- County level leadership development programs are continuing with two additional counties
being added this year.
- The AQUA-PURA program tests rural well water for contaminants is continued to be held in
the poorest extension district in the state.
- The Home Hazards Hunt CD_ROM (part of the Home-A-Syst program) has been distributed
through the Ag In The Classroom program and will be distributed in the future through the
Project WET facilities. A two-day, two-state (Tennessee and Georgia) teacher educational
workshop was also held on the Conasauga River. The focus of this workshop was to provide
teachers with materials and information to teach students about home and outdoor
environmental hazards.
- The state rural development committee continues to meet quarterly and provides a vehicle for
interagency communication and cooperation. It has sponsored an annual award since 1984 to
recognize outstanding local programs. It is also sponsoring the East Tennessee Agriculture
and Community Expo which will highlight a wide array of agricultural practices in thirty-six
east Tennessee counties and also spotlight a variety of community issues that are important to
these counties.
- Three computerized record keeping workshops for small businesses have been held with 40
persons participating. One of these workshops was held for state and area farm management
specialists in the Southern region. Five new publications are in the process of being
developed and should place increased emphasis on this program.
- The Small Business College program is being offered in four sites across the state and has
been funded with a grant from the Economic Development Administration. This program
focuses on various management, financial, and marketing issues faced by small business
owners and operators.
- The Agricultural Development Center has hired a new marketing specialist (Ms. Shasta
Leinart) and is in the process of searching for a director. It is focusing on ten current projects
and has completed about fifty projects since its inception. It is beginning to focus on a
proactive approach to agricultural development opportunities in the state as well as
maintaining its current mission of providing technical assistance to potential and existing
small businesses dealing with value-added agricultural products.
- Tennessee and Kentucky will host an educational opportunity for Extension agents based on
the SRDC Community Development Institute. This conference will be held in April and
October of next year and graduate credit will be offered.
- Dr. Ray Humberd, Associate Dean and State Program Leader for the Agriculture and Natural
Resources and Resource Development areas retired on June 30, 2001.
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