Program Impacts 

Partnerships  

Partnerships have provided Extension with opportunities to impact the community in matters of public health and safety, substance abuse education, weed abatement, wildlife enhancement projects, public recreation events and activities and more.

Rangeland Resources

• Rangeland education program had 1,212 student contacts during workshops, conferences, field tours and  collaborative planning meetings.
• Continued participation in the Jordan Meadows Grazing Management Collaborative Planning Group, providing participants with the appropriate peer reviewed research available to help inform discussions and decisions.
• Continued the Santa Rosa Mountains “repeat photography study”. Conducted a state-wide forage-loss assessment used to implement the USDA Farm Services Agency’s Insurance Program.
• Provided extensive comments on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s scoping document to permit aerial herbicide treatment of noxious weeds on Forest lands.
• Used funding from the USFS International Program to teach non-linear ecological concepts (using sage-grouse in Nevada as a model species) to graduate students at Samarkand State University, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
• Collaborated with Sergio Arispe, Oregon State University Extension, to create an educational video about livestock management for fine fuels. Available at:https://fine-fuels-vt.anrs.oregonstate.edu/.
• Completed a statewide forage loss assessment for the US Farm Services Agency, Disaster Assistance Program.

 Noxious and Invasive Weeds

Noxious and invasive weeds are widespread throughout Nevada and threaten the productivity of cropland, pasture and rangeland. The Humboldt County Extension Educator continues to interact with the Paradise Valley Weed Control District, the Humboldt Watershed Cooperative Weed Management Area, the Nevada Department of Agriculture, the Nevada Conservation Districts, and other entities to provide research-based information for weed issues they encounter.  

• There were over 400 student contacts at ten workshop presentations and other meetings.
• The focus of presentations this year was Herbicides: How they Work Influences their Selection; Roots, Carbohydrates and Herbicide Control and Weed Seedbanks. This education informs students about the importance of properly timing herbicide treatments for each species and the need for a long-term follow-up control program.
• The Humboldt County Commission continued to supplement the Extension budget ($25,000) for weed control and management efforts. These resources helped implement weed control efforts on several thousand acres in fiscal year 2023.  
• Published a manuscript about Foxtail Barley, as part of the ongoing series, Priority Agricultural Weeds in Nevada.

4-H Youth Development

The Humboldt County 4-H Program included day camps, special interest programming and traditional 4-H clubs. There were 19 volunteer leaders and 133  traditional club members with many parents who volunteered time to help within the clubs. 4-H youth exhibited over 300 projects (large animal, small animal and static presentations) at the 2024 Tri-County Fair, 4-H Small Animal Show and Tri-County Junior Livestock Show.  

• Hosted the 2024 4-H County Awards Night program on December 6, 2024.
• Showcased the 2024 Humboldt County 4-H Horse Show in August.
• Partnered with the Humboldt County Cattle Women to host the yearly Presentation Day for the livestock and small animal youth with .
• Collaborated with the Humboldt County Farm Bureau to implement Ag in the Classroom for 3rd graders. Over 200 youth participated and 15 4-H youth volunteered to help.
• Hosted the second annual Sonoma Classic Junior Livestock Jackpot in April 2024: 300 youth entries from Nevada, California, Idaho, and Utah.  
• Carcass data presentation for all Humboldt County 4-H market animals and discussed acceptable and desired carcass characteristics, including which carcass attributes receive a premium price, the value of each animal on the market grid, explanations for why each animal received its respective grade, and suggestions about how to improve carcass quality. Over 60 youth attended the presentation. 
  • Five 4-H members attended the Northern Area Central Camp in Lake Tahoe and learned skills that help them be a better person by developing self-awareness and character building skills, working with others, problem solving and decision making skills.
• Continued collaboration with the Winnemucca Boys and Girls Club and Humboldt County Library for youth development and leadership programming.

 Outreach & Education

• Taught a module about plant growth and livestock grazing for the Beginning Farmer Rancher Program.
• Addressed various horticultural issues that affect County residents, and disseminates research based materials to help resolve those issues and educate the public.
• Extension faculty with statewide youth development roles have developed the Just in Time Parenting program which the Humboldt County Extension Office assists in implementing via dissemination of research based publications and materials.
• The Humboldt County Extension Office distributed home radon testing kits and disseminates literature about the dangers of radon gas, a primary cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. There were 20 radon tests completed in Humboldt County.
• The Extension Educator resided on the Board of the Humboldt Development Authority (Vice-Chair).
• Provided weekly input to the U.S. Department of Agriculture | National Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Progress Report.
• An evaluation of the annual Statewide Forage Loss Assessment in 2024 found these reports resulted in $1,554,244 of insurance payments to Nevada Ranchers from 2018 through 2022.
• Scholarship published by the Extension Educator/Natural Resource Specialist and housed on ResearchGate was accessed and read 1,304 times and cited in 44 publications. This material was accessed by individuals from 72 countries.  

NEVADA ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT PROJECT

The Nevada Economic Assessment Project (NEAP) is a statewide program with the mission to develop and maintain an extensive data archive with timely, meaningful, and consistent characteristics and a set of analytical tools used to provide Nevada’s communities with research and analysis of emerging issues through outreach and engagement. NEAP Webpage: https://extension.unr.edu/neap/county-reports/default.aspx

NEAP Contact: EconDev@unr.edu

Rural Housing Baseline Assessments

Housing affordability and availability are ongoing issues in Nevada. Housing data is often scattered across many sources with varying reliability and consistency, making it challenging to navigate. NEAP and Nevada Rural Housing have worked together since late 2022 with the goal of gathering and analyzing data to present the current housing situation in the counties and communities across the state. These tools are intended to inform decision-making by local leaders and private partners interested in contributing to rural Nevada's housing solutions. Baseline data collection and initial analysis were performed for Humboldt County. Reports and fact sheets are available.

Foundational Public Health Services

NEAP and NACO conducted a survey of public health infrastructure across Nevada's rural and frontier counties.  A national Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) framework describes the baseline level of services that should be offered through all governmental health departments. The results of the survey will help guide future public health advocacy and investment, including the development of regional public health services. The survey asks participants to provide expertise, capacity, and implementation ratings for each of the Foundational Areas and Capabilities, and also provide free responses on services/programs they know about in each Area and Capability at the county, state, and community partner level. Surveying for Humboldt County was conducted. The in-person community review and verification workshop was conducted March 13, 2024. The statewide report is available. County fact sheets can be accessed.

Revenue and Expenses

Humboldt County FY 25 Expenses

State: $136,416 
Federal $ 93,521 
County: $222,305 
Grants: $76,026 
Gifts: $3,144 
Other: $5,045 

Total:  $563,484 

Humboldt County FY 25 Funds Summary

Opening Balance: $777,382 
Revenue: $184,842 
Expenses:  $249,332 
Ending Balance:  $712,892