Cooperative Extension Service: A Plan for Excellence
Implementation Plan, Update II, March 2004
The
application of knowledge is a unique contribution our institutions can make to
contemporary society.
-Kellogg Commission
on the future of state and land grant universities. February 1999
Preface
More than two years ago, the
Leadership,
Vision,
Leadership
Several critical themes emerged during planning.
More specific than values, these themes define how UW CES behaves as an
organization, interacts with the state’s citizens and communities, and
accomplishes its mission. They are as follows:
Leadership.
The motivating factor for UW CES’ continual growth and improvement will be
commitment to program excellence. Clientele needs will be met by planned,
focused, integrated, impact-driven programs implemented through initiative
teams. These interdisciplinary teams will work collaboratively with field-based
educators and state specialists, in conjunction with community and clientele
input. UW CES should foster and value teamwork throughout the organization.
Catalyst
of change. Through cooperative efforts and collaborative
partnerships, UW CES will facilitate positive change across
Stakeholder
input. UW CES will aggressively seek input on
educational program development from diverse interest groups. County, regional,
or statewide advisory councils may provide broad-based input. Needs assessments
also will be used to determine program direction. Every five years, a statewide
needs assessment will be conducted using focus groups and a random survey. On a
rotating basis following the state assessment, an area needs assessment,
including focus groups, will be administered to each county in the
participating area. In addition to formalized input, emerging issues will be
identified by initiative teams.
Partnering
with decision makers. UW CES is refocusing to be more
responsive to the needs of the state. Under the director’s leadership,
department heads and UW CES personnel will work with key county, state, and
university decision makers and clientele. These partnerships are critical to UW
CES success. All personnel, including department heads, administration, state
specialists, and field educators, will serve as liaisons with state,
university, county, and community leaders. The UW CES director will serve as a
liaison when working with decision makers and clientele groups.
Staffing.
As positions become vacant, all job descriptions will be reviewed and
evaluated. UW CES will focus hiring to meet the most pressing needs of the
organization and the state.
Vision
The
The
Values
Through its actions and decisions, UW CES shows
a commitment to:
Relevance.
We are a catalyst for addressing our clientele’s critical needs and issues in a
productive and timely manner.
Diversity.
We embrace diverse audiences and programming efforts.
People.
We value the people of
Connectivity.
We value our unique presence in
Autonomy
and accountability. We encourage our personnel to be
innovative and creative in program and initiative design, while remaining
accountable to the statewide community.
Applicability.
We value educational programming that focuses on the application of
information, processes, and client needs.
Respect.
UW CES will not make decisions for
Program
Initiatives
Organizational changes enhance program efficacy.
For this reason, program priorities are the centerpiece of this strategic plan.
UW CES’ program initiatives, as identified by the strategic planning process,
are determined by its mission and values, by its unique expertise, its proven
capabilities, and by the changing needs of Wyoming’s society and economy. The
priorities support the public’s interest in maintaining a globally competitive,
economically vital, and environmentally sound Wyoming agriculture in
coexistence with the nonagricultural population for whom issues of consumer
well being, resource distribution, and quality of life are crucial. Plans to
implement the goals and objectives of the five program initiatives follow.
1.
Profitable and Sustainable Agricultural Systems
Goal
1: Promote the adoption of sustainable
agricultural systems through education.
Objective
1.A: Develop educational programming on sustainable
forage-based livestock systems.
Strategies:1.A.1 - Assess the relative costs and benefits of alternative methods of meeting seasonal livestock nutrient demands using low-cost forage sources and provide educational programs accordingly. UW CES must consider how livestock resource demands for nutrition, reproductive efficiency, and genetic improvement can be balanced with financial, human, wildlife, and range resource demands.
Action: Provide programming to affect
behaviors and practices to: provide better understanding of forage systems and
alternatives (i.e. native range, irrigated forages, crop aftermath, annual
crops, etc.) and benefits and costs associated with each; adopt practices of
comparing production alternatives for impact on resources and benefits and
costs associated; identify limiting factors; and, provide a process for
evaluating alternatives for goal attainment.
Responsible:
Sustainable Crop and Livestock Issue
Teams: Steve Paisley, Jim Krall, Wayne
Tatman, Jim Gill, Tanya Daniels, Doug Hixon, Ron Delaney, Lynn Woodard, Bart
Stevens, John Hewlett, Dave Koch, Frank Henderson, Ron Cunningham, Brett
Moline, and Hudson Hill.
By:
Started February,
2002. Continue as programs are developed and resources are available.
March
2004 - Started a series of educational programs held at Cody, Pinedale,
Torrington, and Gillette, involving 58 producers, titled “Management of the
Young Beef Female” in the winter of 2002. Evaluations of these programs, on
file with the chair, showed a very strong educational impact with the attending
audience. The biological cycle of the beef female, human resource issues, herd health,
economics of the replacement heifer, and forage alternatives were a few
highlights of programs taught.
In the winter of 2003, the crop issue team
produced “Alternative Crop Management and Hay Symposiums”, conducted in Powell
and
1.A.2 - Provide educational programs that improve the quality and
efficiency of livestock production systems by considering genetic evaluation
and herd improvement, evaluation of end product quality and yield, and
improvements in reproductive efficiency.
Action: Provide programming to address
livestock genetics, quality, efficiency, end product, and reproduction.
Responsible:
Sustainable Livestock
Issue Team: Steve Paisley, Wayne Tatman, Ron Cunningham, Lynn Woodward, Doug
Hixon, Brett Moline, John Hewlett, Tanya Daniels, and Hudson Hill.
By:
Started February 2002.
Continue as programs are developed and resources are available.
March
2004 - Started February 2002, with the “Management of the Young Beef Female” programs,
as sited above. In addition, the team has been supporting the Wyoming Wool
Growers and Stock Growers Profitability Conference which addressed beef genetic
issues like Expected Progeny Differences in Beef Cattle Lines, University of
Wyoming Animal Science Research on Beef and Sheep nutrition, animal health, and
so much more.
1.A.3 - Demonstrate
the viability of alternative management strategies and production options using
on-site farm and ranch demonstrations. These projects will showcase alternative
production strategies on working farms and ranches, as well as contribute
material for developing educational programs.
Action: Provide programming to affect
behaviors and practices to provide better understanding of alternatives and benefits and costs
associated with each; adopt practices of comparing production alternatives for
impact on resources and benefits and costs associated; identify limiting
factors; provide a process for evaluating alternatives for goal attainment;
understand industry and societal direction and trends; understand the tradeoffs
of various biological types of livestock forage species; and grazing/harvesting
systems.
Responsible: PSAS team.
By:
Continuous
March
2004 - Started coordinating on-site research data base with SAREC Planning
Committee in April 2004. This will remain a continuous project.
1.A.4 - Promote and
support educational sustainable agriculture programs for youth.
Action: Develop a youth component of
profitable and sustainable agriculture programs.
Responsible: PSAS team and each issue team.
By:
As PSAS programs are developed.
1.A.5 - Pursue
external funding opportunities for on-site farm and ranch demonstrations, other
applied research projects, and educational programming.
Action: Identify, pursue, and obtain
external funding in the form of grants, sponsorships, user fees, etc. which
will support programming developed and implemented by the team.
Responsible: PSAS team and each issue team.
By:
Started February 2002. Continuous as programs are developed and implemented.
March
2004 - Started with registration fees garnered for the “Young Beef Female”
programs; received approximately $1,000 from Western SARE in support of the
“Alternative Crop and Hay Symposium” program, conducted in February of 2003. Received
another $600 in sponsorships and registration fees for the “Farm Management and
Irrigation Symposium”, held in Powell in February of 2004; continuous as
programs are developed and implemented.
Objective
1.B: Offer educational programs
on alternative crop and livestock systems and crop and livestock integration.
Strategies: A team approach and the sustainable model will
be used to develop educational programs that provide producers and others with
decision-making information regarding:
1.B.1 - Alternative crops, alternative
rotations, value-added opportunities, and niche marketing. Examples include
horticultural industries, organic certification, specialized seed crops,
premium hay markets, fallow alternatives, and integration of livestock and
cropping systems.
Action: Provide information to clients that
will equip them with knowledge of alternative crops and rotations, value-added
opportunities, and niche markets and the benefits and costs of each.
Responsible: PSAS team and Sustainable
Cropping and Sustainable Horticulture Issue Teams: Scott Hininger, Karen
Panter, Jim Krall, Jim Gill, Donna Cuin, Brett Moline, and Ron Kaufman.
By: As programs are developed.
March
2004 - Brett Moline gave a presentation at WESTI Ag Days, February 2004, on
organic agriculture; the team helped coordinate and sponsor an agri-terrorism
conference called, “Keeping Wyoming Safe and Secure”, in October 2003 in
Casper. It was quite successful, with 200 in attendance; continuous as programs
are developed and implemented.
1.B.2 - Integration of
cropping practices that mitigate non-point source pollution of surface water
and groundwater, reduce erosion, and improve soils. Examples include cover crop
use, conservation tillage, buffer strips, precision agriculture, fertilizer
efficiency, and irrigation management.
Action: Develop programs which will affect
landowners and managers to adopt practices of comparing production alternatives
for impact on resources and regularly evaluating resource use levels, allowing
them to identify and use those practices which are environmentally sustainable.
Responsible:
Sustainable Cropping Issue Team: Jim Krall, Jim Gill, Bart Stevens, and Ron
Kaufman.
By:
As programs are developed.
March
2004 - Bart Stevens gave a “Soil Fertility Research Update” at the Fremont
County Farm & Ranch Days held in February 2004; as programs are developed.
1.B.3 - Development of an integrated
approach to disease and pest management.
Action: Programs will be developed and
delivered which emphasize and identify integrated approaches to management of
disease and pest management.
Responsible: PSAS team and each issue team.
By:
As programs are developed.
March 2004 - Private Pesticide
Applicator Trainings provided; continuous as programs are developed and
implemented.
1.B.4 - On-site farm and ranch
demonstrations and evaluations of new products and practices.
Action: Plan, implement, evaluate and
showcase on-site demonstrations, and evaluations of various sustainable
agricultural practices and products.
Responsible: PSAS team and each issue team
By:
As new products and/or practices are developed which should come to the
attention of clientele.
March 2004 - PSAS team working with
Ramesh Sivanpallai, UW Remote Sensing Scientist to demonstrate remote sensing
technologies with Big Horn sugar beet producers beginning in March 2004; as new
products and/or practices are developed which should come to the attention of
clientele.
1.B.5 - Pursuit of external funding
for on-site farm and ranch demonstrations and applied research on sustainable
practices and economic development opportunities.
Action: Locate, pursue, and obtain external
funding sources such as grants and sponsorships which will support an on-going
program of on-site applied research and demonstrations of sustainable products
and economically viable opportunities.
Responsible: PSAS team and each issue team.
By:
As programs are developed.
Objective1.C: Educate rural and suburban landowners who
operate on relatively few acres about best management practices.
Strategies:
1.C.1
- Develop collaborative partnerships with other agencies. Develop educational
programs that provide resource management options and enterprise assessment
techniques to rural and suburban landowners through these collaborative
partnerships.
Action: Identify and form collaborative
associations with outside agencies and entities to develop educational programs
in natural resource management for rural and suburban owners of small land
tracts.
Responsible:
Small Acreage Issue Team: Tanya Daniels and Hudson Hill coordinating with the
SMRR Small Acreage Team.
By:
As personnel and resources allow the formation of such issue team.
March 2004 - Issue Team started
coordinating with SMRR Issue Team in winter of 2004.
1.C.2 - Provide web-based resources
to assist small landowners with resource management, enterprise analysis, and
ecological impacts.
Action: Development of a website which is
accessible to, and provides information for, owners of small land tracts, as
well as educators with such clientele.
Responsible: Small Acreage Issue Team.
By:
As personnel and resources allow the formation of such issue team.
1.C.3
- Develop educational programs that promote sustainable alternatives to
pesticides for disease and pest management.
Action: Develop programs to educate small
tract owners in the principles and advantages of integrated pest management,
providing them with alternatives to continual pesticide usage.
Responsible: Small Acreage Issue Team.
By:
As personnel and resources allow the formation of such issue team.
1.C.4 - Educate rural landowners to
the impacts of land use practices on rural ecology.
Action: Small tract owners will receive
education which will acquaint them with the impacts their natural resource
practices have on the rural ecology.
Responsible: Small Acreage Issue Team.
By:
As personnel and resources allow the formation of such issue team.
March 2004 - Small acreage topics
covered at 2003 and 2004 WESTI Ag Days; as personnel and resources allow.
Objective
1.D:
Provide education to communities, homeowners, and youth in sustainable and
environmentally sound horticulture practices.
Strategies:
1.D.1-
Educate volunteers to assist with horticultural diagnosis, respond to
inquiries, and make recommendations.
Action: Provide programming and direction to
those responsible to continue and improve the Master Gardener program in order
to provide horticultural expertise to communities.
Responsible:
Sustainable Horticulture Issue Team: Karen Panter, Ron Delaney, Scott Hininger
(chairman), Jim Gill, Donna Cuin, and Ron Kaufman
By:
Started June 2002; continuous.
March 2004 - The issue team was
formed in June of 2002; committee deliberations have been on-going with a final
report due in May 2004. Karen and Donna
have also been working with a committee of Master Gardeners to put together a
Wyoming Master Gardener curriculum which will be implemented in 2004; continues.
1.D.2 - Develop web pages and 1-800
number communication models to answer basic horticulture inquiries.
Action: Provide direction for development of
telecommunication accessible data and educational material in the horticultural
area. Develop and place such educational materials on the sites developed.
Responsible: Sustainable Horticulture Issue
Team.
By:
Started June 2002; continuous.
March 2004 - Scott Hininger, Jim
Gill, and Donna Cuin are working with Judy Logue and Tom Heald to produce “From
the Ground Up”, a KTWO Television series which airs every Friday on KTWO. New throughout the growing season beginning
March 13, 2004; continues as programs are developed and implemented.
1.D.3 - Promote sustainable
horticultural education programs for youth.
Action: A youth component will be developed
to promote the adoption of sustainable horticulture program by Wyoming youth.
Responsible: Sustainable Horticulture Issue
Team.
By:
As programs are developed.
1.D.4
- Provide education for homeowners and urban land managers in horticulturally
adapted species, selection, care, and management.
Action: Develop programs and informational
data which will educate homeowners and urban land managers concerning new and traditionally
adapted and sustainable species, and the selection, care, and management of
those species.
Responsible: Sustainable Horticulture Issue
Team.
By:
As programs are developed.
March 2004 - Again, started “From
the Ground Up” KTWO Television spots as noted above, in March of 2004;
continuous as programs are developed and implemented.
1.D.5 - Deliver education in public
and private landscaping principles and practices.
Action: Develop and deliver programs which
will cause land managers to adopt best management practices in landscaping.
Responsible: Sustainable Horticulture Issue
Team.
By:
As programs are
developed.