College of Agriculture & Natural Resources



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|Clinton County |September 2005 |

|Clinton County Extension |P: 989-224-5240 |E-mail: Clinton@msu.edu |

|County Courthouse, 100 East State St. St. Johns, MI |F: 989-224-5244 |Web: msue.msu.edu/Clinton |

|48879-2347 | | |

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|Farmers think “outside box” to address environmental challenges | The tour, attended by more than 75 farmers and industry representatives, |

|As increased attention is focused on farms and their impact on the environment, |also provided a glimpse of how innovative managers are finding creative ways |

|farmers are looking for creative, cost-effective ways to address the challenges. |to meet increasingly stringent environmental compliance standards. |

|A one-day bus tour called “Innovative Thinking for Everyday Challenges” provided |Each tour site host discussed the steps his/her operation had taken to address|

|mid-Michigan participants with a forum to get current information on the rules |challenges. Topics included selecting sites for new livestock facilities, |

|and regulations that may impact their operation. |composting, treating production area wastewater and managing and marketing |

| |manure as a fertilizer. |

|[pic] |Dale Rozeboom, MSU Extension specialist and associate professor of animal |

|Participants on innovative thinking tour inspect an Ionia County composting |science, discussed his research that provides opportunities for meat |

|site. |processing facilities and livestock producers in composting mortalities. |

| |Steve Davis, state engineer with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, |

| |discussed new practice standards for vegetative filter strips, a practice that|

| |provides small and medium-sized livestock producers with a practical treatment|

| |system for production area runoff. |

| |The tour attendees represented 13,000 head of livestock and 26,000 acres of |

| |farmland. In a program evaluation participants indicated that they better |

| |understand current and future manure management options, and more than |

| |two-thirds (68 percent) indicated that they are more likely to think in new |

| |ways for solutions to their manure handling challenges. |

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|[pic] |Michigan State University Extension helps people improve their lives through an educational process |[pic] |

| |that applies knowledge to critical issues, needs and opportunities. Offices in counties across the | |

| |state link the research of the land-grant university, MSU, to challenges facing communities. | |

| |Citizens serving on county Extension councils regularly help select focus areas for programming.  | |

| |MSU Extension is funded jointly by county boards of commissioners, the state through Michigan State | |

| |University and federally through the US Department of Agriculture. | |

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|Community partnerships |Agencies work together to foster independence |

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|Clinton County families will get help Early On |Another new partnership has been formed between the Clinton County Counseling |

| |Center (CMH), Department of Human Services (DHS) and the MSU Extension youth |

|Numerous discussions and community networking activities have resulted in new |development program. |

|partnerships that will help improve the quality of life for Clinton County |DHS director Jan Bazsler became familiar with 4-H and youth development |

|families. |programs through Extension’s involvement with other agencies in designing and |

|In June, a new partnership between the Clinton County Intermediate School |implementing the foster and adoptive family program two years ago. |

|District (RESA) and MSU Extension resulted in the addition of a full-time |When DHS identified a significant need for education and support for youths |

|extension educator who will serve as the Clinton County Early-On coordinator. |transitioning out of the foster care system, she initiated discussions with |

|Kittie Butcher began in this role on July 1. Butcher will coordinate educational |staff members from CMH and MSUE about meeting that need. |

|services for families with children who are experiencing developmental delays. |MSUE and CMH designed a new program titled “Creating Connections – Youth Aging|

|RESA contacted MSU Extension nearly a year ago to explore a partnership |Out of Foster Care.” |

|arrangement. After RESA staff members became familiar with the Building Strong |CMH will provide one-on-one support and assistance for 17- and 18-year-olds |

|Families program and its work with local families. |who will need help making decisions about housing, transportation, employment |

|The partnership is one example of how collaboration combines the strengths of two|and education counseling. |

|agencies to enhance programs for families. |MSUE will provide monthly small group workshops for middle and high school |

| |students who are foster care to assist them in developing critical life and |

|[pic] |independent living skills. |

| |Together, the two agencies successfully obtained funding to fulfill these |

|Kittie Butcher has joined the Clinton County MSU Extension staff as the new Early|roles |

|On program coordinator. | |

| |Upcoming Events Calendar |

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| |October 4-7 Small Town Conference |

| |Contact: Dave Ivan |

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| |October 11-12 Clinton County Farm Days |

| |Contact: Corissa Harris |

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| |October 17 4-H Leader Banquet |

| |Contact: Theresa Silm |

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| |November 15 Better Kid Care Training |

| |Contact: Theresa Silm |

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|MSU is an affirmative-action, equal opportunity institution, Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, |

|color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status. Issued in furtherance of |

|MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Thomas G. Coon, Extension Director, Michigan State |

|University, E. Lansing, MI 48824. |

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