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Pesticide Impact Assessment (PIA): The Pesticide Impact Assessment program provides accurate, objective data for evaluating the benefits of selected pesticides having critical agricultural and forestry uses. The selected pesticides are reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine if their continued use poses hazards to human health and the environment. USDA, including SEA-Extension and the cooperating State Extension Services had established assessment teams for 31 pesticides. To date, 20 assessments are complete and 11 are in process. If use of the first 20 listed pesticides is cancelled by EPA, it would cost U.S. agriculture more than $1 billion in crops lost to insects, weeds, diseases and other pests.

Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT): The PAT program creates an awareness among farmers, Extension personnel, State departments of agriculture, commercial pesticide applicators, and the public of the principles and importance of safe pesticide use and pesticide regulations. During FY 1980, the State Cooperative Extension Services trained some 295,000 commercial pesticide applicators (approximately 95 percent of the total). Another 2,090,000 private applicators, mostly farmers, (approximately 86 percent of the total) have also been trained. About 25 percent of these applicators will be retrained each year.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Since 1971, SEA-Extension and the State Cooperative Extension Services have pioneered new approaches to educating rural and urban users in the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) systems in place of almost sole reliance on a single method of pest control. This has buffered both the costs of food to consumers and tended to protect the profit margins for producers. In addition, the environmental load of certain pesticides has been reduced and, in some instances, environmental quality has been improved.

North Carolina North Carolina CES conducted a pilot project in 1980 aimed at giving pesticide dealers a better understanding of weed control through integrated pest management. Extension weed specialists held dealer meetings in 11 areas of the State, developed "Dial-a-Weed" (an 18" by 24" cardboard display that shows control programs for specific weeds) and held on-farm tours.

Mississippi: A high percentage of Mississippi cotton is scouted. There are 389 licensed private consultants who provide IPM services on about 800,000 acres. In addition, county programs sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service provide IPM services on about 70,000 acres. Consultants, Extension specialists, and county agents cooperate on special area programs such as the Optimum Pest Management (OPM) program in Panola County and a 55,000 acre helo this (moth) suppression program in Laflore County. IPM practices have resulted in a large reduction in the use of pesticides on cotton. In 1972, 39,575,957 pounds of insecticide were used in Mississippi cotton. By 1979, insecticide use had decreased to 6 million pounds. IPM practices contributed to this high decrease. During the 1972-80 period, IPM cooperators have consistently used less insecticide to maintain higher yields than non-cooperators.

Georgia: Grower acceptance of IPM in Georgia is demonstrated by the program's growth. From the initial insect management effort on cotton, IPM programs have grown from two counties in 1972 to 57 counties in 1980; from one crop (cotton) to nine crops and home gardens: from insect

oriented programs to multi-discipline cefforts involving all pests, plant
development, and fertility. Scout training has developed from a cotton
insect scouting school to a coordinated, full-season program involving
multi-crop, multi-discipline schools; followup in-field training; fall
and winter training sessions for those who train and supervise scouts;
and a pilot program to train Pest Management Assistants employed in
Scouting programs. Enrollment in scout schools alone has increased from
less than 50 to 1972 to 814 in 1980. From 38,000 acres of cotton in 1972,
Georgia's IPM program has grown to include 249,206 acres of peanuts,
soybeans, cotton, tobacco, pecans, lima beans, sweet corn, pimento
peppers, and grain sorghum in 1990.

Grower contributions have increased from $22,800 in 1972 to over $660,000 in 1980. Perhaps the most significant accomplishment of the Georgia pest management program has been to encourage delivery of pest management services through the private sector. This has been most successful using independent scouts who have been trained and received experience in Extension programs. Independent scouts monitor a significant portion of Georgia's cotton acreage and are making inroards on peanuts, pecans, soybeans, and vegetables.

Kentucky: Kentucky's multidisciplinary, multi-crop pest mangement program,
now in its third year, became an important part of the total farm manage-
ment scheme for 497 farmers in 28 counties in 1980. These producers
represented 146,315 acres and 4,203 fields of alfalfa, corn, small
grains, soybeans, and grain sorghum, or five percent of the total crop
acreage in the Commonwealth. Other farmers not in the program benefited
from receiving timely pest alert information garnered from each IPM
county. Kentucky's program will expand to 33 counties and approximately
201,000 acres in 1981, à 38 percent increase over the 1980 program.

Plant Pathology: Five State Extension Services --California, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota and Wisconsin--are participaing in demonstration projects in an effort to control Dutch Elm disease. Community demonstrations in these States helped reduce annual tree deaths from epidemic proportions to less than 5 percent of the total elm populations. Diseased elm firewood is being solar dried to prevent the spread of the diseas, and communities are beginning to replace dead elms with other types of locally adaptable trees.

Agricultural Economics: The primary thrust of these programs is to improve the efficiency and profitability of family farms of all sizes. Objectives include improved farm business managment and marketing decisions on the part of farm operators and increased efficiency of the agricultural marketing and farm supply system. Another major thrust is to improve the understanding by producers and consumers of the important public issues affecting production, marketing and consumption of agricultural products.

Computerized Management for Small Farmers: Minnesota farmers, including
many small farm operators that borrow money from the Farmers Home Admin-
istration (FmHA), are learning farm management skills through a computerized
national pilot project initiated by the Minnesota Extension Service in
cooperation with FmHA. FmHA loan specialists in 37 Minnesota counties are
being trained by Extension to use its computerized financial management
program in evaluating their farm loan applicants. Some 700 Minnesota
farmers have learned how to keep proper financial records and how to make

future financial plans and cash flow projections. Manay farmers with heavy
debts and inefficient production have been able to bring their financial
problems under better control.

Farm Credit: The Iowa Extension Service in April 1980, mounted a major educational effort to help farmers cope with the severe credit problems that hit when they needed credit to buy seed and fertilizer at planting time. Farm management specialists held 13 meetings around the State for 1,228 farmers, bankers and agribusiness. Ten newspaper and magazine articles were published by the media including Wallace's Farmer which blankets the State. Specialists also sent 4 radio tapes to 40-50 radio stations, made one television interview and participated in a 30-minute call-in radio show. This media blitz covered: current credit situation; short term outlook for credit and commodity prices; ways to cut costs for crop production; and cash flow planning method for the year.

Farm Income Tax: An Extension Advisory Committee on farm income taxes, with representatives from the four Extension regions, meets annually with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to revise the Farmers' Income Tax Guide and to discuss farmers' income management problems. For 1980, the committee was instrumental in persuading IRS to scrap its plans for a major revision of the farmer's tax form, 1040F. Many farmers use account books geared to the current 1040F, and to make major revision would further complicate their farm recordkeeping.

Transportion: Increased costs for agricultural transportation concern rural residents. A "Transportation Policy Primer," published by Oklahoma Extension Service, had help from Extension economists in 7 other States. The "Primer" examines the breadth and complexity of the transportation System Serving rural America and provides a framework for evaluating alternative solutions to current rural transportation problems.

In May 1980, a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Transportation and SEA-Extension was signed. It calls for close cooperation between the two agencies in developing educational programs on rural transportation.

Soybeans: Two suybean publications were published in 1980 to assist farmers in assessing their soybean production costs. "Soybean Irrigation" includes worksheets for figuring irrigation costs and covers soil factors, irigation management, pest management, energy requirements and other factors. "Cash Flow Planning for Soybean Producers" is a worksheet that takes producers through step-by-step cash flow planning.

Wheat: The Extension Wheat Industry Resources Committee, made up of industry representatives and Extension specialists from 10 States and SEA-Extension, produces educational material aimed at helping wheat producers with their production problems. In 1980, SEA-Extension in cooperation with the Nebraska Extension Service published "Jointed Goatgress How to Control It." Another publication, "Economics of Fertilizer Use" was printed in the Wheat Grower Magazine. Other educational materials have been developed to help wheat producers with forward pricing. edging, storage, oans, grain peeling and other practices.

Direct Marketing: In North Carolina, $50,000 provided by the Direct Marketing Act was increased by the addition of $43,000 from the State Consequently, 36 new clientele became involved in direct marketing plans including several pick-your-own operations for peaches, strawberries. blueberries, vegetables. and grapes. Part of this money was used to develop lists of pick-your-own locations and maps showing how to reach them. A mobile roadside fruit and vegetable stand was also built. In Illinois. sales from direct marketing have helped small operators and part-time farmers supp? ment their incomes, and to help State Extension specialists, a bibliography of direct marketing publications was published.

In Washington, D. C. the Cooperative Extension Service helped estabich a "D.C. Open Air Farmers' Market" on tuesday and Thursday, June through November from

p.m. to dusk. An average of 3,000 people participated each market day with 80% minorities and 40% of them low-income families. Prices on the average were 35% lower than conventional stores. Farmers averaged 75% complete sale of produce each market day.

Urban Gardening: The Urban Gardening program underway in 16 major etropolitan cities is aimed at providing low income families with a good scurce of fresh garden produce. In 1980, some 300 Extension specialists in the 16 cities and related State offices, and more than 2,600 vclunteers worked with low income families in providing them educational materials and direct help in gardening, nutrition, diet, food preservation, and alternative use of free time. The program has also brought about ommunity cohesiveness and has involved many youths. Value of the produce grown by nearly 200,000 participants was valued in excess of $3 million.

In Washington, D. C., more than 5,000 families grew fresh vegetables on private, public and federal lands. Each family used about 400 square feet of land for a garden. Another 10,000 residents participated in backyard gardening activities with technical assistance from the Extension Service More than 300 senior citizens participated at senior citizen centers and in muotiop gardening projects. Heavy metals are a concern to many gardeners. However, they are not a major concern in the Washington, D. C. area. Extension through its educational programs conveys this message to the gardeners and they continue to monitor heavy metal levels.

Small Farms: Who are the small farmers? About 52 percent or 1.2 million of the nation's 2.3 million farm families had total family net incomes from ail sources (farm and non-farm) below the median nonmetropolitan level (about $17,800) in 1980. About 3/4 of the average total family income of small farm families is from off-farm sources.

The $2 million earmarked appropriation des gnated for Extension to use with "small and limited resource farmers and urban gardening" serves as a case for Extension small farm programs. This sum war first designated in 1977 ky Congress to give priority to the small farm problem. The appropriation averages about $58,000 each for the 1890 land grant universities and Tuskegee institute and $19,000 for the 1862 Lard grant universities. Since this funding alone is not enough to add adequate staff and/or new programs of the scope needed to solve the problem, State Cooperative Extension Services have redirected and added other federal, State and county funds in order to initiate the conduct of more effective small farm programs. For example:

California: The California Extension Service is establishing a
"small farm information center" to get tailored information in
Spanish and English directly to small farmers through small farm
resource centers.

New England: The New England Small Farm Project is a new partnership effort of Extension in the six states of Maine. Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island with the staff in Massachusetts giving leadership to this special effort. Progress the first year includes a newsletter with a circul tion of 1,800 and sponsoring workshops, such as the one on sheep in Rhode Island attended by 400 people.

Missouri: 1,761 families enrolled in the Extension small farm
family program increased net income per family an average of 18
percent.

Alabama: 43 limited resource farmers on demonstration farms averaged $9,090 net farm income and $3,407 non-farm income in 1979 compared to $4,049 net farm income and $2,953 non-farm income in 1978. Extension is cooperating with other USDA agencies with field offices, and with ACTION and the Community Services Administration in 17 Small Farm Family Assistance Projects in an effort to focus redirected funds on a specific target area of small farm families to better serve them. In a continuing and increased effort to reach more small farm families, most States now have a Small Farm Committee to work with SEA-Extension and other agencies and organizations on small farm projects. Some States are also organizing County Small Farm Committees which include small farm operators to help suggest and conduct programs at the county level.

Public Policy Education: The national Extension project on foreign trade policy, coordinated by the Minnesota Cooperative Extension Service, prepared two publications on the advantages and needs of U.S. agriculture in international trade. As part of project activities last year, four regional workshops were held to discuss international trade and policy issues. Economists from the State land grant universities and USDA are participating in the project.

The publications, issued by the Minnesota Agricultural Extension Service
are: Speaking of Trade" and 'Agricultural Trade: Key Issues for Farmers.
(a packet of 12 leaflets). Some 12,000 copies of each of the publications
were distributed. The Foreign Agricultural Service distributed "Speaking
of Trade" to agricultural attaches throughout the world. It won the 1979
Quality Publication Award of the Agricultural Economic Association.

The regional workshops, in Boise, Idaho; Minneapolis, Minnesota; West Lafayette, Indiana; and Nashville, Tennessee, were attended by agri-business leaders, bankers, farm organization leaders, Extenion administrators, and public policy specialists.

Agricultural trade programs for State leaders were held in Oregon, Washington, Ohio, and Illinois. In other states, agricultural trade issues were discussed at public policy education meetings.

Agricultural Engineering and Safety: With worldwide attention being focused on energy, so have Agricultural Extension Engineering efforts. These programs are aimed at helping farmers squeeze as much energy as possible through increased use of fossil fuels. Extension is working with agricultural producers in the use of solar energy, more efficient use of other energy sources including minimum tillage, and the production of alcohol, methane, and other alternative fuels.

Concern for the safety of agricultural workers, their families, and rural residents has increased because of hazards associated with increased mechanization and increased regulations through safety standards. Extension safety programs are working to help farmers, home owners and others know and appreciate the value of these programs.

Energy Centers: Two regional agricultural energy centers go under way in the last three months of FY 1980. The center at Peoria, Ilinois is concentrating on the production of energy-potential crops like corn for alchohol, sunflowers for oil and the conversion of biomass to fuels. The center at Tifton, Georgia is concentrating on on-farm energy systems with emphasis on solar heating and grain drying.

A seminar in September at Peoria brought together experts on fuels, including one of the world's leading authorities on the use of vegetable oil as diesel fuel.

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