PROFITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

INITIATIVE TEAM

MEETING SUMMARY
Cody, October 15, 2001

Director Whipple addressed the team concerning the critical need for the justification of specialist positions to Central Position Management (CPM). Both the Silliman and Nel positions were taken by CPM and the College of Agriculture was awarded positions in Ag Economics and Renewable Resources with no Extension appointment. The Director is convinced that CES will receive no positions from CPM until the initiative teams, with the input of field agents, specialists, department heads, and administrators can make a strong enough case. Therefore, he is asking the team to provide him with a prioritized list of recommended positions and their justification by April. Input by each team will be considered by the State Coordinating Committee to determine those position requests to forward to CPM. The team agreed to meet December 6th in Casper to address this issue.

Tom Whitson, Extension Weed Specialist and IPM Coordinator, presented a summary of the present IPM program and progress of the grants which were awarded. New grant monies are available and it is time to establish an RFP process for the next five years. Tom requested that the team provide guidance as to whether the program should continue as in the past or if changes should be made. The group decided to continue the same grant and RFP process, adding that the chairs of the PSAS and SMRR initiative teams should sit in review of the IPM process and keep their respective teams informed of the program’s progress and provide any input the teams offer to the IPM coordinator. They also recommended that these two initiative teams have input through their chairs into the selection of the next IPM coordinator when that position becomes open.

The Sustainable, Efficient Forage Based Livestock Issue Team gave a progress report. Writing assignments for a website have not been completed and the team is unsure what topics producers really would like covered or how to deliver it. The group discussed web delivery methods and obtaining input concerning needed programming from the Wyoming Stock Growers and Wyoming Wool Growers winter meeting. The issue team continued to meet after the initiative meeting was closed and decided to develop a workshop on topics concerning the young beef female for state commodity groups, ag day meetings, district meetings, etc., with a supporting website. They hope to have a product ready for public use by next spring.

It was the consensus of the group present that the team is not yet ready to tackle the
issue of sustainable cropping systems until the present project has made more progress.

The team discussed the need for immediate and continuing needs assessment. It does not seem the five year rotating needs assessment planned by state administration will provide the information needed by the team soon enough to affect initial programming. A committee was appointed to look at the group’s assessment issues and make recommendations to enhance our understanding of state needs.

It was recommended that we still need to work on relationship with our peers. Some suggestions to increase educator awareness and involvement were: 1)get on the agenda of district meetings; 2) provide periodic updates/information for CES Newsbriefs; 3) ask administration to provide names of new agents and have a team member contact them; 4) contact or meet with county advisory committees and ask for their input.