Transcript Document

The Best of the West
People
Programs
Progress
West District
• Overview District Information
• People
• Progress
Overview Information
• 17 Counties and Cherokee Reservation
– 18% of NCCES Centers
– 6725 square miles (14% of NC)
– from ~1170 to 6684 feet elevation
– 15 of 17 counties border another state
– 27 to 357 persons per square mile
Views, Eco-systems,
Environment
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Diversity of flora and fauna
Blue Ridge Parkway
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Grandfather Mountain
Fraser fir
Rare Yellow Lady Slippers
Blueridge Parkway
Grandfather Mountain State Park
Fraser Fir near Grandfather Mountain
District Overview
• Regional scenic beauty.
• Economy based on Tourism,
Agriculture, Real Estate, Construction,
Retail, Professional Services,
Manufacturing.
• Strong sense of place and pride.
District Overview
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31,042 farms (USDA-FSA, 8/2007)
~$457,859,000 farm income (2006)
About 5% NC farm income - $9.7 billion
4,139 farmers - (2002 Agr. Census)
554,942 acres in farmland
Our Mountain People
• Region
• Growth
• ~670,000 people in
year 2000.
• ~755,000 people
projected in 2010
• Since 1970, 23
counties in WNC
grew 54%, NC grew
71%, US grew 48%.
(wncpulse.org)
Our Mountain People
• Senators
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S. Goss (D)
J. Queen (D)
T. Apodaac (R)
M. Nesbitt (D)
J. Snow (D)
• Representatives
- C. Justus, - P. Frye
T. Walend, R. West
- S. Fisher, B.
Goforth, C. Thomas,
P. Haire, R. Rapp,
C. Tarleton
Our Extension People
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$811,302 grants –2007
$974,576 grants – 2008
277,445 face to face contacts - 2007
695,705 non face to face contacts –
2007
• 3208 educational meetings/events 2007
Our Extension People
• ~79 Extension Field Faculty
• 25 Program Assistant/Associates
• 33.5 Secretaries
Our Progress
• State Advisory Council
– John Schnautz – Buncombe County
– Dr. Connie Buckner – Madison County
– Sue Glovier – McDowell County
– Charles Boyd – Haywood County
– Jim Parlier – Yancey County
Our Progress – POW
Objectives
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01 Life Skills (16 counties)
03 Profitable, Sustainable Agri. (15)
10 Healthy Eating, Wellness (15)
18 Nat’l Resources Conservation (15)
20 Urban- Consumer Agriculture (14)
Our Progress – POW
Objectives
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Local Food Systems (11)
Emerging Ag., Value Added (11)
Volunteerism (11)
Parenting-Caregiver Skills (10)
Our Strategic Goals
• To adapt & adopt issue-based
integrated programming.
• To increase use of evaluation tools and
identify impacts.
• To improve Success Stories.
• To increase Advisory Council and
Committee’s functionality.
Our Progress – Ag Options
Ag Options Program
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‘04 $198,000 Tobacco Trust Fund
‘05 $104,000
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‘06 $250,000
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‘07 $ 90,000 USDA, Risk Management
‘08 $ 242,000 Tobacco Trust Fund
Total $884,000
Our Progress – Ag Options
• 2009 - 2011 The West District Agricultural
Extension Agents will use the Ag Options
Program in partnership with the Rural
Advancement Foundation International to
implement over 60 farmer grants to
encourage diversification with $900,000 from
Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.
Our Progress -- Programs
• Avery – 180 youth in Summer WOW
and 160 youth in after school 4-5
days/week at 5 Schools.
• Buncombe – ECA up 10%, 414 rain
barrels sold, Food Preservation classes
teach safe food skills.
Our Progress -- Programs
• Shiitake mushrooms– developing
industry in 6 counties.
• Solar and Alternative Energy
Workshops -- two micro-hydro
demos – and energy conservationand Chief Hick’s “green” mandate.
Our Progress -- Programs
• 15 trout farms have completed a
National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
• The Bee School in Buncombe had 277
participants with 160 becoming
certified bee keepers.
Our Progress -- Programs
• 730 youth in 42 second grade
classrooms experienced and learned
embryology in Henderson County.
• “Water Wise Works” distributed to
24,900 water customers in
Henderson during first ever
mandatory water restrictions.
Our Progress -- Programs
• “Chemical mowing” widely adopted by
Christmas tree and nursery growers – saves
$100,000’s in labor costs.
• McDowell 4-H Clubs grow from 6 to 11 units
in 6 months.
• Increase in local foods sold at Farmer’s
Markets in McDowell, Haywood, & others
Our Progress -- Programs
• Goats eat Kudzu in Tryon – coverage by 4
television stations.
• Science House and 4-H team up on science
teacher in-service training in Brevard.
• “The Mountain Forage Field Day” in
Watauga – 80 participants: 53% will adopt
weed control, 43% adopt grazing plan.
Our Progress -- Programs
• Watauga’s LEAD provided a 4 day
camp for girls to learn Science, pursue
careers.
• 4-H EFNEP reaches 792 youth in
Yancey -- improves nutrition skills.
• Yancey increases 2 dairies; Mitchell
assists goat dairy to profitability.
The Overview”
The Best of the West
People, Programs, and
Progress