Field Office Field Office Innovative SolutionsInnovative Solutions

(Part 3)(Part 3)

Illinois NRCS All Employee MeetingIllinois NRCS All Employee Meeting March 2, 2005March 2, 2005

Benefits to NRCS / Benefits to NRCS / SWCDSWCD Opportunity to educate non-farm Opportunity to educate non-farm

people about “conservation people about “conservation agriculture”agriculture”

Non-farm people are taxpayers—Non-farm people are taxpayers—what do their conservation dollars what do their conservation dollars buy?buy?

Benefits to NRCS / Benefits to NRCS / SWCDSWCD

President Bush’s “faith-based President Bush’s “faith-based initiative”initiative”

Build relationships with local agri-Build relationships with local agri-businessbusiness

Benefits to NRCS / Benefits to NRCS / SWCDSWCD Farmers sell our productFarmers sell our product

Recruit diversityRecruit diversity

workforce, volunteers, SWCD workforce, volunteers, SWCD board board

and committeesand committees

Benefits to NRCS / Benefits to NRCS / SWCDSWCD

Extends our areas of influence in Extends our areas of influence in towns, cities, and overseastowns, cities, and overseas

Strengthens our internal Strengthens our internal partnershipspartnerships

Something to put on your outreach Something to put on your outreach report!report!

Benefits to AgricultureBenefits to Agriculture

Non-farm people get “connected”; Non-farm people get “connected”; they can “put a face” on agriculturethey can “put a face” on agriculture

Farmers can explain:Farmers can explain:

costs / returns program pmts.costs / returns program pmts.

GMO’s nutrients / pesticidesGMO’s nutrients / pesticides

technology conservation technology conservation practicespractices

Benefits to U.S. societyBenefits to U.S. society

People know where and how their People know where and how their food is grownfood is grown

Improve our image overseas as a Improve our image overseas as a “caring” society“caring” society

Benefits to U.S. societyBenefits to U.S. society

Breaks down perceived barriers:Breaks down perceived barriers:

urban—suburban—rural—farmerurban—suburban—rural—farmer

religious denominationsreligious denominations

What you can do:What you can do:

Look for interest—”fan the flames”Look for interest—”fan the flames”

Have a speaker come to a meetingHave a speaker come to a meeting

Attend a harvest celebrationAttend a harvest celebration

Help us find diversity among the non-Help us find diversity among the non-farm partnersfarm partners

More informationMore information

See me or anyone from the See me or anyone from the Ottawa Field Office NRCS / SWCD Ottawa Field Office NRCS / SWCD staffstaff

Go to foodsresourcebank.orgGo to foodsresourcebank.org

Success

Some people dream of success…..

While others wake up and work hard at it!

CREATING INDIVIDUAL CREATING INDIVIDUAL WORK AREAS IN YOUR WORK AREAS IN YOUR

COUNTYCOUNTYBy ADAM LUCIE SCTBy ADAM LUCIE SCT

&&

JEREMY PIPER SCJEREMY PIPER SC

MANAGING WORK AREAS MANAGING WORK AREAS

• In Carthage we divide our county into areas according to the number of employees we have.

• The District Conservationist keeps a log book of all work going on in the county. Applications are then handed to the employee responsible for the area the project is located in.

• Each staff member is responsible for their own area of the county.

• We work together on large jobs or when someone needs extra help.

NEGATIVE RESULTS OF OTHER NEGATIVE RESULTS OF OTHER MANAGEMENT STYLESMANAGEMENT STYLES

• The person closest to the door gets the most work. Work is not evenly distributed.

• The employee who has been working in the office the longest receives a larger work load.

• Allowing employees to only work with one program cheats them in the future.

ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION

• Time is saved and the over all quality of work is improved.

• Travel distance and time is reduced.

• It is easier to track progress of employees and for employees to track their own progress.

Who’s Working on that?Who’s Working on that?

• If a question arises about a project the staff will know who is responsible based on the area where it is located.

• Clients will become familiar with the staff member in their area.

• Staff members will know their section of the county which will allow them to better serve the public.

CLOSINGCLOSING

• Finally, managing your workload and staff can be accomplished many different ways. However the way we manage can make the difference between an office or a great field office.

Excellence is the result of caring

More than others think is wise;

Risking more than others think is

Safe. Dreaming more than others

Think is practical and expecting

More than others think is possible.

Spores and More Spores and More Mushroom FestivalMushroom Festival

A Project of the Heartland A Project of the Heartland of Illinois RC&D of Illinois RC&D

OpportunityOpportunity Lake Shelbyville is not being used to the Lake Shelbyville is not being used to the

capacity availablecapacity available Businesses in the Towns around the Lake Businesses in the Towns around the Lake

want to see an increase in Tourismwant to see an increase in Tourism Many meetings have been held with State Many meetings have been held with State

Legislators to look into increasing TourismLegislators to look into increasing Tourism People have many outdoor interests in People have many outdoor interests in

the Areathe Area No Festivals involve each Town No Festivals involve each Town

collectivelycollectively

Ah! MorelsAh! Morels

Organizing a Planning Organizing a Planning CommitteeCommittee

Involve all 4 towns Involve all 4 towns of Bethany, of Bethany, Findlay, Shelbyville Findlay, Shelbyville and Sullivanand Sullivan

Build relationshipsBuild relationships Determine Events Determine Events

and Activities to be and Activities to be heldheld

Utilize “Experts” on Utilize “Experts” on the subjectthe subject

ADVERTISEADVERTISE

Secure Funding…RC&D GrantSecure Funding…RC&D Grant Determine the best way to reach Determine the best way to reach

people who may be interestedpeople who may be interested Those used: 3 TV Stations, Radio, Those used: 3 TV Stations, Radio,

Newspaper feature stories, Flyers Newspaper feature stories, Flyers and Postersand Posters

Hold Pre-event ContestHold Pre-event Contest

To get local people To get local people involved using their involved using their favorite mushroom favorite mushroom patchpatch

To build anticipation To build anticipation for the Festival Huntfor the Festival Hunt

Train Contest Judges Train Contest Judges for Biggest Shroom for Biggest Shroom

Festival KickoffFestival Kickoff

Mushroom Hunt Mushroom Hunt RegistrationRegistration

Mushroom HuntMushroom Hunt

Hunt Results and AuctionHunt Results and Auction

Town Town FestivalsFestivals

Another RC&D InitiativeAnother RC&D Initiative

Heartland Graziers Heartland Graziers Heartland of Illinois RC&D Heartland of Illinois RC&D

ProjectProject An Opportunity to provide Assistance An Opportunity to provide Assistance

to New and Existing Graziersto New and Existing Graziers Network with each other and share Network with each other and share

Ideas, experiences, successes, rent Ideas, experiences, successes, rent equipment or sell productsequipment or sell products

Cooperate with other Agencies Cooperate with other Agencies (Cooperative Extension Service, Farm (Cooperative Extension Service, Farm Bureau, Illinois Beef Association)Bureau, Illinois Beef Association)

WorkshopsWorkshops

Provide Resource Provide Resource Information on Information on Pasture Pasture Establishment, Establishment, Management, Herd Management, Herd Selection, Selection, Marketing and Marketing and EconomicsEconomics

Pasture Walks and Pasture Walks and DemonstrationsDemonstrations

Innovation

The best way to perfect

The future…

Is to create it.

Thank you for your attention!