Christopher Petty, M.S. Extension Agent Livestock Production, and Forage Management, K-State Research and Extension, Southwind Extension District, 210 S. National, Fort Scott, KS 66701 (620) 223-3720 Work,(620)224-6031 Cell or online cgp@ksu.edu
Spring weather has finally arrived. As spring temperatures rise, farm pastures begin to green up. I am happy to help you become more productive, by visiting you on your farm or ranch and reviewing your management options. We can discuss pasture fertility, grazing strategies, weed control options and livestock management.
As our pastures green up, unfortunately, our farm ponds do too. This is caused by high nutrient loads which create favorable environments for pond weeds and algae growth. While some pond weeds and algae are necessary for a healthy pond ecosystem, excess weeds and algae problems can rob your ponds of the necessary oxygen to sustain fish life. Maintaining a healthy pond is a balancing act. If over fifty percent of your pond is weedy or algae filled, it’s time to begin an action plan. Unfortunately, there are no quick fix solutions to pond weeds problems. However, starting early in the year and creating a long-term weed or algae control strategy is your best option.
I’d be happy to assist you, free of charge, with your pond or pasture concerns. Contact me at the Southwind Extension District of K-State Research and Extension at (620)223-3720 or by e-mail at cgp@ksu.edu to schedule a visit.
Kathy S. McEwan,Family, and Consumer Sciences Agent Foods & Nutrition, SNAP-Ed Coordinator, Southwind Extension District – Iola Office, P.O. Box 845, Iola KS 66749, 620-365-224, kmcewan@ksu.edu
Time to get ready for canning season
Fresh pickles, ripe tomatoes, and other garden goodies may still be months away, but if you plan on canning those foods, now’s a good time to check on your supplies.
And if that includes buying a new canner, Kansas State University food safety specialist Karen Blakeslee says there is a lot to think about before selecting a canner.
“The first thing to think about is what kind of cooktop do you have on your stove,” said Blakeslee, who is also the director of the university’s Rapid Response Center. “The cooktop is going to dictate what type of canner you’re going to get.”
She said most canners will work on a gas stove or a coil-type stove. But the newer, smooth top stoves could create some problems with some canners.
“Some of the smooth top stoves have automatic shutoffs on them if they get too hot,” which could mean the food is not properly heated and thus preserved, according to Blakeslee.
“The other thing to think about is the weight that you’re putting on that stove top. Canners are heavy, and when you add water and full jars of food, that increases weight, and you could end up cracking your stovetop because of the weight and the heat.”
She recommends following the stove manufacturer’s recommendations for using canners on a smooth stovetop.
“There are some canners that I would not recommend using on a smooth top surface,” Blakeslee said. “One example is a water bath canner like the old Granite-Ware, which are speckled blue or black enamel canners. Many people have them and they work great, but the problem with those is they have the bumpy bottoms. On a smooth cooktop surface, you do not get maximum heat contact from the burner into the canner, so it takes forever to heat up water.”
Blakeslee, who teaches classes on canning through K-State Research and Extension offices in the state, suggests a stainless steel water bath canner sold by the Ball company that has a flat bottom. Presto is another company that says its product can be used on a smooth top, but Blakeslee says “make sure that your burner is as large as possible.”
She adds that the bottom of the canner should not extend beyond the burner more than one inch to get maximum heat transfer from the burner into the canner.
Canners sold by All American and Mirro warn consumers not to use them on a smooth cooktop.
“An alternative to using your stove top for water bath canners is an electric water bath canner sold by the Ball company,” Blakeslee said. “This is a stand-alone canner; it has its own heater/burner system and is separate from your stove, so you don’t have to worry about what kind of canner to use on top of your stove.
“This is a good investment if you do a lot of water bath canning. It can also be used for general cooking such as making soup or stew.”
Blakeslee has some other timely tips leading up to canning season:
Use a canner that is recommended for the type of food you want to can. “If you’re canning plain vegetables, like green beans, you have to use a pressure canner because green beans are low acid foods,” she said. “Plain vegetables like green beans, carrots, corn, even meat…those types of foods must be pressure canned.”
She added that you can use a water bath canner for such foods as fruits, jams, jellies, and pickles.
“A pressure canner can be used like a water bath canner. Just leave the weight off so the pressure is not applied,” Blakeslee said.
Have your dial gauge tested. Southwind Extension offers this service for free. Gauge brands that can be tested include Presto, National, Magic Seal and Maid of Honor dial gauge pressure canners.
“Check dial gauges every year so you know how accurate the gauge is reading,” she said.
Check your canning supplies. The food safety specialist says you should check to make sure jars are not scratched or chipped and that the rims of jars are not damaged. A damaged jar could crack inside a canner, “and that’s not good,” she said.
Other supplies you may need to have in stock include pectin for jams and jellies; lemon juice or citric acid for tomatoes; and other supplies that vary based on the type of food you plan to can.
“We want you to be smart and safe when it comes to home canning,” Blakeslee said. “It’s a great way to preserve produce you grow or buy from a farmer’s market. Be smart about how you’re canning food. While there are some things that haven’t changed over the years, there are some procedures and methods that have changed, so make sure you’re up to date on what you’re doing when it comes to home canning.”
As part of our Grow, It Prepare It series, I will be offering preservation classes in Iola beginning May 9 with Preservation 101. This class is a pre-requisite for the other “hands-on” classes to follow. For more information or to register for the Preservation 101 class, call Kathy at 620-365-2242. Class details are available on the Southwind District website at www.southwind.kus.edu.
Carla Nemecek is Southwind District Director and agent.
Succession planning is offered through Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services
Facilitated meetings can identify strengths, barriers, and opportunities.
Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director & Agent
Kansas farm and ranch families continuously look at best options for feasibility and profitability– they attend educational meetings, try out new practices, assess any risks involved and talk with their neighbor or consultant. They make numerous decisions from day to day that will affect the operation both now and in the future.
The future sustainability of the farm or ranch also depends on whether the family has planned for succession. The average age of U.S. producers continues to rise and families will need to explore options for the transitional feasibility of current and future operators. Succession planning is a step-by-step process where families work together to develop a plan to incorporate the next owner and pass on knowledge and resources that will sustain the operation.
Farm and ranch families may be uncertain of how to begin developing a succession plan and need guidance moving forward. This is where a succession planning facilitator plays a key role.
The facilitator can help the family identify strengths, barriers, and opportunities as they pass the farm business on to the next generation. They guide family members to resources and individuals who can help them find the information they need to develop an effective succession plan with help from facilitators and mediators from Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services, a program administered by K-State Research and Extension.
A facilitated meeting is described as guiding participants through shared discussions about important issues. Facilitators help families set an agenda and guide the process of planning their succession. The facilitator works to enable all voices to be heard within a respectful environment. While the facilitator remains neutral with the content of the discussion, they help everyone keep track of the substantive issues and options raised by the family as they chart their path forward.
Trained facilitators have experience working with Kansas farm and ranch families. They offer guidance and support as families cultivate options for creating a succession plan. Facilitation services can be requested by calling Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services at 800-321-3276.
Families may also visit the succession planning website and navigate through a variety of resources, such as “Transition Planning: 12 Steps to Keep the Family Farming” and more topic-focused areas such as estate planning or “FamilyTALK.” The website is available at Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services.
Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services is administered by K-State Research and Extension. The program supports Kansas producers in resolving a variety of agricultural-related concerns and maintains confidentiality during the process. Information and guidance on any ag-related issue will be provided at no cost through our toll-free hotline, 1-800-321-3276 or visit their website at Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services.
If youth are planning to do farm work, and it is for someone other than a parent or guardian, and youth are 14 or 15 years of age, a tractor safety course is required.
This follows the U.S. Department of Labor requirements before youth can be employed at certain hazardous farm tasks. This includes operating a tractor with 20 horsepower.
On Wednesday, May 9, K-State Research and Extension will offer a Tractor Safety Training Course in Erie at the Courthouse Assembly Room.
The course will begin at 5:00 p.m. and should conclude at 8:30 p.m.
Cost is $20 per student to cover the safety manual, supplies and pizza.
Transportation will be coordinated through the Extension Office as to encourage parents to carpool. The registration deadline is Friday, May 4 to your local Extension Office.
You may have heard the practice of tree topping referred to as “heading,” “stubbing,” or “dehorning,” but regardless of what it is called, it is always a bad choice. Unfortunately, many uninformed homeowners are often talked into this pruning practice. Topping a tree is not a beneficial or proper pruning practice. It’s a bad decision for any tree.
Tree topping is the drastic removal or cutting back of large mature limbs – back to stubs. Many homeowners have a misconception that having trees topped will reduce the tree height and in turn decrease the chance of it falling due to wind or ice. This is simply not true.
Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources sites eight reasons why trees should not be topped:
Starvation – Trees need leaves to make food. Topping removes so much of the leafy crown that a tree may be unable to provide food to the roots and the tree starves. Good pruning practices rarely remove more than one-quarter to one-third of the leafy crown.
Shock – The tree canopy acts like an umbrella – shading the bark from the direct sunlight of summer. The sudden removal of the leafy protective layer exposes the bark to sunscald. Neighboring plants relying on shady conditions will suffer as well.
Insects and disease – Large wounds resulting from tree topping have difficulty closing. This will attract insects and disease. If decay is already present in the limb, cutting will only spread it even more.
Weak limbs – The new limb growth that appears after a tree is topped is weakly attached to the remaining branches. The limbs actually attach to the larger branch with layers of wood that overlap year after year. This results in minimal attachment of the wood to the main branch.
Rapid new growth – The thought that topping will control the height of the tree is false. Actually, the opposite happens. Trees respond rapidly to the injury by producing many long, weak sprouts. The result – trees quickly regain the height it once had and becomes bushier.
Tree death – some species of trees do not tolerate topping. All previously mentioned factors are just too much for the tree and it dies.
Ugliness – A topped tree is an ugly tree. Even with regrowth, it never regains the grace and beauty it once had.
Cost – A chainsaw and a bucket truck are not all that is needed to properly prune a tree. Topping might seem like a bargain deal when compared to other recommended practices, but in the long run, it will actually cost you more! Topping reduces property values, increases replacement cost when a tree dies, increases the risk of losing nearby trees and shrubs, increases the risk of liability from weaken branches and increases future pruning costs.
Prune trees properly and regularly. Don’t be talked into topping by someone just looking to come in and make random cuts. Hire a certified arborist. They will know how and where to make cuts to reduce the canopy and yet maintain a strong, beautiful tree.
When planting a new tree keep in mind its mature height. The Extension office has a publication on recommended trees for Kansas. This publication also details the mature height that you can expect. Check growth habits before you plant to ensure that the tree won’t outgrow the space!
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at kharding@ksu.edu or 620-244-3826.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
PARSONS, Kan. – Kansas State University will host its annual Beef Cattle and Forage Crops Field Day on Thursday, May 3. This year the event will be at the K-State Southeast Research and Extension Center, 25092 Ness Rd. in Parsons.
The day starts with registration, coffee and donuts and time to view sponsors’ displays at 8:30 a.m. Presentations begin at 9 a.m. Lunch will be served following the last presentation, compliments of several sponsoring companies.
Trace Mineral Supplementation and Implants for Grazing Stocker Cattle – Dale Blasi, K-State beef cattle extension specialist;
Complementary Forages for Grazing with Tall Fescue – Jaymelynn Farney, K-State southeast area beef specialist;
Update on Anaplasmosis in Southeastern Kansas – Gregg Hanzlicek, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab; and
Utilization of Legumes to Improve Efficiency of Beef Production – Lyle Lomas, K-State animal scientist and head of the Southeast Agricultural Research Center.
More information is available by calling 620-421-4826.
Carla Nemecek is Southwind District Director and agent.
Spring Safety Around the Farm
Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director & Agent
For Release: week of April 9, 2018
Preparing for spring does is not limited to preparing the soil and crops on those warm spring days. This is also the perfect time for farmers, ranchers and homeowners alike to take the steps necessary to prevent injuries in order to have a truly productive season. Placing emphasis on agriculture safety recognizes the rich tradition of our farming and ranching culture in producing the safest and most abundant food in the world, and the involvement of all members of the farm family in age appropriate tasks.
One good way to manage safety on the farm is to establish a checklist. The Farm Safety 4 Just Kids program offers the following safety checklist suggestions:
* Are the keys removed from idle equipment?
* Are riders NOT allowed on tractors, farm machinery and lawn mowers?
* Are slow moving vehicle (SMV) emblems in place and still reflective?
* Are power take off (PTO) shields in place on tractors and machinery?
* Are other safety shields and guards in place on machinery and lawn equipment?
* Are warning and danger decals prominently displayed on all equipment, including grain handling equipment?
Children being carried along as extra riders on farm and lawn care equipment continues to be a concern among safety professionals.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to pay full attention to operating the machine when you have a youngster in your lap or riding on the fender. More than 100 children are killed on U.S. farms each year. Many of these deaths are from accidentally falling off the operator’s station of a tractor or farm implement and being run over by the tractor or trailed equipment.
When there is only one seat, the rule of thumb is for the operator and no one else to occupy the seat. For safety sake, never allow extra riders. This rule applies to farm as well as lawn and garden tractors.
Kansas State University’s 4-H Youth Development Department Head and State Program Leader Wade Weber can be reached at 201 Umberger Hall Manhattan, KS 66506, or phone: 785-532-5800, or wweber@ksu.edu
The Kansas 4-H organization experienced budget cuts in the last few years, according to officials, and began a process to keep the youth organization going and growing.
Kansas 4-H implemented a “4-H Program Fee” effective October 2017. This is new since the 4-H organization has traditionally been free for participants.
“Many states have already implemented this type of fee – including Missouri and Oklahoma,” Carla Nemecek, K-State Southwind District Director and Agent said.
The organization gathered input on how to stabilize funding and grow the 4-H program, according to Wade Weber, Kansas State University’s 4-H Youth Development Department Head and State Program Leader.
“We hosted discussions as well as conducted a survey to gain feedback on program impact within K-State Research and Extension,” Weber said. “A task force of eight extension agents was formed to review all information and develop recommendations on how to move forward.”
The task force worked to provide a means to ensure a steady funding stream to grow the 4-H program, Weber said.
The task force members were Candis Meerpohl from Shawnee County, Monica Thayer from the River Valley District, Michelle Beran from Midway District, Melinda Daily from the Sunflower District, Allen Baker from Wichita County, Nancy Honig from Stevens County, Jodi Besthorn from Sedgwick County
and Brian Swisher from the Wildcat District, according to links provided.
A recommendation from this task force was to implement an annual 4-H program fee of $15 per member, beginning October 2, 2017.
“Funds from the 4-H Program fee are placed in a restricted funds account available for use only by the Kansas 4-H Youth Development Department,” according to Weber.
“Funds generated will strengthen our program priorities of volunteer development, project support, and program enhancement,” Weber said.
“K-State Research and Extension had to face several budget cuts over the past couple of years, and this would seem to be an option to help fund Kansas 4-H on a State level.” Carla Nemecek, Southwind District director, and an agent said. ” The Southwind District will not receive any financial benefit, as 100 percent of the program fee is directed to the State 4-H Program.”
Carla Nemecek is Southwind District Director and agent.
Southwind District encompasses Allen, Bourbon and Neosho Counties.
“Some counties were fortunate to have found donors who are offsetting the cost, but we do not know how long those donations will last,” Nemecek said.
“As a 4-H parent and Director for the Southwind District, I am sympathetic to those who are upset about the fee,” Nemecek said. “Kansas 4-H has always been free for anyone to join, so this is taking us down a path we have never been.”
A provision has been made for those for whom it would be a hardship to pay the $15 per child program fee, she said.
“There is a waiver process for those families or individuals who are not able to pay the fee,” Nemecek said.
Message from Weber on benefits for local 4-H programs:
In January Dr. John Floros, Kansas State’s College of Agriculture Dean presented highlights of 4-H Youth Development efforts in the last 12 months to a joint meeting of state senators and representatives.
Also in January, Dr. Floros, Dr. Greg Hadley, Associate Director of Extension and Applied Research and Weber conducted meetings with local leaders to tell of the progress made.
These findings are what they reported, according to Weber:
“Examples of National and State 4-H Funding Efforts Benefitting Local 4-H Programs:
• Kansas 4-H Foundation Expansion Grant – 2017 marked the conclusion of a five-year effort to expand 4-H youth and volunteer participation in 14 extension units. This effort resulted in an increase of 458 4-H volunteers. Evaluation data has been collected from the units and a framework for growing 4-H will be created based on the learning experiences of those involved and will be shared with local units for implementation.
• National 4-H Council Ag Innovators Experience– 2018 will feature 4-H teen leaders in the Cottonwood District reaching area youth with the “Monarchs on the Move Challenge.”
• National 4-H Council Youth Futures: College Within Reach Grant–The focus of this grant is on providing mentoring partnerships to underserved youth in Seward (2017) and Riley (2018) counties. Program results in reaching new audiences will be shared statewide for local unit implementation.
• National 4-H Council Science Matters Grant – Johnson County (2018) is currently collaborating with Bayer to inspire young people to become tomorrow’s science leaders. Program results will be shared statewide for local unit implementation.
Kansas 4-H Youth Development Program Fee Prioritization Survey
• When: Conducted October 19 – November 15, 2017 by the K-State Office of Planning and Analysis
• Who: 612 Respondents statewide: 67% were volunteers or parents
• What: Received input within the following program priorities:
1) Project support and enhancements (i.e. principles of engaged learning, communicate and connect learning opportunities, updating/refreshing existing project materials)
2) Volunteer Development (training materials and support for volunteers; tools for recruitment, growth, evaluation and accountability)
3) Program enhancements benefiting community clubs (including but not limited to updating and refreshing tools for use with youth and volunteer audiences)
4) Foundational Supports (accessibility to all Kansas youth, campus/community partnerships and improved marketing at statewide events, and promotional materials that can be used by local units)
Fast Enrollment Stats 2016-17
•74,837 Kansas 4-H Youth Impact: This includes all delivery modes and has had duplications removed.
• 17,796 4-H Community based Club Enrollment: This includes Cloverbuds (ages 5-6) who are enrolled through a Community Club.
Dean Floros and Dr. Hadley provided the ability for the 4-H Youth Development program to hire a statewide volunteer development specialist while facing increasing budget challenges. This act affirmed the strategic support from administration to assist the 4-H youth development program in growing and modernizing.
Starting on Feb. 5, Shane Potter, New Volunteer Specialist, is tasked with refining the volunteer development process to ensure safe learning environments for youth and grow local 4-H volunteer capacity beyond the 6,000 existing adult 4-H volunteers statewide.”
Shane Potter is Kansas State University’s Volunteer Development Specialist. He started Feb. 5.
Earlier this year, I highlighted the All-America Selections (AAS) vegetables for 2018. There is also a listing of new flowers that have been chosen. These plants have proven themselves to do well in trials across North America. The AAS winner label is like a stamp of approval.
The flower descriptions were taken from All-America Selections material.
Canna, South Pacific Orange F1 – This newest AAS Winner is compact in habit and well suited for both landscape and container use. This variety is more vigorous, more uniform, and has more basal branching than comparison cannas. It offers an outstanding bloom color in an attractive, vivid bright orange that contrasts nicely with the bright green foliage. Pollinator gardens will love this addition of an attractive canna that sports uniformly colored flowers over a long blooming period.
Cuphea, FloriGlory Diana – Cuphea, commonly known as Mexican Heather, is an ideal plant for borders, mass plantings and containers. FloriGlory Diana was highly praised by the AAS judges for its larger flowers, the impressive number of flowers and the darker, more intensely colored magenta flowers. The dark green foliage complement the flowers and really makes a statement for this new AAS winner. Gardeners will be delighted with the compact (10-12 inch) size, longer flowering time, heat and weather tolerance.
Gypsophila, Gypsy White Imported – Semi-double blossoms on this new, improved variety of gypsophila will make your garden sparkle! Not only are the flowers semi-double, but are also a bit larger in size and produce more flowers per plant, resulting in a fluffy white mound of beauty. Gypsy White Improved has better branching and a better growth habit than its predecessor, making it perfect for containers, small spaces and garden beds. A much longer bloom season and better heat tolerance than Gypsy Comact White will make this your new garden favorite.
Marigold, Super Hero Spry – Super Hero Spry is a lovely compact (10-12 inches) French marigold with dark maroon lower petals and golden yellow upper petals perched on top of the dark green foliage. The list of winning attributes continues: a more uniform and stable color pattern, earlier to bloom and no deadheading required.
Ornamental Pepper, Onyx Red – Onyx Red is one of those stunning double-take plants that steal the show! This is an unprecedented compact, well-branched ornamental pepper adorned with eye-catching dark black foliage. The contrast between the diminutive black foliage and tons of shiny red fruits is striking and makes a bold statement in the garden. Plants are vigorous, continually growing but retain their neat, compact habit, making Onyx Red a wonderful plant for beds, borders, containers and dramatic mass plantings.
Zinnia, Queeny Lime Orange – A “wow” color in an easy-to-grow zinnia is what Queeny Lime Orange brings to the garden. Sporting lovely, large, dahlia-like blooms on a sturdy, compact plant, this variety provides cut flower gardeners and growers with a wonderful hue for today’s floral trends. The unique color evolves from dark coral/peach/orange to light peach with a dark center as the flower ages. Each uniform plant produces prolific deeply fluted blooms that last about three weeks without preservatives or feed.
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at 620-244-3826 or kharding@ksu.edu
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Submitted by Kathy S. McEwan, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Foods & Nutrition, SNAP-Ed Coordinator, Southwind Extension District
To celebrate National Nutrition Month in March, the National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is promoting the theme, ‘Go Further with Food.’
In today’s world, it’s a worthwhile call to action, says Kansas State University nutrition specialist Sandy Procter.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which is about 1.3 billion tons of food – and just under $1 trillion in equivalent U.S. dollars – each year.
Not all of that is food lost in the home, but Procter said that’s a good place to start.
“It’s not just the people with higher incomes who waste food,” said Procter, who is with K-State Research and Extension. “Folks that are trying really hard to save money and do all of their grocery shopping just once a month are likely to have more food waste than if they were able to get to a store on a regular basis.”
To maintain good nutrition and reduce the amount of food wasted, Procter shared these ideas for helping to make food go further:
Fruits and vegetables. “The way you store fruits and vegetables is part of the art of reducing waste,” Procter said. Extension educators often conduct tours with shoppers to help them identify good quality fruit and vegetables, and then how those will be stored. For example, tomatoes don’t need to be refrigerated, but strawberries certainly do.
Selecting quality produce and storing them correctly “work together to keep food at its best as long as possible,” Procter said.
Meats. Buying in bulk may help you save money at the store, but “it takes a little bit of discipline,” Procter said. A five-pound package of chicken thighs may be on sale, but “unless you’re doing a banquet, you’re probably going to want to re-package for freezing and have those ready in a size that you can thaw out for a meal’s worth.”
Make a plan for cooking meals. It takes some planning, but if you can take time on the weekend to cook and then freeze individual meals, it saves time and helps to use up available groceries.
Others may choose to shop for ingredients as they’re needed, though Procter says “that can create a problem with access to the right ingredients, in addition to more time spent shopping.”
Use the foods you have. Everyone tends to build up extra cans of food or other items that were originally intended for another purpose. As those build up, think of how you can pair foods to make another meal.
“Maybe you have a protein, and maybe you have a vegetable and sometimes it can be incorporated into a one-pot meal,” Procter said. “Or, maybe you have a can of tuna and corn, and you can do a similar type meal with ingredients that you wouldn’t normally choose but would fill all of the components of a healthful meal.”
There are many other ways that consumers can contribute to making food go further, she said, including trying a variety of foods, purchasing at local farmer’s markets, and supporting the local food pantry.
“Eating a variety of foods is a way to ‘go further’ in a healthy lifestyle,” she said. “The body does amazing things; if we make choices from a variety of colors and variety of foods, our body is going to get most of the nutrients that it needs just from the variety that we choose.”
Procter noted that farmer’s markets give consumers a chance to talk directly with the person who has grown a certain food. “And the foods are going to be at their prime, and we’re probably not going to be able to experience them at a more tasty level than what we might find at the farmers market,” she said.
Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District, Director & Agent
While most kids are relaxing and enjoying Spring Break this week, 4-H livestock project members in the Southwind District will be learning more about their livestock projects through a new national program aimed at teaching youth that part of the learning process in raising livestock also involves understanding that our animals will eventually reach the food supply.
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national multi-species quality assurance program for youth ages 8 to 21. The program is designed to provide an estimated 60 minutes of education each year. The online program requires the passing of a series of three quizzes to earn certification. An in-person YQCA workshop requires complete attendance.
YQCA is the result of a collaborative effort between states that have previously offered multi-species youth livestock quality assurance programs, the National Pork Board’s Youth PQA Plus program and representatives from other national livestock groups.
YQCA is designed as an annual education and certification program focused on food safety, animal well-being and character awareness for youth ages 8 to 21 producing and/or showing pigs, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, market rabbits, and poultry. The program has been designed by extension specialists and national livestock program managers to ensure it is accurate, current and relevant to the needs of the animal industry and shows and is appropriate for youth.
The primary goals of the program include:
Ensure safety and well-being of animals produced by youth for showing and for 4-H and FFA projects
Ensure a safe food supply to consumers
Enhance the future of livestock industry by educating youth on these very important issues so they can become more informed producers, consumers and/or employees in the agriculture and food industry
Maximize the limited development time and budgets of state and national youth program leaders to provide an effective quality assurance program
Offer livestock shows a valid, national quality assurance certification for youth livestock exhibitors
While the training is not required for youth to exhibit at our local county fairs, it is required for some species at the Kansas State Fair and Kansas Junior Livestock Show. The in-person training will be offered at the Moran Senior Center on Tuesday, March 20 at 10:00 am. Further details can be found on Facebook at ‘Southwind Extension District’, or by calling the Iola Office at 620-365-2242.
