Adams

The major business managers in rural farm enterprises are women. In Adams County, a group of female rural farm managers have developed a marketing club. Extension Agricultural Economist Jon Newkirk meets regularly with the group to discuss current market situations and strategies for marketing small grains, which is appropriate in this area. The main focus is to expand understanding of global policies, which impact the principles of supply and demand and in this way to help these farm managers do a better job of marketing their farm products, resulting in more profitable farming enterprises.

Chelan

Cooperative Extension is a key player in the development of “4people.org”, a six-county internet resource directory, in English and Spanish, that provides free, fast and dependable access to current resource information to help families, individuals and communities improve their quality of life. Extension’s role was that of initiator, based on advisory committee input, and facilitator of the organizational process that involved 32 agencies that serve the six-county area. Grants were sought and received to purchase hardware, software and web programming, and training for agencies to input and maintain their data on the system.

Douglas

WSU Cooperative Extension has assisted more than 20 entrepreneurs in developing specialty food businesses at the Columbia River County Kitchen in Douglas County, Washington. Together with the Port of Douglas County, a shared kitchen facility was built to provide a commercial kitchen that meets the regulations for safe food production. The public policy issues of food safety, supplementing low-paying seasonal jobs and enhancing the value added potential of local agricultural products was the catalyst for this project. Several significant grants were obtained to finance the project, teach business education and provide marketing and distribution of food products. Jobs have been created and local bankers and down-home Washington are working with entrepreneurs to finance low interest loans and specialty foods, which are available at local markets. This innovative approach to public policy issues has captured the attention of the media and business specialists across the United States. It has also become a prototype for small business development in rural areas.

Ferry

Non-native noxious weeds threatening hundreds of thousands of acres of habitat in NE Washington are being attacked by expanded numbers of bio-agents, thanks to the work of the new bio-agent project being coordinated by the Ferry County/WSU Cooperative Extension office. Utilizing funds provided through the U.S. Forest Service’s Colville and Okanogan Forests, and USDA Water Quality funds, the Extension office hired a technician who has worked with WSU and USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service to collect over 26,106 bio-agents. These bio-agents were released at 85 noxious weed sites across NE Washington. The 11 species of insects collected attack 6 different species of noxious weeds that are out-competing and taking over native vegetation. These weeds are threatening wildlife habitat, water quality and quantity, and destroying the livestock grazing value of the land. The project has been so successful that funds are being sought to continue the program.

Lincoln

Culminating a three-year 4-H grant project to bridge the gap of isolated communities, Lincoln County Extension faculty Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom reports a revitalized community in Washtucna, Washington. One of the impressive outcomes has been citizens, school staff, and teens teaming up to refurbish the old grange hall. The facility, now a community center for local families, boasts after school activities, senior meals, and holiday festivals. Plans to restore the local library and enhance with a technology site are in the center’s future.

Okanogan

The 4-H program in Okanogan County is helping the 157 adult leaders put their knowledge to work by leading 355 members in eight main project areas. Leader training reinforces the true 4-H philosophy—“create blue ribbon kids, not just blue ribbon projects.” In addition to the 4-H leaders, eighteen Food Safety Advisors and thirty-six Master Gardeners are putting their knowledge to work throughout the county. They answer numerous daily calls and office visits. This helps the Extension Office provide useful, research proven information in food safety and gardening. Food Safety Advisors and Master Gardeners are also used as 4-H exhibit judges at the local county fair. This increases the public’s awareness of the many educational programs WSU Cooperative Extension offers, and allows participants in these programs to acquire more knowledge and maybe more importantly, friends.

Pend Oreille

A new program was initiated in 1999 to assist small acreage landowners. Winter/Spring offerings included two series of classes. One series targeted landowners with a “lifestyle” interest in rural living with sessions on wildlife habitat improvement, native plant identification, landscaping and stream ecosystems. A second series aimed at small farmers provided sessions on enterprise facilitation, profitability in farming, alternative crops and discussions with local producers and entrepreneurs. A summer tour program offered field experiences from bird and plant identification walks to hybrid poplar and forestry field days, garden tours, and a visit to a local tofu factory. This fall, 35 local landowners are enrolled in WSU Master Gardener training. After receiving 40 hours of instruction in noxious weed management, soils of Pend Oreille County and a variety of garden topics, they will volunteer 40 hours of their time toward local horticultural education projects.

Spokane

Spokane County Cooperative Extension faculty member Toni Fitzgerald uses cutting edge information to reach current and new audiences everyday. This past year, Fitzgerald was engaged in a sabbatical that allowed her to study using native and adaptive plants in landscaping in the Inland Northwest. The knowledge generated by Fitzgerald has been used to develop new publications for the entire area. Master Gardeners from a three-state region now use her publications to help landowners reduce home irrigation, pesticide use and fertilizer. Nursery owners are using Fitzgerald generated information to radically change the methods they use in providing landscape services that benefit the general public. Much less runoff pollution in the area’s sole source aquifer as well as homeowners using much less of that valuable commodity, water, is another major benefit of her work.

Stevens

Holistic Management has come to Stevens County in a big way thanks to the four-year statewide Kellogg Holistic Management grant. Farmers/ranchers, weed board, conservation district, DNR, U.S. Forest Service representatives, and Stevens County Department of Public Works management and employees, a total of sixty-five individuals, attended a three-day workshop on Holistic Management in Colville, December 1996. Twenty Public Works personnel continued on a fourth day of training. Since then, WSU/ Stevens County Cooperative Extension has held HM sessions for the general public with over 150 individuals in attendance.

The Department of public works continued for three years with monthly meetings. This program proved to be so successful that Don Nelson, grant director, and Wayne Madson, NE District Director, conducted an eight-hour session for all Stevens County department heads and elected officials. Now, Stevens County has embarked on a countywide strategic planning process, using Holistic Management as the framework. This initiative, led by WSU/Stevens County Cooperative Extension, involves monthly meetings that include entire departments working together to plan and solve problems. As this program unfolds, over 300 county employees and officials will participate in this strategic planning process.