Welcome to
University of Illinois Extension
Monroe County
Monroe County
2006 Estimated
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Population: 31,876
Approximately
Adults (21 years & older): 21,000 (+/-)
Youth (under 21 years):
9,000 (+/-)
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Race
White
All Other
Median Age
98 %
2%
37.5 years
Monroe County Courthouse
Monroe County Bluffs
Jefferson Barracks Bridge
Local Festivals
Workforce
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The majority of the county workforce drive between
20-40 miles to their work place.
87% individuals age 25 & older have a high
school or higher degree
20% individuals age 25 & older have a
Bachelor’s degree or higher
70% population 16 years & older are in
workforce
Major County Employers
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School Districts
Oak Hill Nursing Care Facility
Gateway FS
Harrisonville Telephone Company
Budnick Converting, Inc.
Philip Environmental Services
Luhr Brothers, Inc.
MAR Business Forms
Business Growth
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YMCA built a facility between Columbia & Waterloo. Opened
January 2006
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St. Elizabeth Medical Building also between Columbia &
Waterloo. Opened September 2006
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Unique business in the county: Rock City Business Complex6 million square foot commercial cold storage facility in the
converted caverns of the limestone bluffs at Valmeyer. In
December, U. S. Rep. Jerry Costello announced that the U.S.
government will lease a 400,000 square section to house
National Archives and Records such as treasury checks, postal
money and military and Internal Revenue Service records. Other
businesses (Target, Nestle, Schwan’s) rent space for cold food
storage.
County Agriculture Production
(2004)
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531 farms
Average age of
principle farm operator
54.5 years
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177,430 acres in
farmland make up 71%
of county acreage
Major crops produced: wheat, soybeans, corn
Livestock: hogs, cattle, sheep
(source: IL Agricultural Statistics 2006)
Senior Population
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Age 65 & older approximately 14 %
Columbia & Waterloo seniors have access to
nutrition sites
Columbia, Waterloo & Valmeyer seniors are involved
in senior citizen clubs
Extension educational programs have been
conducted at all of the sites
Marketing Efforts
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Regular visits with County Board of Commissioners
Program information sent to State legislators
Post all programs on the county website
Flyers distributed to businesses & libraries for pick-up
Newspaper ad & articles
Program flyers sent to targeted mailing lists
Articles & ads posted in the Farm Bureau
monthly newspaper
Marketing ...
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Waterloo & Columbia Chamber of Commerce
promote Extension programming to their
members via website & e-mail news
Outdoor marquee
4-H bags with information distributed during
community parades
Marketing...
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Information booth at Senior Jubilee
Youth education website bookmarks along with
educational booklets distributed to 5th grade students
from January – April leading up to Conservation Days.
4-H club activities at community events
4-H Youth Development program flyers distributed
through schools
County website bookmarks included in mailings
Marketing...
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Newsletters:
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4-H Club members
4-H Club leaders
Master Gardeners
Ag Quarterly distributed at programs &
delivered to agriculture businesses for pick-up
Educational materials displayed at County Fair
4-H Club displays/banner at County Fair
Marketing...
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4-H Week window displays by 4-H clubs
E-mail notification to all 4-H families,
Master Gardeners & other targeted audiences
when information is posted on-line
Educational program information included in
4-H Foundation/Alumni newsletter & the
Monroe County Home & Community
Education newsletter
4-H Youth Development
*A growing number of families are choosing to home school
their children.
Youth Demographics
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22.6% of Monroe County’s
population, 6,247 youth, is
between the ages of 5 & 19.
The median income for families
is $62,397.
3.4% of the population is below
the poverty level, which
includes 2.8% under the age
of 18.
Monroe County youth and
families have easy access to
attractions, goods and services
in the St. Louis Metro Area.
Many adults commute to jobs in
St. Louis
Access Systems
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Community Based 4-H Clubs
Community Based Cloverbud Groups
County Based Cloverbud Group
County Based 4-H Federation
County Based 4-H Ambassadors
4-H Special Interest Groups/Project Clubs
Short Term 4-H Groups
Mission Mandates &
Community Based 4-H Clubs
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13 Community Clubs serving 255 youth;
5 Community Clubs & 1 County Cloverbud
Group serving 30 youth;
38 adult volunteers provide leadership for this portion of
the program
Science, Engineering, & Technology
Science based 4-H projects
Special emphasis on Animal Science; more than
half of members are enrolled in animal projects
Healthy Living
Food & Nutrition based 4-H Projects
Health based 4-H projects
Citizenship
Citizenship based 4-H projects
Community service projects carried out by a most
community clubs
Special emphasis on Animal Science
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Beef premiere program since 1984
Lamb premiere program since 1997
Beef & Lamb Carcass Evaluation
Local Superior Young Producer Contests which
include Beef, Sheep, Swine, & Rabbit
County Based 4-H Federation
& 4-H Ambassadors
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Monroe County 4-H Federation is made up of high school
and college age 4-H members.
Currently 20 members
5 adult volunteers provide leadership
Federation members may choose to serve as county 4-H
Ambassadors after one year of membership
Science, Engineering, and Technology
Members provide leadership for Science related project
workshops particularly Animal Science Workshops, and
Livestock events
Citizenship
Members provide leadership for activities and events for
younger 4-H members; Officer’s Training, Craft Day, etc.
Ambassadors make appearances on behalf of 4-H
Ambassadors preside over county events
4-H Short Term & Special Interest Groups
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More than 800 county youth accessed the 4-H youth
development program through short term and special interest groups.
Science, Engineering, & Technology
Outdoor Education & Environmental Stewardship with Conservation Days
(annually 450 youth)
Field Trips
Robotics Workshop
GIS/GPS Workshop
GIS/GPS Camp
Junior Master Gardener Camp
Monroe County 4-H GIS Club
Healthy Living
Youth Cooking School – 205 Youth
Babysitter Workshop
Citizenship
Plans are underway to map and identify trees at County Courthouse
Plans are underway to work with local EMA to map locations such as schools,
shelters, railroad crossings, etc., that would be helpful to the agency and general
public.
Promote and provide staff support in these multi-county,
regional, and state 4-H youth development programs;
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Southern Illinois 4-H Camp*
Southern Illinois Junior High Camp*
4-H Discover Chicago*
Southern Region Hippology Contest*
Regional Horse Judging & Hippology Contest*
Illinois 4-H Leadership Convention*
Junior High Leadership Conference
Regional Leader Forums*
Southern Illinois Livestock Judging Contest – SIUC
State Judging Contests
Illinois State Fair*
*indicates Monroe County staff supported events
Susan’s leadership on state & regional committees helps activate local youth
interest & involvement
Program Evaluation
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New 4-H Clubs
Increased Enrollment
Increased show percentage
Youth submit award applications, a high percentage of youth are
eligible for County Award of Excellence
Increased number of adult volunteers
Increased attendance at 4-H Club Leader updates
County youth participated in the International 4-H Youth Exchange
program
Agriculture, Horticulture &
Natural Resources
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Animal Health and
Production
Beef Seminars
(co-sponsor with Monroe County Cattleman’s Association)
• Swine Seminars (co-sponsor with Monroe County Pork
Producers) and Pork Quality Assurance training
• Shepherd’s Clinic
• Sheep Festival-with judging event for youth
(with Monroe County Sheep Producers)
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4-H Livestock Workshops
4-H Poultry Workshop-March 2009
4-H Rabbit and Horse Workshops
Q&A
• in office research, work with Waterloo Animal Hospital and
Extension Educators
Agriculture Economics & Farm
Management
• Ag Computer Trainings (co-sponsor with Farm Bureau)
• Women in Ag Programs (co-sponsor with Farm Bureau)
• Agriculture Technology Workshop
(co-sponsor with Bond & Clinton, Madison/St. Clair & Randolph
Extension)
• Sale of farm record books
• Q&A
– i.e. leases, cash rent, custom machinery rates, pasture rental
rates, computer programs, starting “small, specialty or organic
farms”, etc.
• in office research (Farmdoc website) & work with
Extension Educators
Agronomy
• Alfalfa Workshop
• Host site to Illinois Department of Agriculture
Commodity Elections
• Host annual Pesticide Safety Education Program
• Promote annual Grain Fumigation training
• Weed identification-done in office with reference
materials or with use of Digital Diagnostics
System
• Q&A
– i.e hay & pasture establishment, crop diseases & pest management
• in office research & work with Extension Educators
Master Gardeners
• 30 active certified Master Gardeners.
• Answer approximately 120 phone call/walk in questions about
garden related questions.
• Maintain educational native plant garden and landscaping
surrounding the Annex.
• Assist with horticulture entries/judging at Monroe County Fair.
• Promote the MG program & horticulture events at Oak Hill’s
“Senior Jubilee”
• Landscape at the Monroe County Courthouse.
• Presence at Monroe County Farmers Market.
• Presentations to community groups.
• Program partner with Waterloo & Columbia
Garden Clubs
Monroe County Garden Tour
• Garden host sites are at various locations in
Monroe County.
• Sites are visited by nearly 200 people annually
on the 2nd Saturday in June.
• Planning and coordination is done by the
Master Gardeners and local garden clubs.
2009
Garden
Tour
Sites
Educational Events
• 4 Seasons Home Horticulture Telenets
-3 garden-related topics are covered every season.
• Nursery Tour-Held every other year.
- The 2009 tour was at Schaefer Farms. Over 60
people attended to hear Dave Robson-Horticulture
Educator speak about the characteristics of various
plants.
Junior Master Gardeners
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Started in Monroe County in June 2007.
Offered to 2nd-8th grade students.
5 starting participants in ‘07; grew to 27 in ‘09
A garden plot was planted in 2008 to attract more
participants and help with the educational aspect of
the program.
- An IDNR Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant was
used to aid in the construction of this garden.
The garden is used by this group as well as the
adult Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists
Jr. Master
Gardener
Camp
Master Naturalists
• 3 participants took the
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classes through the
Monroe County Extension
office in 2009.
2 participants are
currently enrolled
through Monroe County
for 2010.
Volunteer work includes
honeysuckle eradication
and prairie burns on
state sites.
5th Grade Conservation Days
• Held annually in partnership with the Monroe County Farm Bureau and
Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District.
• This event has taken place at the Waterloo Sportsman’s Club since 1997.
• 100% participation by all Monroe County schools.
• Grants through the Bi-County Health Department and the Turkey
Federations have helped cover program expenses.
• Presenters have been from organizations such as:
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Monroe County Mapping & Platting, Illinois
Department of Natural Resources, Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Illinois Natural
History Survey, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, University of Illinois Extension.
• Presenters also include local retired teachers, high school FFA students,
Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists.
Monroe County Conservation Days
Educational Events
• Prairie Restoration Telenets
• Educator booth at the Festival of the
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Bluffs (sponsored by Clifftop and IDNR)
Pond and Lake Workshops-held in 2008 and
planning another for 2010. (co-sponsored with
Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District)
Timber Rattlesnake Program (co-sponsored
with Clifftop)
• Q&A
– i.e. pond maintenance, food plots, forestry management, native plants,
sinkholes, erosion control, wind power, etc.
Networking
• Partner with Farm Bureau, NRCS/SWCD, Gateway FS & IDNR to
address issues such as urban development in rural areas, karst issues,
pond maintenance, etc.
• Kelly serves as an appointed representative of the Southern Regional
Groundwater Protection & Planning Committee which serves
Madison, St. Clair, Monroe & Randolph Counties . Other
representatives include individuals from county Health Departments,
IEPA, IDOA, U of I Extension, Gateway FS, various water companies,
etc.
-Address issues such as groundwater protection & karst
education; hold bi-annual well water screening for pesticides and
hold annual educational field days/conferences for the public.
Promote all Regional Programs such as:
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Certified Livestock Manager Training
Beef Cattle Co-Products
Dairy Days
Farm Economic Summit
Crop Management Conference
Grain Fumigant Training
Corn & Soybean Classic
Winter Wheat Forum
Regional Program Promotion continued…
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Vegetable School
Small Fruit & Strawberry School
Grape Production Workshops
Tree Fruit School
Gateway Green Industry Conference
Soil & Water Management Workshop
Nutrition, Family &
Consumer Sciences
Educational Programs
 Nutrition Update Series for
Dieticians
 Eating Well with Diabetes
Series
 Getting the Most for your
Meat Dollar
• co-sponsored with
Schneider’s Quality Meats
 Food Preservation Workshop
 Serve It Safely Training to
community groups who serve
food at local events.
 Food Handlers Refresher Course
 Extension educators teach a local course every 6 months
 BI-County Health Department staff assist with promotion
 Living Well Day
 Educational lessons presented to HCE members
 Disaster Preparedness
programs & partnerships
 Pam is a member of the Monroe County
Citizen Corps for Community Emergency
Response Team
 Pressure canner gauge
testing & food preservation
information
 Nutrition materials provided
to schools
 Food safety
question/information
provided to clientele
 Provide materials to child care centers
 Collaborate with Children’s Home & Aid to
provide training sessions for child care
providers
Community & Economic
Development
 Network with the Monroe County Economic
Development Council
 Nora partners closely with the Monroe County Economic
Development Council helping to identify and address
business development & retention; plan educational
opportunities such as Historic Tax Credit and using social
media for business marketing; business grant opportunities;
business leadership development and increasing state
Economic Development agency networks.
 Staff and volunteers are actively involved in promoting
“Think Monroe County First” program
 County officials participate in Government Telenets
University of Illinois
Mission Statement
To enable people to improve their lives and
communities through learning partnerships
that put knowledge to work
Thank You!