University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is engaged in Nevada communities, presenting research-based knowledge to address critical community needs in the areas of agriculture; children, youth and families; community and economic development; horticulture; health and nutrition; and natural resources. It is a county-state-federal partnership providing practical education to people, businesses and communities. It is a unit of the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, and plays a vital role in fulfilling the University’s land-grant mission.
PROGRAM IMPACTS
HEALTH & NUTRITION
There are four main programs that are specifically implemented for Mineral County residents under Health and Nutrition. “Veggies for Kids” and “Veggies for Seniors” work with youth and senior citizens on increasing fruit and vegetable intake, limiting sugar and increasing physical activity. The “Mineral County Youth Prevention Program” focuses on healthy living, which includes alcohol and drug prevention and mental health. The “Peacemaking Skills for Mineral County Little Kids” is targeted toward pre-school and kindergarten students teaching students to understand what is and is not appropriate behavior with youth to youth interactions, and youth and adult interactions. All youth programs are coordinated with Mineral County School District and Senior Citizen programs are coordinated with Mineral County Senior Center.
- Veggies for Kids served 119 fist and second-grade students in Mineral County School District.
- Veggies for Seniors served 105 Seniors Citizens in collaboration with Mt. Grant General Hospital and Mineral County Senior Center.
- Mineral County Youth Prevention served 24 fifth-grade students in Mineral County School District.
- Peacemaking Skills for Mineral County Little Kids served 89 pre-school and kindergarten students in Mineral County School District.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Mineral County Cooperative Extension organizes two large community events. The first annual event coordinated is “Fall Festival,” which includes a Halloween costume contest, carnival with local organizations, Trunk or Treat, and Movie Night at Mineral County Park and Recreation. The second annual event coordinated is “Earth Day,” which includes an outdoor craft fair, earth-day dash running event, and the organization of the community clean-up.
Community events rallied 300 residents for the Earth Day event in April 2017 and the Fall Festival in 2018 had over 400 participating community members.
4-H
4-H ran 15 clubs with 24 volunteers and 110 4-H members in clubs. Mineral County biggest 4-H program is youth basketball followed by a 4-H ski club. There were about 17 youth that attended 4-H Camp in 2018 with Southern Nevada youth.
STATEWIDE AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
There are two large agricultural programs coordinated out of Mineral County Cooperative Extension. They are the Herds & Harvest Program, which assists beginning farmers and ranchers and the Nevada Risk Management Education Program.
- Nevada Risk Management Education utilizes risk management education tools to ensure the competiveness of Nevada agricultural operations in future markets, and educated producers about crop/livestock insurance programs to help minimize agricultural risk. This program is coordinated out of the Mineral County Extension office and collaborates with eight Cooperative Extension faculty in overall program implementation. This program also works with Nevada high schools on agricultural risk.
- The Herds & Harvest Program is a team of Cooperative Extension and College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resource faculty that work to create and enhance the sustainability of Nevada’s Beginning farmers na Ranchers through education, mentoring, and outreach to own, operate, and sustain a Nevada agricultural operation.
Herds & Harvest offered 55 training programs to 1,025 Nevada beginning farmers and ranchers over a three-year project period ending December 2017. Viticulture was the most highly attended educational workshop in 2017.
75 percent reported they learned how to add value to what they produce
62 percent reported they were farming or ranching 5-acres or less
The Crop/Livestock Guide has the fact sheets for the majority of assistance programs offered by USDA that are available to Nevada agricultural producers.
FISCAL YEAR 2017 - 2018
Summary
$666,406 - Total Revenue
$47,600 - Total Expenses
$8,077 - Total Balance
Revenue
$554,452 - Grants
$48,808 - State
$32,146 - Federal
$31,000 - County
Mineral County Cooperative Extension
205 South A Street | Hawthorne, NV 89415
Staci Emm, Extension Educator
emms@unce.unr.edu | 775-945-3444
