While most Extension educational programming is county based—responding to the needs of local people—other programs address broader issues, challenges and problems that transcend county boundaries. We will tell you about some of those programs as well.

Before I go any further, perhaps I should tell you a bit about WSU Cooperative Extension. In 1914, Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act giving each land-grant university, including Washington State University, a mandate to extend results of research and experience-based knowledge to the people of the state to improve their lives and enterprises.

Smith-Lever created a unique partnership of governments—federal, state and county—to fund it. The organization gets the “Cooperative” part of its name from this partnership.

While our roots are in rural Washington—we’ve been helping farmers, ranchers, and residents of rural communities for more than 80 years—our work has expanded into every city as well. Today we use distance education technologies to reach our audience at their desktop at work or home, satellite teleconference sites in every county and at 11 WSU learning centers.

Here’s a preview of this report. You will read about our award-winning Abuela Project, which is credited with drastically reducing Salmonella food poisoning in the Yakima Valley. The food poisoning was linked to consumption of queso fresco, a traditional soft white Mexican cheese traditionally produced from raw, unpasteurized milk.

There is also a story on a successful energy reduction plan developed by WSU Cooperative Extension’s Energy Program for Fort Lewis near Tacoma. In its first full year, the program saved nearly 167 million BTUs of energy, enough to power 1835 Washington homes for a year. That translates into a $590,000 savings for taxpayers in one year.

You will read about the Codling Moth Areawide Management Project. CAMP, as it is called, is expanding the use of mating disruption practices in orchards. This past year, mating disruption was used on about a third of the state’s apple and pear orchards. The practice works, saves growers money and reduces the amount of insecticides required to control this pest.

WSU Cooperative Extension faculty in Clark, Clallam, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Snohomish and Skagit counties held local harvest celebrations this past fall. The events featured locally produced food prepared by local chefs, music, and dances and a host of other activities.

The main goal was to reconnect the urban population with its source of food. Several thousand people visited 10 host farms in Skagit County. An estimated 2600 people visited farms in King County and 500 visitors turned out in Pierce County.

One visitor commented, “They should do this every year. It opens people’s eyes to agriculture.”

For some 40 young people in Chelan and Douglas counties, the Spurs and Spokes 4-H program is providing an opportunity they might not otherwise have. These disabled youngsters get to ride horses or horse-drawn carts. The experience is therapeutic and does wonders for the young people’s self-esteem. This program is a service project of the local 4-H club.

You also will read about “With a Water View,” a WSU Cooperative Extension water resources education program on the west side of the state. It is cosponsored by the Washington Association of Realtors. We teach real estate professionals about water resource issues related to their jobs. We hope they will extend their new knowledge to their clientele, thus magnifying our educational efforts.

Brokers and agents learn about wetlands; salmon and streams; septic systems and groundwater and shoreline development. More than 600 people have taken the courses since they were first offered in 1995.

This is just a sample of what we are doing. Read on. I think you will find that we touch people’s lives in ways you have never imagined.