The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
(Vol. 19 No. 16)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
At K-State Research and Extension, the learner is our heart
and soul. As a learner-centered organization, we work hard to determine,
develop and deliver the programs needed to enable the people of Kansas to
improve their lives. One way that we try to accomplish this is through such
projects as the Program Prioritization Survey.
The Program Prioritization Survey allows the people of
Kansas to provide us with their perceptions about our potential programs. I
want to thank all of you who have worked diligently with your Program
Development Committees to conduct these surveys. I am confident that you and
your Program Development Committees will gain new programing insight when you
receive the results.
Unfortunately, the overall participation in the Program
Prioritization Survey has been, at best, underwhelming – especially for an
organization that prides itself on being learner-centered. Without effective
participation by all local units, the Program Prioritization Survey information
forwarded to our Program Focus Teams would be suspect. I encourage all local
units to continue to collect and submit their information. Information received
after March 1 may be late, but it is important information nevertheless.
The Program Prioritization Survey link and support resources
can be found by:
1) Going to the K-State Research and
Extension homepage: http://ksre.ksu.edu/
2) Clicking on "~Employee Resources"
3) Clicking on "Programming"
The Program Prioritization Survey link, http://ksued.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_d689CA4Ylyv07VH, is next to the label "Online Survey" at the bottom of the
Programming webpage.
Once again, please do your due diligence by participating in
the Program Prioritization Survey. Your learners and your colleagues are
counting on you! And, have a great week! --Gregg Hadley ghadley@ksu.edu and Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
COMM TIPS: ANDROID SMARTPHONE TIPS AND APPS - FEBRUARY 27
Our next Comm Tips program is devoted to the handy Android-based Smartphone. This program will provide tips on better using your Smartphone and show you a few apps to get the most out of your mobile device.
Next Program: Android Smartphone Tips and Apps - Wednesday, February 27, 9 a.m.
Presented by - David Dunn, K-State Research and Extension Technology, Hays, KS unit
Join us for Comm Tips every Wednesday at 9 a.m. between February 20 and April 17. This online series provides you helpful
information with your communication and technology skills. Each program is 20 minutes with 10 minutes for Q&A.
Other
topics for the Comm Tips Spring 2013 series include iPad Productivity
Tools, Smart Shopping with Smartphones, Newsletter Content, Where to Get
Social Media Content, and much more....
This is a "live" online program. Simply log in to http://connect.ksre.ksu.edu/commtips as a guest with your name. These programs will be recorded in case you miss them.
For the Comm Tips schedule, program descriptions and previous programs, visit the Comm Tips webpage at http://www.communications.k-state.edu/communication-services/comm-tips/. --Gerry Snyder gsnyder@ksu.edu
KSRE PROGRAM PRIORIZATION SURVEY
March 1 is our
target date for having Program Prioritization Surveys entered in the online
system. Thanks to everyone for their commitment to this process. All resources
for the survey process are available at this Website: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/programming/p.aspx?tabid=359.
If members of your community have
completed the KSRE Program Prioritization Survey in hard copy form and
returned these paper surveys to you, we ask that you enter the data into the
online survey using this link: http://ksued.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_d689CA4Ylyv07VH.
Please note that each time you use this link, the survey may look slightly
different. This is because sections of the survey have been broken into three
"blocks" (family-related program areas, agriculture-related program
areas, and youth/community/nutrition program areas) and randomized so that
participants will see the order of the blocks differently. This was done to
counteract potential bias in all participants viewing program areas in the same
order (e.g., if one program area is always listed last and participants are
tired by this time, fewer quality responses may be received for that program
area).
Only the three blocks are randomized and not the program areas or items within
them randomized. Hopefully, this is not a burden for you to manage this variation
when you enter the hard copy responses into the online survey. If you have
questions or concerns about this process, please contact Margaret Phillips, margaret@ksu.edu. --Paula Peters,
Gregg Hadley, Barbara Stone, Margaret Phillips
KAMS CAN HELP WITH USDA DISASTER LOANS AND LOAN RESTRUCTURES
The Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services (KAMS) can help
ag producers in obtaining assistance for losses suffered due to drought. USDA
has recently declared all 105 Kansas Counties as disaster areas. As a result, USDA
Farm Service Agency (FSA) Disaster Loans are now available to producers who
have experienced at least a 30 percent loss in crop production, or a physical
loss to livestock, livestock products, real estate or chattel property due to
drought. Examples of livestock losses
that could be covered by the loans include such things as: pasture losses
during the normal grazing period; increased feed costs; and lost income from
offspring as a result of having to liquidate livestock.
There are
several purposes for which the disaster loan funds may be used including but
not limited to the following: paying all or a part of production costs
associated with the disaster year; refinancing certain debts; pay essential
family living expenses; and restore or replace essential property. Go to the
following link for more detailed information: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/emloanpr_sept12.pdf.
Loan relief
is available for those producers who have a FSA Direct Loan(s). Those FSA Direct
Loan borrowers who, as a result of the disaster, are unable to pay all family
living and operating expenses, payments to other creditors, and their scheduled
payment to FSA, may be eligible for the Disaster Set-Aside Program (DSA). If
eligible, the borrower may be allowed to defer the FSA payment owed to the end
of the note. This would allow farm income to be used to pay other creditors or
essential family living and operating expenses giving them some breathing room
until next year’s production cycle.
KAMS
services are available to help producers in applying for FSA disaster
assistance. On-farm financial counseling is available through the KSRE Farm
Analyst Program to help with feasibility analysis for FSA loan applications and
restructuring decisions. Low cost legal assistance with ag law attorneys to
help understand regulations, rights and options is available through Kansas
Legal Services. Free mediations for ag credit issues are available to help
lenders and producers find ways to communicate and work through difficult
drought related financial issues.
KAMS
services can be accessed by calling 1-800-231-FARM (3276). Check out our website at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/kams/. --Forrest Buhler fbuhler@ksu.edu
WEEK 1 –GET FINANCIALLY PREPARED – TAKE STEPS AHEAD OF DISASTER CHALLENGE
If you had only a few minutes to evacuate your home,
would you have access to the cash, banking services and the personal
identification needed to conduct your day-to-day financial life? What if your
family is not together when disaster hits? Planning ahead for family
communication in different situations can save time and money and reduce stress
during an emergency. Complete this week’s activities and be financially
prepared!
Join fellow K-State Research and Extension staff in
participating in the Get Financially Prepared Challenge being held by the
Family Resource Management PFT. Throughout the month of March, complete
activities to prepare your home or workplace ahead of a disaster.
Challenge tasks are listed below. Details for completing
each task will be posted on our blog, https://blogs.ksre.ksu.edu/getfinanciallyprepared/.
We'll also post updates and other useful information on the blog throughout the
month.
You have the entire month to complete the Challenge. To help you stay on track,
you will be asked to report your progress each week.
Click here to register for the challenge. Or,
use this link: https://kstate.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6Pw25VNcKvmJGfP.
Week 1 Activities:
Assemble a grab-and-go kit by purchasing a
box/backpack and getting two of the recommended items OR update/add to a
current grab-and-go kit.
Learn about tornadoes and steps to take if one is
approaching.
Complete a family or workplace communication
plan to use in the event of a disaster.
--Family Resource Management Program Focus Team –
Elizabeth Kiss dekiss4@ksu.edu and Jamie
Rathbun jrathbun@ksu.edu
DONORS DRIVE FUNDING DECISIONS
The donor is in the driver's seat when it comes to gift designation. With more than 5,000 separate funds managed by the KSU Foundation, it's hard to identify a K-State college, program or project that has not benefited from the generosity of alumni and friends. At the Foundation, we match donor interests with K-State programs. When agents help to identify their neighbors' passions, it could lead to new funds that benefit local people and programs. Donors decide what programs will benefit and can add geographic preferences.
It's appropriate to recap the flyer distributed during the Partnership tour. Created by the College of Education, the flyer includes three key points: 1) the $250,000 estate gift will create three scholarships, 2) the donor's passion is Marching Band, so all three scholarships benefit Band students, 3) the donor asked to remain anonymous, and we have honored that request.
As an estate gift, the donor retains lifetime control of her money. She played clarinet in the Band, and that positive experience influenced her decision to create scholarships in A) the College of Education (her career), B) the College of Human Ecology (she called it "my college") and, C) for clarinet players in any college. While some people enjoy recognition, others want to remain anonymous and we honor those requests.
The donor has sent four "Thank You" notes linked to her planned gift. When donor interests are matched with K-State projects, great things happen. When you discover local interest and match it with local opportunities, great things can happen. Let us know how we can help. --Gordon Dowell gordond@found.ksu.edu
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