Extension Update: June 2004 Archives

Congratulations to Cathy Neal and Margaret Hagen. Their book, coauthored with Leslie van Berkum, is a national finalist in the National Association of County Agricultural Agents publication category. The association presents a plaque and a $250 award to the winners. The publication is “The Best Plants for New Hampshire Gardens and Landscapes.”

Two promotion notebooks are available for review by staff pursuing promotion. Karen Bennett and Claudia Boozer-Blasco have agreed to make their notebooks available. Please contact them directly.

After the Promotion Committee has reviewed notebooks and made recommendations to John Pike, candidates for promotion will decide if others can review their notebook. Please let your Program Leader know your wishes on the availability of your notebook.

Under guidelines for assembling promotion information record, number 3, section IV-the wording has changed to Leadership Responsibilities and Achievements. The word “other” was removed from the heading.

Reminder: Completed notebooks are due to the Promotion Committee for their review by November 1, 2004 .

The Extension Educator Council represents UNH Extension Educators in UNH Administrative affairs. The Council examines issues affecting Extension Educators as employees of the University of New Hampshire . Members of the Council serve on the System Personnel Policy Committee and on UNH committees of importance to Extension Educators.

One goal of the Extension Educator Council this year is to improve communication between the Council and Extension Educators. The Council minutes are posted on the website . Here are highlights from the most recent meeting:

Update from System's Policy and Procedure Committee (SPPC)- A survey was developed and distributed to PAT/OS staff to determine acceptable benefit cost containment measures for employee health insurance. Because of quick turn around time, this survey was distributed to EE council members only. The recommendations were presented at SPPC and will be voted on by the Board of Trustees. Recommendations included increases in specialist visit co-pays, prescription co-pays and hospitalization co-pays. A Family Friendly policy similar to the Faculty policy was tabled, but will be discussed in the fall.
Update from President's Staff meeting - UNH launched its new website. The new Academic Plan can be viewed on the site. According to the Granite State Poll, over 50% of those polled recognized UNH Cooperative Extension. This was mentioned in the bi-weekly update. UNH is offering a separation incentive to qualifying employees. They were notified by mail. PAT/OS/EE councils are working on an employee suggestion plan and a total quality management/continuous process improvement initiative.
CE Staff Recognition plan was presented to the council. The plan contained great ideas but the council was concerned with the amount of time needed to implement the plan.
UNH is anticipating a $1.8 million loss in FY05. This results from lower-than-anticipated admission acceptances, increased financial aid needs of students, and increasing oil prices. To achieve savings, operational costs will be cut, class size increased and possibly a cut in staff. Salary increases have not been determined.
Discussion continued on the amount and rapid rate of change the organization is experiencing; the amount of administrative reporting and the need to make it as efficient and relevant as possible; the need for better communication on the reasoning behind the changes we are making; and the continuing concern about doing more with less resources. Charlie French will work on applying total quality management to our reporting system. Alice Mullen has discussed the council’s concerns with Nancy Franz.
Any questions about these highlights or issues related to UNH should be discussed with members of the council.

It's time to submit in-service and other training offerings for the October, 2004 - September, 2005 year. An initial email with this requested information was sent May 7 to all staff. Please refer to that email for detailed information.

Inservice offerings should reflect priorities in the UNH Cooperative Extension Plan of Work and performance core competencies.

Please submit information for in-services you plan to offer by July 1 to Deb Russell, using the format in the attached Word document. The inservice calendar will be posted for electronic registration around July 25.

Also this year, we will have a second call – in January, 2005 – for in-service offerings to better address core competency needs and provide the opportunity for interdisciplinary teams to offer in-services.

We welcome Sadie Puglisi as the new Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources, in Merrimack County. Sadie received her Bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Cornell University in 1999 and her Master’s degree in horticulture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2002. Prior to coming to UNH Cooperative Extension, Sadie was the Extension Resource Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension, where she had overall responsibility for an Integrated Pest Management plan. She also created research programs based on the needs of the county facilities and collaborated with University faculty and leaders in private industry. She begins her new duties on July 6th.

Fran Chickering will be leaving Cooperative Extension. Her last day will be June 30, 2004. I want to thank Fran for the excellent work she has done these many years as Extension Program Coordinator of the Teen Assessment Project.

Congratulations to the following Extension Educators approved for promotion this week by the USNH Board of Trustees:

Extension Educator
Jeff Schloss
Sarah Smith
Steve Turaj

Associate Extension Educator
Nancy Lambert

At the same USNH Board of Trustee meeting the following Extension retirees were approved for emeritus status:
Nancy Adams
Judith Bush
Bruce Clement
Barbara Hunter
Valerie Long
William Lord
Sharon Meeker
David Seavey
Stephen Wood

The Board of Trustees met yesterday, June 24th and approved salary increases for UNH including exceptions for Cooperative Extension and NH Public Television in recognition of the financial strain experienced by each of these units. Effective on September 25, there will be a salary pool of 4% for all non-unionized employees at UNH with 3% distributed as an "across-the-board" increase and 1% for institutional needs (e.g., merit, equity, etc.). I want you all to know that the FY 05 salary increase for Cooperative Extension staff will be 3% (three percent) across the board effective September 25. The rationale for not going with an increase beyond 3% is simply because CE is heavily dependent on state appropriations and the state budget increase for the university system in FY 05 is 3%. We also need to be very mindful of the deficit situation we experienced this past year coupled with the state government deficit that may be looming on the horizon as reflected in the following article:

http://www.theunionleader.com/Articles_show.html?article=38666&archive=1

As you know this has been a very challenging year as we have reduced our budget base through a combined salary and associated fringe reduction of $780,000. This action was taken as a result of level state funding, increased fringe benefit rates, declining federal appropriations, salary increases, and increases in overall operating expenses. The reduction was accomplished through a salary separation incentive plan (SIP) equal to six months of salary for any Extension employee with a minimum of five years of service. The net result of the budget reductions were to effect a balanced budget in FY05 providing no additional reductions in state or federal revenue occur.

The request of going no higher than a 3% salary increase for Cooperation Extension had the support of Alice Mullen, Chair of the Extension Educator Council; Michele Gagne who serves as extension's representative on the PAT Council; and Deb Anderson who has represented Extension in the past as a former member of the Operating Staff Council. If the revenue picture turns out to be greater than projected, we have been advised that we will still have the opportunity to administer the 1% merit at a later date. You'll be interested to know that each 1% in salary increase & associated benefits means an increase in expenditures of approximately $105,000 for Cooperative Extension. Since Cooperative Extension is responsible for balancing its budget, the fiscally prudent measure for us to take is to do all we can to avoid a further deficit situation and personnel reductions in force.

Don't hesitate to contact me or any member of the Leadership Team if you have any questions.

What does organizing canoe trips down local rivers have to do with the job responsibilities of an Extension Educator of Forest Resources working for UNH Cooperative Extension?

Water resources education is an important component of our Forestry and Wildlife Program. The results increase knowledge and appreciation for rivers by those who influence their future. The results also include great public visibility for the value of Extension, and enhanced relationships with public officials.

Don Black, Extension Educator of Forest Resources brings the public, the media, conservation leaders and elected officials down rivers for a educational experience. Recently, a Foster’s Daily Democrat headline cited a Rochester official calling the Cocheco River a “cesspool.” An outcry resulted because many people felt differently due to the attention Don Black and others brought to the public and elected officials. People in Rochester learned the river is the cleanest it has been in years. People now value the river, pick up trash, use the river more frequently, and support conservation efforts to protect and manage this important natural resource.

A recent trip down the Branch River highlighted the value of conservation easements for saving important places. Eighty participants learned how one family protected forever hundreds of acres that border the Branch and Salmon Rivers. Among those participants were elected officials and the media, multiplying the effect of the program.

A trip down a local river provides an opportunity for participants to see and hear about natural resources from a variety of professionals from UNH Cooperative Extension and collaborating organizations. The river trip also brings important audiences to Cooperative Extension including people who make decisions on our funding and those who shape our public image. Canoe-kayak trips are media friendly, because they provide media people with interesting stories to report, photograph, and video tape. The participating decision-makers and cooperating agencies experience what UNH Cooperative Extension does and a positive ripple effect results from the media stories.

Participating agencies like the NH Departments of Fish and Game and Environmental Services, private companies, watershed protection groups and decision-makers not only gain knowledge about our work, but for at least for a few moments in time, they are part of our team. It is a win-win situation.

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The Forestry and Wildlife Program staff are riding a roller coaster of fiscal and programmatic expectations about a new USDA Forest Service landowner assistance program called the Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP). A cost-sharing incentive program, FLEP encourages forest owners around the country to manage their woodlands in a responsible way. With an end to previous programs, FLEP originated as a five-year program, funded at $100 million nationally.

FLEP also provides funds to UNH Cooperative Extension for education and technical assistance. Unlike most Extension units around the country, UNH Cooperative Extension for decades has engaged in cost sharing programs through the Forest Service.

The devastating fires in the West, however, forced the federal government to cut money in several budgeted programs. FLEP, one of these programs was reduced by half or $50 million. Undaunted, UNH Cooperative Extension and its partners, the NH Division of Forests and Lands and the NH USDA Farm Service Agency, began the FLEP program January 15. Plans call for distributing $80,000 this year to landowners approved in conservation programs. Landowners receive a 75 percent reimbursement to pay for a licensed professional forester who develops a forest management plan. For other practices, such as forestland improvement practices, FLEP reimburses half the costs. Privately held forestlands make up 70 percent of New Hampshire land area. Good stewardship of these lands affects everyone in the state

The loss of FLEP funding not only means a loss of a landowner incentive program, it means a revenue loss for the Forestry and Wildlife Program. There is discussion of fund restoration. Much depends on the economy and the Western fire season this spring and summer.

FLEP brings Extension together with partnering organizations with a common goal of serving New Hampshire 's landowners. They include the NH Division of Forests and Lands, the NH USDA Farm Service Agency, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the NH Department of Fish and Game and the NH Forest Stewardship Committee. The program provides financial incentives and increased interest in good conservation practices on private forestland in the state.

FLEP in NH already enhanced Forestry and Wildlife revenues by $94,000. This helped Extension with a needs assessment for applying the program, engaging partners through the NH Stewardship Committee and supporting Extension's implementation of educational and technical help. The New Hampshire FLEP Priority Plan, tailored to Granite State needs and written by Karen Bennett, was the first in the nation praised and approved by the USDA Forest Service.

Our regional program staff meetings are set for 12:30 to 4:00 pm April 12 at Plymouth State University, April 13 at the Goffstown Extension Office and April 14 in the MUB at UNH. Beverages will be available at noon for staff who would like to arrive early to meet and greet each other. The agenda includes the Maynard and Audrey Heckel award presentation, budget update, the new performance management system, recommendations from the Program Administrative Structure Team and Public Awareness Teams. All program staff are expected to attend one of these meetings. I look forward to discussing these important topics with you.

The USNH Board of Trustees will be meeting on June 24 to approve UNH Wage and Salary Guidelines for FY 05. I look forward to sharing the outcome with you in the next Biweekly Update if not before.

The UNH Survey Center included a series of questions on its February 2004 Granite State Poll focusing on the University. The major purpose of these questions was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of New Hampshire residents concerning the University and some of its programs. The survey reached 511 randomly selected New Hampshire adults by telephone from Feb. 4-12.

Good news for Cooperative Extension – in a question about Cooperative Extension, over half the respondents, 53 percent, “definitely remember hearing that Cooperative Extension is part of UNH.” The exact question asked: “Cooperative Extension is part of UNH. Do you definitely remember hearing or reading about this … do you vaguely recall this … or have you never heard about this before?”

According to Dr. Andrew E. Smith, director of the Survey Center , the Granite State Poll takes place quarterly and is an inexpensive way for University staff to collect statewide data. To learn more, you can contact him at andrew.smith@unh.edu

All Family, Youth and Community staff should mark Monday, Nov. 15, on their calendars for a statewide staff meeting. Plans are to hold this meeting from 9 - 3:30 in Plymouth . Staff include all program staff in Family & Consumer Resources, including all Nutrition Connections and Family Lifeskills Program staff, 4-H Youth Development, and Communities.

Family & Consumer Resources educators and specialists meet at 4-H Camp next Wednesday, June 16. An agenda has been sent. Family & Consumer Resources staff also meet Monday, September 27.

Two position announcements will be posted to our web site within the next few days. The position of Extension Faculty and Specialist, Family Education & Policy, will be advertised nationally. This is a split position, with a 20% appointment with the UNH Department of Family Studies, including a teaching assignment.

The second announcement will fill a 75% position in Family & Consumer Resources, advertised for Merrimack County . The focus of this position is on lifespan human development, parenting education, and working with coalitions addressing the needs of families and children. Please consider any contacts you can make to encourage qualified candidates to apply.

Staff seeking reimbursement for travel and other expenses through the BSC for April, May and June must submit them by June 30. This includes grant-sponsored programs. Timeliness enhances management of our budget deficit. Thanks for observing this important deadline.

The University Instrumentation Center (UIC) is available to help solve problems. UIC staff can repair electronic and mechanical equipment, and can help address problems associated with chemical analysis, for example, tainted fuel oil. The Center also works in an entrepreneurial situation, helping to develop instrumentation for your field. Contact Jeff Simpson, the UIC Director, at 862-2457 or send email to jeff.simpson@unh.edu.

Twenty-six years ago, UNH Cooperative Extension initiated a new program called Integrated Pest Management or IPM. Things were different then. Mailing a letter cost 13 cents. “ Dallas ” was a favorite TV show. No one had a “personal computer.” IPM funds came from Washington , and the idea was to change the way farmers used pesticides. It was clear there was an over-use of chemical pesticides. Application was automatic, as a means of chemical insurance. Research showed there were better ways to handle pest problems, using a combination of tactics, monitoring pest levels in the field or greenhouse. However, the challenge was getting growers to change their behavior. A common farmer’s perception was that moving away from a calendar schedule would prove risky. Why should I risk my $10,000 apple crop, just to save a few hundred dollars in sprays? was a common question of the day.

Alan Eaton, Bill MacHardy, Bill Lord and other Extension staff involved in the project knew reducing the use of sprays would reduce costs, the risks of creating pesticide resistance, toxicity and contamination risks. It also might increase some costs, including insect traps and the labor to count scab lesions. There also was that risk perception.

For the first few years, Extension staff guided growers individually, training each one in skills such as hanging apple maggot traps, identifying European corn borer damage, and reading hygrothermographs. For apple growers, Extension set up the IPM program as a side-by-side demonstration. Staff helped monitor and control pests on 10 acres, and the grower did what he or she wanted on the other 100 acres on the farm. The first year’s data showed $100 per acre savings. Growers quickly adopted IPM on the rest of their acreage. To instill confidence in the farmers’ new skills, Extension improved its publications, offered winter training sessions, provided a weekly newsletter of pest happenings, and a 24 hour/day telephone line that covered pest problems. The phoneline continues today (862-3763) and the newsletter is now available through the internet. Today IPM work involves tree fruit, small fruit, vegetables, greenhouse and field crops.

A recent analysis of the apple work showed New Hampshire apple growers saved $7.7 million, improving fruit quality on 1.16 million bushels of fruit, while reducing their pesticide use by roughly 40 percent. Beyond the numbers is the fact growers permanently changed their behavior. Instead of automatically spraying by the calendar, most New Hampshire growers now look first, and often use a combination of chemical and non-chemical methods.

UNH Cooperative Extension has kept many farms in business during times of falling prices and foreign competition. Benefits include fresh produce, locally grown, rather than sitting at the very end of the food pipeline. Strawberry season is about to begin. Wouldn’t you prefer sweet, ripe locally grown fruit, rather than cardboard flavored things shipped hundreds of miles? Get out there and enjoy.