Inside Outreach in Illinois January 2007

Inside Outreach was created to highlight the initiatives and the accomplishments of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Illinois.

From the State Conservationist

My message to you about outreach is a simple one. Outreach is important and is a priority to our agency. It’s important to me and it’s important to you. I know there is much to do--many programs to manage and administer, data to enter, contracts to develop. All of these issues and tasks are important.

It is the responsibility of every employee to ensure that NRCS makes an effort to reach officially underserved landowners. Look at the EEO statement. It identifies many of the special groups and audiences you need to target. There are underserved landowners out there, potential clients that we have not reached or interacted with or who for one reason or another have hit a barrier that keeps them apart from NRCS products and services. There are landowners out there doing the best they can with what they have but who could do more if they knew about NRCS and the cost-share, technical assistance, and technology we can offer. These truly underserved individuals and groups may exist in your county.

Your job is to find them. Do a little research. Ask a few questions. Find a way to reach out to those audiences. They may not tap into the traditional media or communication networks you normally work with. Your outreach effort is to do something different that creates a way to connect with them. If you do find them, bring them into the conservation team; show them what we and our partners have to offer. That’s what outreach is. Make it happen in your field office.

Editorial

Outreach through an educational strategy is a fundamental component of how Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) does and must do our business in today environment of limited resources. During the days of the Dust Bowl, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) now NRCS used education as a strategy in providing services for the common good of our nation long before the term “outreach” was on the horizon. Since that time education has proven to be the most effective and efficient way to reach our mission objectives and in bringing our clients to the table. Therefore, we encourage educational outreach projects that reach all levels of our population in order to gain a wider appreciation and understanding of the value and importance of protecting and preserving our national treasures, i.e. humans, soil, water, air, plants, and animals. Educational outreach provides many more individuals with an opportunity for development and to be a part of the dialogue in the national campaign of preservation and conservation of the nation’s natural resources.

Outreach projects are excellent ways of disseminating information to employees, clients, and the general public in regions of our communities that are not frequently visited by our agency or areas where some precede are outside of the agency mission area. Educational outreach initiatives should include the entire spectrum of programs and services offered by USDA. When targeted groups are offered or made aware of viable alternatives in agriculture, traditions are changed and new ideas and practices are implemented. An effective outreach program changes perceptions and encourage comprehensive and all inclusive planning endeavors that involve all individuals and groups. When we know better and involve all segments of our communities, we can do a better job of protecting our natural resources.

This issue of “Inside Outreach” is seeking to emphasize that outreach through education can’t start too soon at imprinting the minds of our future leaders, teachers, and conservationists, our children. One way to help accomplish this is to make available the vase amount of conservation and related materials that USDA and its partners have for all segments of your work area and for every age bracket. This includes tapes, videos, conservation coloring books, and the seeds, plants and trees to take home for planting. Participating and assisting with agricultural days, annual poster contests, and annual Envirothons are highly effective and rewarding ways to help change the way little ones look at our natural resources and each others; thus having a positive and similar affect on the adults in their lives.

Area Highlights

Area 1

Team 2 Outreach Report
Submitted by: Troy Daniell, ASTC Area 1, Marion, IL

The demand for goat meat in the United States has increased greatly due to increased ethnic diversity throughout the nation. East Coast ethnic groups that consume large quantities of meat goats include; Muslims, Hispanics and Jewish populations. The United States presently imports up to 52% of its meat goat demand and a majority of that supply comes from Africa. Local interest in goat meat in Southern Illinois has been addressed through assistance from the Amish Community near Opdyke, Illinois. The Amish are a limited resource group that is normally not a regular client of our agency. However, this growing local need has brought them to NRCS as they seek assistance from us for information on meat goats and market locations.

Mt. Vernon Field office and Shawnee RC&D office is working with the Amish Community in the Belle Rive/Opdyke Area assisting them with information on meat goat production and providing a market location that is conducive to their transportation options. The Amish Community, made up of 12 families, have limited transportation and rely on neighbors or other means to take their product to market. NRCS, other local meat goat producers and the Amish Community are working on a common goal to gather information on the rising market and demand for meat goat production, available markets in the area, the specific management needs for goat production, and pick-up locations. In July, landowners and members of the Amish community held a meeting to provide information they had gathered on the meat goat market and to meet with a local buyer who provides goats to East Coast Ethnic Groups.

NRCS efforts to address the local concerns include:

As producers become more involved, they will continue to develop their relationship with NRCS and develop a better understanding of other production-related issues including disease, parasite hosts (deer), protection and sustainability of the land resource the goats are raised on. This issue has offered NRCS and RC&D an opportunity to assist a nontraditional client, address local needs, and showcase NRCS expertise.

Area 2

Going the Extra Mile to Accommodate Job Shadowing
Submitted by: Tim Malone, DC, Tazewell Co., Pekin, IL

Wisconsin NRCS Civil Rights Committee Chair Don Fehrenbacher spent a day “Job Shadowing” Illinois NRCS’ District Conservationist Tim Malone in Pekin, Illinois. Wisconsin has several deaf/hearing impaired employees and is looking at hiring more. Wisconsin’s concern was whether or not a hearing impaired individual could successfully perform the duties of a District Conservationist or Soil Conservation Technician. Don was particularly interested in providing adequate accommodations for a deaf MLRA project leader he supervises.

NRCS’ National Disability Employment Program (DEPM) Manager Cliff Denshire, referred Wisconsin to Tim Malone. Fehrenbacher, the State Soil Scientist in Wisconsin, volunteered to contact Malone because previously—when Fehrenbacher worked for NRCS here in Illinois--they worked together in the New Lenox field office.

NRCS DC - Tim Malone using TDD

Don and Tim started their discussion by email, but immediately knew that it was not effective. So Pat Leavenworth, State Conservationist of Wisconsin, contacted Illinois’ State Conservationist Bill Gradle and obtained approval for Don to spend a day with Tim. Don spent the morning in Tim’s office observing how Tim performs the duties of his position, what accommodations he uses to overcome his hearing loss, and how effectively he communicates with his clients/employees.

Don discussed how Wisconsin always provides sign language interpreters for their deaf employees attending public meetings and other events. Wisconsin has an employee with a hearing impairment who wants to change his position to a Soil Conservation Technician. The Agency is reimbursing him for tuition which will increase his Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities even though he his already qualified for the position. Malone shared some of his experiences as a Soil Conservation Technician and the items that helped him succeed. For Malone, one of the most important elements was having a veteran Technician in a neighboring county who provided on-the-job training for complicated application projects.

Don and Tim discussed various types of accommodations such as the Federal Relay Captioning, TDD’s, Pocket Speak & Read VCO units, Captel Phones, email, sign language interpreters, lip-reading, voice recognition software, and there’s always the possibility of learning sign language. Malone also gave Don a tour of the Pekin Service Center and the accommodations the design of the office provides. Other sources of information on job accommodations and programs included the TARGET Center, Ultratec, Harris Communications, and the DOD’s CAP program.

Tim stressed the feasibility of voice recognition software and its capacity to help the hearing impaired communicate with other employees. Wisconsin has several employees who are not able to speak verbally, so they communicate in the written form, which also works well.

The visit included time in the field inspecting an Environmental Protection Agency 319 Stream bank Stabilization project on the Lower Mackinaw River. Tim and Don also visited two livestock producers who were approved for Concentrated Nutrient Management Program contracts. By the end of the day, it was clear to Don that with persistence and determination combined with modern day technology, it is more than possible for hearing impaired employees to be productive and to serve NRCS clients well.

Small Farmers Working Within the System
Submitted by: Carzella C. Pritchett, Outreach Team Leader, Normal, IL

Photo of cows

Identifying and meeting the needs of small, beginning, untraditional, minority, and limited resource farmers is an ongoing challenge faced by the Department of Agriculture. In order to address this issue, many outreach initiatives based on the findings and publication of “A Time to Act” have resulted in activities which provide information to and encourage the participation of protected groups interested in farm programs. The following success story depicts the collaborative efforts of Illinois line-and-staff personnel.

Effie-Jean and Sandra-Marie Tennant inherited a five-acre subsistence farm from their father who had farmed the land for fifty years without the benefit or assistance of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and technical assistance. I heard of this farm family through the grapevine, but discovered that without an official farm number, they were never officially established as a working farm in the county. They knew, however, that they qualified as beginning and minority farmers. They knew they needed help. The trouble was they didn’t know where to find it.

We, the local Natural Resource Conservation Service staff, first assisted them by getting them into the system with a farm number. The District Conservationist, Hal Pyle met with the ladies several times and scheduled field visits on the farm. Steve Mozley, Assistant State Conservationist, facilitated the efforts of Area Specialists who made recommendations for grazing and agronomic considerations. After a thorough discussion of all aspects of their farm operation and a complete review of options and ideas, the Tennant’s decided to establish a small cow-calf operation with an off-site supplemental hay feeding source. The Tennants signed up to participate in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in order to access cost-share funds and technical assistance they needed to accomplish these goals. One major obstacle, however, was the animal unit program requirement—their operation currently did not meet the minimum requirement. In order to address this issue, they wrote a letter to Mr. Gradle, State Conservationist, requesting a variance for two animal units until spring calving.

Photo of cows

The variance was granted and their application was accepted and EQIP implementation is scheduled to will begin later this year. In the mean time, Effie and San-Marie are well on their way to turning their operation into a profitable business. They have refurbished two sheds, reseeded areas on the farm, and made improvements to the cattle feeding operation.

Implementation of other solutions will take both time and money such as, livestock improvements through breeding selection. Sangamon County Outreach initiatives began the process to enlighten the Tennant’s on various strategies to establish a sustainable operation.

Everyone is entitled to consideration for program participation and technical assistance—especially landowners who are unaware of the help that is available through state and federal programs. These sisters are of African American decent, but there are other female landowners, marginal land owners, small acreage, and limited resource producers scattered throughout the state that are functioning beneath our radar screen without the benefit of program assistance. With a strong outreach program, NRCS staff can successfully find these landowners and then offer our assistance.

Area 3

The view upstream of Hickory Creek on the southern end of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart’s grounds

A Walk in the Woods
Submitted by: New Lenox Field Office

On Sunday September 24, 2006, representatives from Will/S. Cook NRCS and SWCD were invited to have an information booth and take members of the community on a walk around Hickory Creek. The event was held in Frankfort Illinois on the grounds of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Soil Conservationist Nick Fritch of NRCS and Resource Analyst Alex Brumley of SWCD took members of the community on an informative walk through the woods and along a stretch of Hickory Creek. During the Will/S. Cook NRCS Soil Conservationist Nick Fritch discussing different aspects of a meadow to participants of the “Walk in the Woods” tour

Will/S. Cook NRCS Soil Conservationist Nick Fritch discussing different aspects of a meadow to participants of the “Walk in the Woods” tour

walk, individuals were told about the different aspects of the Franciscan Sisters grounds including meadows, soil types, and the history and aspects that make up Hickory Creek. Administrative Coordinator Kimberly Mitchell of SWCD handed out pamphlets and spoke with participants about a variety of conservation practices that are provided by both Will/S. Cook agencies. The event proved to be a good experience for the staff and was very informative for the attendees.

We Could Learn A Lot from Crayons

Some are sharp,
Some are pretty
And some are dull.
Some have weird names,
And all are different colors.

Submitted by:
Thomas P. Ryterske, DC, St. Charles, A3

Successful Grazing Schools Held
Submitted by: Roger Staff & Matt Bunger, NRCS Grazing Specialists

During the summer a series of eight Grazing Schools were held across the state. A range of 14 to 56 producers attended the schools. The largest school was held at Dixon Springs Ag Center (DSAC) with producers from Illinois and Kentucky. Producers across the state received a wealth of information to help with grazing management systems that apply a more balanced fertility and forage management program on their pastures. Other topics included were:

The goals of the federal cost share program EQIP were discussed. Congress supports the cost share programs to aid producers in protecting and enhancing their natural resources: soil, water, air, plants and animals. The schools were conducted to aid in producer education and Grazing Management, as well as to meet the ranking criteria for EQIP participants. Presenters from NRCS and U of I Extension will use evaluations/questionnaires that were completed to craft the grazing schools for next year.

The featured guest speakers at the grazing schools were Reggie Blackwell, Regional Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, GLCI, coordinator from Fort Worth, Texas, who spoke at the school in Lincoln, the DSAC and Salem Grazing schools and Cliff Schutte, Chairman of the Illinois Grassland Conservation Initiative (ILGLCI). Cliff spoke to the group on the efforts the ILGLCI is doing to support livestock industry and secure federal cost share dollars through programs such as EQIP and other programs to benefit the livestock industry.

Diversity
Submitted by: St Charles Field Office

Statistically speaking, Illinois is composed of 73.5% White persons, 15.1 % Blacks or African Americans, 0.2 % American Indian and Alaskan Native persons, 3.4% Asian persons, and less than .1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders. Rarely are these ethnic groups represented in rural areas. Central Illinois’ rural population is predominantly White.

Educational activities conducted at the Chicago High School of Agricultural Sciences and during Envirothon competitions across the state provide field offices with an opportunity to educate our youth. Reaching out to enthusiastic middle school and high school students is an extremely rewarding experience. The opportunity to work collectively with motivated and ethnically diverse groups challenges many agency traditions. What makes this Envirothon unusual is the common tread of interest and concern that crisscrosses racial and social barriers in an effort to sustain a healthy environment.

Northeastern Illinois High Schools are a salad bowl of ethnic diversity. On the first day, Envirothon regional participants and faculty advisors from Cook, Du Page, Will, Kane, and De Kalb Counties were represented at Bartlett Park District site. The second day students from McHenry, Boon, and Winnebago Counties joined the competition.

Each student clearly has an interest and a passion for environmental issues, agriculture and natural resources. They are the future leaders, clients and conservationists of tomorrow. They bring together a diverse mix of options that make them better suited to handle the complexities of today’s issues. Envirothon is just one of may ways to plan the seeds of conservation.

Area 4

Whiteside County SWCD Education Program
Submitted by: Nancy Anderson, Education Coordinator

The Whiteside County Soil & Water Conservation District applied for a Conservation 2000 Grant in 2005 for their education program. The District was awarded an Ecosystem Project Match Grant by the IDNR for the 2006-2008 school years. The grant is administered as a part of the Lower Rock River Ecosystem Partnership.

Grant Title: Whiteside County Soil & Water Conservation District - Bi-lingual Conservation Program

Grant Content: 350 Hispanic students in grade levels 2-10th enrolled in the Sterling, Rock Falls, East Coloma, and Montmorency School Districts are in need of bi-lingual conservation education materials. Students lack a comprehensive ecosystem program that specifically addresses the importance of preserving the Lower Rock River Watershed. All school districts are in the Strategic Sub-Watershed #5100, and # 50709 as chosen by the Lower Rock River Partnership. An educational program will be developed that contains a bi-lingual format of written and oral information for the students. All displays, support materials, and follow-up materials will be developed in a bi-lingual content--English and Spanish. Hispanic volunteers will help to develop a collaboration of display labels, oral information guidance, and written hand-outs. A Spanish and English brochure will be distributed at the end of each program summarizing the environmental content. In the classroom, the volunteer will provide in-class interpretation based upon teacher recommendations and the students need for translation of key facts and concepts. The Whiteside County Education Coordinator and Hispanic support staff will visit 35 classes to provide presentation and materials on “Illinois Groundwater,” “Water Use, Conservation of Water and Water Quality in the Lower Rock River Watershed,” and “Pollution of the Rock River Watershed.”

Area 5

Marion County Kid’s Day
Submitted by: Salem Field Office

Despite the +90 degree temperatures, more than 300 children attended the 2006 Kid’s Day at the Marion County Fair on July 31st. During the annual event, children learned about agriculture through several unique demonstrations. The children, who range in age from pre-school through middle school, were given the chance to milk a goat or cow, “pick” apples, grind corn with a hand powered grinder, gather eggs, make rope, watch a soybean germinate, dig potatoes or traverse a barnyard maize. The children also had an opportunity to visit a barnyard petting zoo, learning the importance of hand washing, and see fire and emergency rescue equipment. Lunch and cold slushies were provided by the Salem Kiwanis.

Several members of USDA’s Salem Service Center assisted in the event that has become a major attraction at the Marion County Fair. The NRCS representatives included District Conservationist Tony Antonacci and Soil Conservation Technician James Petrea, who constructed and managed the barnyard maize. The NRCS staff also provided the children with information on forestry management and protection. Other sponsors included the University of Illinois Extension, Marion County Fair Association, Farm Service Agency, Southern Illinois Antique Power Club, Farm Bureau and Ag in the Classroom, Salem Kiwanis and WJBD radio.

According to Tony, “This community event gives NRCS a good chance to interact with a public we don’t get to serve very often. It’s also a great opportunity to impact the minds of young children and instill the value and the fun that agriculture and the great outdoors has to offer.”

Central Illinois Farm Fresh Network Formed
Submitted by: Shannon T. Allen, Watershed Specialist for the Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District and member of the Central Illinois Farm Fresh Network.

The Soil and Water Conservation District decided to host this meeting because it needed a way to communicate with the small farmers in our area. This group has really taken off with well over 50 individuals now and it continues to grow daily. We would like to share our story with others. Below is how it all began.

On February 19 of 2004, the Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) held a local meeting consisting of representatives of the two local farmers markets, three growers to the farmer markets, one large farmer with a business background, local RC&D, Downtown Decatur Council and a chef. Later Richland Community College was added, to discuss the possibility of forming a local foods network. The meeting went very well and several more were held to help come up with a name for the network, create short and long term goals and form bi-laws.

Naming the newly formed network was a longer project than expected and the discussion lasted for one whole meeting which typically last no longer than an hour and a half. Finally, the group decided on the Central Illinois Farm Fresh Network (CIFFN) and they started forming the bi-laws. In the bi-laws the purpose of the organization states, “The purpose of this organization shall be to promote the exchange of information and ideas and to advance the marketing of locally grown farm products. The organization will also provide education and resources to consumers and producers.” From this they started setting some short and long term goals.

When the group starting setting goals for CIFFN, it got real interesting and exciting all at the same time. Some of the short term goals for CIFFN are promote the local farmers markets to consumers, get Central Illinois Farm Fresh Network’s name out to farmers and consumers and start a dialoge from local chefs to farmers growing local foods. How could we obtain some of these goals? Some ideas were to hold workshops on how to can fresh vegetables, how to create your own marinara sauce, or have a chef prepare some dishes based on foods found at the farmers market. By holding these types of workshops at the local farmers market we would hope to attract people who did not normally shop at the market and educate them on locally grown foods. CIFFN is currently working with some of the local chefs to sell locally grown foods too. Chefs are very interested in purchasing locally grown products because of the product freshness. The problem comes with the supply and demand. Currently, there is too large of a demand and not enough locally grown products. There also is not a year round supply, which makes it very difficult. These are things CIFFN is looking to solve with their long term goals.

Some of the long term goals include supplying locally grown foods to local chefs, creating a year round farmers market, teaching farmers how to make cheap green houses for supplying year-round products, attracting more farmers into the network to meet demand and researching the economic effects of the Central Illinois Farm Fresh Network on the local communities.

CIFFN is already working on several of the short term and long term goals.

If you are interested in becoming a member, the boundaries for CIFFN are the counties of Macon, McLean, Morgan, Moultrie, Sangamon, Christian, Shelby, Coles, Douglas, Champaign, Piatt and DeWitt. Members outside the boundary will be allowed based on officers approving the membership and payment of out of district dues. Dues have been set at $25.00/year and out of district dues would be $30.00/year. This year’s membership would be good through January 2008. All checks need to be made out the Macon County SWCD (who will handle the money until a bank is chosen) and mailed to 4004 College Park Road, Decatur, IL 62521.

Article Credit Correction

In the December 2005 issue of Inside Outreach the article entitled “Douglas County Prevention Group“ was inadvertently credited to Ben Mingo. This article was submitted by Thomas Benjamin and is representative of the outreach efforts of Lincoln Heritage Resource Conservation & Development Area.

Want to Contribute?

If you would like to submit articles to be published in the Inside Outreach Newsletter contact:

Lue A. Walters, Outreach Manager
Email: Lue.Walters@il.usda.gov
Phone: 309-452-0830 ext. 111

Carzella Pritchett, Outreach Team Leader
Email: Carzella.Pritchett@il.usda.gov
Phone: 309-452-0830 ext. 119

About Us

Outreach in Illinois

January 2007

Inside Look

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