AG
& EXTENSION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION/PLANNING COMMITTEE
Monday, December 09, 2002
Ag
Services & Education Center,
Baldwin
Convened:
12:30 p.m.
Adjourned:
1:45 p.m.
Present:
Art Jensen, Chris Bethke, Lois Burri, Dave Fodroczi, Lee Milligan,
Jim Janke, and Kim Reaman.
Absent:
Leon Berenschot, Ronald Raymond, and Mary Lestrud.
The
meeting was called to order by Chairman Chris Bethke at 12:30 p.m.
Date
of next meeting was set for Tuesday, January 7, 2003 at 12:30 p.m.
Art
Jensen moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. Lois Burri
seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Lois
moved that the previous meeting's minutes be approved. Art
seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Art
moved that the vouchers be approved. Lois seconded the motion.
Motion carried.
ADMINISTRATIVE
REPORT
Federal Budget Update—No report.
State
Budget Update— No report.
County
Budget— Reaman recommended that some of the end of the year funds
generated from the vacancy in the horticulture position be used to
purchase two new computers that were scheduled for replacement in
2004. Moved by Burri/second by Jensen. Motion passed.
WACEC
Update—No report
Jensen moved to have Milligan, Janke,
Reaman, and Lestrud share the Office Chair position in 2003. Burri
second. Motion carried.
The committee recommended that agent
performance reviews be held at the scheduled committee meeting for
either January, February, or March. Milligan will coordinate the
scheduling with Mike Perkl.
Applicants for the horticulture
position will be screened on December 16. Interviews with the
screened applicants will be January 3 with Lee Milligan and Tom Parslow,
UWEX agriculture program leader. Final interviews will be held in
St. Croix County with Bethke, Jensen and Burri. Milligan will schedule
the interviews between January 7 and 17. Mike Perkl, UWEX Western
District Director, will be involved in the interviews.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT’S
REPORT
Appliance
Collections Proposals: Fodroczi reported that the Planning
Department received two proposals for appliance collection services. J.R.
Appliance proposed to continue their existing contract with user fees at
$11.00 per appliance and $21.00 for air conditioners and water
softeners. Kleenair Disposal proposed services with user fees at
$10.00 per appliance and $20.00 for air conditioners. Fodroczi said
staff recommends continuing services with J.R. Appliance because of
their proven level of service. Jensen made a motion, seconded by Bethke,
to approve J.R. Appliance for appliance collection services. Motion
carried.
DNR
Efficiency Grants Update: Fodroczi reported that discussions
continue between the Assembly Rules Committee and the DNR on the draft
administrative rules for Recycling Efficiency Grants. If the revisions
are not developed and approved promptly, the funding from this grant
could be eliminated for 2003.
America Recycles Day: The
County participated in America Recycles Day on November 15th.
The mercury disposal booth from Midwest Recycling Association was on
display that week in the Government Center. Barney accompanied
representatives of the American Plastics Council to identify successful
plastics recyclers in the Hudson area and distribute cash awards of $100
as part of a national “Get Caught Recycling” promotion on November
15th, America Recycles Day. Fodroczi passed around a copy of
extensive event coverage from the Hudson Star Observer.
State Recycling Funds Transfer:
Fodroczi reported that $1 million was transferred out of the State
Recycling Fund to pay for chronic wasting disease activities. He
commented that such transfers come at the expense of local recycling
programs.
Waste Composition Study:
Staff has developed a presentation of a waste composition study of
landfills statewide. It will be presented at the January meeting when
all members are present.
4-H YOUTH AGENT’S REPORT
Plat Book Progress—The
books have not arrived yet.
Human Subjects Review—Reaman
and Lestrud participated in the Human Subjects Review training in
November. Human Subjects Review is a procedure that ensures safety
and privacy of individuals who are involved in research projects.
One of the determining factors in deciding if the Human Subjects Review
paperwork needs to be completed is how the information will be
used. If it is solely for internal use, for program
evaluation/improvement Human Subjects Review is not necessary. If
the information gathered may be shared with the public or could somehow
put the participants at risk it is necessary to file the Human Subjects
Review forms.
Youth Protection Policy—Each
year about 35 new adult volunteers complete the youth protection policy
to become a certified 4-H leader. That process involves a
volunteer application with permission to conduct a background check for
child safety issues, a 2-hour orientation and signing a behavior
agreement form. In the past, leaders have only signed the
volunteer behavior form at the time they participate in the
orientation. Beginning this fall, leaders will be required to sign
the behavior agreement form annually. The behavior agreement form
will be distributed with the enrollment forms in an effort to minimize
increased workload on the support staff and 4-H club organizational
leaders.
RESOURCE
AGENT’S REPORT
Janke reported that comprehensive
planning public opinion survey results were completed in four towns:
Cylon, Stanton, Erin Prairie, and Hudson. He distributed executive
summaries of each survey. Seven survey projects were completed
during 2002.
On November 12 a comprehensive planning
workshop was held in the UW-Extension classroom in Baldwin. The
topic was agricultural and natural resources planning. There were
33 persons in attendance.
Janke gave a summary of comprehensive
planning programming for 2002. He had 36 meetings with town plan
commissions. 201 people attended five workshops. 113 persons
attended public information meetings sponsored by 3 towns. 113
people attended public participation issue identification workshops.
Small business management counseling
was held in Hudson on December 6 with 5 clients. For the year 2002
the total number of small business clients was 56.
Focus group interviews are being
planned as part of the New Richmond Business Market Analysis.
Janke held a work session to develop the questions for the interviews,
which will be scheduled in late January.
AGRICULTURE AGENT’S
REPORT
Milligan took total mixed
ration samples from three dairies and had them tested at the
UW-Marshfield Forage Testing Lab using a new test for fiber
digestibility. In two herds the test showed that the rations
needed to be adjusted due to incorrect fiber digestibility assumptions
of some of the feedstuffs. Milk production and herd health were
issues on the dairies. Rations are being adjusted.
Milligan coordinated two UW
& Extension farm computerized record keeping (AAIMS) meetings.
Gary Frank, UWEX farm management specialist and developer of the
program, was the presenter. The program focused on how to use the
program, troubleshooting problems, and using new features of the
program. Milligan discussed the AgFA program. Twenty-three
people participated in the two programs.
Milligan continues to write
part of the farm management curriculum to be used statewide. He is
also working on a couple of one-page articles on managing the dairy herd
and capital management.
In November Milligan did a PEPS
Corn and Yield Contest check for Van Beek’s. The corn yield was
169 bushels/acre and soybeans 4 bushels/acre. For most of St.
Croix County the yields were very good in 2003. It is not unusual
to see 200 plus bushel corn yields and 55 plus bushel soybean yields.
Milligan attended the Midwest
Dairy Herd Health Conference. As a result of attending it and sharing information with a
producer, he decided to increase the size of the freestalls he was
building in a small dry cow, special needs barn. The goal is to increase
cow comfort.
An Extension sponsored youth
safety program was held at New Richmond. Milligan and Tim
Jergenson, Barron County UWEX ag agent, taught four forty-minute
segments on farm safety issues. Seventy-three high school youth
participated.
Milligan will be hosting the
Wisconsin Sustainable Ag Task Force listening session December 13.
This is a time when the Task
Force gathers ideas for upcoming activities.
For the upcoming several months
Milligan is planning four pesticide applicator training sessions, three
grain marketing workshops, beginning a milk marketing club, two nutrient
management meetings, and a couple of dairy herd management meetings.
Several of these will be coordinated and taught with Greg Andrews,
Pierce County ag agent.
Milligan and Andrews are also
considering the development of a small farms series. This would
focus on many issues that small landowners have about raising various
types of animals and crops, managing pastures, direct marketing,
purchasing equipment for the small farmer, and other issues.
Art
moved to adjourn. Lois seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Submitted
by,
Art
Jensen
Secretary
cz
