| OBJECTIVES:
Agriculture: One hundred landowners will gain knowledge, skills and tools necessary to make informed risk management decisions about estate planning to avoid further fractionation of ag land. Fifty landowners and producers will gain a greater awareness and increase knowledge about noxious weeds, impact on rangeland and crops and effective integrated control methods. Fifty landowners and producers will obtain Initial Pesticide Applicators Licensing that will enable them to apply restricted-use chemicals for controlling noxious weeds. Fifty landowners and managers will increase their knowledge in range management to be able to develop a grazing management plan for their operation. Sixty livestock producers will increase their knowledge and implement livestock production management practices that will increase the value of the product sold. Fifty livestock producers will increase their understanding of the importance of marketing, explore marketing alternatives and
develop marketing strategies. Producers, landowners, tribal council members, ag and natural resource staff will gain leadership and teambuilding skills and increase their knowledge of the strategic planning process. They will actively participate in the development of the Ag Resource Management Plan to develop tribal goals and priorities for ag activities on the reservation. Youth Development: Fifty youth will develop leadership and life skills by completing and exhibiting a variety of projects through 4-H participation. Fifteen adult volunteers will develop leadership and mentoring skills by enrolling as club organizational and project leaders. Twenty youth will increase knowledge and gain hands on experience by starting their own cow/calf business by participating in a junior ag loan project. Participants will learn to set goals, complete financial statements and loan applications, establish a record keeping system, develop a business agreement between two parties, borrow and
payback a loan. Loan funds will be used to purchase cattle. One hundred sixty youth will increase their knowledge of natural resources and conservation practices, improve self-esteem and social skills, and learn about career opportunities in ag and natural resources by participating at an annual youth natural resources camp-out.
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| APPROACH:
The Blackfeet Extension Program will seek and maintain partnerships with local, state and federal agencies and producer groups to increase collaborative programming opportunities. More can be accomplished by combining efforts, thus creating a bigger pool of resources, expertise, money and audience. The most effective program delivery methods are hands on, field workshops, small group and one-on-one meeting and daily technical assistance. Extension will work collaboratively with other agencies, producer groups and individuals to develop demonstration projects for grazing management practices, weed control methods, livestock marketing, living windbreaks and snow fences to demonstrate the effectiveness of these types of management practices. To reach different audiences and make a strong impact to cause a change in behavior, Extension must work more one-on-one to understand the interests and needs of the producer. Once needs are identified, educational and technical
assistance will be specifically tailored to fit their operation. Utilizing hands on methods such as one-on-one, field workshops and tours held outside of the traditional meeting room have proved to be a more effective way of delivering information and provides the opportunity for the individual to learn at their own level, thus making the concept more understandable and applicable in the management of their own operation. The agent will attend training and program updates to obtain the skills and tools necessary to carry out program goals.
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CRIS NUMBER: 0206722
SUBFILE: CRIS
PROJECT NUMBER: MONN-06-01211
SPONSOR AGENCY: CSREES
PROJECT TYPE: 3D GRANT
PROJECT STATUS: EXTENDED
MULTI-STATE PROJECT NUMBER: (N/A)
START DATE: Apr 1, 2006
TERMINATION DATE: Mar 31, 2010
GRANT PROGRAM: EIRP INDIAN RESERVATION PROGRAM
GRANT PROGRAM AREA: Smith-Lever 3d
CLASSIFICATION
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| 903 | 0799 | 3020 | 3.1 | 20% |
| 903 | 3310 | 3020 | 3.1 | 20% |
| 903 | 6020 | 3020 | 3.1 | 20% |
| 903 | 6030 | 3020 | 3.1 | 20% |
| 903 | 6299 | 3020 | 3.1 | 20% |
|
|
CLASSIFICATION HEADINGS
KA903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery
S3310 - Beef cattle, live animal
S0799 - Rangelands and grasslands, general
S6020 - The family and its members
S6030 - The farm as an enterprise
S6299 - Marketing, general/other
F3020 - Education
G3.1 - Economic Opportunities for Growth
RESEARCH EFFORT CATEGORIES
| BASIC |
(N/A)% |
| APPLIED |
100% |
| DEVELOPMENTAL |
(N/A)% |
KEYWORDS: value added; natural resources; noxious weeds; pesticide applicators license; ag resource management plan
PROGRESS: Apr 1, 2008 TO Mar 31, 2009
OUTPUTS: Youth Development through participation in 4-H Clubs 24 workshops and clinics delivered for hands on experience for youth and adult volunteer leadership development and life skills. The following is a list of workshops and clinics: Orientation and Basics of 4-H, Food Handlers Certification, Project Leader Training, Record and Journals, Market Animal Quality Assurance Certification, Animal Project Fair Preparation, clipping and grooming and showmanship clinics for steer, lamb, hog, horse and dog 4H projects, Awards and Achievement days, community service projects and youth and adult volunteer recruitment. Annual Natural Resources Camp 3 four-day camp outs developed to provided hands on workshops focused on natural resources and youth development Junior Agriculture Loan & Educational Program - Jr Ag Day Youth between ages 9-21 years old received one on one instruction on beef management and planning to complete a loan application to purchase cattle. Provided a record keeping and beef production workshop for loan clients and parents. Weed Control Program Coordinated and implemented a weed management program utilizing chemical and biological control agents, provided restricted-use chemical applicators license testing, and educational information on control of weeds. Range Inventory and Education Cooperatively developed and coordinated completion of range Inventory of lands within range units on reservation. Provided 3 Grazing Management Seminars workshops focused on grazing management. Agricultural Drought Recovery, Record Keeping, Cost Control & Risk Planning for Livestock Producers Provided 5 workshops to assist livestock and forage producers to develop personalized cost control plans and information about surviving an environment with increasing energy and feed costs effecting production costs, feed resources, risk management tools, and financial management strategies. Dissemination: Ag Producers Newsletter, 4-H Newsletter, area newspapers, trade publications (Traders Dispatch and Prairie Star) radio station, direct mail out, flyers and posters, word of mouth, phone calls, and email PARTICIPANTS: Educational Resource Partners Statewide MSU Extension Agents MSU Extension Specialists: Range Management, Farm Management Records, Beef Cattle and Nutrition, Pesticide, Agronomy, and Volunteer and Leadership Development Specialist Blackfeet Community College MSU Ag Research Stations Browning & Heart Butte Public Schools Natural Resources Conservation District Rocky Mountain Regional Bureau of Indian Affairs Federal, State & National Programs & Technical Support Montana Department of Agriculture Montana Department of Livestock FSA Ag Credit Outreach Program Farm Service Agency- USDA Native Women & Youth in Ag Intertribal Agriculture Council Animal & Plant Heath Inspection Service Collaborative Program Delivery Partners Blackfeet Land Trust Group Glacier County Weed Committee Blackfeet Agriculture Loan Committee Blackfeet 4-H Leaders Council Blackfeet Grazing Allocation Committee Marias Fair Committee & Board Bureau of Indian Affairs - Blackfeet Agency Natural Resources Camp Committee Natural Resources Conservation Service Grass Winds Veterinary Clinic Community Volunteers TARGET AUDIENCES: Reservation Livestock Producers Reservation Land owners Reservation Grazing and farm pasture Permittees USDA Agency personnel: NRCS & FSA Bureau of Indian Affairs - Blackfeet Agency personnel: Range, Natural Resources, GIS and Forestry Blackfeet Tribal Natural Resources personnel: Water Resources, Land Department, Fire Management, Environmental, Planning Department, Resource Monitoring, Tribal Historic Preservation Office Blackfeet Community College Personnel and students Youth Community members Blackfeet Tribal Business Council PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
IMPACT: 2008-04-01 TO 2009-03-31
4-H Youth Development Program 198 Youth enrolled in five 4-H clubs over the past three years 69 Adult leaders enrolled in five 4-H clubs over the past three years Natural Resources Youth Camp 130 Youth participants at 3 different camps 65 Adult volunteered at 3 different camps Junior Agriculture Loan and Educational Program 11 New Participants $68,500.00 borrowed collectively 65 Bred Cattle purchased 2 paid loans off 20 Participants at workshops focused on animal body condition scoring, animal production and financial record keeping and financial statements. Range Inventory and Education 694 Range Units comprised 743,500 Acres inventoried 374 participants at 5 different workshop & field days 16 individuals developing grazing plans to better manage rangelands Weed Control Program 876 acres of weeds treated with chemical spray to control weed infestations 12 landowners practicing weed control methods: spraying chemicals and biological control agents $20,312.00 utilized by participants for the purchase of chemical control for weeds 7500 bio control agents collected and released on 41 sites throughout reservation Agricultural Drought Recovery, Record Keeping, Cost Control & Risk Planning for Livestock Producers 161 Participants at 5 Workshops targeting current agricultural issues and strategies to address them 75 livestock producers utilizing herd production records books 3 ranches currently working on Unit Cost of Production for further aid in management decisions
PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 2008-04-01 TO 2009-03-31
No publications reported this period
PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION
| NAME: |
Billedeaux, V. |
| PHONE: |
406-338-2650 |
| FAX: |
406-338-3529 |
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