Jenny Flatt is the 4-H Youth Specialist in Howell, Oregon, Ozark, Shannon and Texas Counties. She graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia with a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the College of Education in December 2007. As a former 4-Her Jenny was very excited to obtain a job with Extension. Jenny has particular interests both in the traditional community club model of 4-H including agricultural based projects, as well as the more recent growth of technology-related projects and after school programs.

As a result, Jenny was very active in the traditional 4-H activities in her counties such as the Heart of the Ozarks Fair, Texas County Fair and White Oak/4-H Camp. Jenny worked with vo-ag teachers and 4-H club leaders to initiate a community-wide fitting/showmanship clinic, which created a team of individuals who then worked together cohesively at the fair. White Oak Camp has been a fifty year tradition in these counties, Jenny worked with a team of Youth Program Assistants and local community members to blend this tradition with the technology side of 4-H. The theme was Aerospace related with robotics, water rockets and other science-related projects.

In an effort to meet the needs of new 4-H families, Jenny initiated 4-H after school clubs in Cabool and West Plains with the help of Youth Program Assistants and school personnel. These clubs focus on robotics, home environment and other more contemporary 4-H projects. Jenny has also been active in initiating and planning the following pro-grams: Oregon County Youth Summit, Regional 4-H Horse Bowl, Family Horse Jamboree Camp, F-F-Fit Camp and 3-2-1 Digital Video projects.

"Jenny is a dynamic individual with a contagious energy and enthusiasm. Jenny has developed a network of partners, friends and leaders to implement and promote 4-H & Youth Development Pro-grams. She is an exemplary Extension ambassador and a credit to Howell County, and to University of Missouri Extension programming," stated Brenda Bell, CPD and Human Development Specialist.

Donna Clavin Mistler, 4-H Youth Specialist, stated that, "Jenny is a team member and is dedicated to the mission of 4H. She is hard-working, resourceful, and creative. She supports the programs in the region with enthusiasm and friendliness."

Joni Ross began her extension career as an Agronomy Specialist in March 2007. She immediately began working with the clients in Morgan, Moniteau, Benton, and Pettis Counties. Joni offers quality programs and takes part in activities that im-prove the quality of life for our clients. During her first few months she helped clients cope with the Easter freeze, an attack of Army worms, and drought.

She has conducted forage, pasture and grazing programs and Private Applicators and Chemical Application Training. She has accomplished all of this and still has time and energy to help clients in a friendly and efficient manner. She is as comfortable working with Mennonite fruit growers as well as the corn or wheat producers. She is respected by the experienced male farmers on the extension council; they seek her opinion on crop matters after council meetings.

In January, she worked with a group to offer a Central Region Winter Crop Conference in Sedalia. She is admired for being a relatively new specialist taking on such a big project. She is not afraid to get involved in programs that are needed by our clients.

By March of 2008, she had completed a Master Gardener Program in Morgan County. Sixteen new Master Gardeners completed the course. It was an outstanding program. She was exceptionally skilled on planning and scheduling the speakers and activities for this program.

Joni is a true professional. She has attended workshops to broaden her expertise. She contributes to the regional Ag team, helping with field days, forage demonstration plots and many other programs they offer. They seek her help on projects. She was assigned a major responsibility for a vegetable growers meeting and she took on this task with a smile and did a remarkable job. She recently was selected as managing editor for the Central Region Ag Connections newsletter. Her superiors and fellow specialist value her as a team member.

Joni has a keen sense of areas she wants to improve. She has goals for professional growth; she is determined and will reach these goals. University of Missouri Extension and especially Morgan County are very fortunate to have Joni Ross on their team.

Prior to joining extension, Joni completed a bachelor’s degree program and a master’s degree program in Crop, Soil, and Environ-mental Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Joni grew up in Rushville, Illinois, where her family grows corn and soybeans.

Chris Shoemaker serves as the Business Development Specialist in Northeast Missouri headquartered in Macon County. He serves Randolph, Macon, Adair, Schuyler, Scotland, Putnam, Sullivan and Linn Counties. The office is a new office the opened in the spring of May 2007, due to much hard work from Chris. Chris is the first BDS to be headquartered in Macon County so he started an office that had no clients or customers, no materials already in place, no programming planned and basically starting from scratch. He worked very hard in learning the key aspects of his job, and went to all necessary training opportunities in the fall of 2007. He then planned and scheduled his first set of pro-grams and did a couple of training seminars that were new and innovative to meet the direct needs of his clients in Northeast Missouri.

In the spring of 2008, he was asked to write the Northeast Missouri Regional Small Business Development planning for 2009 to meet Small Business Administration criteria. Again, he achieved this with-out previous experience. Chris is also currently covering for the Truman SBDC Office after retirement of a colleague in June 2008 that was with SBDC since the 1980’s. Chris is working hard to increase his knowledge and skill and is currently enrolled to take additional training in NDC in September and MTI training in September to increase revenue generation with programming. When Chris first started he saw that there was a lack of access to capital for businesses in NE Missouri, in part caused by the lack of bankers willing to work with small businesses. Chris has diligently worked on trying to foster and encourage the financial institutions to become actively involved in SBA lending. This work will have a positive direct impact on this office by establishing this lending practice, as well as encompass further revenue generation in fee income with the lending institutions; currently in the beginning phase.

Chris is a team player and has consistently helped with 4 H programming with judging events, helped in other community activities, and helped with back to school programming with HES personnel in the office. Additionally, Chris always wants to learn and help others. He makes very good comments and suggestions to his superiors in working to create a stronger program. He continually monitors his progress and works very hard to meet goals of the Business Development Program. Chris has jumped right in and is creating impact with clients and training attendees in assisting with increased sales, funding and creation of jobs.

Sarah started her career with the University of Missouri Extension on July 2, 2007 in Pulaski County as the Human Development & Family Studies Specialist . She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts degree in Human Development and Family Studies both from the University of Missouri – Columbia. Sarah got married in May 2008, so many of you may know her as Sarah Raaf!

Sarah was in the Gasconade County 4-H program for 10 years. She has also worked with MU Extension during the summers of her freshman and sophomore college years as a Community Service Assistant. This program was a "work study" program offered through the University of Missouri financial aid office and the Missouri 4-H office.

In the past year Sarah has held 14 child care provider trainings in four different counties (Camden, Laclede, Miller, & Pulaski) that have reached a total of 132 participants. In addition to child care provider trainings Sarah has been involved with Grandparents Raising Grandchildren events in Phelps and Pulaski Counties, and has con-ducted the following programs: Stay Strong, Stay Healthy, Building Strong Families and Basic Parenting classes for parents, and the Connecting for Baby program. She has also been very successful in seeking out, writing proposals for and receiving outside funds to support her programming efforts. Sarah has received or been a part of a National Fatherhood Initiative Fatherhood Resource Center Distribution Grant, valued at $3,000; a 2008 Human Environmental Sciences Extension Development (HEED) Fund Grant; a ParentLink Grandparents Raising Grandchildren ITV Event support grant; and a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day grant. Sarah is a member of UMEA, MEAFCS, NEAFCS and the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR).

Fellow Regional Human Development Specialist, Angie Fletcher, stated that, "Sarah has been a great addition to the South Central MU Extension team. She is always enthusiastic regarding her pro-grams and strives to focus on innovative ways to promote MU Extension and achieve its mission."

Donna Clavin Mistler described Sarah as a, "team member and is dedicated to the mission of University of Missouri Extension. She is hardworking, resourceful, and creative. She supports the programs in the region with enthusiasm and friendliness."

Darla Campbell has been with MU Extension for 9 years, serving as Agriculture Business Specialist in the Northeast Region. She is head-quartered in Schuyler County.

Darla is involved in many programs. Her program of work includes: Risk Management Series, Farm and Small Business Estate Planning, Lady Landowner Workshops, Landowner Liability Workshop, Ag Lenders Seminar, Ag Extension Information Nights, Quicken, Annie’s Project, and Women Marketing Grain & Livestock. Darla has successfully written several grants that have benefited Extension programming in the North-east Region and the Schuyler County Soil and Water Conservation District. She also helped to develop the Farm and Small Business Estate Planning curriculum, Profit Focused Agriculture curriculum, and a guide on Living in Rural Northeast Missouri. The guide was written to assist landowners and residents that are new to country and rural life.

Some additional programs that Darla has been involved with include the Management Intensive Grazing School, Garden-N-Grow, Schuyler County Farmers’ Market, Livestock Symposium, Farmers’ Market Workshops, Food Fest, and a Farm Safety Day for local school children.

A new program that Darla has been doing is focused on helping farming operations stay viable by adding a value-added venture. This venture is raising dogs. Darla works with multiple business owners in Northeast Missouri who raise dogs. She assists the owners in choosing better selling breeds, finding markets for pups and adults, filling out paperwork, and getting licensed.

In Schuyler County, there is a large Amish population. Darla has worked with Amish growers on pricing their products, developing markets, attracting buyers, and record keeping. During the growing season, Darla and Jennifer Schutter team up to make farm visits to assist these commercial growers. Their visits have helped growers have more consistent production and better production records.

Darla is a member of UMEA, MAEP, and NACAA. In her community she helps organize a Youth Fishing Tournament in Schuyler County, is involved in the Schuyler County FFA Alumni Chapter, assists with the local Farmers’ Market, is working with the local R.E.A.C.H. organization and the Schuyler County Youth Org. to find and raise the money to build new soccer fields and a community center.

Mary Gosche is a Human Development Specialist in the Southeast Region. She has served MU Extension for 16 1/2 years.

Mary Gosche was on the original 1995 team which developed the 13 module Building Strong Families. She authored the Communication and Positive Discipline modules.

The new Cape Girardeau County Extension was built in 2000. Mary Gosche was one of the two staff assigned by the county program director to be the staff liaison to the fund raising committee. She coordinated an Open House for the 8,000 square foot building for over 100 supporters and distinguished guests.

Other programming efforts include: Family and Community Education Advisor in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger Counties, Postponing Sexual Involvement Program for over 100 Teen Leaders and 1,000 students, daycare provider training, and an on-going Grandparent Raising Grandchildren Support Group for four years.

Mary is an active member and past president of the Cape Girardeau Community Caring Council and Missouri Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. Gosche was 1993 UMEA Rookie of the year, Public Information and Communicator of the Year, and received the Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Human Environmental Sciences Specialist Award in 2001.

In the past couple of years there has been an increase in the number of Farmers’ Markets in Missouri and nationwide, as concern for food safety increases and people want to eat healthy. With this comes an increased interest in buying local. Darla Campbell and Jennifer Schutter, have worked with producers and gardeners in Northeast Missouri to promote locally grown products and make the products avail-able to the consumer. Most of the producers are Amish, a group which has traditionally not participated in Extension programs. There has also been a growing number of Mennonite producers in Scotland County, and they have also seen an increase in market gardeners. During the growing season these gardeners and producers call on Darla and Jennifer to make farm visits to assist with production practices, insect and disease diagnostics and marketing issues.

Darla Campbell and Jennifer Schutter have held short courses for the producers interested in learning more about marketing their pro-duce at farmers markets. They have also coordinated farm tours, held pest management workshops and have promoted local farm products in the community and schools.

In the fall, producers have an opportunity to display and sell their products at the Northeast Missouri Food Fest held on the square in Kirksville. It gives producers an opportunity to educate consumers about the products available locally and how those products are produced. This event is also an excellent way to showcase what producers have learned in pricing, licensing, marketing and production from the short course and farm visits as Darla and Jennifer assist them to be more environmentally responsible, profitable and better equipped to handle all aspects of production. The Food Fest is a way for producers to meet with and build relationships with consumers of their products. Producers consistently report an increase in their customer base and sales as a result of this event.

This weed identification and control attempt project could be traced all the way back to June, 1984 when Eldon Cole participated in the Dow Study Tour to Montana. Tour leaders impressed on extension persons on the tour that spotted knapweed was taking over the range country and everyone should be watchful and not let it get started in their states.

Mr. Cole basically forgot about spotted knapweed until July 3, 2002. On that day, near Mt. Vernon, he noticed an unfamiliar plant blooming along the road. He pulled a sample of the attractive blooms and went back to the office to check it out. Unfortunately, it was spot-ted knapweed. Once he knew what it was, he started noticing it here and there, mostly along roadways where excavation work was done.

His concern about this invasive weed was voiced to co-workers and they were asked to watch for it in their travels around the region. News articles were written about the plant and the serious threat it posed to pasture and hay land. Mental and written notes were made over the next few years about where the weed was seen.

During the summer of 2007 staff plotted locations of knapweed with GPS technology. Kevin Bradley, state weed scientist worked with their data and had it entered so a map could be developed to pinpoint knapweed. Some counties used the data to make county maps that showed specific knapweed locations. Legislators were approached concerning putting knapweed on the state’s noxious weed list. In February, 2008 it was added to the list of noxious weeds in Missouri.

Since the weed was first identified in southwest Missouri the media has been supportive of helping extension make people aware of the risk posed by knapweed. We feel this early awareness and appropriate herbicide usage could help lessen the uncontrolled spread into valuable pasture and hay land.

Participating staff have used their innovative skills in a variety of ways (internet pictures, potted knapweed plants, TV shows, etc.) to hopefully create awareness among the general public of the need for concern over the invasive plant.

Eldon Cole began his career in 1964 as Balanced Farming Agent in Saline county. He then, transferred to Mt. Vernon in 1968 as Livestock Specialist in Lawrence and Greene counties. He currently serves the Southwest Region as a Livestock Specialist.

Bob Schultheis joined University of Missouri Extension in 1980, and serves as Natural Resource Engineering Specialist in the Southwest Region and county pro-gram director in Webster County. He is a member of UMEA, MAEP, ASABE and Epsilon Sigma Phi, where he serves as that organization’s treasurer. He holds a BS in Agricultural Mechanization from Washington State University and MS in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Tim Schnakenberg is a Regional Agronomy Specialist, headquartered in Stone County. He has degrees from Crowder College, Southwest Missouri State University, and the University of Arkansas. He began his MU Extension career in 1991.

John Hobbs is the Agriculture and Rural Development Specialist in McDonald County. He has 5 years in extension service and was previously a high school agriculture educator for 30 years. He has been working with the Weed ID team for 3 years by educating land owners about the consequences of spotted knapweed if left unchecked. He has located over 30 sites in his county that has knapweed infestation.