The 2002 Arizona Dairy Production Conference was held on October 17, 2002
with approximately 85 attendees. The success of this conference could not
have occurred without the effort of all who worked on the coordination and
planning of this successful event. I would like to recognize Dennis
Armstrong and Bob Collier, who coordinated the meetings. Matt Von Baala
was introduced as the new Dairy Specialist, effective July 1, 2003.
Come celebrate with Apache County Cooperative Extension, the new addition
of their new Education Center and celebrate the 4-H Centennial. The
celebration starts Thursday, October 24, 2002, 4:00-7:30 pm. 845 W. 4th
North, St. Johns, AZ. with. Festivities will include a ribbon cutting,
program activities with displays of 4-H Youth Development, Family Consumer
Science, and Agriculture/Natural Resources. For information call (928)
337-2267.
Congratulations to the CALS Diversity Team for winning the CALS Outstanding
Team Award for 2001-2002. The award was presented at the Fall
Faculty/Staff Meeting on October 15 and recognized the team's success in
designing and presenting a wide array of events and communication
activities to promote an awareness of diversity within the college. The
group works to reach all faculty, staff and students in the college with
the message that "Diversity is Value Added." Chaired by Shirley O'Brien,
associate director, Cooperative Extension, the 2001-2002 Diversity Team
includes Melvina Adolf, Dan Baerg, Steve Campbell, Jim Chamie, Steve
Crofts, Alma Rosa Enciso, Billye Foster, Ed Franklin, Natalie Furrey, Becky
Hester, Claudia Jackson, Ruth Jackson, Chris Jones, Teresa Noon, Janet Paz,
and Esperanza Torres. The committee members want their efforts to have a
substantial and positive impact on attitudes and behavior in the College.
They believe true changes in people's beliefs do not come from standard
presentations and required attendance. Since 1992 the team has worked to
create and direct experiential efforts that are exceptionally innovative
and highly memorable. Every activity incorporates their three goals:
AWARENESS of diversity, RESPECT for the richness that exists in the CALS,
and BELIEF that diversity brings quality.
Operation "On Target" 2002: A "Whole Systems" Geospatial Technologies
Seminar. Between October 7-11, 2002 three members of University of Arizona
Cooperative Extension joined 20 other extension professionals from across
the country for a hands-on geospatial technology workshop in Salt Lake
City, Utah. Dr. Phil Rasmussen, Barron Orr's counterpart, "Space Grant/Land
Grant Geospatial Extension Specialist" in Utah, hosted the meeting. The two
were joined by several other instructors at an in-service training that
covered the Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information Systems
(GIS), and Remote Sensing technology. Jeff Schalau, representing the
western region, attended the seminar as one of four NASA Fellows through a
competition co-sponsored by NASA and the National Association of County
Agricultural Agents (NACAA). Mohammed Zerkoune attended. Rick Gibson had
participated in the same seminar in October 2001. The Arizona contingent is
now working to incorporate what was learned into several extension
programming areas.
Extreme to severe drought conditions have been developing over the past three
to four years, and the effects are increasingly being felt over much of the
Southwestern United States. El Niņo conditions have developed in the equatorial
Pacific, but what the impacts of the 2002-2003 El Niņo event will be for the
Southwest still remains uncertain. Arizona Cooperative Extension has brought
together faculty from campus and counties to address drought issues -- topics
include households, climate, finances, and animal, fire, and range management.
All are invited to participate. Check out the new web site at http://cals.arizona.edu/extension/drought/.
Congratulations to Kim McReynolds, area extension agent in Cochise, Graham
and Greenlee Counties, for completing her second year of the rangeland
monitoring and inventory program. This program is jointly funded by US
Forest Service Safford Ranger District and Bureau of Land Management
Safford Field Office. It enables Cooperative Extension to assist agencies
in public land management and to assist ranchers through educational
programs. Ranchers, for example, reported that, as a result of a grass
utilization workshop, they will "monitor grasses" and "increase record
keeping".