PRESENT: Duane Hauck, Dean Aakre, Debb Pankow, George Flaskerud, Sean Brotherson, Julie Garden Robinson, Roger Haugen. Karen Zotz, Margaret Tweten, Jackie Buckley, Karl Hoppe, Gerald Sturn, Kathy Tweeten, Duane Berglund, Rachelle Vettern, Jay Fisher, Brad Cogdill, Kevin Sedivec, Greg Lardy and Maxine Nordick

Duane gave the group a legislative update regarding the budget process and the federal budget situation. SB2020 (ag bill) had some nice enhancements. Experiment Station had funding for beef positions;western malting barley variety; NCI for speciality crop marketing. Greenhouse project is also being funded. Agronomy research facility had nice enhancement and Streeter had bonding request to remodel. Tom Archbold from SBARE has been at all meetings. Duane is optimistic on house side and hearing will be March 1.

There is a federal shift in Ag Research budget. Not supporting the Hatch money. There is resistance to this change. Smith Lever money is left the same. Big states are less resistance.

Major agenda items at Extension Director=s meeting is looking at other ways to fund. We need to plan ahead and think about other strategic partners.

Roger gave a brief update on the Federal Report. He has had good response to his requests. He has put more Hatch reports in the report this year.

Duane indicated that EFNEP had been cut last year, but now this project has been restored back to 63 million. 280 million for EFNEP and FNP..which is huge for extension.

Karen said the 4-H planning committee will meet the end of February. Discussion will be held on where foundation is putting their dollars.

Policy review and where time is spent will be discussed. There are several processes at the same time. There was an appreciative inquiry process with Marie Hvidsten. The results were shared with ELT. They are looking at long range planning and working on getting feedback from many sources.

Kathy has been talking to several agent to start thinking about how to assess next two programs for next year which are Food and Crops. It was thought both should use same assessment tool. It may not need to be as extensive the second time around.

It is better to get information from several different sources from community. Surveys are not wanted. There is no need to start at the beginning.

***Next Program Council meeting. Each team should share successes of how information was gathered. Still need information to agent on what do with programming.

Duane Berglund stated that crop meeting on March 22-23 will include discussion on next process.

Karen indicate that evaluation and impact data was important along with self-study accreditation being done by Bob Harrold. We are doing very well compared to 6-7 years ago. We are working on long term.

Federal funding will improve on impacts. More attention on broad programs.

TEAM REPORTS:

Kevin - Water quality is going well along with the range meetings.

Julie - 20 communities have had 5+5 recognition.

You can apply for grant funds to support nutrition efforts. Partnerships with State Health Dept. and NDPERS. $1,000 available to do wellness program. Statewide efforts on the move to better health.

Governor=s school has made a neat video on eating healthy and exercising.

A packet will be sent out on food safety. Eleven new handouts available on web site. A teen survey is being done.

Also some training on diabetes is coming up.

There is a pre-conference by ND Nutrition Council which is Paving a Way to Healthy ND. FDA is bringing someone in.

New publication AHerbs from garden to table@ has been done.

No. 1 issue right now is bringing back the routine of eating together as a family.

Duane B. - There is a new training CD from Andrew Thostenson. This is the 6th year. It has 40 presentations.

Eleven training sessions with Terry Gregoire have been offered. Currently about 112 signed up. This is an audio call in which you follow on your computer. It is important that participants print out presentation ahead of time to review.

Upcoming events - Crop Advisors workshop; Western Scout School; Eastern Scout School (85-90 people); flax meetings; tillage; and crop meeting with field staff and area specialists on March 22-23. Four-State cropping system meeting will be in Mandan this year. The morning before this starts there will be the 2005 Crop Update in lieu of spring conference.

Maxine - Archery is very popular in schools. On April 5 eastern schools are being invited to a demo. It is very strong in Kentucky and Minnesota.

Red River Basin Institute - Winnipeg is popular. Designed to educate teachers.

Hippology is also very popular.

April 19 is the team meeting. Video in Units 1 and 2 on March 9 with update.

Greg - Meeting attendance has been goodBAnimal ID program; BSE; Beef check off; drought; feed lot (March 16/17) and winter show.

Middle aged cattle growers want to expand herd and integrate.

Survey on meat processing plants and how they are disposing of waste. All feedlots of 500+.

Sean - Training is being done on Building Strong Families. This is used extensively. They are working with high school FACS.

Parenting Pipeline is being distributed.

Parenting Solo - looking at feedback on this newsletter.

Bright Beginnings. There was a training in New Town with 60 in attendance.

Extension bulletins are on the web.

April is the month of young child. Packets will be distributed locally.

Father times newsletter on CD a month ago.

There will be a two-day training in lieu of spring conference in Bismarck.

Family care giving has been well received.

George

Risk Management conference will be held in April in Kansas City. $500 scholarships will be provided.

Ag Lenders and other usual programs have been held this winter. Andy and George attended international crop meeting which there was lots of interest in. Other programs were marketing clubs; livestock risk; QuickBooks; and communities of interest.

Debb - There are several things going on...poverty seminar; tax assistance; housing education; financial in later life; investment clubs; high school financial training. Monthly video conference calls are being held. Ransom County has a good marketing club.

Kathy - Facilitation training has been postponed. Looking at having it on a CD. Fall conference will include USDA and NRCS not just extension.

They are working on a masters program with Gary Goreham who is preparing module.

Program planning meeting will be held on May 11.

Horizons program in Ashley will be ending March 31. They are doing some evaluation. Lynette Flage has been contacted for additional funds.

Rachelle is working with Soil Conservation. Bill Klein will be in Napoleon on April 7 for alternative enterprise.

IBID has had various requests and news release. Given the limited people in that dept. it has been a little overwhelming.

National Association meeting was held in Las Vegas. Eight people from ND attended. Kathy was elected the first president of this group.

Margart Tweten informed us of the hiring of Helen Shield in Pembina County. Her emphasis will be community development.

Charlie Hart will be backfilling for Randy Melaas during his health problems. He is undergoing a stem cell transplant.

VP Ag - they=ve met two times. There are 12 applicants. Evaluations will be soon and they will be ranked and their references checked.