book. Although Alpine 4-H Camp will be closed due to COVID-19, a 4-H camp will be hosted locally at the end of the summer.


EXTENSION TRENDS: BENEWAH COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Benewah County • www.uidaho.edu/benewah

2019 Impact Moving to a new office in 2019 allowed UI Extension, Benewah County to reach a broader audience and increased technology access for participants. The connected classroom allows for trainings to volunteers and community members that otherwise would not have been possible. The new office also makes it easier to offer the afterschool program that serves more than 40 youth four days a week with tutoring, mentoring, and STEM education. The afterschool program operates in a remote, rural area of the county where youth do not otherwise have access to materials or instructors.

2019 By the Numbers • 6,133 direct contacts • 1,063 youth participants • 46 volunteers • 6,675 volunteer hours • $125,202 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Benewah County: Becky Harold, Windy Sotin, Erin Reid, Sally Grant, Gretchen Aasgard, Nancy Malensky and Liesa Anderson.

UI Extension Educators Gail Silkwood 208-245-2422 gsilkwood@uidaho.edu

Chris Schnepf 208-446-1680 cschnepf@uidaho.edu

Day camps are popular with local youth and feature new topics each year. The annual Sixth Grade Natural Resource Tour is a once in a lifetime experience for youth in the St. Maries and Kootenai school districts. This overnight camping tour explores many historical and geological sites common only to Benewah and Shoshone Counties. Idaho Master Gardener volunteers provide assistance to citizens regarding home horticulture and hands-on experience in maintaining several garden areas including along Main Street in St. Maries and at the Benewah County Fairgrounds.

4-H in Benewah County The Benewah County 4-H program serves over 300 youth through traditional clubs and group programming. Twenty-six volunteers oversee 17 clubs and 196 youth enrolled in various projects. The 4-H program also provided day camp programs to 161 youth in 2019. The 4-H program served as a pilot for the new Idaho 4-H electronic record books in 2019. Benewah County is not known for technology access or connectivity, but with the access in the new office, 22 record book trainings were offered, necessary volunteer training was completed, and access to U of I virtual programs was offered—resources that would not have been available to many participants otherwise. The new Benewah County 4-H Ambassador program has six youth leading teen programming and promotion. The ambassadors hosted the annual open house enrollment night, participated in Christmas in St. Maries, spoke to local community organizations, created presentations about leadership, and are training to be technical assistants for electronic record books.

On the Horizon UI Extension, Benewah County hopes to engage new audiences through a partnership with The Milling Center, a new youth and family community center in St. Maries. Programs will continue to expand, and new programs will be offered through the UpRiver Afterschool program, the Kootenai School District's Afterschool program, the Annual Sixth Grade Resource Tour, and upcoming gardening, agriculture, forestry, natural resources, food preservation, youth camps, and 4-H programs.

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EXTENSION TRENDS: BINGHAM COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Bingham County • www.uidaho.edu/bingham

2019 Impact UI Extension Educator Reed Findlay worked with a group of field men, growers, specialists and educators to study thrips in alfalfa in Blackfoot and Mud Lake. This is a new pest and is a growing concern with clients. Initial survey results were presented at the Idaho Hay and Forage Conference. A regression equation was developed that will assist growers in determining the economic threshold of this pest and when to initiate control measures. An additional year of monitoring will be needed due to the late spring and unusual growing season this year.

2019 By the Numbers • 6,882 direct contacts • 2,379 youth participants • 67 volunteers • 545 volunteer hours • $67,181 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Bingham County: Kellie Park, Lloyd Tolman, Nola Cates, Clarence Peck, Jessica Lewis, Brooklyn Ellis, Conner Reid, Keith Salisbury, Ryan Searle and LeRie Peck.

UI Extension Educators Reed Findlay 208-236-7310 rfindlay@uidaho.edu

Julie Buck 208-785-8060 jhbuck@uidaho.edu

Meranda Small 208-785-8060 msmall@uidaho.edu

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Findlay also assisted UI Extension beef specialist Jim Sprinkle with water quality monitoring at the Mink Creek grazing allotments— work that is vital to ranchers. This study is designed to cast additional light on the source (cattle as well as wildlife, dogs and humans) of fecal coliform in the area. Past government studies did not use genetic markers to identify species contributions and thus cattle were assumed to be the primary contributors. This study has shown human contributions to be the main factor in fecal coliform contamination. Educator Julie Buck taught four Dining with Diabetes class series to 11 participants and held two reunion meetings with nine participants. She also participated in Cooking Under Pressure workshops with nearly 400 people attending throughout southeast Idaho. A survey of participants indicated that 58% would use their electric pressure cooker 3–5 times per week and 20% 1–2 times per week after attending the workshop. A Cooking Under Pressure for Youth class was taught to 18 students at Firth High School with 55% reporting increased confidence in using an electric pressure cooker. Buck also taught Welcome to the Real World to 23 students at Independence High School, 69 students at Snake River Junior High School and 20 students at Firth High School. An average of 97% of participants reported that they had learned about the relationship between education and earning money. A curriculum taught at the Blackfoot Senior Citizen Center and Shelley Senior Center, Downsize and Organize, taught participants about the options and benefits to being organized. In livestock programming, UI Extension Educator Meranda Small worked with the county weed department to host a producer’s seminar to deliver information on nutritional requirements of beef cattle during calving season and colostrum management in calves. She also worked with colleagues to provide education to consumers on beef production and products, specifically discussing the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program. Small provided training and certification on BQA at several


feed yards and was invited to a sponsored BQA training to provide information on weaning and preconditioning. She also helped organize and host a two-part beef school series and continues to help a local grazing association with annual bull grading.

4-H in Bingham County Small delivered information on farm animals and livestock quality assurance to school groups on a field trip at an area corn maze in 2019. She also worked with a local FFA instructor to organize and host a horse day camp about hoof health and care. Livestock day camps were offered, focusing on different digestive tracks. Youth participating in 4-H dairy cattle project were able to tour a working dairy. Small is also responsible for managing DNA and tagging protocol for 4-H livestock animals participating at the Eastern Idaho State Fair. Bingham County volunteered several 4-H clubs to pilot electronic record books that rolled out for 2020. The Bingham County 4-H program also provided information on farm animals to a special needs class at area elementary school with assistance from other youth 4-Hers. Buck taught Cooking 101 at Stalker Elementary and Mountain View Middle School, Welcome to the Real World and Cooking Under Pressure for Youth at Independence and Blackfoot High Schools, and Food Pantry Cook-off at Blackfoot and Independence High Schools. As a result of the food insecurity education, two students developed a food pantry at Blackfoot High School as part of their senior projects. Buck also attended the 4-H Alpine Camp and

conducted a service project for veterans. She also assists with day camps and is the co-chair of the Eastern Idaho State Fair 4-H demonstration contest.

On the Horizon Findlay is studying the viability and agronomics of teff grass in Idaho. With new grant monies, the effects of planting date and harvest cutting height on teff grass production will be studied. This is a c-4 grass that has not been used as a pasture grass in Idaho. This year’s results show that even a late planting of teff can match yields of traditional grass forage crops. Small is assisting with the Idaho Young Cattle Producers Conference, organizing and hosting a Beef Consumer Workshop with the support of the Bingham County Farm Bureau and will be working with an area cattle association to provide BQA training for their entire membership. Buck has five research articles in final stages to be submitted in 2020: National Dining with Diabetes curriculum effectiveness data, Water Bottle Study, Nutrition and Healthy Aging, Food Pantry Cook-off project, and the Cognition and Yogurt study. She is also part of the University of Idaho Food Safety proposal to study hard surfaces and viral transmission of pathogens and co-teaches the Preserve@Home online food preservation course and the Eastern District food preservation course. The Mealtime Inspirations event will be held for the 11th year, with a focus on meal planning for 2020. Nutrition and health classes will include Dining with Diabetes, food preservation, sewing, and Welcome to the Real Word.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 11


EXTENSION TRENDS: AREA EDUCATORS

UI EXTENSION NORTHERN DISTRICT COMMUNITY 2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 4,859 direct contacts • $956,838 extramural funding

UI Extension Area Educator Colette DePhelps 208-885-4003 cdephelps@uidaho.edu

Centrally located on the University of Idaho’s Moscow campus, UI Extension Area Educator Colette DePhelps provides leadership and facilitation for education and applied research in community food systems and small farms across the Northern UI Extension District’s ten-county area. The Northern District Community Food Systems program has been instrumental in increasing the number and success of small farms and ranches in the region, improving and expanding local/regional distribution networks, strengthening direct and intermediated markets for local food and farm products, and expanding collaboration across multiple food systems sectors. DePhelps serves as the statewide leader of the Idaho Cultivating Success program, providing timely education for small farmers and ranchers. In 2019 the program hosted 15 free, small farm production, marketing, and on-farm food safety webinars and created a YouTube channel featuring over 85 education videos. The Moscow-based Cultivating the Harvest Small Farm Conference was held in 2019 with 84 participants receiving research-based production information and farmer-to-farmer learning opportunities. DePhelps responded to the land access needs of beginning farmers by spearheading the development and launch of the Idaho Farm Link website, which made 33 land seeker-land owner introductions in 2019. She also conducted a train-the-trainer program for Extension educators and other agricultural professionals, resulting in 24 newly certified land access trainers in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. To address the growing interest in sustainably produced artisan grains for the craft brewing, distilling and baking industries, UI Extension, in collaboration with the Washington State University Food Systems program, co-hosted an Inland Northwest Artisan Grains conference in Moscow. Attended by 148 growers, processors, brokers, investors, policy makers, researchers and educators, the conference included 40 presentations, three hands-on classes, three field tours and three culinary experiences. Participants reported building new relationships, gaining knowledge directly applicable to their existing operations and identifying next steps for engaging with and developing the local grain economy. A new UI Extension program, Idaho Food Works, has reached over 995 people through innovative online storytelling mediums including: two ESRI ArcGIS Story Maps; a local food cooking blog; and, the national StoryCorps Archive. In addition to online programming, DePhelps co-hosted the annual 2019 Palouse-Clearwater Food Summit. Attended by 135 community members and local food practitioners and 17 youth, this annual conference built awareness of local food systems initiatives, food science, culinary breeding and food security research and resulted in new cross-sector food system relationships.

www.uidaho.edu/extension/small-farms Page 12 | UI Extension Trends 2019


Y FOOD SYSTEMS DePhelps conducted assessments of the farmers markets in Moscow, Plummer, Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry to identify ways to increase market performance and document market sales. Data from the Moscow Farmers Market assessments was used by UI College of Business and Economics faculty to assess the market’s economic impact. The economic impact data is being used by the Moscow Farmers Market Commission and Moscow City Council to evaluate the return on the City’s investment in the market and guide budgetary decisions. Providing support, education and resources for women farmers to grow their agricultural operations and increase their financial success is an important component of DePhelps’ small farm programming. DePhelps is a co-researcher on a newly funded USDA grant that aims to increase the prosperity of women farmers, their families, and rural communities through research and Extension activities. The primary objective of the Extension team, for which DePhelps is the lead, will be to foster success and sustainability of beginning women farmers and ranchers by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions and access available resources.

and Extension project is underway. The overall purpose of the project is to support scaling-up small-farm production to increase farm-family income, improve family and community well-being, and build more resilient and robust food systems in rural areas. As the lead UI Extension researcher, DePhelps is working closely with the project team on the research components and with UI Extension colleagues on education and outreach.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension: Diane Green, Luke Black, Teri McKenzie, Melinda Schab, Misty Amarena and Chris St. Germaine.

On the Horizon One of the market opportunities identified by stakeholders and intermediated buyer research conducted by DePhelps and colleagues is the increasing demand for locally grown vegetables and fruits in the Palouse region of North Idaho. However, at the same time market demand for local produce is increasing, there are ongoing concerns about the declining ground water levels in the region’s aquifers and the availability of affordable land to farm. In response to this opportunity and these concerns, DePhelps worked to convene a team of researchers and UI Extension faculty from across the university to develop and submit a USDA research and Extension proposal to address constraints to sustainable agricultural development in the Palouse region. The $499,978 grant was awarded in early 2019 and a three-year research

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 13


EXTENSION TRENDS: BLAINE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Blaine County • www.uidaho.edu/blaine

2019 Impact UI Extension, Blaine County partners with community groups and farmers to create a robust food system for the valley. This has included directing the Blaine County Food Council (BCFC) which works on food system initiatives for the community. Projects include local food procurement, Farm-to-Early Care and Education, and food events. Educational programs and research efforts support agriculture producers in Blaine County. Agriculture production in Blaine County is estimated at $38,572,000. This includes sustainable agriculture practices and local market development. UI Extension, Blaine County helps local farmers find ways to keep food local.

2019 By the Numbers • 1,712 direct contacts • 81 youth participants • 19 volunteers • 50 volunteer hours • $185,732 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Blaine County: Katherine Noble, Judd McMahan, Kristy Molyneux, Rocky Sherbine, Gerald Bashaw, Nick Purdy, Larry R. Peterson, Larry Schoen, Dick Springs, Malia Leonard, Gary Beck and Dayna Gross.

UI Extension Educators Grant Loomis 208-788-5585 gloomis@uidaho.edu

On-farm visits are conducted to examine soil health, water savings, regenerative agriculture, and alternative crops. In 4-H Youth Development programming, 1,241 direct contacts were made in 2019, 329 of which were underserved populations.

4-H in Blaine County UI Extension 4-H Youth Development programming in Blaine County reached 1,241 direct contacts in 2019, 329 of which were underserved populations. A variety of presentations were offered including; Bug Zoo Festival, 4-H volunteer training, Wildlife Day Camp, Hope Garden summer lessons, Bloom Garden summer lessons, Dutch oven projectin-a-day, WeDo Robotics Camp, hiking project-in-a-day, Coding Camp, woodworking project-in-a-day, Adventure Quest Camp, and EV3 Robotics. A partnership with UI Extension educators and 4-H professionals in Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, Power, Oneida, and Twin Falls counties is underway to plan, deliver, evaluate, and improve educational events and activities, including: teen leader and camp counselor training; Central District All Things Wild 4-H Camp; Twin Falls Swine Education Day; and Central District 4-H team monthly meetings. UI Extension, Blaine County also assists volunteers, the Blaine County Fair board, and market animal sales committee with running a successful fair by scheduling 4-H events, ordering awards, conducting weigh-ins, recruiting judges, and collaborating with all committees.

On the Horizon Chandra Vaughan 208-788-5585 cvaughan@uidaho.edu

Due to COVID-19, the Blaine County Fair will be offered as a virtual event, which UI Extension, Blaine County will assist with. Virtual education and project in-a-day activities will continue to be offered as well as the Teen Leadership Camp and Adventure Quest Camp. UI Extension, Blaine County will also assist with the new 5B Resilience Garden Group, and Annie's Project, a program to help strengthen women’s roles in modern farm and ranch enterprises. Annie’s Project will be offered in cooperation with UI Extension, Lincoln County in fall 2020.

Page 14 | UI Extension Trends 2019


EXTENSION TRENDS: BONNER COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Bonner County • www.uidaho.edu/bonner

2019 Impact UI Extension, Bonner County programs include the Idaho Master Gardener program and various programs for small scale farmers. An Idaho Master Gardener class is held whenever there is enough interest from community members to warrant scheduling a class. In 2019, seven participants in the class completed the requirements to become new Idaho Master Gardener Volunteers. Master Gardeners are engaged by offering a newsletter and periodic classes geared towards returning Master Gardeners. An Advanced Master Gardener training was also held with 34 returning volunteers.

2019 By the Numbers • 793 direct contacts • 395 youth participants • 140 volunteers • 350 volunteer hours • $456,860 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Bonner County: Diane Green, Breigh Peterson, Greg Becker, Harry Menser, Eileen Esplin, Connie Trotter, Vicki Kelling, Chris Elliot and Sarah Garcia.

Workshops were held on weed management and pesticide use. The 10 Acres and a Dream class was held as well as the Bonner County Farm Tour. A total of 193 participants attended these workshops, learning more about natural resource management and sustainable farm production.

4-H in Bonner County The UI Extension 4-H Youth Development program in Bonner County focuses on a traditional 4-H program. In 2019 there were 395 youth participants and 106 volunteer leaders. Animals, sewing, hiking and shooting sports represent just some of the projects that are offered.

On the Horizon In 2019 funds were awarded to develop advanced hands-on production courses for livestock and crop production. This will build on a previous course for beginning farmers and ranchers that just covered basic principles. The curriculum is currently being developed and will be offered at four locations around the state, including Bonner County.

UI Extension Educator Jennifer Jensen 208-263-8511 jenjensen@uidaho.edu

Chris Schnepf 208-446-1680 cschnepf@uidaho.edu

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 15


EXTENSION TRENDS: BONNEVILLE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Bonneville County • www.uidaho.edu/bonneville

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 8,990 direct contacts • 2,573 youth participants • 159 volunteers • 15,009 volunteer hours • $15,073 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Bonneville County: Kathy Duplessis, Ann McRill, Morgan Nield, Christine Gladstone, Pamela Rich, Hazel Meshrow, Dorothy Kennedy, Lori Baldwin, Roger Christensen, Joe Kennedy, Bryon Reed, Linda Beckstead, Hersh Mynarcik, Deb Clements, Jan Prudent, Sherry Glick, Mark Hechenbach, Wendie Radford, Judy Seydel and Cathy Johnson.

UI Extension Educators Leslee Blanch 208-529-1390 lblanch@uidaho.edu

Ron Patterson 208-529-1390 rpatterson@uidaho.edu

Alaena Ruth 208-529-1390 aruth@uidaho.edu

Page 16 | UI Extension Trends 2019

In 2019, 1,628 individuals were impacted with new knowledge and skills related to health and wellness. Adult nutrition programming included guidelines related to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer prevention, women's health, aging and meal planning. Youth were educated on the My Plate nutrition guide with emphasis on increasing fruit and vegetable intake while decreasing intake of sugar-rich beverages. Both adults and youth were offered regularly scheduled aerobic, strength and toning, and yoga instruction. Chair yoga was provided to two local assisted living facilities. Other wellness topics in 2019 included mindfulness and worklife balance. UI Extension, Bonneville County implemented a horticultural pest alert for Eastern Idaho. This began as an email list of people who wanted to know when to spray their apples trees for codling moth and fire blight. The project expanded to include other pest issues as well. By the end of the year the email list was approximately 120 people. This gave people current information on when to spray and with what. It has the impact of protecting pollinators, improving effectiveness of pest control activities, and reducing environmental contamination through homeowner-applied pesticides. Three informational booths were organized and executed at three large community events: Idaho AgFest, Discover Idaho Falls and the Idaho Falls ARTitorium’s HarvestFest. During these events, over over 1,500 youth and adults were engaged, including approximately 400 Hispanic youth and adults. Consumers were educated about the beef industry through a comprehensive class developed and organized by UI Extension, Bonneville County and educators from other counties. Focus areas of the workshop were animal handling, beef quality assurance, beef feeding practices, beef palatability and selection, cutting demonstrations, nutrition of beef, and beef cooking methods. Consumers increased their


scores significantly on all questions on the post-test and indicated that, in total, information could potentially reach an additional 235 people. This program is being funded again by the Bingham County Farm Bureau Board.

4-H in Bonneville County Overall, the UI Extension, Bonneville County 4-H program grew by 33% in 2019 with more than 750 youth enrolled. Volunteer participation also increased by 101% to 127 volunteers specific to 4-H. UI Extension, Bonneville County is part of a multistate Innovate Project Grant to establish a Dabble in Dissection program. This program was taught in one school for 56 youth in 2019 and the evaluation for the program was developed.

On the Horizon UI Extension Associate Educator Leslee Blanch will be offering an updated version of Improving Sleep: The Latest Research. Sleep disturbances affect over one-third of Americans and impacts many aspects of health. The program will be offered through an online venue to accommodate social distancing guidelines. Online fitness classes are being offered twice weekly and a variety of recorded fitness classes and healthy lifestyle video clips are available for viewing on the UIÂ Extension, Bonneville County website. The Bonneville County 4-H program welcomes an AmeriCorps service member to the office for the coming summer. The program hopes to increase participation in family and consumer science projects by engaging with potential 4-H members at community events and teaching them about projects beyond livestock. The new beef barn will enable Bonneville County 4-H to house more beef projects while also freeing up space for more goat, sheep and swine projects. The new horse stall facility next to the horse arenas will allow for more versatility for horse projects. Educator Ron Patterson is assisting with demonstration gardens at the new Bonneville County Education Center and will be expanding the Pest Alert program to other counties in Eastern Idaho. UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 17


EXTENSION TRENDS: BOUNDARY COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Boundary County • www.uidaho.edu/boundary

2019 Impact Boundary County is the site of extensive University of Idaho variety trials for spring and winter varieties of wheat, barley, canola, and mustard. UI Extension, Boundary County monitors these plots and hosts a field day and crop tour that includes a sponsored lunch, presentations by U of I researchers, and pesticide recertification credits available for growers. A written evaluation from the annual 2019 Bonners Ferry Cereal School showed all participants rating the program as either very good (64%) or good (36%). Producers and agriculture professionals at the event manage or serve 47,720 acres.

2019 By the Numbers • 7,211 direct contacts • 1,848 youth participants • 101 volunteers • 3,870 volunteer hours • $75,889 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Boundary County: Joan Poppino, Jan Bayer, Shirley Anderson, Liz Bigsby, Katty Rozok, Craig Anderson, Lauren Kuczka, Tom Daniel, Tim Dillin, Georgia Earley, Mimi Feuling, Deanna Lauber, Julie Newcomb, Marqui Ronniger, Dennis Weed and Liz Wood.

UI Extension Educators Kate Painter 208-267-3235 kpainter@uidaho.edu

Amy Robertson 208-267-3235 amrobertson@uidaho.edu Chris Schnepf 208-446-1680 cschnepf@uidaho.edu

Page 18 | UI Extension Trends 2019

A Little Free Garden program was initiated in Boundary County in 2019, with help from a $2,500 grant from the City of Bonners Ferry’s High Five program, a Blue Cross Foundation grant. More than 20 small public gardens were installed at business locations around Boundary County, offering horticultural education and free produce for the community. Idaho Master Gardener volunteers helped install and maintain these gardens. Another $2,500 grant was awarded to expand the program in 2020. Nine people completed the Master Food Safety Advisor program and fulfilled volunteer obligations needed to graduate. This was the first time the program has been offered in North Idaho since the mid1990s. The program educates participants with in-depth information regarding handling food safely during harvest, storage, preparation, and consumption. Participants attend a seven-week face-to-face training that incorporates food safety basics, foodborne illness, food spoilage, smoking and drying foods, high acid canning, fruit preserves, pickled foods, low-acid canning, freezing, and outreach education as volunteers. Volunteer opportunities include answering phone call questions from consumers, hosting educational displays during community events, and presenting workshops.

4-H in Boundary County A total of 263 youth participated in the traditional 4-H program offered by UI Extension, Boundary County and exhibited their projects at the 2019 Boundary County Fair. A new 4-H project added in 2019 was the ATV/motorcycle project. Boundary County 4-H partnered with the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office to make the project a success. With the help of a summer intern, the 4-H program held several day camps during the summer. These camps included cooking camp, wildlife camp, a two-day fiber arts camp, science experiment day, water science camp, and a youth farm tour. Boundary County 4-H also provided many educational opportunities for classroom enrichment in the Boundary County School District. At the elementary level, programs on handwashing hygiene and internet safety were held. At the high school level, several classes participated in the Youth Cooking Under Pressure class in both the fall and spring semester and two classes participated in the Ready, Set, Food Safe (food handling) program.


The UI Extension, Boundary County 4-H Friday Friends celebrated its 12th year offering all-day programming for elementary-age children on Fridays during the school year. This program had participation from several community partners, including Boundary Volunteer Ambulance, Boundary County Library, Bonners Ferry Fire Station, Idaho Beef Council, Boundary County Sheriff’s Office, Bonners Ferry Vet, Dr. Willis Dentistry, and many others. This program received $19,500 in grants in 2019, allowing enrollment rates to stay affordable for Boundary County families who had children participating in the program.

On the Horizon A white rot decline experiment has been initiated at a longstanding organic farm in Boundary County that experienced an outbreak in its onion and garlic crops in 2019. Replicated

trials will measure levels of white rot before and after growing two types of cover crops and inoculating the white rot with onion powder at two different levels. An Annie’s Project training will be held in Boundary County in fall 2020. This program focuses on teaching farm management skills to farmwomen in a small group setting. An Advanced Master Food Safety Advisor Program will be implemented in order to retain volunteers once they have become certified through the first year Master Food Safety Advisor program. Continuing education trainings will be offered throughout the year, keeping advisors current on research regarding safe practices when handling food. Advanced Master Food Safety Advisors also serve in a mentor capacity with first year Master Food Safety Advisors as they collaborate to complete volunteer time in the community.

UI EXTENSION EAT SMART IDAHO 2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 16,299 indirect youth contacts • 131,357 indirect adult contacts • 2,039 direct teaching contacts • $1,382,689 extramural funding

Eat Smart Idaho Director Annie Roe 208-885-1709 aroe@uidaho.edu

The University of Idaho Extension program, Eat Smart Idaho, provides nutrition and physical activity education for low-income Idahoans. Supported by the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Eat Smart Idaho helps participants learn the basics of healthy eating, smart shopping, food safety, quick meal preparation, management of limited grocery dollars, and increased levels of physical activity. Eat Smart Idaho also implements projects aimed at changing policies, systems, and environments to improve access to healthy food and physical activity outlets. The statewide team reaches clients through several channels. In 2019 youth were reached through the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement project which implements low-cost or no-cost changes to the school lunch environment to make the healthy choice the easy choice, and direct education classes. Adults and youth were reached through the Healthy Pantry, Healthy Food Drive, and Long Live Idaho projects as well as nutrition articles, community events, classes, and social media. Eat Smart Idaho partnered with over 250 community partners in 2019 to provide programming in 31 Idaho counties. A total of 1,546 adults participated in the Eating Smart and Moving More classes. Of these, 1,096 participated in the sixlesson series, with a 79% graduation rate. A total of 5,501 youth participated in the direct education class series, with a 69% graduation rate. Environmental changes were made in 39 schools and 64 food pantries/food drives. In schools, changes included moving white milk in front of chocolate, highlighting fruits and vegetables with fun names, naming the cafeteria, and inviting community role models to promote healthy eating. In food pantries, interventions included organizing into food groups, posting MyPlate signage, providing recipe demonstrations and samples, and direct education classes when possible. Pantry patrons reported interventions from the Healthy Pantry toolkit helped them choose foods from all food groups and influenced what foods they choose from the pantry.

www.uidaho.edu/extension/eat-smart-idaho UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 19


EXTENSION TRENDS: BUTTE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Butte County • www.uidaho.edu/butte

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 124 direct contacts • 75 youth participants • 10 volunteers • 100 volunteer hours • $1,200 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to Randy Purser for helping to shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Butte County.

UI Extension Educator David Callister 208-527-8587 dcallister@uidaho.edu

Page 20 | UI Extension Trends 2019

2019 was a year of change for UI Extension in Butte County. A new educator, David Callister was hired and started work in July. He has been busy meeting with the community and learning his new role. Working with Lost Rivers Farm Bureau, Butte Soil and Water Conservation District, and Valley Ag, Callister held a few grower workshops in the fall. In addition, two canning classes were held with the help of UI Extension, Bingham County Educator Julie Buck. Field and house calls were made to inspect trees and weeds and scout for pests in the Lost Rivers Valley. Visits were made to the elementary school with National Youth Science Day activities. Callister has also been working with Butte County Economic Development and the Butte/Arco Business Incubation Center to encourage business growth and retention. He also encouraged two high school seniors to apply to the University of Idaho and to apply for scholarships. Both were accepted to U of I and have received multiple scholarships.

4-H in Butte County Butte County 4-H had active clubs in archery, beef, cat, chickens, dairy, fly tying, horses, rabbits, sheep, swine, robotics and rocketry last year. Most of the youth participants presented at the Butte County Fair held in August. The robotics club competed in district and state tournaments. The market animal sale was well-attended following the fair and the projects brought in more money than in previous years. Several of the youth took their projects to the Eastern Idaho State Fair and did well there.

On the Horizon Looking to the future, UI Extension, Butte County is excited about establishing an advisory committee and working to meet the needs of the community. Plans are in the works for classes in home gardening and food preservation. Callister will also be working with others to develop classes on forage and small grain production, range management, and home food production and preservation. He will also work with other educators on solarization of weeds as a method of weed control. Work is also underway to promote business development and retention. In 4-H, family and consumer sciences and STEM clubs will be promoted to increase participation.


EXTENSION TRENDS: CAMAS COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Camas County • www.uidaho.edu/camas

2019 Impact UI Extension Educator Cindy Kinder coordinated and taught various livestock education activities and events. Education Days were conducted at county, district, and regional levels for youth interested in livestock and horse subjects, including the Horse Education Carnival, Southern Idaho Livestock Judging Camp, Meaty Matters workshops, and Swine Education Day. These efforts reached 206 youth and adults.

2019 By the Numbers • 1,363 direct contacts • 184 youth participants • 34 volunteers • 684 volunteer hours • $1,500 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Camas County: Amy Botz, Angela Thompson, Ben Walters, Bobi Frostenson, Brandi Ash, Britton LaTulippe, Cecil Swenson, Chanda Ashmead, Cindy Kinder, Connie Funkhouser, Connie Reagan, Cornelia Williamson, David Sanders, Debbie McLam, Dominque Kramer, Donna Koch, Ed Reagan, Harold Lefler, Janet Colter, Jeni Brown, Kristie Olsen, Nathan Whittle, Randy Jewett, Reily Geritz, Roxanne Bell, Tracy Gill, Travis Kramer and Travis Martin.

UI Extension Educator Cindy Kinder 208-764-2230 ckinder@uidaho.edu

Kinder also conducted a Volunteer Learning Network-Meaty Matters training to increase the knowledge of volunteers and teens so they can better instruct their club members. Ten volunteers from six counties learned about healthy living through livestock projects and increased their knowledge about animal husbandry. The All Things Wild 4-H Summer Camp was held in 2019 and archery, hunting and rifles were taught. The program reached 66 youth from across the Magic Valley. Youth learned hunting skills and hunter decisions skills and can put them into practice in the future. Youth also participated in outdoor cooking and food safety lessons, hiking, campfire, songs, skits and being a camp counselor.

4-H in Camas County The Camas 4-H Leaders Council and UI Extension hosted an open house for youth to sign-up for 13 summer projects and activities. The Camas Clean Up Day included 48 people who participated in the community service day cleaning up the town. Camas County 4-H received an endowment donation of $50,000 for higher education and a promise of $125,000 for the youth intern program from a Camas County donor. The Camas 4-H All Projects Education Day increased animal production skills to allow youth to see themselves as producers and understand how to raise livestock. A total of 21 youth and adults participated and learned about healthy products, biosecurity, by-products we use, and retail meat cuts. Beef, swine, sheep, and goat weigh-in provides youth with opportunities to better their livestock knowledge and skills. Kinder provides information to the Camas County beef weigh-in about feeds and feed tags. Swine members attended a training on topics about what to expect with your pig project and how to get and stay involved in 4-H and FFA youth programs.

On the Horizon Kinder has conducted a new method of evaluation of youth ages 8 to 13 at the All Things Wild 4-H Camp. The evaluation is currently being reviewed by trained evaluators. Surveys indicate that youth are learning targeted life skills and the evaluation tool is looking promising. Using paper survey evaluation methods for youth ages 8 to 13 is not reliable. This novel method asks youth to draw pictures and utilizes an interview process to determine if the youth can be surveyed consistently. This evaluation method is important to youth development research because 80 to 90% of youth participants are in this age group. UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 21


EXTENSION TRENDS: CANYON COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Canyon County • www.uidaho.edu/canyon

2019 By the Numbers • 14,498 direct contacts • 9,182 youth participants • 410 volunteers • 3,623 volunteer hours • $512,500 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Canyon County.

UI Extension Educators Jerry Neufeld 208-459-6003 jerryn@uidaho.edu

Jackie Amende 208-459-6003 jamende@uidaho.edu

Carrie Johnson 208-459-6003 carriej@uidaho.edu

Samantha Ball 208-459-6003 sroberts@uidaho.edu

Nic Usabel 208-459-6003 nusabel@uidaho.edu

Page 22 | UI Extension Trends 2019

2019 Impact Participants in the University of Idaho Diabetes Prevention Program achieved an average 5.9% body weight loss over the course of the program (goal of the program is 5-7% total body weight loss). The program has achieved National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognition. In 2019, UI Extension family and consumer sciences educator Jackie Amende taught 64 health and nutrition classes, five 4-H youth classes, and 12 finance and miscellaneous classes. A total of 843 of direct contacts were Hispanic/ latinx. Amende also oversaw the implemention of the first Master Well Connected Volunteer program which had three youth and three Canyon County adult participants in 2019. The UI Extension, Canyon County plant diagnostic clinic served 589 community clients. Results showed 69% reported a reduction in pesticide use, 67% changed how they cared for plants, 50% reported saving money based on recommendation(s) received from the plant clinic, and 88% reported sharing information with an average of five additional individuals. Twenty-five landscape and garden alerts were generated on the PNW Pest Alert Network. Idaho Master Gardeners received second place Search for Excellence, Innovative Category, during the International Master Gardener Conference.

4-H in Canyon County UI Extension, Canyon County offers traditional 4-H programming as well as a series of spring and summer 4-H day camps. A strong Short Term Enrollment Program (STEP), in-school, and afterschool programs are also offered.

On the Horizon Amende will continue to offer the Diabetes Prevention Program, Dining with Diabetes, the Plant-based Nutrition and Cooking series, and many other nutrition and health programming. Programming will continue online and in virtual format. The Dining with Diabetes program are offered in English and Spanish. Nic Usabel, UI Extension horticulture educator, will offer the Idaho Master Gardener course, Idaho Victory Garden Series, and monthly topic driven horticultural programming. Idaho Master Gardener volunteers will conduct monitoring for 10 landscape and garden pests to generate timely alerts on the PNW Pest Alert Network. Usabel also oversees implementation and outreach of the Junior Master Gardener program.


EXTENSION TRENDS: CARIBOU COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Caribou County • www.uidaho.edu/caribou

2019 Impact UI Extension, Caribou County held the Caribou County Grain Seminar in 2019, attended by nearly 70 participants. Many of the grain growers in Caribou County attend University of Idaho cereal schools but this type of programming had never been offered in Caribou County. Holding a cereal school in Caribou County was suggested by a stakeholder at an advisory meeting and UI Extension Educator Justin Hatch helped make the school a reality.

2019 By the Numbers • 1,135 direct contacts • 220 youth participants • 19 volunteers • 484 volunteer hours • $4,039 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Caribou County: Dale Simons, Dan Lakey, Brett Torgeson, Jake Osbourn, Cameron Williams, Scott Brown, Kyle Wangemann, Eric Simonson and Blair Rindlisbaker.

UI Extension Educator Justin Hatch 208-547-3205 jlhatch@uidaho.edu

With stakeholder input research was conducted in Caribou County to identify the best nitrogen source and rate to be applied on irrigated pastures. Many producers have been using the same nitrogen products for years. While new products are emerging it is important to identify which products will help producers be the most profitable. In addition to conducting research, workshops were also offered across eastern Idaho. Topics discussed included pasture renovation, grazing management, weed management, and developing a grazing plan. Participants included male and female producers who collectively managed 24,311 acres. They reported that they gained new knowledge and tools by attending.

4-H in Caribou County Caribou County 4-H offered an array of programs for youth to develop life skills. One of the most exciting programs offered in 2019, that has not been offered for years, was the working ranch horse program. Participants really enjoyed this program and participation is anticipated to increase in years to come. Many day camps were offered, including a new plant identification hike in 2019. While hiking, participants learned to identify 6-7 plants. Standard activities like 4-H camp, livestock day camp and youth activities at the Caribou County Fair were also offered.

On the Horizon Several research projects are continuing in Caribou County. The nitrogen trials on irrigated pasture project is trying to identify the most economical nitrogen source for irrigated pasture. Last year’s results indicated that Urea applied at 60 units/acre provided the highest yield per dollar spent on nitrogen. Urea must be watered in shortly after application or the nitrogen can be lost to the atmosphere. A trial on dry land to help understand the effects of growing cover crops on soil moisture for subsequent crops was conducted in 2019. Results implied that growing a cover crop can actually increase the amount of moisture in the top 6 inches of the soil as compared to fallow. When subsequent crops are planted soil moisture in the top 6 inches is extremely important to facilitate seed germination. This trial will be conducted again. UI Extension, Caribou County will also assist UI researchers with an extensive aphid monitoring network for eastern Idaho and wheat and barley variety trials in the county.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 23


EXTENSION TRENDS: CASSIA COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Cassia County • www.uidaho.edu/cassia

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 12,747 direct contacts • 11,831 youth participants • 114 volunteers • 2,440 volunteer hours • $8,239 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Cassia County.

UI Extension Educators Joel Packham 208-878-9461 jpackham@uidaho.edu

Grace Wittman 208-878-9461 gwittman@uidaho.edu

UI Extension, Cassia County agriculture and farm management programming includes classes on farm financial management and estate/succession planning in Cassia County and the Magic Valley. These classes are essential for producers to know their costs of production as well as a plan to help them pass the torch to a new generation. Smaller classes with less than 10 operations per class allows for more one-on-one teaching with individuals. Producers leave the financial management classes with two years of balance sheets, a year-end income statement/financial analysis, and a cash flow budget for the next year. Succession classes offer time with an excellent estate/succession planning lawyer within a classroom setting where questions and answers flow freely. Farm goals and legacy statements are also required to encourage participants to take a strategic look at their operation. Cover crop research helps producers understand the value and ability to graze cereal grains that are often used in cover crop mixes. UI Extension Educator Joel Packham has worked with several producers to help others see the value of grazing cover crops during the winter. Much of this research was done by interseeding cover crops into standing corn so that cover crop grazing was available directly following corn silage harvest. UI Extension, Cassia County family and consumer science programming includes community classes in the areas of food safety, nutrition, and health. In 2019 approximately 200 youth were reached with hand hygiene education in Cassia County. This program consists of a handson demonstration on how to properly wash your hands and why it is important to your health. UI Extension Educator Grace Wittman works with 13 Master Food Safety Advisors to provide food safety and food preservation information to consumers. Between Wittman and volunteers, over 200 volunteer hours were logged and over 500 consumer questions were answered.

4-H in Cassia County Traditional 4-H programming remained strong in Cassia County in 2019. Outreach programming was boosted by University of Idaho interns who taught 4-H classes/camps throughout the summer. The efforts of a new county funded, part-time 4-H program assistant were focused on the Cassia County School District’s afterschool program (SPARK) and a robotics club. The UI Extension, Cassia County 4-H program coordinator continued outreach programming by taking classes to youth in outlying communities. Efforts will continue to make 4-H more accessible to youth in more rural areas. Hands-on projects were offered in partnership with the Cassia County School District, including Ag Safety Days, 4th Grade History Day, and 6th Grade Ag Day. Leadership, finance, and cooking programs were taught to seniors at Burley High School. The UI Extension, Cassia County 4-H program is also committed to the Food, Fun and Fitness in the Park program (Lunch in the Park).

Page 24 | UI Extension Trends 2019


Approximately 150 to 200 underserved youth are reached each week during the summer in partnership with the College of Southern Idaho, Burley Public Library, and the Cassia Regional Hospital. The 4-H program also teaches at CSI’s Summer Science Camp each summer. In 2019 there were 432 4-H livestock projects by Cassia County youth. A total of 339 animals were sold at the fair with average “Blue Sky” money or $1,600 per head.

On the Horizon Upcoming UI Extension, Cassia County 4-H programming includes: science training for a grant received from the Cassia County School District; Declo Elementary Science

Night; 4th Grade History Day; implementation of a drone program thanks to a $3,500 product grant from STEM Idaho and a $1,500 grant the 4-H Volunteer Council received from Northwest Farm Credit Services; expansion of the robotic program; expansion of 4-H programming into rural areas; continuation of traditional 4-H programming. New cover crop research involves wide-row corn (60 and 44 inches) and cover crop species for grazing following corn harvest. This research should produce a greater amount of forage for grazing as opposed to interseeding cover crops into a regular spaced corn field. The value of biostimulants on corn silage production and soil health will also be tested.

EXTENSION TRENDS: AREA EDUCATORS

UI EXTENSION FARM & RANCH MANAGEMENT 2019 Impact Beginning farmer and ranchers expressed changes in their financial goals after participating in UI Extension farm and ranch financial management courses. Evaluation results stated that producers plan to save and/or earn an average estimate of $58.18 per acre for farmers and $23.33 per head for ranchers, since participating in the class. 85% of respondents stated they have skills to handle their farm business's finances since participating in the farm and ranch financial management class. Livestock producers enrolled into RI-PRF insurance.

2019 By the Numbers • 993 direct teaching contacts • $568,094 extramural funding

UI Extension Area Educator Ashlee Westerhold 208-736-3604 ashleew@uidaho.edu

On the Horizon UI Extension Area Economist Ashlee Westerhold received a large farm business management and benchmarking grant from USDA-NIFA to aid in developing a benchmarking program in Idaho. The grant allows UI Extension to provide financial assistance to producers in an easy, low-stress way. Westerhold and her team will continue to meet one-on-one with producers to teach them how to create farm financial statements, including balance sheets, income statements, cash flow and budgets, and how to use whole farm financial analysis to determine the financial health and position of the farm or ranch. Producers also have access to the FINPACK Financial software for advanced reports and data for the operation for improved future decision. All services offered free of charge. A new project coordinator, Sidnee Hill, will assist with these efforts.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension: Doug Robison, Ron Cegnar, Ken Hart, Ryan Klaveano, Cori Wittman Stitt, Bill Flory, Rick Naerebout, Jeff Harper and John Nalivka.

www.uidaho.edu/idaho-agbiz UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 25


EXTENSION TRENDS: CLARK COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Clark County • www.uidaho.edu/clark

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 439 direct contacts • 430 volunteer hours • $2,500 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Clark County.

UI Extension Educator Joseph Sagers 208-270-4031 jsagers@uidaho.edu

Page 26 | UI Extension Trends 2019

UI Extension educators organized programs at four locations across eastern Idaho (Mud Lake, Blackfoot, Soda Springs and Preston) to provide forage growers with information to improve their operations. Each location partnered with members of the community to put on a full program. UI Extension partnered with Desert Air for the use of their facilities. Speakers were invited from around the region to present on beneficial insects, common insects, and diseases in alfalfa and how to properly respond to ongoing pest problems, water use efficiency, outlook for the hay market as well as advice about marketing hay, and ongoing research in alfalfa by a colleague from Utah State University Extension. Much of this information was new to these forage growers and the survey results were very positive. The information presented has equipped farmers with the tools needed to improve operations.

4-H in Clark County UI Extension, Clark County offers traditional 4-H programming.

On the Horizon UI Extension Educator Joseph Sagers is managing research plots of Teff grass in Kimberly. Teff is an underutilized crop in Idaho, primarily because it has not been heard of or marketed. It is an annual grass crop that offers high yield and quality for forage producers. Sagers is working to establish basic agronomic practices such as planting date and cutting height for growers in Idaho to help them utilize this new and emerging crop.


EXTENSION TRENDS: CLEARWATER COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Clearwater County • www.uidaho.edu/clearwater

2019 Impact UI Extension, Clearwater County conducted 13 educational programs with average knowledge gain reported of 58% representing 43,915 acres of private land. A total of 72 new UI Extension clients were reached in 2019. Major new programing for 2019 included two well attended programs on the anticipated effects of climate change on agriculture and natural resources in the area, with climate change adaptation strategies for landowners.

4-H in Clearwater County 2019 By the Numbers • 3,607 direct contacts • 1,265 youth participants • 47 volunteers • 2,200 volunteer hours • $49,675 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Clearwater County: Rick Winkle, Mike Ryan, John Smith, Chris St. Germain, Alex Irby, Chris Goetz, Dave Summers, Eileen Rowan, Norm Tomlinson, Larry Taylor, NRCS and Clearwater Soil and Water Conservation District Board.

In 2019 Clearwater County 4-H projects increased by 22% over the previous year, and total youth program contacts increased by 70%. Total market animal projects set a record for at least the last 10 years with 71 market animal projects completed. The 6th Grade Forestry Tour marked its 59th year with 70 youth and adults participating.

On the Horizon A new program for landowners that began in 2019, Law for Landowners, brings legal professionals in to present programs dealing with legal issues affecting rural landowners such as trespass law, herd districts/ open range, and drones. Another program new for 2020 is Managing for Forest Resiliency, a four-hour program that takes a holistic perspective on forest management to address multiple stressors such as wildfire, climate change, insect and disease, and drought while increasing ecological values and providing economic benefits. A research project began in 2020 on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests looking at the factors that have contributed to the recent success of the forest’s timber program, going from 22mmbf harvest in 2008 to almost 80mmbf last year.

UI Extension Educator William A. Warren 208-476-4434 williamw@uidaho.edu

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 27


EXTENSION TRENDS: CUSTER COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Custer County • www.uidaho.edu/custer

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 5,524 direct contacts • 83 youth participants • 11 volunteers • $10,800 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Custer County: S. Bradley, G. Ingram, S. Rosenkrance, J. Waymire, K. Swingruber, J. Johnson and J. Zollinger.

UI Extension Educator Sarah Baker 208-879-2344 sdbaker@uidaho.edu

One of the main program areas for UI Extension, Custer County is teaching consumers and producers (both adult and youth) about beef end-product quality. This is accomplished through numerous workshops in Custer County and across the state, which includes oral presentations, cutting demonstrations, and taste panels. Carcass contests are held for 4-H and FFA members by collecting carcass data in the cooler and/or ultrasound and presenting educational workshops to interpret the data. Providing hands-on cutting demonstrations and taste testing sessions at these end-product quality workshops provides a unique and important perspective for both producers and consumers. Producer workshops focus on management factors that can affect end-product quality and pricing of beef. Consumer workshops focus on basic selection, preparation, cutting, and cooking of beef products to ensure positive eating experiences. Cutting demonstrations focus on new ways to fabricate primals to create smaller portion sizes, add variety and value, and promote a great beef eating experience. Participants of these workshops are treated to a taste test which compares traditional-cut steaks with new alternative method-cut steaks. These workshops also cover basic meat science information, including factors that affect meat quality, and how to quality grade and yield grade beef carcasses. Post evaluations of presentations have shown an increase in beef end-product quality knowledge for participants. 97% of attendees have indicated they will utilize the knowledge they gained at the workshop to change a management technique on their ranch, or purchase and cook more beef for their family. 100% of attendees said they would recommend the workshop to others.

4-H in Custer County The UI Extension, Custer County 4-H program is primarily comprised of market livestock projects. Thanks to the supportive community and outstanding youth and livestock projects, 2019 saw the largest sale on record. A total of 73 animals were sold for $170,266, topping the previous year’s total of $155,999 when 77 animals were sold. Market steers averaged $4.89 per pound compared to 2018's average of $2.72 per pound. Market hogs and lambs had similar averages to previous years. Two Custer County 4-H representatives attended the Know Your Government Conference; three Teen Leaders attended the Idaho 4-H State Teen Association Convention; and Custer County 4-H member Caleb Hampton was selected as the district representative for the Idaho 4-H State Teen Officer team.

On the Horizon

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UI Extension, Custer County provides educational programming and resources to community members in Challis, Mackay, Stanley, Clayton, and many other small rural populations across the county. The office is staffed by one UI Extension Educator and numerous volunteers who serve as a resource to the community by offering programming in livestock, beef end-product quality, range management, and 4-H youth development.


EXTENSION TRENDS: ELMORE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Elmore County • www.uidaho.edu/elmore

2019 Impact The UI Extension, Elmore County Pesticide Recertification Program reached approximately 108 individuals. This three-week program, in collaboration with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, provides educational pesticide information and associated credits to local farms and horticulture businesses. The UI Extension, Elmore County Spanish Pesticide Safety Education Program reached an underserved LatinX population and was provided in Spanish only, also in collaboration with ISDA.

4-H in Elmore County 2019 By the Numbers • 971 direct contacts • 1,306 youth participants • 64 volunteers • 2,300 volunteer hours

Our Advisory Council

UI Extension 4-H Youth Development programming in Elmore County covers the Mountain Home Air Force Base, Mountain Home, Glenns Ferry, Hammett, and King Hill. The shooting sports program has seen exponential growth and a new outdoor adventure program with several prominent leaders has been added.

On the Horizon UI Extension, Elmore County was organizing a civil leader agricultural tour of Elmore County, which will be rescheduled for 2021 due to COVID-19. Leaders from state, county and city governments will be invited to learn more about the agricultural work done in Elmore County.

Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Elmore County: Jared Zito, Monte White, Rich Sykes, Julie Davis, Courtney Lewis, Jason Nettleton, Billy Wolfe, Patti Ferrell, Justin Wootan and Kya Vines.

UI Extension Educator Brad Stokes 208-590-2286 bstokes@uidaho.edu

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 29


EXTENSION TRENDS: FORT HALL RESERVATION University of Idaho Extension, Fort Hall Reservation • www.uidaho.edu/forthall

2019 Impact The Federally Recognized Tribal Extension program on the Fort Hall Reservation utilizes five advisory boards to determine stakeholder needs and programming in livestock management, natural resource management, horticulture, farm business management and youth development/4-H. Highlights for 2019 included a calving ease expected progeny difference (EPD) program to decrease the incidence of difficult calving births. Producers were educated on how to interpret and use EPDs to select bulls and parameters for selecting bulls based on EPD use were set. The program resulted in fewer case of dystocia and subsequent cow and calf death. Calf survival rates were improved by a minimum of 5%. For a 150 head herd size, this increases producer income by saving approximately eight calves per year at a minimum value of $690 per calf.

2019 By the Numbers • 3,173 direct contacts • 2,116 youth participants • 33 volunteers • 750 volunteer hours • $127,000 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help develop programming and disseminate the work we do for UI Extension, Fort Hall Reservation through our five advisory boards in beef, range, general agriculture, horticulture and 4-H/youth development.

UI Extension Educator Danielle Gunn 208-236-1046 dgunn@uidaho.edu

The Gay Mine selenium project has resulted in the decreased incidence of cattle deaths due to the consumption of certain range plants that contain toxic levels of selenium. Two new biological control projects were initiated for Russian knapweed, a significant, problematic noxious weed found on the Reservation. Previous biological control releases have resulted in a 10-15% weed reduction. Over 1,300 acres were treated with to control other noxious weeds identified on the Reservation. A minimum of 400 acres have been completely eradicated of Russian knapweed and planted to alfalfa or native forages. These practices improved land use and value by at least 30%.

Fort Hall Reservation 4-H The Tribal 4-H Program Director coordinates year-round 4-H and afterschool programs to tribal youth. Outreach is also conducted at local schools and Reservation districts. The 4-H program focuses on agriculture, science, nutrition, gardening and life skills. Tribal leadership wanted to see more tribal members, particularly youth, develop an interest and assume a more active role in agricultural opportunities available on the Reservation. In response, the Tribal Youth in Ag Program was developed. Each month an agricultural commodity is selected, and a science-based lesson and handson activity is taught. A healthy snack is also prepared with the selected product. Over 100 students were reached through this program. Youth participants can now knowledgeably discuss agricultural commodities; know how food is produced, harvested, and transported; and have developed personal connections. Total programming efforts reached over 1,500 youth, approximately 150 classes were offered, 690 projects, in addition to five market lamb projects, were submitted to the Bingham County Fair, and 31 youth, nine teen counselors and two adults participated in 4-H camp.

On the Horizon

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New programming includes the development of a livestock collar tracking program. This program will utilize GPS technology to determine cattle grazing and reproductive behaviors on rangeland as well as which cattle travel the most to utilize difficult terrain for foraging. Additionally, work is being done to control the Russian olive infestations on the Fort Hall Reservation. Several control projects have been developed and a comprehensive management publication regarding this invasive tree is forthcoming.


EXTENSION TRENDS: FRANKLIN COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Franklin County • www.uidaho.edu/franklin

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 4,367 direct contacts • 3,018 youth participants • 51 volunteers • 400 volunteer hours • $65,500 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Franklin County: Verlene Knapp, Tyler Telford, Kathy Winward, Lynn Harris, Necia Seamons, Claudia Erickson, Julie Nash and Dirk Bowles.

UI Extension Educators Bracken Henderson 208-852-1097 brackenh@uidaho.edu

Laura Sant 208-852-1097 lsant@uidaho.edu

A total of three six-week Preserve@Home sessions were taught by UI Extension, Franklin County. 71% of attendees who completed the class had a grade of 70% or better showing increased knowledge of safe home food preservation methods. Eighty pressure-canner dial gauges from local citizens were checked for accuracy. Of these gauges, 19% were accurate, 70% had to be adjusted and 11% had to be replaced. Approximately 55 inquiries on food safety were answered. Hunger and Fullness was taught to approximately 665 students in two Franklin County elementary schools. Surveys of students in grades 3-5 indicated a range of 50-65% of participants intended to use internal cues to guide food consumption. A Get Experience in Mindfulness (GEM) five-class series on mindfulness techniques was taught to a high school class of 11 students. A demonstration on the health benefits of quinoa and how to make a quinoa salad was given in two locations. 60% of county employees participated in the Franklin County Wellness Program and 86% of participants reached their healthy lifestyle goal. Welcome to the Real World was taught four times to 93 high school students on personal finance topics. A total of 13 horticulture related classes and seven ag related classes were taught by UI Extension, Franklin County. 419 direct contacts dealt with horticulture issues and 81 contacts were with agriculture clientele. An increased agriculture presence within Franklin County will be a focus for 2020.

4-H in Franklin County A total of 51 leaders and 298 4-H members enrolled in 914 projects in 2019. UI Extension Educator Laura Sant taught/co-taught nine projects (38 classes); two school enrichment programs (12 classes), including Bread in the Bag (5) and Recruitment (7); four afterschool projects (15 classes); helped to plan and conduct Alpine 4-H Camp for four counties and taught seven sessions at camp and co-taught one camp counselor training. Educator Bracken Henderson started a rifle shooting class, a giant pumpkin growing contest and taught a geology club.

On the Horizon Sant is working with another UI Extension Educator and a former University of Idaho dietetics professor to create a three-class curriculum on lifestyle habits that protect against Alzheimer’s Disease, called Fighting Alzheimer's Disease with Food. The curriculum has been written, reviewed, revised and resubmitted for publication with UI Extension. Henderson is conducting a research study with Utah State University on elongated mustard—a relatively new weed. He is also conducting a demonstration study on the control of field bind weed in a dryland cropping system; pasture fertilization trials; and expanding online horticulture resources. UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 31


EXTENSION TRENDS: FREMONT COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Fremont County • www.uidaho.edu/fremont

2019 Impact 2019 was another successful year for UI Extension, Fremont County, serving farmers, gardener, and 4-H youth with programs and consultations to meet their needs. The Ashton Cereal School was held with over 50 attendees, the Regional Master Gardener Convention was held with over 120 attendees from the tri-state area, and pesticide application training and community gardening classes were also offered. The public is able to access weekly gardening articles provided by UI Extension, Fremont County through four media outlets that serve the Eastern Idaho area.

4-H in Fremont County 2019 By the Numbers • 5,520 direct contacts • 2,399 youth participants • 34 volunteers • 2,040 volunteer hours • $15,301 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Fremont County: Gary Taylor, Val Hammond, Bill Baxter, Jordon Stoddard, Nathan Scafe, Brody Harshbarger, Chris Hill, Bart Lynn, Laura Pickard, Wade Trost, Eric Sundberg, Lindsee Bumpus, Gail Mattel, Doug Smith, Grace Rindlisbacher, Chad Bumpus, Sharane Pincock, Joe Cherrington, Kay Thompson, Summer Yancey, Heath Anderson, Randy Hillman, Tom Jacobsen, Kim Crain, Denton Perkins, Karl Dahle, Cody Sanders and Nathan Cardon.

UI Extension Educator Lance Ellis 208-624-3102 ellis@uidaho.edu

Page 32 | UI Extension Trends 2019

Participation in the shooting sports program in Fremont County increased by 50% in 2019. A large grant from the NRA helped with club supplies for the program. UI Extension, Fremont County sponsored the 1st Annual Fremont County Invitational Shooting Match in 2019. All 4-H youth in the state were invited and 68 youth participated in archery, air-rifle, and small bore .22 rifle. Fremont County shooting sports leaders educated over 100 youth at the Alpine 4-H Camp and shooting sports instructor Len Humphries volunteered over 100 hours to teach and coach youth at the county level, preparing them for state and national competitions. 4-H member Megan Miller attended the National Shooting Sports competition in Nebraska, placing third in the small-bore rifle three-position event. Miller also participated in the 2019 Youth Education Summit in Washington D.C.

On the Horizon In 2020, the Idaho Master Gardener Program will be offered using distance technology and a broader variety of speakers. A variety of new and regular 4-H day camps are being offered, including Dutch oven cooking, gardening, dissection, sewing, shooting sports, and many others. In spite of major changes in programming, and how it is delivered due to COVID-19, the Fremont County 4-H program will be holding their livestock shows in August. Nearly 120 animals are entered including small animal projects.


EXTENSION TRENDS: GEM/BOISE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Gem and Boise County • www.uidaho.edu/gem

2019 Impact

Gem and Boise Counties benefit from seven experienced Idaho Master Gardener volunteers who answer questions and diagnose issues related to home garden plants and pests. In 2019, these volunteers provided over 500 hours of service with nearly 1,400 contacts. A large portion of contacts were made during the summer diagnostic clinic held weekly at the UI Extension, Gem and Boise County office. With the help of other university resources and research-based publications, community members received, at minimum, a personal phone call and resource material in the mail regarding their question. In addition to the diagnostic service, the Master Gardener volunteers are regular instructors at the Gem County Garden Club that meets monthly in Emmett.

2019 By the Numbers • 5,335 direct contacts • 895 youth participants • 60 volunteers • 6,100 volunteer hours • $20,600 extramural funding

UI Extension Educator Rebecca Mills 208-365-6363 rmills@uidaho.edu

The Living on the Land: Stewardship for Small Acreages course returned to the Treasure Valley in 2019. Three registrants (out of 25) were Gem and Boise county residents. Participants completed the 10-week course as well as a follow-up farm visit by UI Extension educators. All participants reported increased knowledge in course topics such as weed control, pasture management, livestock and crop production, and water and soil management.

4-H in Gem and Boise County

The UI Extension 4-H program in Gem and Boise counties has a strong foundation in traditional clubs. The club structure provides learning and connection between youth and caring adults in a variety of subject areas. Livestock projects have the highest number of enrollments across nearly 200 possible projects. In 2019, four youth from Gem and Boise counties placed first at the Idaho 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest qualifying them to compete at a national contest in Denver in January 2020. In 2019, the UI Extension 4-H Youth Development program received grant funds to provide AmeriCorps service members to counties who could provide match funding. The Gem County Board of Commissioners agreed to allow a portion of the UI Extension budget to be used as the match needed to hire two AmeriCorps members. The AmeriCorps members expanded the in-school enrichment program and built a regular schedule of afterschool camps and clubs. They partnered with local businesses and the local library and hosted community service projects and contests in partnership with other community events to highlight all that 4-H has to offer. Having staff members dedicated to providing a positive presence in the community is broadening the reach of the 4-H program in Gem and Boise counties as well as changing perceptions about what is available to families.

On the Horizon

The 4-H AmeriCorps program will continue in Gem County and is looking for partners to expand the program to more youth in Boise County. A new curriculum for beginning farmers and ranchers is being developed which will teach hands-on livestock husbandry classes to new producers. The Living on the Land: Stewardship for Small Acreages course will also continue. Seven participants from Gem County attended the course in early 2020 and site visits will be held in summer 2020 to assess implementation on their properties.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 33


EXTENSION TRENDS: GOODING COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Gooding County • www.uidaho.edu/gooding

2019 Impact The Gooding County Community Garden consists of a partnership between UI Extension, Gooding County, Gooding Soil Conservation District, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, and volunteers. Community plots produced 4,000 pounds of fresh produce that was donated to six non-governmental organizations in two cities and the Gooding County jail, providing fresh vegetables to underserved audiences that have difficulty accessing food. Demonstrations were offered on cover crops, drought-tolerant grasses, pollinator habitat, fruit trees planting and care, and community gatherings.

2019 By the Numbers • 5,157 direct contacts • 2,683 youth participants • 84 volunteers • 3,400 volunteer hours • $91,998 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Gooding County: Mark Bolduc, Susan Bolton, Cooper Brossy, Ron Buhler, Larry Bybee, Ricky Fritz, Kay Hults, Sue Johnson, Jessica Knapp, Barb Messick, Tanya Oldham, Leigh Patterson, Jamie Price, Chris Pruett, Derek Romer, Megan Satterwhite, Arlene Shaw, Jordan Stebbins, Isaac Tellez, Jaren Wadsworth and Larry Walton. .

UI Extension Educators Mario de Haro Martí 208-934-4417 mdeharo@uidaho.edu

Cindy Kinder 208-764-2230 ckinder@uidaho.edu

Idaho Master Gardener classes were held by web-based delivery. Four individuals attended the course, reinforcing the volunteer base in the community. Research projects conducted in 2019 included: scenarios for food, energy, and water in the Magic Valley (NIH funded); cover crop research and Extension activities; compost and vermicompost classes; silage corn study demo; and the Idaho Nutrient Management Conference. Research and Extension articles re published related to dairy production and economics. UI Extension, Gooding County offered a college and scholarship night help youth and families prepare for higher education with a jump start on scholarship research and application processes. Three summer camp counselor trainings were held for 40 camp counselors and teen leaders. These youth were able to build skills in leadership roles, communication in interviews, video and photography skills, and practicing teamwork. Livestock education events included the Magic Valley Livestock Education series where farm safety and calving were the topics for 24 producers from three counties. Beef quality grades included carcass evaluation and breeding livestock management. The hands-on protein foods and the meat we eat workshop engaged youth and adults from across the state to learn about wholesale and retail meats; quality differences; identification and processing; rumen nutrition and carcass quality; and healthy protein foods.

4-H in Gooding County Gooding County 4-H consist of more than 19 clubs with 170 members who completed a total of 447 projects displayed at the 2019 Gooding County Fair. Project participation increased by double/triple-digits in environmental education, shooting sports, health, and leadership. A new robotics club was established at North Valley Academy and Gooding County 4-H held its first Livestock Quiz Bowl. UI Extension, Gooding County partnered with Joint Hagerman School District, Idaho Fish and Game, 4-H volunteers, and Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation to establish a shooting sports program for families. The program included a 10-week education series; spring break hunt, shoot, and field day; 4-H summer camp; and curriculum for Cloverbuds.

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On the Horizon Youth and adults participated in a 10-part Friday Fun Food Lab series learning about the science behind creating the food we eat. The program is funded by a Bayer Fund grant and is in partnership with the Hagerman School District. Instructors teach youth how a crop is grown, how it is made into raw food products, then used to create food. The science used to transform the raw product into creating foods we eat is also taught. NRA grants have been awarded to two Gooding County 4-H clubs. One grant is for an existing shooting sports club to purchase a trailer, allowing them to travel to district and state events with greater ease. The second grant award is a donation of equipment to start a new club. Research and Extension programs are being developed around generating a bioeconomy based on dairy manure and other byproducts to benefit rural America. This five-year project will potentially provide another revenue source for farmers. Pending funding, expansion of UI Extension programs to help improve the COVID-19 response and livelihood for Hispanic dairy workers and producers will be pursued. The Gooding Community Garden hopes to expand its ability in bringing fresh vegetables to underserved and at-risk members of the Gooding County community.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 35


EXTENSION TRENDS: IDAHO COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Idaho County • www.uidaho.edu/idaho

2019 Impact The Idaho Young Cattle Producer Conference was held again in 2019. Young producers from across Idaho learned about the beef cattle industry, how to finance and manage their operations and how to market their cattle. A spring planted forage trial was also conducted and area producers learned which species are suited for this region and produce the most forage.

2019 By the Numbers • 8,234 direct contacts • 849 youth participants • 90 volunteers • 9,000 volunteer hours • $7,550 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Idaho County: Joe Baerlocher, Joe Chicane, Frank McIntire, Neil Uptmor, Pete Wittman, Marcus Higgins, Brad Higgins, Austin Sonnen, Jim Wemhoff, Buster Rudolph, Quin Wemhoff, Mary Charley, Teresa Enos, Leslie McIntire, Debbie Kelley, Mary Uhlorn, Andrea Solberg, Kymm Gresset, Dustin Elliott, Katrena Hauger, Kristi Brooks, Adam Miller, Julie Hauger, Jen Detweiler, Eve McColloch, Lance McColloch and Krista Miller.

UI Extension Educators Jim Church 208-983-2667 jchurch@uidaho.edu

Kirstin Jensen 208-983-2667 kdjensen@uidaho.edu

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Over 180 individual health/nutrition/fitness consultations were conducted in both private and group settings. The community walking program, Walk & Talk, was conducted successfully for the second year with participants completing 105 sessions and 367,205 steps for a combined total of 76.45 hours. In addition, seven other county agencies partnered to offer 11 different community walks and health screenings, to complete a total of 778 miles walked by participants.

4-H in Idaho County The Idaho County 4-H program is very strong. Over 450 members and 90 adult leaders participated in a variety of projects and activities. Highlights for the year included a leadership development program called the Ambassadors and the Mod Squad. 4-H members learned life skills through their 4-H projects.

On the Horizon Due to the extreme measures taken due to COVID-19 and moving the majority of programming into a virtual setting, the UI Extension, Idaho County office is interested to see how participant demographics will change and if a wider range of individuals will be reached through these efforts. The potential to expand the reach of programs is limitless.


EXTENSION TRENDS: JEFFERSON COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Jefferson County • www.uidaho.edu/jefferson

2019 Impact Mealtime Inspirations, a community event to share cooking, meal preparation and food safety tips, was held again in 2019. The event is a night of cooking and educational demonstrations offered in two southeast Idaho counties. An 8-minute demonstration is given by seven different UI Extension educators on a variety of topics. The presenters are recorded, and the videos are posted on YouTube. It is a fun community evening with door prices, a tasting table and plenty of time to mingle and ask questions. Evaluation results indicate the program positively affects the knowledge, beliefs and behaviors of participants.

2019 By the Numbers • 7,788 direct contacts • 493 youth participants • 70 volunteers • 1,270 volunteer hours • $2,500 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Jefferson County: Gerald Raymond, Will Ricks, David Dalling and Howard Johnson.

UI Extension Educators Lorie Dye 208-745-6685 ldye@uidaho.edu

Joseph Sagers 208-270-4031 jsagers@uidaho.edu

UI Extension educators organized programs at four locations across eastern Idaho (Mud Lake, Blackfoot, Soda Springs and Preston) to provide forage growers with information to improve their operations. Each location partnered with members of the community to put on a full program. UI Extension, Jefferson County partnered with Desert Air for the use of their facilities. Speakers were invited from around the region to present on beneficial insects, common insects and diseases in alfalfa and how to properly respond to ongoing pest problems, water use efficiency, outlook for the hay market as well as advice about marketing hay, and ongoing research in alfalfa by a colleague from Utah State University Extension. Much of this information was new to these forage growers and the survey results were very positive. The information presented has equipped farmers with the tools needed to improve operations.

4-H in Jefferson County UI Extension, Jefferson County has a strong and growing 4-H program throughout the county. The shooting sports program has seen a dramatic increase in popularity, with a growing number of youth participants and certified adult volunteers. Jefferson County youth participate in shooting competitions at the county, district and state levels. In 2019, the first Eastern District shoot was hosted by UI Extension, Fremont County in conjunction with Jefferson County 4-H staff. Jefferson County will continue to grow its shooting sports program to help educate 4-H youth about safety, etiquette and stewardship to help youth grow and succeed.

On the Horizon UI Extension Educator Lorie Dye will continue to teach food preservation and cooking classes. The new UI Extension, Jefferson County office includes a kitchen and demonstration area which makes it possible to teach and host many community classes and events. Educator Joseph Sagers is managing research plots of Teff grass in Kimberly. Teff is an underutilized crop in Idaho, primarily because it has not been heard of or marketed. It is an annual grass crop that offers high yield and quality for forage producers. Sagers is working to establish basic agronomic practices such as planting date and cutting height for growers in Idaho to help them utilize this new and emerging crop.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 37


EXTENSION TRENDS: JEROME COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Jerome County • www.uidaho.edu/jerome

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 2,153 direct contacts • 408 youth participants • 33 volunteers • 1,000 volunteer hours • $492,655 extramural funding

The major focus for the UI Extension, Jerome County agriculture program the past few years has been soil health and cover crop demonstration research. The major impact of this work has been finding ways for producers to incorporate cover crops into their existing cropping systems. In 2019, a team of UI Extension educators and specialists completed a two-year demonstration study focused on documenting the regrowth potential of cereal grains as part of a season long summer cover crop grazing mix. This work answered questions asked by producers about using cereals in a summer grazing mix. Producers are now starting to use cover crops more for grazing in the Magic Valley. For the family and consumer sciences program, diabetes prevention and management is a top priority identified by community partners. The National Diabetes Prevention Program provided the City of Jerome workplace wellness program participants group support in reducing their incidence of diabetes while Dining with Diabetes supported Hispanic/Latinx participants with learning diabetes self-management skills through healthy eating in collaboration with the Jerome Recreation Center.

Our Advisory Council

4-H in Jerome County

Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Jerome County: Teri Anderson, Sarah Brown, Michelle Emerson, Charlie Howell, Linda Mecham, Kristal Kendall, Kent Thibault, Gary and Becky Warr, Yolanda Sedano De Guzman, Maria Madrigal, Robert Erwin, Katie Stroschein, Guy Stubbs, Jack Nelson, Brady and Tianna Fife, Jim Patrick, Clark Kauffman, Roger Wells, Doug Huettig, Norberto Herrera, Anne Dovenmuehler, Jamie Rupert, Donna Gillespie, John Crozier, Ben Crouch, Debbie Hartley and Kyli Gough.

On the Horizon

UI Extension Educators Steven Hines 208-324-7578 shines@uidaho.edu

Gretchen Manker 208-324-7578 gretchenm@uidaho.edu

Page 38 | UI Extension Trends 2019

Jerome County Juntos 4-H served 75 Latinx 8th-10th grade students and their families by working together to support the youth’s academic goals and pursuit of higher education. Jerome County 4-H sent a team to the National Livestock Skill-a-thon contest and increased youth enrollments by more than 200 youth. Beef projects increased by 17 youth, 27 teens attended the State Teen Association Convention, and 15 teens attended the State Ambassador Summit.

UI Extension Educator Steven Hines is starting new demonstration research projects with colleagues, continuing important work answering grower questions related to cover crops. One study is focused on growing silage on wider than normal rows (44" and 60") and interseeding cover crop to see if silage yield can be maintained and provide a high biomass cover crop for grazing and soil cover. Educator Gretchen Manker is continuing to work with Cooking 101 and teaching youth cooking skills and meal management tools to build confidence in food preparation leading to healthier eating patterns.


EXTENSION TRENDS: AREA EDUCATORS

UI EXTENSION PANHANDLE AREA FORESTRY 2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 1,621 direct teaching contacts • 29 youth participants • 36 volunteers • 1,126 volunteer hours • $12,000 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension: Jason Smith, John Vowell, Susan Vowell, Marrion Newsam Banks, Lee Gray, Irv Jenkins, Robin Lowery, Renee d’Aoust, Joann Mack, Monica Mitzel, Jim Wanek, Sean Mitzel, Del Blackburn, Frank Morado, Maralee Morado, Merrill Oaks, Muriel Oaks, Phil Tuma, Bob Bjelland, Steve Funk, Kurt Koetter, Al Kyle, Chrys Mayo, Dennis Moore, Sandra Murdock, Al Naugle, Jerry Wallace, Dale Dimico, Hoey Graham, Penny Rice, Gordon Sanders, Dean Sutton, and Bonnie Thomson.

UI Extension Area Educator Chris Schnepf 208-446-1680 cschnepf@uidaho.edu

In 2019, 701 owners of over 56,000 family forest acres attended UI Extension panhandle forestry workshops and other educational activities. Participants indicated they would implement a wide variety of forest management practices, including 322 who will favor tree species that resist insects and disease; 295 will monitor for forest insect, disease, or animal damage; 187 will thin forest trees; 151 will prune forest trees; 77 will monitor/ manage weeds or other non-native invasive species; 51 will complete a forest management plan; 44 will plant forest seedlings; and 29 will reduce fuels in the home ignition zone. In 2019, 36 certified Idaho Master Forest Stewards provided over 1,126 hours of volunteer service to 7,441 forest owners and others. The improved management practices family forest owners implement as a result of knowledge and skills gained in UI Extension programs will ultimately increase wood to fuel Idaho’s economy, maintain water quality, reduce catastrophic fire risk, improve forest growth and health, and enhance biological diversity. Over 1,120 loggers have attended the 46 Logger Education to Advance Professionalism (LEAP) sessions offered annually since 1994. As a result of the two 2019 LEAP update sessions, 179 loggers will factor worker fatigue into logging safety; 175 will respond correctly to chemical spills; 154 will assess new logging and safety technology; 151 will implement silvicultural practices related to ponderosa pine; 150 will assess spring bark beetle issues; and 143 will explain Good Neighbor Authority to others. A total of 162 foresters and other natural resource professionals attended 2019 panhandle forestry programs. Family Forester’s Workshop participants indicated percentage knowledge increases ranging from 13% to 61% on: stand density index; new forest inventory technologies; drones for forest metrics and fire; carbon markets; cross-laminated timber; prescribed and “managed wildfire”; hunting, fishing, recreational leases; and family forest economics/policy.

On the Horizon Idaho Master Forest Stewards are continuing to help reach more family forest owners. They will also inform the forestry community about family forest owners' needs and help guide University of Idaho Extension and research programs and technical assistance efforts of public and privately employed foresters. A variety of programs for forest owners will continue to be offered with their guidance. The COVID-19 crisis has spurred the need for new ways of providing forestry education to forest owners, loggers and professional foresters. In the future more programs will be offered via the internet and grant funding is being sought to produce online videos and publications that are geo-referenced to specific forestry demonstration areas via ESRI Story Maps, so people can see sustainable forestry principles placed into action.

www.uidaho.edu/extension/forestry/panhandle UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 39


EXTENSION TRENDS: KOOTENAI COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Kootenai County • www.uidaho.edu/kootenai

2019 Impact UI Extension, Kootenai County offers forestry, family and consumer sciences (FCS), home horticulture, water quality, and 4-H youth development programming and education. In 2019, 701 owners of over 56,000 family forest acres, 275 loggers, and 162 foresters and other natural resource professionals attended forestry workshops and other educational activities offered by the UI Extension Panhandle Forestry program (full report on page 39). To help support UI Extension efforts, 36 certified Idaho Master Forest Stewards provided over 1,126 hours of volunteer service to 7,441 forest owners and others. The improved management practices that family forest owners implement as a result of knowledge and skills gained in UI Extension programs will ultimately increase wood to fuel Idaho’s economy, maintain water quality, reduce catastrophic fire risk, improve forest growth and health, and enhance biological diversity.

2019 By the Numbers • 45,826 direct contacts • 38,104 youth participants • 458 volunteers • 9,417 volunteer hours • $336,867 extramural funding

UI Extension Educators Shelley Johnson 208-446-1680 sjohnson@uidaho.edu

Chris Schnepf 208-446-1680 cschnepf@uidaho.edu Sharla Wilson 208-446-1687 swilson@uidaho.edu Jim Ekins 208-292-1287 jekins@uidaho.edu

FCS programs focus on nutrition, wellness, and obesity prevention. The UI Extension Northern District’s Eat Smart Idaho Program (full report on page 19) is managed in Kootenai County and focuses its efforts on access to healthier foods targeted at low-income families. Programming includes the Smarter Lunchroom Movement in three local school districts and Healthy Food Pantry/Healthy Food Drive initiatives supporting many North Idaho pantries. In 2019, FCS programs helped over 32,000 youth and adults establish healthy eating habits and a physically active lifestyle. Participants showed improvement in dietary knowledge or practices, use of food resource management, food safety, physical activity, and an improved sense of food security. Idaho Master Gardeners participated in 659 hours of continuing education to improve their knowledge and skills. In turn they provided 977 hours spent in the UI Extension, Kootenai County Plant Clinic as well as 2,650 one-on-one consultations through plant clinic and farmers market interactions. The Idaho Master Gardeners booth at the Kootenai County Farmers Market saw an increase in visits/client questions by 50%, compared to 2018. There were also 960 adults who attended one or more of the 28 classes offered by the Idaho Master Gardeners program. IDAH2O Master Water Stewards, Project WET, and The River Mile Crayfish programs provided professional development training to 75 K-12 teachers and 25 additional Kootenai County citizen scientists. Other related impacts included teaching watershed science portions of the Logger Education to Advance Professionalism workshops and The Confluence Program and Idaho Youth Water Summit that reached 500 high school students (full report on page 49).

4-H in Kootenai County In 2019 the UI Extension, Kootenai County 4-H Youth Development program saw an 18.6% increase in club member enrollment (765 enrolled youth); a 15.6% increase in adult volunteers (237 volunteers); and an 18.6% in youth who benefited from short-term youth programs (1,427 youth participants).

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be offered virtually, and grant funding is being sought to offer online videos and publications that are geo-referenced to specific forestry demonstration areas via ESRI Story Maps, so people can see sustainable forestry principles placed into action.

At the North Idaho State Fair, 536 exhibitors entered 1,669 items. These entries included everything from robotics, citizenship, and foods, to animal exhibits. Youth who participate in 4-H activities not only gain project/topic skills but also learn valuable life skills that they can take forward into adulthood. Program growth has resulted in expanded learning opportunities. To reach short-term members in addition to traditional club/project youth, 19 sessions of summer programming was offered focused on STEM and expanding exposure to the breadth of 4-H projects available. A total of 14 county level contests and events (not including fair) were held for youth to expand and test their knowledge and skills across a range of project areas. County youth also participated in a district retreat, three state level events, and three national level events. Additionally, multiple members serve on the State 4-H Teen Association Convention and other state event planning boards. 4-H activities are being incorporated with local elementary schools through experiential learning during the school day and afterschool programming. A statewide team is working to create consistent volunteer onboarding and training and multiple training opportunities for volunteers to continue their education and skills as 4-H volunteers are offered annually.

The FCS program is working on a research project related to the cleanliness of water bottles. Many school districts encourage students to bring water bottles from home to use in the classroom, however, water provides optimal growth conditions for microorganisms. Researchers have identified four middle schools to conduct reusable water bottle sampling, cleaning, and sanitizing education. Analysis indicates significant improvement in four of the five water bottle cleaning behaviors among the intervention students from the same school, comparing two classrooms pre- and post- education. Comparison between intervention and control in different schools showed significant improvement in all five of the measured water bottle cleaning behaviors. Water bottles were collected to be sampled and results from the microbial counts will be reported as analysis is pending. A new 4-H curriculum about wildlife and water is in final stages for publication, as well as a new 4-H volunteer handbook and 4-H pledge video. Additionally, a research study on volunteerism patterns, University Extension Citizen Science Water Quality Monitoring Programs: Analysis of Volunteer Activities, was published. UI Extension, Kootenai County will work with additional schools, including homeschool groups, to integrate experiential learning activities, developed on 4-H principals, into school day and afterschool programs. The 4-H program is also working to set up a 4-H STEM Lab that would allow any local 4-H member to learn about and use technology such as snap circuits, drones, 3D printers, and EV3 and similar robots.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers, organizations, and agencies who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Kootenai County.

In 2019 a fundraising event was held to help purchase modular horse stalls for the fair. Over $15,000 was donated resulting in 24 new stalls.

On the Horizon The Idaho Master Forest Stewards continue to reach more family forest owners. They will also inform the forestry community about family forest owners' needs and help guide UI Extension and research programs and technical assistance efforts of public and privately employed foresters. A variety of programs will continue to be offered with their guidance. The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in new ways of providing forestry education to forest owners, loggers, and professional foresters. In the future, more programs will likely UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 41


EXTENSION TRENDS: LATAH COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Latah County • www.uidaho.edu/latah

2019 Impact In addition to requested programming, 2019 brought new opportunities to the Latah County community. With over 6,700 direct contacts, UI Extension, Latah County is continuing to fulfill its land grant responsibility of bringing relevant and timely education to the public through family finance, small farms and horticulture, and 4-H youth development programs.

2019 By the Numbers • 6,701 direct contacts • 981 youth participants • 117 volunteers • 1,150 volunteer hours • $152,031 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Latah County: Julie Stafford, Kelsie Smathers, Marlys Wilson, Aerius Franklin, Bill Farmer, Rusty Schatz, Betta Buntzel, Guy Spencer, Alison Detjens, Diane Noel, Tim Steury, Linda Dewitt, Jodi McClory, Jen Eliot, Matt Roth, Rebecca Burt, Kim Monk, Stephanie Fletcher, Jennifer Ashmead, Tammi Johnson and Brandi Griffin.

UI Extension Educators Sara Fluer 208-883-2267 sfluer@uidaho.edu

Iris Mayes 208-883-2267 imayes@uidaho.edu

Karen Richel 208-883-2241 krichel@uidaho.edu

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New formats for classes, college scavenger hunts, and group money coaching allowed UI Extension to offer interactive learning, inspire empowered financial choices, and entertain new audiences. Partnerships with community leaders also extended outreach efforts through Medicare classes, America Saves Week, and simulations both in local schools and the local prisons. Idaho Department of Insurance (SHIBA), Latah Credit Union, Washington State University, Lewis-Clark State College, and University of Idaho faculty and students continue to be strong supporters of Extension programming. Agricultural programming supports small acreage farming through various educational events, including classes, farm tours, tabling, and workshops. These activities are conducted in coordination with other University of Idaho colleagues including the UI Extension Small Farm team. A beginning farmer training for U.S. military veterans, Harvest Heroes, was piloted in Moscow and Caldwell in 2019. Approximately 4,000 pounds of food was grown by veteran participants and donated to local food banks. In addition, the 2019 Master Gardener program produced 11 new certified volunteers. Participants logged over 1,000 hours of service to the community by sharing their knowledge through the plant clinic, Moscow Farmers Market, Latah County Fair, and multiple other activities. The UI Extension, Latah County 4-H program saw an increase in youth enrollment from 2018 and 2019. With the guidance of certified 4-H leaders, youth explored a wide variety of project areas and continued to expand their existing knowledge and skills by engaging in a 4-H project of interest. Latah County 4-H teens further refined their leadership skills through involvement at the district and state level. Key outreach events throughout the year include summer library programs, animal clinics, the Moscow Farmers Market, and the Latah County Fair, bringing in new families and prospective leaders to the program.

4-H in Latah County The UI Extension, Latah County 4-H program spans a wide variety of project areas, from sewing, cooking, and small animal and livestock projects, to shooting sports, horse, and much more. Highlights of 2019 included 11 local youth attending the Idaho 4-H state shooting sports contest, two of which qualified for a national event. Participation in the horse program grew and several Latah County members attended the Know Your Government Conference in Boise where they learned about local and state government. In addition, the summer library program had a high turnout and several new families were welcomed into the 4-H program.


2019-20 marked the fifth and final year of the 21st Century Afterschool grant at Potlatch Elementary School. Forty highrisk students received vital education and afterschool care in this program. As UI Extension leaves a sustainable footprint and hands over its responsibilities, the Potlatch School District plans to seek funding along with their high school afterschool program to maintain this value-added program. UI Extension, Latah County has also been working with the Moscow Middle School Earth Club on a school garden and related activities. In early 2020, the Earth Club teachers and youth members helped host the youth component of the Pollinator Summit attended by approximately 150 people.

On the Horizon In spring 2020, UI Extension, Latah County Family Finance Educator Karen Richel introduced Spend, Save and Share piggy banks and Creative Chore Charts to 15 kindergarten and first grade classes in Moscow, reaching 275 students. These programs were well received and all 40 of the classes in Latah County have asked to participate in the programs next year. To reach all constituents, UI Extension and community sponsors will be offering a virtual financial conference, Our Financial Conference, in October and a live conference in April 2021. This conference will replace the Smart Women, Smart Money Conference and will include anyone that wants to learn how to have a healthy financial life. The small farms and horticulture team is working with Rural Roots to develop a pollinator working group to improve pollinator and beneficial insect survival in the region. They are also developing a farm work training program for the wine grape industry. Harvest Heroes, a multi-community program, is continuing to grow in 2020 with funding from USDA. The 2020 Master Gardener program saw a full class of 24 students. Certified Master Gardener volunteers as well as trainees are helping maintain community gardens, volunteer in Extension’s weekly plant clinic, and assist with gardening projects in the area. The 4-H program recently partnered with the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine student ambassadors to host an outreach class to Latah County 4-H members in early 2020. The student ambassadors will continue to teach youth about important animal husbandry topics. Partnerships with local library branches to provide summer programs will continue and the youth will showcase their 4-H projects at the Latah County Fair in September.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 43


EXTENSION TRENDS: LEMHI COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Lemhi County • www.uidaho.edu/lemhi

2019 Impact Lemhi County stakeholders and the UI Extension advisory committee expressed a need for more job preparedness activities for teens. In response, UI Extension, Lemhi County educators Katie Hoffman and Shannon Williams developed a “career walk” to introduce youth to career opportunities in Lemhi County. Both partnered with school district and stakeholders to achieve an innovative and engaging career experience that met the needs of youth and local businesses.

2019 By the Numbers • 3,633 direct contacts • 2,795 youth participants • 158 volunteers • 2,326 volunteer hours • $41,130 extramural funding

UI Extension Educators Shannon Williams 208-742-1696 shannonw@uidaho.edu

Katie Hoffman 208-742-1698 khoffman@uidaho.edu

Hoffman’s event was held in Salmon and had 282 students in 9th12th grade and 30 adults representing local businesses. Youth visited businesses and were placed in aptitude categories before the event. A post event survey found that nearly 80% of the students found visiting the business very useful or somewhat useful. Businesses were encouraged to offer internships, work study positions or job shadowing opportunities. Following the event, 50% of businesses were very likely to have students participate in one of those programs. Over 50% of the students stated they were very likely or somewhat likely to follow up with the businesses they visited. Over 50% were more informed on local job opportunities. Williams partnered with the Leadore School District. Youth were divided into two groups and had the opportunity to visit eight different businesses in Salmon. Youth had the opportunity to tour the business, learn about training and educational requirements, and how to apply for positions. All of the youth indicated they learned something new and two applied for summer jobs with a business they visited. Youth participating in 4-H Horse Camp attended workshops on careers related to the horse industry. Many indicated in their horse camp journal that they would now consider a career they had not thought about before. Six youth participated in and completed the county action learning entrepreneurial program and achieved at least six of the required 12 skills.

4-H in Lemhi County Lemhi County 4-H’s most popular projects are livestock related. In 2019, there were 125 youth with livestock projects. There has been an increase in non-livestock projects including a 30% increase in sewing and an increase in shooting sports. The 4-H program was awarded a $9,500 grant to purchase shooting sports equipment which helped to kick-start that program with 27 youth and two new adult leaders participating. Four youth and two adults attended the district shoot and all youth brought home blue ribbons in their respective competitions. The 12th annual Family Fun Night at the Lemhi County Fair again brought 750 adults and children to create community awareness about underage drinking. This event is sponsored by the 4-H Teen Action in the Community (TAC) Team, UI Extension, Latah County’s teen leadership club. In addition, a partnership with stakeholders brought many more teen engagement activities this year. Through a partnership with the Page 44 | UI Extension Trends 2019


local Idaho’s Drug Free Youth (DFY) chapter, a middle school and high school swim night, four Teen Outdoor Movies, a dance, and a river float trip and BBQ were held. These events are designed to give teens safe alternatives to underage drinking and drug use. The events saw a huge increase in participation with the largest movie night attracting 75 teens. These events are continuations of Lemhi County’s youth-adult partnership formed 12 years ago and now supported financially by a youth-ran 4-H entrepreneurial program that brings in three times more funds than the original grant.

On the Horizon Hoffman developed a preschool curriculum that teaches preschoolers the importance of healthy eating. The fourlesson curriculum teaches youth healthy recipes using locally grown food. In some cases, the food comes directly from the preschools own garden. This year the program will be taught and evaluated statewide. Williams developed a Ladies Raising Livestock program after attending a workshop on a similar program at a national conference. She partnered with Dr. Sara Chaplin of Mountain River Vet and Hoffman for programming and received a sponsorship from Northwest Farm Credit Services for the program. There were 27 ladies and their children that attended. Dr. Chaplin held a calving school workshop, Hoffman presented on freezer meals and Williams taught beef quality assurance. All the ladies were able to become BQA certified. An exit survey indicated that participants would like to do this program two times a year.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Lemhi County: Brett Barsalou, Merrill Beyeler, Curtis Beyeler, Mark Brown, Kime Browne, Jeff Burch, Haley Burch, Sara Chaplin, Piper Christiansen, Jo Christiansen, Katie Cooper, Tristan Cooper, Keelan Cooper, Jeremy Drake, Haley Drake, Jocilynn Drake, Sherry Elrod, Amy Fealko, Paul Fisher, Barb Fisher, Trissy Herbst, Drew Herbst, Shayne Holmes, Melody Kauer, Mike Kossler, Ann Kossler, Merry Logan, Juniper MacFarlane, Shane Matson, Julia Matson, Seth McFarland, Kenny Miner, Myriam Mualem, Frances Mueller, Bruce Mulkey, Ann Mulkey, Renee Myer, Beth Rackham, Kevin Ramsey, Kay Ramsey, Austin Reutzel, Hailey Reutzel, Toni Ruth, Maggie Seaberg, Jen Smith, Rick Snyder, Caleb Wallis, Brittany Wallis, Tom Whitson, Carrie Whitson, Chase Whittaker, Megan Whittaker, Ariana Williams and Jake Zollinger.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 45


EXTENSION TRENDS: LEWIS COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Lewis County • www.uidaho.edu/lewis

2019 Impact The UI Extension, Lewis County 4-H program continues to be the premier youth development program in Lewis County with nearly half of the eligible youth in the county enrolled in the program. Youth not enrolled in 4-H are also impacted through support of FFA, the North Central Idaho Farm and Forest Fair, and the Spring into 4-H Fun Day.

2019 By the Numbers • 1,970 direct contacts • 454 youth participants • 37 volunteers • 1,110 volunteer hours • $5,320 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Lewis County: Kaci Ralstin, Sheri Fowler, Patti Watson, Michelle Koepl, Mary Duuck, Patti Watson, DeeDee Morris, Marty Lux, Clark Tacke, Brent Uhlorn and Andy Baldus.

UI Extension Educator Ken Hart 208-937-2311 khart@uidaho.edu

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Crop programs provided by UI Extension, Lewis County help farmers receive annual information on variety trials and other University of Idaho crop research through cereal schools, crop tours, and educational certification for pesticide applicator's licensing. UI Extension, Lewis County partnered with the U of I Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology and other UI Extension educators to offer the North Idaho Outlook for 2019 and 2020. Farmers and bankers in attendance at the event stated that the information provided helps them greatly in their preparations and planning for the upcoming crop year. Upper Clearwater Idaho Master Gardeners and UI Extension educators taught Idaho Victory Gardens to nearly 12 participants in Kamiah who said the program helped them plan and implement better gardens at their homes.

4-H in Lewis County The completion rate of 4-H projects by UI Extension, Lewis County 4-H members is 92%. Project enrollment was 279 in 2019 with 256 projects completed and over 143 market animals sold at the Lewis County Fair. The Spring Into 4-H Fun Day was brought back with 47 youth participants. This is a fun and educational program held during spring break for youth to learn about the projects that 4-H has to offer.

On the Horizon UI Extension, Lewis County is working with UI Extension, Idaho County to offer the first every Idaho Master Gardener course in Grangeville, which will take place this fall. UI Extension Educator Ken Hart is now a certified Annie's Project trainer and will work with other UI Extension educators in North Idaho to offer Annie's Project. Hart is working with fellow UI Extension educators Jim Church and Doug Finkelnburg on a study of annual forages yield and feed quality. The study should be completee after the 2020 harvest and published as an UI Extension bulletin. Hart is also working on new educational programs and materials as a member of the UI Extension Cultivating Success and beginning farm education teams.


EXTENSION TRENDS: LINCOLN COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Lincoln County • www.uidaho.edu/lincoln

2019 Impact UI Extension, Lincoln County’s main program areas are livestock and forages. The Magic Valley Livestock Schools are offered in the winter months and a new University of Idaho Sheep and Goat Webinar series is being offered. The sheep and goat webinars are offered weekly covering various on the management of sheep and goats in the West. The Idaho Young Cattle Producer Conference is held annually in conjunction with the Idaho Cattle Association.

2019 By the Numbers • 3,000 direct contacts • 189 youth participants • 36 volunteers • 4,000 volunteer hours • $12,000 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Lincoln County.

UI Extension Educator Carmen Willmore 208-886-2406 cwillmore@uidaho.edu

Ongoing forage research in the Magic Valley includes management intensive grazing of cover crops; grazing of annual cereal forage crops; use of Plateau for control of cheatgrass and reestablishment of rangeland species seeded in spring or fall; and interseeding of cover crop into standing corn silage.

4-H in Lincoln County Lincoln County 4-H gives youth the opportunity to learn life skills and responsibility for caring for an animal, along with fun with friends and family. Highlights for 2019 included cooking, cake decorating and robotics classes. A 4-H youth cupcake war challenged participants to decorate cupcakes using theme for the Lincoln County Fair. A 4-H club parliamentary procedure demonstration was held with other 4-H youth participating in the question and answer part of the demonstration.

On the Horizon UI Extension, Lincoln County will continue involvement with the Idaho Young Cattle Producers Conference and the UI Sheep and Goat Webinar series. Research on the use and implementation of cover crops in the Magic Valley will continue to assist farmers and ranchers in their management goals. In the coming year, UI Extension, Lincoln County will serve as co-coordinator of the Idaho Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and will broaden the reach of this program in southern Idaho.

UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 47


EXTENSION TRENDS: MADISON COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Madison County • www.uidaho.edu/madison

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 6,597 direct contacts • 3,228 youth participants • 30 volunteers • 420 volunteer hours • $31,508 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Madison County: Todd Smith, Brent Mendenhall, Robin Easton, Kim Hansen, Daniel Torres, Catherine Stanton, Terry Wilcox, Carla Hjelm, Ben Christensen, Sam Mickelson, Mike Ricks, Scott Campbell and Dallin Wilcox.

UI Extension Educators Lance Hansen 208-359-6297 lancehansen@uidaho.edu

Jon Hogge 208-745-6685 jhogge@uidaho.edu

Several UI Extension, Madison County programs had a significant impact in the community in 2019, including Cooking Under Pressure for Youth, Farm Management, Retirement Planning, and Farm Succession Planning. Over 150 youth in Madison County participated in the Cooking Under Pressure for Youth program in 2019. These youth learned that using an electric pressure cooker offers health, financial, and time-saving benefits. Members of the agriculture community learned best business practices by participating in the farm management classes. These best practices, if implemented, can help improve farmers’ current operations. Retirement planning and savings programs have been offered and presented several times as part of a workshop in the county. Retirement programming has been vital to help residents plan and prepare for retirement. Farm Succession Planning classes have been in high demand to help local farmers and ranchers make plans to sell or pass their operations to the next generation. This program helps provide the groundwork they need in order to take the proper steps that ensure that the family farm is taken care of and passed to the next generation. The UI Extension, Madison County office seeks guidance from local community members to develop and bring programs that will benefit residents.

4-H in Madison County The UI Extension 4-H Youth Development program in Madison County continues to grow each year. In 2019 a dog 4-H group was formed and participated in a tri-county dog 4-H show. Four participants from Madison County went on to the state fair and two youth took best in show in their divisions. The Madison County Fair and 4-H camp are always a highlight each year. The fair was well attended, the livestock shows were very competitive, and all the youth participants did an admirable job with their animals. Youth demonstrations were thought out and well presented. The 4-H projects that were on display covered several topics: sewing, photography, hiking, drones, cooking, and photography. Youth did a great job on their project folders and several were submitted to the state fair. All the hard work these young people put into their projects is evident and appreciated. A lot of work and preparation goes into planning the 4-H camp each year and 2019 was no exception. Youth had the opportunity to learn new things and explore nature. A few of the highlights included archery, rifle shooting, and gold panning. The Madison County 4-H program is always looking to include and expand new programs in order to reach a diverse audience in the county.

On the Horizon Several new programs are being offered by UI Extension, Madison County in 2020. A new 4-H program is designed to teach participants how to build their own drones, which teaches the technical and mechanical aspects of drones.

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A new pest alert program, in collaboration with several other counties, offers research-based information on the patterns of local pests. The program will help residents make better decisions about what and when to spray for bugs. The new Farm Stress Management program creates awareness about the increased number of suicides amongst farmers and ranchers. The goal of this program is to help provide an understanding of the current issue and what people can do to help friends and family that may be dealing with suicidal thoughts.

Another program area that is currently being developed is focused on retirement planning. Retirement is a hot topic and essential for Idaho residents since 52% of Idahoans have no retirement savings. The program will address the importance of retirement planning, which includes information about social security and Medicare. The goal is to help educate Idahoans about the importance of saving for retirement throughout their adulthood and not waiting until their later years.

EXTENSION TRENDS: AREA EDUCATORS

UI EXTENSION WATER OUTREACH 2019 Impact The UI Extension water outreach program continues to grow and update the IDAH₂O Master Water Stewards program. The program offered a standing water-only workshop in Cascade and two physical/chemical assessmentonly workshops in Coeur d’Alene and in Grand Coulee, Washington for the first time in 2019. Three additional full-IDAH2O workshops were held in Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene, and Boise. UI Extension Area Educator Jim Ekins also taught four Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) certification workshops and two mini-workshops for experienced educators. A total of 42 new Master Water Stewards were trained during 2019 and 94 new Project WET teachers were certified. Ekins also worked with the national NOAA Phytoplankton Monitoring Network to provide in-person and synchronous online Cyanobacteria Citizen Science Monitoring training for 50 participants across Idaho and Utah.

2019 By the Numbers • 5,630 direct teaching contacts • 4,479 youth direct teaching contacts • 1,151 adult direct teaching contacts • 244 volunteers • $14,060 extramural funding

UI Extension Area Educator Jim Ekins 208-292-1287 jekins@uidaho.edu

A strong partnership with the Columbia Basin-wide The River Mile Crayfish Citizen Science program has resulted in a permitted crayfish research program integrated with IDAH₂O. More than 500 regional high school students learned about watershed science and field data collection through the use of IDAH₂O monitoring protocol within The Confluence Project.

On the Horizon

Ekins will continue to support youth and youth programs by presenting at camps and the 4-H statewide volunteer forum. He also provides supervision and program support for 4-H natural resource programs. Other programs for adults and youth are directly tied to research in pollution prevention, best management practices, and watershed science. Collaborative efforts with the Coeur d’ Alene Chamber of Commerce and multiple Water Field Days with a variety of schools in Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Idaho, and Clearwater counties will continue.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension: Watershed Advisory Groups, the SpokaneRathdrum Aquifer Collaborative, Coeur d’Alene Chamber’s Natural Resources Committee and the Idaho Water Education Foundation.

www.uidaho.edu/idah2o UI Extension Trends 2019 | Page 49


EXTENSION TRENDS: MINIDOKA COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Minidoka County • www.uidaho.edu/minidoka

2019 Impact UI Extension, Minidoka County nutrition, health education and community health programming included eight major UI Extension programs: Cooking Under Pressure statewide cooking school; Cooking Under Pressure workshops and train the trainer programs; Cooking Under Pressure: Freezer Meal Bootcamps; Rupert Boys and Girls Club; 4-H Cooking Club; Cooking Under Pressure for Youth; and Teen Leadership. A total of 56 presentations were held related to nutrition and health education topics, 134 articles published in five printed newspapers and 121 digital articles published in newsletters. UI Extension Educator Becky Hutchinson won an Innovation in Programming Award for Cooking Under Pressure and the Florence Hall Award for Cooking Under Pressure: Train the Trainer Webinar for Extension Professionals; 1st place in Idaho, 1st place in the Region, and 3rd place in the nation for both awards.

2019 By the Numbers • 11,911 direct contacts • 371 youth participants • 88 volunteers • 2,640 volunteer hours • $46,900 extramural funding

UI Extension Educators Becky Hutchings 208-436-7184 bhutchings@uidaho.edu

Jason Thomas 208-436-7184 jasont@uidaho.edu

Pest management, entomology and Hispanic laborer education in 2019 included 31 presentations, 15 videos and three articles published in the

Ag Proud magazine and Times News, reaching over 100,000 people. One of the main programs has continued to be sustainable vole management using barn owls. This spring UI Extension Educator Jason Thomas presented his research at the Vertebrate Pest Conference in California. Since starting this program, farmers and landowners with more than 35,000 acres in Minidoka County are moving towards sustainable rodent management. This number includes two irrigation companies and multiple farms and landowners. These numbers take into consideration over 20 boxes deployed in the county, research agreements to collect data and requests by individuals for plans to build barn owl boxes.

4-H in Minidoka County Over the last several years, the number of youth participating in food projects in the county has decreased. In 2019, several Minidoka County 4-H volunteers decided to offer a one-week youth cake decorating boot camp and a series of cooking classes, in hopes of increasing food project participation. Youth learned skills from these classes and used them to compete in the first ever county Cupcake Wars at the fair. To be involved in the wars, 4-H members were required to be enrolled in a food project. In 2017, there were 21 food projects, in 2018 there were 34 projects, in 2019 there were 46 projects and in 2020 there are 75 projects. The success of these events has brought new excitement to the food projects and a new challenge to the Cupcake Wars event on how to showcase every participant.

On the Horizon In the upcoming year, Hutchings will work with the Idaho Beef Council to produce videos to highlight Idaho’s beef industry and how to cook quick and nutritious beef related meals in an electric pressure. She is also working on a Dorm Room Chef program to teach high school juniors and seniors how to prepare quick and healthy meals away from home. Page 50 | UI Extension Trends 2019


4-H Program Coordinator Jeni Bywater is collaborating with other UI Extension Central District educators and 4-H coordinators to provide an overnight tent leadership camp for teens. Teens will pitch tents, cook meals, sing songs, socialize around a campfire and provide a service project to the venue. These activities will enable the teens to gain valuable leadership skills they can utilize at other events. Thomas will continue to look for ways to serve the Hispanic community. He is currently working to publish an article about what types of factors influence Hispanic farm workers to switch jobs. This need arose from multiple farm managers expressing concern about worker turnover among this group. We hope to help farmers make better management decisions to keep workers around longer. We also continue to look at barn owl behaviors and ways to support these beneficial predators.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Minidoka County: Susi McCall, Vicky Edgar, Connie Studer, Chris Joyce, Donna Harper, Dixie Tate, Kathleen Whitlock, Heather Hepworth, Nikki Kent, Staci Joyce, Lori Johnson, Wendy Beedle, Diana Wheeler, Mary Andersen, Clayton Beene, Troy Draper, Jessica Stapelman, Justin Studer, Tawnya Tracy, Russ Suchan, Brian Kossman, Lanae Nalder, Salvador Moreno and Jeff Miller.

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EXTENSION TRENDS: NEZ PERCE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Nez Perce County • www.uidaho.edu/nezperce

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 977 direct contacts • 428 youth participants • 83 volunteers • 3,712 volunteer hours • $10,619 extramural funding

UI Extension Educators Kathee Tifft 208-799-3096 ktifft@uidaho.edu

Doug Finkelnburg 208-799-3096 dougf@uidaho.edu

UI Extension Area Educator Doug Finkelnburg developed presentations for a pesticide recertification course and co-authored several publications and abstracts in 2019. He hosted one cereal school and planned, organized, and evaluated the second Northern Idaho Collaborative Field Day, a joint event co-sponsored by UI-LCS Cereal Seeds and CHS Primeland Cooperatives. He also co-organized the Healthy Soils, Healthy Region workshop in Oregon; spoke on soil acidity mitigation in dryland cropping systems in Montana; presented a liming exercise in Washington; presented on herbicide resistance management at the Prairie Area Crop and Conservation Tour in Lewis County; delivered a presentation on soils, fertilizer, and composting in Kamiah; delivered updates on the glyphosate (RoundUp) situation in Coeur d’Alene, Sandpoint, and Bonners Ferry; and organized an interstate working group of weed scientists, producers, and key stakeholders to address regional herbicide resistance problems. He continues to evaluate an on-farm applied research demonstration site evaluating soil liming response and collaborate on two alternative forage production trials in Idaho and Lewis counties. Several food preservation classes were offered by UI Extension administrative assistant/master food safety advisor Shawna Reilly at the Lewiston City Library and Nez Perce Reservation. Topics included research-based processes for dehydrating, pickling, fermenting, and pressure canning a variety of foods. Word-of-mouth marketing has generated requests for additional food safety and preservation classes. UI Extension horticulture associate Mary Busch coordinated the Diagnostic Plant Clinic and supervised Idaho Master Gardener volunteers in identifying and diagnosing plant problems encountered by area gardeners. Master Gardeners also presented about seed starting and growing tomatoes to community audiences. Busch and UI Extension Educator Kathee Tifft provided the Banana Belt Backyard Gardener program to participants from six communities in Idaho and four communities in Washington on composting, climate change, and growing herbs. A networking segment gave area residents an opportunity to learn about food system related agencies and services available in the region. Tifft led a participatory action research project where rural residents used GIS software on their smartphones to document with photos and anecdotal notes their individual perceptions of barriers and supports for healthy eating and physical activity options in their home community. A photo map audit of community resources will be generated through a GIS network analysis depicting the data in illustrative maps. Communities receive a summarized report to use in guiding the development of action teams working toward community goals.

4-H in Nez Perce County Enrollment in the UI Extension, Nez Perce County 4-H program has steadily increased the past few years with 439 youth members and 67 volunteer leaders in 2019. 4-H coordinator Judy Floch collaborated Page 52 | UI Extension Trends 2019


with Asotin and Whitman County 4-H programs to provide Youth Livestock Field Days for 4-H and FFA clubs throughout north central Idaho, southeast Washington, and northeast Oregon. Beyond the knowledge and skill practice the 250 participants received, UI and WSU agriculture students were given experiential learning opportunities assisting in teaching classes and demonstrating quality care and handling of livestock. Flip chart survey questions documented youth perspective on the most challenging and the most rewarding parts of their livestock projects as well as advice they would give youth just starting projects. 4-H members organized spaghetti feeds, enchilada sales, local catering, and holiday wreath sales to raise funds to attend the National 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) program in Washington, DC. CWF is a three-year project in Nez Perce County with opportunities for youth to learn how to be citizen leaders and make a difference in their communities. This group will make their trip to the nation’s capital in June 2021.

On the Horizon Finkelnburg will continue to emphasize pesticide applicator training and recertification opportunities as well as herbicide resistant weed mitigation efforts. He is pursuing grant proposals to work on food grade winter pea integration into cereal production systems, cover crop integration in cereal production systems, and community-based herbicide resistance management. Tifft is developing a family and consumer sciences program on healthy aging. AIM (aging with intent and meaning) will be a series of classes focused on helping people make informed decisions on important financial, physical, legal, and social aspects of life that impact aging. She is a member of the Idaho Design Team working on a three-state project, Western Community Action Network, that is currently evaluating and redesigning assessment programs to more effectively assist rural communities in addressing contemporary challenges and change.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Nez Perce County: Tom Conklin, Betty Peters, Carol Thompson, Janis Forsman, Bill Furstanau, Phil Shinn, Maria Garvey, DeWayne Ward, Nancy Hasenoehrl, Diane Burnham, Sandy Martello, Mike Mount and Joan Mount.

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EXTENSION TRENDS: ONEIDA COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Oneida County • www.uidaho.edu/oneida

2019 Impact The UI Extension, Oneida County team organized, conducted and evaluated several livestock programs in 2019. Three presentations reached 60 direct contacts and a three-week beef school workshop was offered in Oneida County and two other Eastern Idaho locations. Topics presented reflected the beef industry season and what would meet the needs of cattle producers. Producers were able to interact face-to-face with UI Extension and industry experts, allowing for delivering of information paired with discussion on understanding. Producers learned about recurring and emerging issues in the beef industry including herd health, effects of stress on cattle immunity, antibiotic protocols, nutritional influence on herd health, scours, vaccination protocols, and parasite control. These topics provided producers with management practices to consider when making production decisions. A pesticide applicator training was held by UI Extension, Oneida County at three locations. A total of 70 individuals participated in the training. UI Extension, Oneida County hosted a pressure-cooking class, taught by UI Extension, Bannock County educator Laura Foist, to 12 community members.

2019 By the Numbers • 600 direct contacts • 311 youth participants • 35 volunteers • 800 volunteer hours • $1,000 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Oneida County: Regene Jones, Ken Moss, Becky Moss, Holly Llewellyn, Larry Ward, Maurine Corbridge, Micheal Corbett, Dave Jensen and Jack Harwell.

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4-H in Oneida County The UI Extension, Oneida County 4-H program helped organize five sets of workshops, supported the Rangeland Skillathon, oversaw the Oneida County Fair, worked with the Eastern Idaho State Fair Livestock committee, and led the rabbit show. 4-H livestock workshops were created to provide support to club leaders that struggle with the more complex parts of animal science. The 4-H program also developed and offered a series of 4-H livestock day camps in Eastern Idaho and organized and provided a youth financial education class for one week each semester at Malad High School. STEM activities were offered to youth in the Malad School District’s afterschool program and a Turkey Shoot was held to advertise the Oneida County 4-H shooting sports program.

On the Horizon UI Extension, Oneida County is currently working on building and reviving non-traditional 4-H programs by offering new clubs such as macrame and wood-burning. Day camps will be offered throughout the fall and winter to show that 4-H is always available outside of typical summer programs. A Dabble in Dissection course is currently being taught to eight youth with the assistance of UI Extension, Bannock County educator Nikki Dalton.


EXTENSION TRENDS: OWYHEE COUNTY

University of Idaho Extension, Owyhee County • www.uidaho.edu/owyhee

2019 Impact Citizens were taught proper food preservation techniques through UI Extension, Owyhee County family and consumer science programming. Master Food Safety volunteers were trained to assist in answering food safety questions, thus increasing the reach of educational efforts. Hundreds of youth were taught proper hand washing practices to reduce the spread of germs.

2019 By the Numbers • 7,670 direct contacts • 2,703 youth participants • 62 volunteers • 4,137 volunteer hours • $506,100 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Owyhee County: Nic Usabel, Dave Tindall, Gina Showalter, Ginger Loucks, Sharla Jensen, Will Field, Heather Field, Jessica Eubanks, Jake Astorquia, Megan Astorquia, Russ Erwin, Deidre Erwin, Norm Stewart, Lorna Steiner, Mary Huff, Joe Merrick, Verla Merrick and Jerry Hoagland.

UI Extension Educators K. Scott Jensen 208-896-4104 scottj@uidaho.edu

Agriculture, livestock, and range programming focused on improving pasture management for producers, which equates to reduced input costs and increased productivity. UI Extension, Owyhee County programs resulted in 165 new Beef Quality Assurance certifications and re-certifications. A total of 23 citizens were trained/certified in artificial insemination.

4-H in Owyhee County The UI Extension, Owyhee County 4-H Youth Development program keeps youth focused on positive behaviors with hands-on learning activities that can be used to better serve their communities and introduce them to new and exciting opportunities. The Healthy Living and Youth Cooking Under Pressure programs were offered in local schools in 2019. One of the many rewards of bringing these projects to youth is receiving pictures from parents of the dinners that participants have made at home after attending a program. The annual Christmas in October event is always a favorite in Owyhee County. Youth colored, painted, and stamped 200 holiday cards in 2019 to send to military personnel serving overseas. This is a great opportunity for youth to have fun while being creative and participating in a community service activity.

On the Horizon In November 2019, Idaho’s Smoking and Grilling program was piloted by UI Extension, Owyhee County. This program creates an increased opportunity for cross-program collaboration for agriculture and family and consumer sciences programming, while allowing UI Extension educators to highlight their expertise in specific educational content— meat science and food safety.

Surine Greenway 208-896-4104 surineg@uidaho.edu

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EXTENSION TRENDS: PAYETTE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Payette County • www.uidaho.edu/payette

2019 Impact UI Extension, Payette County faculty work to adapt research to the everyday lives of citizens, empowering them to solve their own problems. UI Extension Educator Karie Boone has developed entirely new programming for small acreage farms and food systems in Payette County. This includes four different classes, an advisory committee and initial assessment of community interests/needs.

2019 By the Numbers • 5,767 direct contacts • 425 youth participants • 242 volunteers • 1,608 volunteer hours • $51,600 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Payette County.

UI Extension Educators Karie Boone 208-642-6022 kboone@uidaho.edu

Joey Petuz 208-642-6022 joeyp@uidaho.edu

The main goal of the UI Extension Eat Smart Idaho program is to increase the self-sufficiency and health of food stamp individuals and low-resource families through community-based, informal experiential education that builds basic living skills and decision-making capabilities. UI Extension Educator Joey Peutz is the southern district administrator and Rebecca Luna is Payette County grant funded nutrition instructor. Luna reached 882 youth and adults in 2019. As a result of 2019 efforts, 91% of adult participants showed improvement in one or more diet quality indicators (i.e., eating fruits, vegetables, red and orange vegetables, dark green vegetables, drinking less regular soda (not diet), or sugary drinks, and cooking dinner at home) and 70% of adults showed improvements in one or more physical activity behaviors (i.e., exercising for at least 30 minutes, doing workouts to strengthen muscles, or making small changes to be more active). Peutz offered a yearlong Diabetes Prevention Program to 22 New Plymouth community members in 2019-20. The program is proven to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in those that are high risk. It was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is designed for people with prediabetes, as well as those who are at high risk for diabetes. This program focused on supporting a 5-7% weight loss and 150 minutes of physical activity each week for participants. Fourteen participants attended 80% or more of the yearlong classes with nine participants losing a minimum of 5% weight, reducing their risk of getting diabetes by 58% (71% for those over the age of 60).

4-H in Payette County Payette County 4-H Youth Development offers many educational opportunities to empower youth to grow and thrive. Youth learned about the care and management of livestock projects through experiential livestock clinics using the UI Extension 4-H Youth Development animal science curriculum. Showmanship education was offered to youth by 4-H staff and volunteers at six different events to achieve project requirements. Plans for a livestock quiz bowl and a livestock judging team are underway in Payette County. Payette County horse volunteers held a Cayuse Camp for southern district youth in December. Community volunteers lead the youth through several stations for learning about the care of horses, tack and anatomy. A collaboration has begun with the Weiser River Trail Association for youth to participate in a trail ride and overnight camp during the summer for a truly “hands-on camping with horses” experience for the youth. Youth members were involved in contests for

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hippology, horse bowl and judging. Payette County youth also qualified for and attended a National Horse Judging competition in Colorado in 2019. STEM education for 4-H volunteers was held in February to begin teaching coding for youth to be delivered at club meetings. Plans are to get youth involved with more STEM projects.

On the Horizon Boone is excited about the development of a hands-on teaching farm, completing a community-driven food systems assessment process in Payette County, and working toward action items based on the food systems assessment. Marilyn O'Leary, 4-H coordinator, is excited about increasing STEM educational activities in Payette County for youth. Peutz is excited about building strong partnerships within the community, increasing the impact of health programs and addressing health disparities in Payette County.

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EXTENSION TRENDS: POWER COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Power County • www.uidaho.edu/power

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 6,051 direct contacts • 2,426 youth participants • 42 volunteers • 376 volunteer hours

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Power County: Ken Koompin, David Zimmerman, Jerome Clinger, Kim West and Steve Isaak.

UI Extension Educator Terrell Sorensen 208-745-7621 tsorensen@uidaho.edu

Several UI Extension, Power County programs had significant impact in 2019. The Barn Owl Program with fifth grade students in American Falls featured three different classes taught by UI Extension educators. One class focused on building a barn owl box (nests), one on classification of barn owls, and one on lives of barn owls including nesting and eating habits. After the classes a live barn owl was brought to the school and shown to the 130 students. Later in the school year the school’s makers space was utilized and the students made barn owl boxes. The students loved the project and approximately 25 of the boxes have been installed around the county and are being monitored. The purpose of this program is to reduce the use of rodenticides to control voles and mice and instead encouraging barn owls to hunt in the area. The weed program in Power County has also been highly successful. A weed identification and spray application course was taught to the Power County Highway District and two classes on noxious weeds and new invaders in the county was taught to the Power County Cooperative Weed Management Area. UI Extension Educator Terrell Sorensen served on the Idaho Noxious Weed Commission, setting up the annual state noxious weed convention and helping with allocating the states cost sharing to the counties. He also organized and helped teach a pesticide recertification class in the county to 32 participants. Sorensen presented on the water outlook at the Idaho Ag Outlook Seminar and assisted with crop budgets for cereal grains and sugar beets. He also assisted with farm management classes and hosted ditchrider workshops and aquatic recertification classes. Over 400 employees from across the state attended these trainings, learning about canal maintenance, employee relations, retirement, and weed identification and control.

4-H in Power County

The UI Extension, Power County 4-H Youth Development program continues to excel in animal and market livestock programming. Several non-traditional youth are also reached through the Skills with Archery program, in cooperation with the William Thomas Middle School. In 2019 28 members signed up for the demonstration contest, nearly tripling the entries from the previous year. Power County 4-H will continue to offer existing programming and investigate new ways to be of service to the youth of Power County.

On the Horizon

A new event, in collaboration with the Idaho Water Users Association, called H2-Know is currently being developed. This virtual program will be offered every three months with different topics and speakers pertaining to water law and current issues in the water industry. The cost for the event is $25 and participants will receive one continuing education credit. Funds from the program will be used for water safety, canal maintenance, and general safety videos or additional education activities for water use groups.

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Sorensen serves as the president of the board for the Idaho Water Education Foundation. A new website will serve as a clearinghouse for water meetings, Project WET information, and education and funding opportunities for water groups.


EXTENSION TRENDS: TETON COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Teton County • www.uidaho.edu/teton

2019 Impact

In 2019, UI Extension, Teton County outreach and educational programs to youth and adult learners continued in partnership with local schools and nonprofit organizations. A community seed library was started, and several horticulture events and classes were held, including a tomato seed saving class at the Teton Valley Fair. Teton area food systems and agriculture continue to be strengthened by facilitation of the Teton Food and Farm Coalition meetings. Rapid Market Assessment was conducted on two local and regional farmers markets, helping market organizers and economic development professionals learn about customer preferences and demographics, marketing trends, and economic impact of the markets.

2019 By the Numbers • 3,418 direct contacts • 1,201 youth participants • 38 volunteers • 960 volunteer hours • $958,559 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Teton County: 4-H Advisory Council: Elaine Johnson, Hailey Beard, Katie Murdock, Missy Matkin, Regina Beard, and Tracy Beebe; Extension Advisory Council: Cindy Riegel, Bob Heneage, Emily Selleck, Betsy Hawkins, Amanda Williams, Tye Tilt, Doug Self, and Heather McLendon.

UI Extension Educator Jennifer Werlin 208-354-2961 jwerlin@uidaho.edu

The City of Driggs Parks and Recreation and Tree Committees adopted and began to implement action items outlined from UI Extension’s permaculture design for the 5th Street Skate Park. The impact of UI Extension programs is far reaching and has positive ripples throughout the community as illustrated by broad community partnerships and notable extramural grant funding.

4-H in Teton County

Five new Teton County 4-H clubs were added in 2019, all addressing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) subjects and three new adult volunteers were recruited. A new 4-H AmeriCorps member expanded STEAM outreach to new 4-H youth and the school district’s afterschool program. Over 60 hours of physical education programming was offered through various clubs. Over 75 youth participated in 2-4 hours of weekly hands-on, integrated physical activity. Opportunities are available for adult volunteers to obtain skills and necessary training for program topics. Using funds raised through the Tin Cup Challenge philanthropy event, Teton County 4-H was able to send three volunteers to regional and state trainings. As a result, these volunteers have new leadership skills and knowledge to help youth development programs succeed. There is now a Teton County 4-H Advisory Council to help provide leadership, feedback, and fundraising for county youth programs.

On the Horizon

UI Extension is developing an on-farm teaching program in Driggs as part of the Cultivating Success program, thanks to a USDA-NIFA grant. This program will provide education to adults interested in learning about diversified small acreage crop production and ranching. Educator Jennifer Werlin is also helping with research on a USDA-AFRI grant focused on improving the understanding and delivery of programs to women farmers who are frequently underserved and underrepresented yet a growing demographic in agriculture. The Idaho Master Gardening program continues with a hybrid teaching model of in-person and webinar presentations. This delivery method helps reach more clientele and capture expertise from faculty located outside the region. It also helps to save on program costs and reach clients when adverse weather or a global pandemic impacts in-person events.

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EXTENSION TRENDS: TWIN FALLS COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Twin Falls County • www.uidaho.edu/twinfalls

2019 Impact The UI Extension, Twin Falls County aquaculture program demonstrated that the regulatory cost burden on the U.S. trout industry has increased farm costs substantially and regulatory actions resulted in lost sales revenues. Through wide-spread dissemination of study results including a journal publication and 15 Extension publications, agencies are reconsidering redundant aquaculture regulations, some states have passed beneficial aquaculture legislation, and U.S. Congress and the Executive branch now recognize the regulatory burden on U.S. aquaculture.

2019 By the Numbers • 11,041 direct contacts • 15,791 youth participants • 881 volunteers • 41,202 volunteer hours • $537,373 extramural funding

UI Extension Educators Suzann Dolecheck 208-734-9590 sdolecheck@uidaho.edu

Siew Guan Lee 208-734-9590 siewguanl@uidaho.edu

Andres West 208-734-9590 andywest@uidaho.edu

Gary Fornshell Emeritus Faculty gafornsh@uidaho.edu

The UI Extension Southern Idaho Master Gardener Program donated 2,200 hours of volunteer service for a value of over $48,000. The volunteers had contact with over 18,000 individuals throughout the year. They hosted multiple diagnostic clinics, Farmers Market events, youth and adult classes, and helped provide answers to plant, insect, weed and general landscaping questions. Seven new volunteers completed hours for certification and are providing additional opportunities to expand our programming into new areas. A partnership with the Robert Stuart Middle School for the School Food Pantry Mystery Box Cook-off increased food insecurity awareness and developed knowledge and confidence to make healthy and affordable meals. Results showed a statistically significant difference in participants’ overall nutrition knowledge, skills and confidence level after the program compared to before the program. The program is an innovative approach to increase confidence and skills among youth to make healthy and affordable meals at home, which may lead to a healthier and more food-secure future. To expand positive youth development in out-of-school programming, enrichment programs are conducted throughout the year by 4-H AmeriCorp instructors. These instructors are funded through partnership agreements to provide science discovery, critical thinking/problem solving and creative arts programs to youth. Summer programming is provided in partnership with Boys & Girls Club of Magic Valley to provide 18 summer camps in STEM, health/nutrition and horticulture camp opportunities to 80 youth each week.

4-H in Twin Falls County UI Extension, Twin Falls County 4-H received a five-year CYFAR grant ($294,000) to implement the 4-H Juntos Program at South Hills Middle School. The purpose of this program is to unite latinx youth, families and community partners to provide in-school one-on-one coaching, afterschool tutoring, life-skills activities, workshops for parents and an academic summer program. New summer camps were offered in 2019, including Spice It Up: Around the World and Code Your World. Seven UI Extension summer camp programs provided opportunities for 90 youth to explore STEM in a variety of options. In 2019, Dabble in Dissection (a comparative anatomy camp) and Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with Science (based on the chemistry of producing sugar and making candy) were added. Currently,

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UI Extension youth development educators are taking the lead in developing national curriculum specific to these two camps. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is designed to inspire youth’s interest and participation in science and technology and motivate them to pursue education and career opportunities in STEM fields. FIRST Lego League targets youth ages 9-14 where students research a real-world engineering challenge, develop a solution, and compete with LEGO-based robots of their own design. Twin Falls County 4-H, in partnership with Twin Falls School District, hosted one of two regional qualifying tournaments. Twelve teams represented Twin Falls School District, a 50% increase from the year before. The tournament hosted 45 teams from as far away as Council and Driggs. The Twin Falls County 4-H team—Sirius Scientists earned first place in robot programming. The 2019 Twin Falls County Fair included 46 clubs, 205 leaders, 648 members, 442 general projects and 543 livestock projects.

On the Horizon The Zoom Idaho Master Gardener course focuses on using the online platform as a delivery method for multi-county Master Gardener programming to provide an opportunity for individuals in rural areas to take the course without leaving their communities. This delivery method also allows single educators with limited or no horticulture appointments to meet the needs of their community by offering Master Gardener and other horticulture programming to their constituents. Due to COVID-19, 4-H will be providing virtual trainings to volunteers on the new electronic record book and how best to utilize Zoom meetings in 4-H clubs. 4-H professionals, AmeriCorp instructors and volunteers are also providing virtual educational opportunities to 4-H members, introducing a variety of non-animal projects and animal science lessons for market animal projects. Brochures and flyers deliver healthy eating and active lifestyle messaging through the USDA Summer Food Service program and technology is used to teach online nutrition education classes for Eat Smart Idaho programming. Due to reduced programming as a result of social distancing, UI Extension is expecting some carry-in funds for SNAP-Ed programming for the proposed small spaces gardening pilot project that may have the potential to bring significant impacts to the community.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Twin Falls County: Genaura Wells, Thomas Schwartz, Bri Owen, Garen Moreno , Randy MacMillan, Mary Ann Doshier, David Carson, Leo Ray, Brady Dickinson, Ruth Pierce, Bernie Jansen, Laree Jansen, Scott Claiborn, Sarah Brown, Mark Daily, Heather Neaman, Brett Reinke, Jack Johnson, Don Hall, Abby Greenfield and Suzanne Hawkins.

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EXTENSION TRENDS: VALLEY COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Valley County • www.uidaho.edu/valley

2019 Impact

The Let's Get Cooking program was launched in 2019, utilizing partnerships to develop a workforce development program focused on the culinary arts in the West Central Mountains. Four participants expressed interest in developing a food-related business and 47% of participants expressed interest in the Idaho Department of Labor Apprenticeship program. This model will be replicated in Cascade and applied to the construction trades. The ripple mapping assessment tool was used to evaluate previous programs including the America's Best Communities and Cascade Idaho Community Review. UI Extension helped Cascade and New Meadows apply for Idaho Rural Partnership grants. Both communities were awarded money to implement projects focused on beautification or multi-modal access. Afterschool programs were offered at the McCall/Donnelly Elementary School in partnership with the Donnelly Public Library the PCEI Americorps regional placements. Twenty-nine students participated—roughly 20% of the elementary school population.

2019 By the Numbers • 615 direct contacts • 486 youth participants • 79 volunteers • 1,400 volunteers hours • $16,500 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Valley County: Shauna Arnold, Cami Hedges, Delta James, Gary Thompson, Rebecca Hurd, Maralee Cross, Patsy Kelley, Liz Jones, Steve Anderson, Andrew Mentzer and Dawn Morton.

UI Extension Educator Melissa Hamilton 208-382-7190 mbhamilton@uidaho.edu

UI Extension purchased computer programming learning toys (Dot and Dash) through a sub award with the McCall Public Library Idaho STEM Center grant. The technology boxes were distributed to McCall, New Meadows, Donnelly, and Cascade libraries for public access.

4-H in Valley County

The Valley County 4-H program partners with many agencies to support youth development, including the Youth Advocacy Coalition (YAC) and Teen Advisory Council (TAC). TAC participants help in different areas of the community by volunteering and creating events that oppose destructive behaviors and strengthen healthy lifestyles. They also support YAC to engage youth to create a vibrant community and promote healthy lifestyle choices while cultivating supportive relationships between youth and adults. Valley County 4-H organizes the annual 4-H Ambassadors District Retreat in McCall, attracting teens from the UI Extension Southern District. This retreat focuses on leadership development and public speaking. Two Valley County youth participated in the Know Your Government Conference.

On the Horizon

During the COVID-19 pandemic, UI Extension partnered with the McCall Chamber and the Economic Development Council to highlight business and pandemic procedures for reopening. A story map was created to connect consumers, producers, and available food resources. Food roundtable discussions were held online to connect people, share resources, and identify challenges. Mask straps for essential workers were printed using the 4-H 3-D printers. The WCM Food Coalition will celebrate its third year in 2020 with a membership drive and dinner celebration in the fall. The harvest dinner will bring coalition members together and highlight efforts since its inception in 2017. The 2020 Idaho Master Gardener cohort will complete over 300 hours of community service in 2020-21. UI Extension will work with these volunteers to contribute to projects (community garden committees, farmers markets, plant clinic garden talks, beautification efforts) in the region.

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EXTENSION TRENDS: WASHINGTON COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Washington County • www.uidaho.edu/washington

2019 Impact UI Extension, Washington County received a major program boost with the opening of a new location at 116 W. Idaho Street in Weiser. With over 1,300 square feet of classroom space, the staff is better prepared to deliver quality programming year-round. The 4-H collaborative programming with the Weiser School District BEST Afterschool programming reached over 800 under-served youth with agriculture and healthy living programming. The Idaho Master Gardener program experienced a record high sign-up for the 2020 Idaho Master Gardenerin-Training program.

4-H in Washington County 2019 By the Numbers • 3,461 direct contacts • 1,740 youth participants • 114 volunteers • 4,346 volunteer hours • $39,728 extramural funding

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Washington County: Kirk Chandler, Lisa Collini, Nate Marvin, Donna Atwood, Wade Wilson, Pam Schwenkfelder, Royce Schwenkfelder, Arthur Church, Mike Partin, Marge Chipman, Vernon Lolley, Darlene Maxwell, Bonnie Davis, Andrew Butler and Harvey and Chris Braun.

In 2019, a total of nine clubs and 39 leaders participated in 4-H programs with one new club formed to focus on family and consumer science projects. The Washington County 4-H program also developed a preparedness project for the Teen Leaders Club which has been very popular. A total of 194 youth brought their projects to the 2019 Washington County Fair. 4-H Enrichment programs reached a total of 858 under-served youth including 669 minority youth.

On the Horizon UI Extension Educator Mary Ridout is working on development of a new horticultural program that encompasses both Idaho Master Gardener training and general gardener education delivered effectively across the four counties served with Idaho Master Gardener programming. A new drone technology program for 4-H youth is being developed with hope to expand that to agricultural programming. Ridout is also working with seed and cereal producers on a project to identify and manage seedborne microbes that reduce seed quality.

UI Extension Educator Mary Ridout 208-414-0415 mridout@uidaho.edu

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UI EXTENSION ADMINISTRATION AND AREA EDUC UI Extension Administration Associate Dean and Director of Extension Barbara Petty extdir@uidaho.edu 208-885-5883 Associate Director Nav Ghimire nghimire@uidaho.edu 208-364-6163 4-H Youth Development Director Jim Lindstrom jlindstrom@uidaho.edu 208-885-6321 Central District Director Lyle Hansen centraldist@uidaho.edu 208-736-3616 Eastern District Director Marnie Spencer easterndist@uidaho.edu 208-529-8376 Northern District Director Mike Howell northerndist@uidaho.edu 208-292-2522 Southern District Director Pat Momont southerndist@uidaho.edu 208-454-7674

UI Extension Area Educators Ariel Agenbroad • ariel@uidaho.edu Community Food Systems and Small Farms Area Educator Agenbroad serves southwest Idaho as an area educator in community food systems, urban horticulture and small farms. Her areas of specialization include home and market vegetable production, direct marketing of small farm products, organics, and gardening with youth. (More information on page 4-5) Colette DePhelps • cdephelps@uidhao.edu Community Food Systems Area Educator DePhelps specializes in community food systems, small farms, organizational development, and strategic planning and facilitation. (More information on page 12-13) Ben Eborn • beborn@uidaho.edu Area Agricultural Economist Eborn focuses on farm and ranch management, production economics, and farm succession and estate planning. Jim Ekins • jekins@uidaho.edu Water Resources Area Educator Ekins develops and delivers educational programs related to water quality. He oversees the IDAH2O Master Water Stewards citizen science volunteer water quality monitoring program and the Cleaner Water Faster bi-state educational project on stormwater pollution. (More information on page 49) Doug Finkelnburg • dougf@uidaho.edu Area Cropping Systems Educator Finkelnburg supports dryland cropping systems activities throughout northern Idaho. (More information on page 52-53) Donna Gillespie • donna@uidaho.edu Regional 4-H Youth Development Educator Gillespie provides statewide leadership in 4-H citizenship and civic education, personal development, and leadership. She also partners with 4-H professionals in youth development programming throughout the Central District. Jon Hogge • jhogge@uidaho.edu Area Extension Educator Hogge is the area cereals educator for Eastern Idaho, helping growers diagnose problems in their cereal crops. (More information on page 48-49)

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CATORS Scott Nash • snash@uidaho.edu Regional 4-H Youth Development Educator

Jim Wilson • jwilson@uidaho.edu Regional 4-H Youth Development Educator

Nash provides leadership in 4-H programming to the 14 counties in the Eastern District and statewide leadership in 4-H animal science programs.

Wilson provides leadership in program development and 4-H volunteer management for the 10 northern Idaho counties. He also provides statewide leadership for the 4-H horse and shooting sports programs.

Chris Schnepf • cschnepf@uidaho.edu Forestry Area Educator Schnepf provides a variety of learning opportunities on applied forest ecology and silviculture for family forest owners, loggers and professional foresters throughout the Idaho Panhandle. (More information on page 39) Donna Schwarting • dschwarting@uidaho.edu 4-H Youth Development Area Educator Schwarting provides leadership for 4-H volunteer development, including projectbased learning programs, grant writing, program design, personnel supervision, and risk management. Nancy Shelstad • shelstad@uidaho.edu Regional 4-H Youth Development Educator Shelstad provides leadership on youth retention, the Build Your Future program and 4-H staff development modules. Claire Sponseller • csponseller@uidaho.edu 4-H Youth Development Area Educator Sponseller oversees 4-H STEM programming and co-leads an advisory board/STEM working group to develop a STEM action plan for Idaho 4-H. Maureen Toomey • mtoomey@uidaho.edu 4-H Youth Development Area Educator Toomey directs the 4-H healthy living program with an emphasis on families with limited resources.

Additional Faculty Catherine Cantley catherinecantley@uidaho.edu Clinical Faculty / Tech Help Cantley works with Idaho food manufacturers to improve their products, processes and cultures. Audra Cochran • audrac@uidaho.edu Associate Extension Educator Cochran provides support and educational opportunities in forestry for stakeholders and forestry landowners. She also manages the Idaho Big Tree program. Janna Hamlett • jannav@uidaho.edu Clinical Faculty / Tech Help Hamlett is a food processing specialist and assists the local food processing industry through TechHelp. Lauren Hauger • lhauger@uidaho.edu Associate Extension Educator Hauger specializes in commercial produce safety and serves as a resource for farmers statewide. Kimberly Tate • ktate@uidaho.edu Associate Extension Educator Tate develops educational materials for the pesticide safety education program to train pesticide safety applicators and Idaho Master Gardeners.

Ashlee Westerhold • ashleew@uidaho.edu Area Extension Economist Westerhold is an economist with a focus on farm succession and estate planning, and farm and ranch management. (More information on page 25)

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UI EXTENSION SPECIALISTS Aberdeen Research and Extension Center www.uidaho.edu/cals/aberdeen Pam Hutchinson • phutch@uidaho.edu Hutchinson is a potato cropping systems weed scientist focused on involving weed biology, weed control, herbicide environmental fate, herbicide resistance management and green manure systems. Xi Liang • xliang@uidaho.edu Liang is a cropping systems agronomist focused on crop physiology in response to abiotic and biotic stresses, irrigation management and alternative crop agronomy. Stephen Love • slove@uidaho.edu Love conducts research on domestication of native plants for landscape use and variety evaluations for vegetables and small fruits. Phillip Wharton • pwharton@uidaho.edu Wharton studies the biology and hostpathogen interactions of fungal disease on potatoes.

Caldwell Research and Extension Center www.uidaho.edu/cals/caldwell Joe Dalton • jdalton@uidaho.edu Dalton’s research is focused on increasing the efficiency of artificial insemination in dairy cattle, including heat detection accuracy, synchronization programs and AI technician proficiency. Luke Erickson • erickson@uidaho.edu Erickson is a personal finance specialist, with an emphasis on youth education. Areas of expertise include credit building, credit scores, investing for retirement, withdrawal strategies, financial goal setting and emergency preparedness.

Idaho Falls Research and Extension Center www.uidaho.edu/cals/idaho-falls Kasia Duellman • kduellman@uidaho.edu Duellman’s research focuses on seed potato production with the overall goal of improving quality. Specific emphasis is on pathogens important to seed potato production and

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seed health and seed-related aspects of commercial potato production. Juliet Marshall • jmarshall@uidaho.edu Marshall conducts research on cereal varietal adaptation, cropping systems, crop management and cereal root disease. Richard Norell • rnorell@uidaho.edu Norell is a dairy specialist focused on nutrient management.

Kimberly Research and Extension Center www.uidaho.edu/cals/kimberly Howard Neibling • hneiglin@uidaho.edu Neibling is an irrigation management specialist focused on field measurement and modeling of crop water use and soil moisture movement, soil moisture monitoring equipment, and improved irrigation water management strategies. Nora Olsen • norao@uidaho.edu Olsen is a potato storage specialist and conducts research on sprout and disease control, variety specific storage management and optimizing field and storage conditions to maintain high quality potatoes. Erik Wenninger • erikw@uidaho.edu Wenninger is an entomologist focused on the biology, ecology and behavior of insect pests and their natural enemies in order to develop economically and environmentally sound management strategies.

Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center www.uidaho.edu/cals/nmcreec Melinda Ellison • ellison@uidaho.edu Ellison is a range livestock and sheep specialist and her research focuses primarily on the effects of grazing livestock on wildlife and range. John Hall • jbhall@uidaho.edu Hall is a beef specialist focused on applied research to enhance food production and sustainability of beef production operations.


Jim Sprinkle • sprinkle@uidaho.edu

Patrick Hatzenbuehler phatzenbuehler@uidaho.edu

Sprinkle is a beef specialist with a focus on nutrition and feed efficiency.

Hatzenbuehler performs evidence-based research on agricultural commodity markets with a focus on market structure and conditions for crops grown in Idaho.

Parma Research and Extension Center www.uidaho.edu/cals/parma

Jackie Jamison • jjamison@uidaho.edu Jamison is a soil health specialist and works with Idaho producers and conservation districts to promote agricultural practices that improve soil health.

Justin Clements • justinclements@uidaho.edu Clements is an entomologist interested in supporting integrated pest management of insect and mite pests of vegetable and field crops within the state of Idaho through his research and Extension program.

Linda Schott • lschott@uidaho.edu Schott is a nutrient and waste management specialist focused on addressing the needs of stakeholders related to the impacts of nutrient and livestock waste management and other land management practices on soil health and water quality.

Saad Hafez • shafez@uidaho.edu Hafez is a nematologist and researches crop-damaging nematodes and nematode control methods. Olga Walsh • owalsh@uidaho.edu

Hernan Tejeda • htejeda@uidaho.edu

Walsh is a cropping systems agronomist focused on sustainable cropping systems using best management practices for important crops grown in Idaho. James Woodhall • jwoodhall@uidaho.edu Woodhall is a plant pathologist and offers a range of diagnostic tests and advice to growers. His research program characterizes plant pathogens and developing new diagnostic methods for diseases across a range of crops.

Twin Falls Research and Extension Center www.uidaho.edu/cals/twin-falls Mireille Chahine • mchahine@uidaho.edu Chahine is a dairy specialist with a focus on milk quality, milking management, dairy cattle nutrition and production, and personnel training and management.

Tejeda is an economist with a focus on risk analysis in agricultural commodity markets, crop insurance and commodity safety net programs.

Boise Ronda Hirnyck • rhirnyck@uidaho.edu Hirnyck is a pesticide specialist with a focus on pesticide regulations, pesticides and food safety, environmental and human health risks of pesticides, and pesticide safety education. April Hulet • aprilh@uidaho.edu Hulet is a rangeland ecology specialist focused on conservation and restoration ecology, applied rangeland ecology and management, disturbance ecology, fire ecology, and remote sensing and GIS.

Lide Chen • lchen@uidaho.edu Chen is a waste management engineer focused on value-added products and environmental impacts of animal waste. Benton Glaze • bglaze@uidaho.edu Glaze is a beef specialist focused on breeding and genetics, beef quality assurance, general management and reproduction.

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UI EXTENSION SPECIALISTS CONTINUED Moscow

Tim Prather • tprather@uidaho.edu Phil Bass • pbass@uidaho.edu Bass is a meat scientist and conducts applied research in meat quality with an emphasis in beef. Randy Brooks • rbrooks@uidaho.edu Brooks is a forestry specialist with a focus on forest biomasss utilization, biofuels, water quality and quantity, forest herbicides, forest insects and diseases, and forest operations.

Prather is an invasive plant specialist focused on plant ecology; plant detection using remote sensing; integrated pest management of weeds in hay, pasture CRP and wildland areas; plant community rehabilitation; and modeling plant movement across landscapes. Russell Qualls • rqualls@uidaho.edu

Du is an economist with a focus on crop insurance and contracts, applied risk analysis, and international trade.

Qualls is a water resources specialist and Idaho State Climatologist. His research focuses on satellite remote sensing of mountain snowpack and evapotranspiration, snowmelt runoff modeling, irrigation water supply modeling, and impacts of climate change on water supply.

Chris Hamilton • hamiltonlab@uidaho.edu

Arash Rashed • arashed@uidaho.edu

Hamilton is an entomologist with a focus on arthropods in Idaho. He integrates phylogenomic, morphometric, ecological and behavioral data to establish hypotheses about the generation and maintenance of biodiversity.

Rashed is an entomologist with a focus on vector-borne plant pathogen complexes, insect behavioral ecology, integrated pest management and precision agriculture.

Xiaoxue ‘Rita’ Du • xiaoxuedu@uidaho.edu

Lorie Higgins • higgins@uidaho.edu Higgins is a rural community development specialist focused on community-based decision-making, community leadership development, and ripple effects mapping evaluation. Jang Ho Kim • janghok@uidaho.edu Kim is a food scientist and provides evidencebased educational information related to value-added processing and consumer food safety, home food preservation, sanitation, food handling, and food recalls and warnings. Paul Lewin • plewin@uidaho.edu Lewin is a rural community development specialist with a focus on rural studies, entrepreneurship, and poverty and inequality.

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Annie Roe • aroe@uidaho.edu Roe is a nutrition specialist and director of Eat Smart Idaho. Kurt Schroeder • kschroeder@uidaho.edu Schroeder is a cereals cropping systems agronomist focused on variety performance, crop rotation, soil acidity and aluminum toxicity, and management of soilborne diseases of small grain cereal and grain legumes. Mark Schwarzlaender markschw@uidaho.edu Schwarzlaender’s research focuses on biological control of exotic weeds using arthropods and pathogens. Garth Taylor • gtaylor@uidaho.edu Taylor is an economist with a focus on regional economics, water resources, range resources, public lands, and community economics.


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UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO EXTENSION ON THE MAP UI Extension County Office

Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Office

UI Research & Extension Center

UI Extension County Office and UI Research & Extension Center

www.uidaho.edu/extension


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