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Albany County Extension highlights 4‑H wins, warns SNAP‑Ed cuts will reshape nutrition education
Summary
Extension staff recapped 4‑H competition successes and an international exchange, and explained federal SNAP‑Ed funding cuts that reduced Wyoming’s network from 22 educators to seven regional positions; Albany County will remain in Region 1 and retain local educator support.
Amanda, representing the Albany County Extension Office, updated the county commissioners on summer 4‑H activity and program changes to nutrition education funding.
Amanda said county 4‑H teams had multiple statewide successes this year: a wool judging team won the state contest and will compete at the national contest in Dallas in October; the senior livestock judging team won the state contest and will compete at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville in November; several shooting‑sports youth represented the county nationally. She also described a 10‑member exchange trip to the Albany, New York, area in July, noting students toured agricultural and specialty‑food operations and attended events including Saratoga Springs race day.
On nutrition programming, Amanda said the program known locally as Sensible Nutrition (the county’s SNAP‑Ed effort) taught nine youth classes across five schools (about 170 students) and seven adult classes (about 25 participants). The presenter said the program received grant funding to distribute Instant Pots to adult participants who completed an eight‑class series to support low‑cost cooking of dried beans and legumes.
Amanda said federal SNAP‑Ed funding was “cut” under recent federal changes and Wyoming restructured from a county‑based model of about 22 educators to a seven‑region model. She said Albany County is in Region 1 (covering Albany and Carbon counties) and that local educator Ruth will continue to serve the county under the regional model. Amanda said funding will now come from a different federal pot referred to in the meeting as EFNEP (referred to in the packet as EFNET); the presenter described the new arrangement as federally funded but managed as a different program line.
Other Extension updates included a county fundraising banquet (renamed “Feed the Dream”) scheduled for Oct. 9 to support travel and projects, and the start of the new 4‑H year on Oct. 1 with National 4‑H Week Oct. 5–12. The office also plans local workshops such as a sewing‑machine maintenance clinic with a waiting list.
Commissioners asked whether the regional educator would be required to spend fixed days in each county; Amanda said schedules will be flexible and winter weather may require creative online programming. Amanda said Extension will pursue needs assessments and additional community engagement tools over the coming months.
