Commissioners hear MSU Extension annual report

Some positive news related to Michigan State University was yielded during Wednesday’s executive committee meeting of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners.

Julie Pioch, MSU Extension’s District 13 coordinator, provided commissioners with the agency’s annual report covering 2017. She said it was a year of great programming with outstanding work taking place.

Pioch’s annual report elaborated on a number of highpoints that included 4-H Exploration Days, the annual Conservation Tour, a variety of program highlights, programs that focus on prevention of food-borne illness, various nutrition-related programs, the annual cooking demonstration at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair, field crops programs and irrigation-related information.

The county allocated $127,000 to MSU Extension in 2018, a $4,000 increase from 2017. St. Joseph County in 2017 had 721 youth enrolled in 4-H and an additional 2,780 participating in other 4-H enrichment activities.

Pioch’s annual report will be formally accepted at next Tuesday’s county commission meeting.