Human Sciences

• The early childhood team is working with the Iowa Department of Public Health and Healthy Child Care Iowa to develop a Medication Administration Skills Course (a two-hour online course with a one-hour, in-person, skills test) for child care center directors, assistant directors, supervisors, and lead teachers. Participants will learn how to schedule and administer oral medication, eye drops, ear drops, inhalers, medicated creams, and epi-pens. The course should be available July 2023.
• ¡Salir Adelante! was awarded a $10,000 grant from the National Extension Foundation to help strengthen internal and external relationships to build sustainability for the program across Iowa. During 2022, more than 250 Latino youth and their parents from 13 Iowa communities participated. Significant improvements were made in youth social emotional competencies, parent involvement, and family communication – all factors related to youth academic success and participation in postsecondary training.
• Jill Weber hosted the Food and Health team’s first Zoom, English/Spanish interpreted ServSafe class at the ISU Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County office for 20 restaurant managers. In one conference room Jill taught 15 class members in English. The class was shared over Zoom to another conference room, where an interpreter from Hands Up in Cedar Rapids interpreted the class in Spanish for five class members. Since the exam is available in Spanish, the five Spanish-speaking managers then joined the English classroom for the proctored exam.

4-H Youth Development

• Three teams of Iowa 4-H members received honors from the Western National Roundup held Jan. 4-7 in Denver, Colorado. These members, ages 14-19, competed in livestock quiz bowl, meat judging, and livestock judging. They earned the opportunity to compete nationally through state competitions and events held throughout the year. The Western National Roundup provides a place for youth to compete nationally while encouraging teamwork, self-confidence and leadership through participation in animal science educational events. Youth also participate in educational tours that provide community-based and service-learning opportunities.
• Junior and senior high-school students from across the state are gearing up to compete for prizes, awards, and scholarships during the upcoming State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa on March 30-31. SSTFI holds the Governor’s STEM Seal of Approval. The event is the largest STEM competition for youth in grades 6-12 and will be hosted in person at Iowa State. The fair is organized through 4-H Youth Development.
• You can watch the videos on the Iowa 4-H Foundation YouTube channel to learn about the 2023 Iowa 4-H Legacy Award honorees: Corporate Partner, Kemin; Outstanding Alum, O. Kay Henderson, Iowa journalist and Taylor County 4-H alum; Individual Supporter, Sue and Harold Peyton, of Sac City; and Contributing Youth, Sasha McCoy, Warren County 4-H’er.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

• In Rural Iowa at a Glance, Farm Trends (2022 Edition), David Peters, professor and extension rural sociologist at Iowa State, discusses changing farm trends between 2011 and 2021, including farm sizes, production values, net incomes, and debt.
• The food systems team is offering Food Systems Certification workshops beginning April 24. The Food Systems Certification is intended for experienced local food system practitioners looking for new skills to work with various communities in the development of their place-based community food system, with resources to both engage and complete projects relating to systemic community food system change. The course is taught through virtual workshops and online modules.
• Antonio Mallarino, professor in agronomy and extension specialist at Iowa State, announced research-based updates to the extension publication PM 1688, A General Guide for Crop Nutrient and Limestone Recommendations in Iowa. The publication provides phosphorus (P), potassium (K), zinc (Zn), and lime application guidelines based on soil testing for the major agronomic crops grown in Iowa. It describes new soil-test interpretations and categories of soil testing as well as new suggested nutrient application rates.

Community and Economic Development

• The community assessment process for the 2023 Community Visioning Program continues in March with CED-led transportation focus groups in Glenwood, Denison, Marquette, and McGregor; a focus group for Slater high-school students in Huxley; and bioregional assessment data presentations from Trees Forever field coordinators to steering committees in Denison, West Burlington, Vinton, Glenwood, and Slater.
• Many township trustees and clerks assume their jobs with little or no training and experience. CED’s Office of State and Local Government Programs offers township trustee and clerk training upon request for township trustees, township clerks, and elected and appointed county officials. In March CED specialists will be conducting the Township Trustee training in Madison, Jackson, and Pocahontas counties.
• Business Model Acceleration is a follow-up to the Business Model Canvas strategic management tool, providing an in-depth analysis of the business model, along with checking on external factors that impact the small business. This workshop leads to an entrepreneur establishing an action plan to take necessary steps to strengthen or grow their business model. Participation in a Business Model Canvas workshop is a prerequisite for participating in the Business Model Acceleration workshop. In March Victor Oyervides will conduct both workshops in partnership with the Small Business Solution Center of the Evelyn K. Davis Center.

Community and Economic Development

• Community and Economic Development’s Office of State and Local Government Programs held the Municipal Professionals Institute 2023 Winter Session virtually February 8–10. Each year, MPI provides clerks and finance officers from across the state with training that gives them the basic framework of how municipalities function and assists municipal professionals with their day-to-day duties. At this year’s winter session, CED specialists delivered sessions on parliamentary procedures, effective management, and open meetings and records.
• The Introduction to Planning and Zoning for Local Officials workshop is a three-hour session designed to introduce the basic principles of land use planning and development management to elected officials, planning and zoning officials, and board of adjustment members without formal training in the subjects. In February, workshops were held in Oelwein and Storm Lake.

Human Sciences

• My Wellbeing is an adaptation of the “What About Me? My Wellbeing” program from 2016. This new edition provides content, teaching strategies, and examples designed with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in mind. The main concept is to provide an introductory, interdisciplinary outreach program to enhance adult individual wellbeing and quality of life in ways that are personally meaningful to participants. Two pilots were delivered in November-December 2022 with feedback gathered from participants, community partners, and educators. Revisions based on that feedback were completed, and three additional pilots are taking place through February 2023. The current plan is to complete curriculum revisions and all other aspects needed for program dissemination by July 2023.
• ServSafe Food Handler classes were held in collaboration with a community partner in Waterloo and 30 food handlers attended one of the sessions. The ServSafe Food Handler class covers topics including the importance of food safety, how food becomes unsafe, controlling time and temperature, cleaning and sanitizing, good personal hygiene, and preventing cross contamination. Following the class, the food handlers completed evaluations and reported food safety practices they will work on due to what they learned during the training. Responses ranged from using different cutting boards to recording temperatures.

4-H Youth Development

• The State 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl and State 4-H Skillathon contests will be held together on Saturday, April 1, at Iowa State University in Kildee Hall. The top senior team in each contest will represent Iowa in the national contests at the North American International Livestock Exposition.
• K-12 teachers and other educators are invited to learn about Youth Pollinator Education and Action, a program to educate youth of all ages about pollinator biology, its importance, and conservation. A free training opportunity will be offered Feb. 24-25 in person at Iowa Lakeside Lab in Milford. The learning goals of the program include appreciation of bees and biodiversity, awareness of the importance of pollinators and the threats to pollinators, as well as creating stewards of the environment.
• The 4-H Nutcracker Ballet + STEM program received the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council Seal of Approval in December 2022. This recognition indicates that a program or event officially advances one of the most progressive state STEM initiatives in the country. This unique elementary program showcases STEM in ballet and is designed to support a variety of literacy, art, and STEM standards.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

• Crop producers must make some important and timely decisions if they want to participate in the Farm Bill programs for 2023. They can learn more about their choices by using resources available on the Ag Decision Maker website. Videos explain the options and tools producers can use to determine which program is best for their own situation. The tools include payment estimators for each program, and historical payment data by Iowa county.
• Aude Watrelot, assistant professor of enology in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, surveyed Iowa wine consumers to learn more about their habits and preferences – from the time they purchase wines to the time of consumption. All responses are kept anonymous and the information will help improve research and extension and outreach programs on Iowa wine quality. The goal is to learn more about the perception of consumers toward wine quality and improve the Iowa grape and wine industry.

Agriculture and Natural Resources/Human Sciences

Growing Together Mini-Grants will provide fresh produce and nutrition education to pantries in 2023 through ISU Extension and Outreach’s SNAP-Education program. A total of 30 projects are being funded, with the goal of increasing food security and promoting healthy food access and nutrition education. This year, the Growing Together Iowa project will expand to five new counties.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

• CropsTV returns for a third season in 2023. This educational program delivers crop production information directly to farmers and agribusinesses and provides the convenience of crop production education at home, in the office, or anywhere there is an internet connection. All episodes will be available for on-demand viewing, providing flexibility for busy viewers. The Season Three program features 33 episodes covering a variety of crop management, pest management, nutrient management, and soil and water management topics.
• More than 14,000 people, including school-age youth, visited Iowa State University’s Research and Demonstration Farms in 2022. Nearly 70 field days were held across the state, with topics that pertained to corn rootworm, forage management, tar spot, nitrogen management, turfgrass management, specialty crops and livestock production.

Community and Economic Development

• The 2023 Community Visioning Program is moving into the community assessment process. Participating communities are Denison, Dysart, Gilmore City, Glenwood, Independence, Marquette, McGregor, Slater, Vinton, and West Burlington. During January ISU program staff will be conducting transportation focus groups with students in Marquette, McGregor, Glenwood, and Denison. ISU program staff also will be conducting training in focus group facilitation and bioregional assessments for Trees Forever field coordinators and private-sector consultants.
• In January CED specialists will be conducting Township Trustee training for Floyd, Johnson, Madison, Howard, Pottawattamie, and Mitchell counties. The township clerk and the township trustees are the locally elected officials who are responsible for seeing that these services are delivered effectively and economically. Their job is important, and they represent the heart of local government for township residents. Yet many trustees and clerks assume their jobs with little or no training and experience. CED’s Office of State and Local Government Programs offers township trustee and clerk training upon request for township trustees, township clerks, and elected and appointed county officials.

Human Sciences

• In fall 2022, the ACT Raising Safe Kids series was presented virtually via Zoom to Iowa parents and caregivers. The series is an interactive violence prevention program developed by the American Psychological Association Violence Prevention Office. The goal of the program is to strengthen families and improve parenting skills and practices. ACT Raising Safe Kids reached a diverse group of mothers, fathers, foster parents, grandparents, and guardians. Average attendance during the 9-week series was 29 participants. Program evaluation included pre- and post-instruments, and participants demonstrated improvements in areas such as paying attention to what they do in front of their children, limiting violence their children see in media, calming themselves down when angry, and controlling their anger when having difficulties with children.
• Human Sciences reached 694 children in grades K-5 in three counties and 43 high school age youth in three counties with direct nutrition education. Evaluation data show that 68% of K-2, 86% of 3-5, and 62% of 9-12 youth improved their diet quality. Human Sciences also reached 1,178 adults with EFNEP and SNAP-Ed direct education. This reflects a rebound to pre-pandemic service levels. Evaluation data show that 92% of participants in “Buy, Eat, Live Healthy” and 81% of those in “Plan, Shop, Save, and Cook” improved diet quality.

4-H Youth Development

• Iowa 4-H works with States’ 4-H Exchange and IFYE (formerly known as International 4-H Youth Exchange) to create opportunities for 4-H’ers and alumni to travel abroad. Cultural immersion is a hands-on way to learn and understand a different culture or viewpoint quickly and meaningfully. The 2023 Iowa States’ 4-H Exchange program is seeking host families for 12 Japanese youth delegates who will visit Iowa this summer.
• Eighteen youth in the Career Pathways Academy and five AmeriCorps members participated in “Find Your SPARK” workshops in December at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa and Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon focused on learning about education and career pathways in the skilled trades. College staff and faculty provided a tour, engaged youth in an activity, and shared information about specific programs such as manufacturing, construction, machine technology, welding, and ag science. AmeriCorps members led a STEM Sparks lesson about circuits. Youth also joined AmeriCorps and staff for a virtual workshop to continue learning about college and career opportunities.

4-H Youth Development

• New 4-H Club Officer Resources are ready-to-use resources for promoting and onboarding club officers. For each officer role, this series includes a short video introducing the role, a revised guidebook, and worksheets available in multiple formats for accessibility and ease of use. For example, the club reporter position has a news release template, a worksheet for taking notes for an article, and a list of action verbs to use in writing. This series provides youth with exciting new resources to practice leadership.
• In November, 50 educators and extension partners came to campus to learn about the upcoming SWITCH program, which begins January 23. They participated in creative heart lessons from Iowa Heart Foundation, mindfulness/mental health practices, SWITCH Cooking School, Soccer for Success lesson ideas, physical activity integration in the classroom, and brain break dances. The new focus for 2023 is integrating more mental well-being for school staff. 4-H is partnering with the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative with their Make It OK Campaign. As a part of SWITCH in 2023, schools will participate in a Make It OK workshop for their staff. Make it OK helps to reduce stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

• Women landowners, farmers and ag retailers will have the opportunity to meet again this winter to learn more about agronomy and related agricultural topics through distance-learning sessions. The goals of Agronomy in the Field are to strengthen agronomic skills for women that allow for better decision-making, provide a better understanding of inputs for crop production, see and understand different conservation practices, and increase confidence in communication with a spouse, farming partner, ag retailer, or tenant.
• Military veterans who are interested in a career in agriculture and food production are encouraged to apply for registered apprenticeship with the Iowa-based Veterans in Agriculture. This nonprofit is also seeking farmer and agribusiness mentors who are interested in hiring apprentices and offering the corresponding training and instruction to employees. Mentors can be from the fruit and vegetable industry, conventional crop, livestock agriculture, or agribusiness, but the business must be based in Iowa. Veterans in Agriculture is partnering with ISU Extension and Outreach, as well as Iowa Microloan and Ag Ventures Alliance, with a grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Community and Economic Development

• The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management tool created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. It is a simplified, visual, open-source tool, which is user-friendly, hands-on, and a step-by-step guide for future direction. At its most basic level it is a canvas divided into nine individual rectangles representing the building blocks of all small business and nonprofits. In December Victor Oyervides is serving as a trainer for three Business Model Canvas virtual workshops, in partnership with the Small Business Solution Center of the Evelyn K. Davis Center for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
• CED offers goal setting and strategic planning to help local governments and nonprofits address critical issues, identify priorities, and develop action plans to accomplish those priorities. An effective board or council is one that works together toward common goals. In December CED specialists are facilitating strategic planning sessions for the ISU College of Design Department of Community and Regional Planning, an action planning session for Marshall County, and a futuring workshop for the ISU Parks Library.

Human Sciences

Mental Health First Aid teaches people how to offer initial support until appropriate professional help is received or until the crisis resolves. Participants also learn about risk factors and warning signs of mental health concerns, gain an understanding of their impact as first aiders, and receive an overview of common treatments. More than 2 million people across the U.S. have received Mental Health First Aid training, and in Iowa over 50,000 have been trained.

Recently 18 detention officers participated in Mental Health First Aid training at the Polk County Jail in Ankeny. These officers manage more than 1,000 inmates at the facility. Pre-training and post-training survey and test data showed an increase of knowledge across all areas covered; 100% of the participants reported the course was informative and helped them be better prepared for their work. After taking the course: 95% stated they have moderate or high knowledge about mental health; over 60% said they would very likely have a supportive conversation with an adult experiencing signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge or crisis; and 72% reported they were very likely to use the action plan to connect an adult experiencing signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge or crisis to appropriate help.

Human Sciences

• The four-hour Your Money, Your Goals training helps professionals to increase their capacity to help individuals and families build their financial security and stability. The training was offered in partnership with the Iowa Department of Human Rights. The 94 participants in 46 counties included professionals with the FaDSS program and additional participants from several community action agencies. After the program, 97% of participants agreed the training was effective, 93% found the content relevant, and 99% felt prepared to use the materials afterward.
• At the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children Fall Institute, the early literacy team presented information about Human Sciences programs offered in Spanish, including Small Talk and Our Bookshelf. The presentation was offered in Spanish and 18 Spanish-speaking childcare providers attended and were engaged in the session. Another presentation featured Building Resilience with Storybooks with 60 participants. They were encouraged to seek out the training locally.
• Five members of the EFNEP and SNAP-Ed team participated in the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.

4-H Youth Development

• Youth in grades 8-12 from across Iowa have been participating in the year-long 4-H Career Pathways Academy program. They are exploring opportunities for higher education and careers in education, healthcare, agriculture, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), skilled trades and entrepreneurship. The academy kicked off in June at the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference on the Iowa State University campus. Since then, 40 youth participants from across Iowa have been engaging each month in the college and career exploration program.
• Fifty-eight caring adults (18 Iowa 4-H and extension staff and partners plus 40 others from 15 states) participated in the virtual mindfulness facilitator training. This brings the total of trained, caring adults to over 300 in the last few years.
• Several Iowa 4-H professionals were recognized by the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals for their impactful contributions to Iowa youth.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

• The ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic has welcomed two new diagnosticians who will help diagnose plant and insect issues found in Iowa. Zach Schumm is an insect diagnostician and Chelsea Harbach is a plant disease diagnostician. Learn more about the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic and the services it provides.
• “Together We Lead” is the theme of the sixth annual Women in Ag Leadership Conference November 29-30 in Ames. Farmland management, discovering your leadership strengths, and gaining and sharing wisdom through mentoring are a few of the topics to be covered.
• The ISU Extension and Outreach dairy team will host its annual Dairy Discussions Seminar on Thursday, December 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County Office in Orange City. This year’s focus is on cybersecurity issues for food producers including farmers, manufacturers and processors.

Community and Economic Development

• The Rural Housing Readiness Assessment helps communities self-assess their housing needs and guides them in the decision-making process when addressing those needs. CED continues its collaboration with the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Community Development Block Grant technical assistance fund, and in November is conducting RHRA workshops for Fairfield, Albia, and Waukon.
• Iowa League of Cities Budget Workshops review important factors that affect city budgets while helping attendees understand the state requirements for completing and filing the budget. The workshops are designed for city administrators, city clerks, and finance officers, but are open to all city officials. CED specialist Erin Mullenix will be an advanced track speaker for workshops in Harlan, North Liberty, Humboldt, Charles City, West Des Moines, and virtually.
• The Iowa’s Living Roadways annual celebration was November 3 in Ames. Community concept designs for the 2022 Community Visioning Program were on display, while the recently selected 2023 visioning communities participated in a local geography mapping session.

Community and Economic Development

• Ten Iowa communities have been selected to participate in the Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program in 2023: Denison, Dysart, Gilmore City, Glenwood, Independence, Marquette, McGregor, Slater, Vinton, and West Burlington. This award-winning program integrates technical landscape planning and design techniques with sustainable community action to assist community leaders and volunteers in making sound and meaningful decisions about the local landscape. The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Transportation in partnership with Iowa State University Landscape Architecture Extension and Trees Forever, an Iowa-based nonprofit environmental advocacy organization.
• Sara Shonrock and Toni Veldhuizen conducted the fall Iowa Municipal Professionals Institute in a virtual format October 5-7. Each year, MPI provides clerks and finance officers from across the state of Iowa with training that gives them the basic framework of how municipalities function and assists municipal professionals with their day-to-day duties. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, MPI is delivered in a hybrid format, with two-day virtual sessions in winter and fall and a longer, in-person summer session in Ames.

Human Sciences

• Double Up Food Bucks has been promoting “Spend Smart. Eat Smart.” Double Up Food Bucks promotes fresh produce purchases among SNAP participants. For every $1 a shopper spends on fresh fruits and vegetables with their SNAP EBT card, they receive $1 in Double Up Food Bucks. Double Up Food Bucks kicked off a monthly e-mail to customers participating in the program in mid-September. The e-mail prominently highlighted the “Spend Smart. Eat Smart.” website and app. We are thankful for our continued partnership with the Healthiest State Initiative and Double Up Food Bucks.
• More than 100 people in Shelby and Jasper counties participated in the “OUCH! that Stereotype Hurts” educational offering. Intentionally planning how to create an inclusive workplace that is free of comments, actions, and decisions based on stereotypes begins with learning to speak up. Research has shown it takes only one person speaking up to make an impact. In “OUCH! That Stereotype Hurts,” participants learn six techniques to respond to difficult situations and promote feelings of inclusion.

4-H Youth Development

• The 2022-23 Plant the Moon and Plant Mars Challenge begins this spring. It’s a global science experiment and learning activity with a project-based challenge: Who can grow the best crops using lunar or Martian regolith simulants? Iowa 4-H will be supporting 15 youth teams through funding from the Iowa Space Grant Consortium and the ISU Integrated Pest Management Program. The program kicks off in January, with experiments being conducted February through April. Teams must prepare and submit a report for NASA scientists by the end of April, and a closing symposium and awards ceremony is held in May.
• When young people learn how to use their voices for leadership, they can change the world. That was the message of the “Youth Voice in Action!” 4-H Summit Sept. 20 at Upper Iowa University. During the day-long event, 75 youth from 11 northeast Iowa schools developed action plans for change in their community. Participating youth were from schools in Allamakee, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Clayton, Chickasaw, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek counties. The annual summit has helped grow young leaders in local communities, connected ISU Extension and Outreach to schools for further learning, and opened the door for youth to discover how powerful their voices in action can be.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

• County professionals partnered with farm management specialists to successfully deliver farmland leasing and management workshops this summer with in-person programs held in 77 locations and two webinar options. These annual workshops cover trends in farmland rental rates, land values, and costs of crop production in addition to legal considerations and tips to improve communication between leasing parties. Intended for farmland owners, tenants, and agribusiness professionals, issues impacting rental rates going into the next year are addressed as well. The issue of cybersecurity was new this year, prompting attendees to assess weaknesses in their home and farm operations that may leave them vulnerable to cyberattacks. Attendance included 1,250 individuals at in-person sessions, plus an additional 100 attendees at the virtual sessions. Initial responses to the evaluation show 95% of attendees are better prepared to communicate regarding farmland leasing and 96% showed an increase in knowledge regarding trends and issues impacting cash rental rates.
• Producers, ag lenders, and suppliers can get a look at current market conditions and expected trends in crop and livestock income potential during the annual Pro Ag Outlook and Management live webinar series, Nov. 7-10, from noon to 1 p.m. Central time. Programs will be available for on-demand viewing the day following each live broadcast. Topics include an update on carbon markets, transportation logistics, and supply chain issues, as well as crop and livestock market outlooks by extension economists.