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UW Extension, 4‑H and community development outline programs; county to participate in DOE R‑SET technical assistance
Summary
Extension staff reviewed 4‑H activities, upcoming workshops with Nordic Meats, a large housing-survey response, and Vernon County's potential role in a U.S. Department of Energy R‑SET technical assistance program on renewable energy siting.
UW Extension personnel updated the committee on educator highlights, upcoming workshops and county involvement in a U.S. Department of Energy technical assistance program.
Emery Blark, 4‑H educator, summarized 2025 planning and events including a hands‑on workshop with Nordic Meats on butchering and primal-to-retail cuts, an apple-pruning workshop, the county tree sale and an annual awards banquet. Blark said 4‑H enrollment is on target and that February will be the group's food‑drive month with outreach to local pantries and shelters. “We are partnering with Nordic Meats to do a hands on lesson with the kiddos on how to break down a hog,” Blark said.
Hannah, community development staff, reported that the county's housing study survey closed with more than 800 total responses (about 780 online responses plus approximately 40 paper responses) — well above the stated minimum sample target the consultant had indicated. Hannah also said Vernon County is slated to be part of the U.S. Department of Energy's R‑SET (Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement) program administered by UW Extension; the extension office won a $1,000,000 grant and Vernon County is one of the pilot locations. Hannah described the program as technical assistance and community engagement rather than direct project funding: “This is technical assistance. There's not actual dollars that are coming, for specific solar or wind projects. But, this is talking about how do we engage communities around this, how do we educate people…”
Meeting discussion included agrivoltaics (growing specialty crops or grazing under solar arrays), local concerns about taking prime farmland out of production, and end‑of‑life disposal and recycling questions for solar panels and batteries. Hannah said pilot agrivoltaics projects and planning tools are being developed through extension and relevant state programs; staff said pilot work could inform local plans if developers propose projects in Vernon County.
Other extension items included a regional beef conference, “School for Beginning Beef Producers,” and ongoing producer outreach events and trainings.
