Agenda - 03-19-1985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• 1/11/85 g3 • AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE (Ist Draft) A. The mission of the Orange County Agricultural Extension Service is to extend the educational services of the Land Grant Universities to the people of the county. B. Educational programs are conducted in Agriculture, Community and Rural Development, Home Economics, and 4-H Youth. Research findings are communicated to the people through. a variety of formal and informal methods. .The North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service continues to lead the- nation in long-range planning involving local lay leadership with establishing needs of the people. The first year of the 4-Year "People's Plan - '87" has just ended. C. The exploding growth of Orange County is bringing new people with diverse ideas, needs, and demands for all types of services, Educational delivery methods must change too if we are to meet the demands of these new publics. Traditionally our educational programs have been designed to be income generating. More recent programs have been more human service and consumer oriented as operating farms have declined. More dwellings and people precipitate problems to be solved, and more audiencies to be reached with home and family living information. D. 1984 was a year of transition through a difficult period of leadership change. The Orange Extension Service is at full staff for the first time in 2 years. The professional staff of 10 is at the same level of positions as there was 20 years ago. Four para-professional persons work 130 hours per week with only one in 4-H being jointly funded by Orange County. Agricultural program goals for '84 were to increase grower profits. Extension agents offered learning opportunities designed to strengthen management ability. A 2-day reproductive workshop was held for dairymen. On-farm test demonstrations, tours, and crops meetings were held with emphasis being placed on record keeping and using soil testing results information. The Durham-Orange Cattlemen's Association was organized. Performance testing, beef cattle sales, 4-H and FFA livestock projects, and DHIA were maintained. Corn, soybean, alfalfa, and tobacco acreage -and yields increased in '84. Future emphasis will be placed on no-till and conservation tillage, pasture renovation, animal waste control , and supplemental crops for tobacco growers and other small and limited resource farmers. • Through the Extension Homemaker organization and the advisory leadership system, new leaders and leadership skills were developed. Families adopted improved eating practices for better health, housing conditions and energy management practices improved. Groups were organized to provide indepth exchange of management decisions and collective solutions in the area of home-based businesses and crafts. Special target audiences included youth, working mothers, retired persons, and dislocated workers. Newsletters, news articles, radio and T-V programs are developed for specific target groups and the general public. (continued)