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USU Extension reports on youth, agriculture and harm-reduction programs; outlines funding and impacts
Summary
Utah State University Extension presented its semiannual report to the Utah County Commission on Nov. 6, detailing 4‑H and agricultural programs, a harm-reduction partnership, and budget figures including grants and volunteer-hour valuations. Commissioners thanked staff and did not increase the county allocation.
Utah County commissioners heard the semiannual report from Utah State University (USU) Extension on Nov. 6, as extension leaders summarized youth programming, agricultural activities and community health partnerships and outlined how county funds are used alongside grants and volunteer support.
Tom Bettis, county director for USU Extension, opened the presentation and described the office’s local budget and recent grant activity, saying the extension’s operating budget reads about $386,000 and that the program has generated substantial outside funding. “We can fairly easily show a 1,200% return on investment,” Bettis said, citing roughly $4,560,000 in grant receipts and nearly a half million dollars in estimated volunteer-hour value when measured with IRS rates. Bettis said the extension is not requesting an increase in county funding this year but has included $6,000 in its request to pay a county building inspector as the county requested.
Cindy Jenkins, who covers home and community for USU Extension, described the Utah Valley Women in Leadership Collaborative, which the extension helped incubate and which has since become an independent nonprofit. Jenkins said the collaborative brought nearly $50,000 in in-kind donations and volunteer support over the last year and that the program will pursue additional grants. She also outlined outreach aimed at Spanish-speaking residents and nutrition education for vulnerable populations.
Jenkins summarized a harm-reduction initiative conducted with Intermountain Community Care Foundation that involves 4‑H mentors in opioid-overdose response training and Narcan distribution. "They’ll be able to help quite a bit with the opioid overdose response trainings that are needed," Jenkins said.
Emily Van Wagner, a 4‑H leadership coordinator, highlighted youth programming including leadership and STEM camps, county contests and school outreach. Van Wagner said 134 youth participated in county fair programs this year, producing more than 1,000 entries, and that school visits reached about 746 students. Corianne Topham, the county livestock coordinator, described hands-on livestock education and reported about 20 participants raised roughly 230 turkey poults this season, representing about $13,500 in farm-gate value based on the prices she cited.
Bettis noted broader social returns from youth programming and mentioned a recently awarded $2,000,000 mentoring grant for work with at‑risk youth. Commissioners expressed appreciation for the extension’s work and the presentation closed with no additional county funding requested at this session.
The commission proceeded to other agenda business; there were no formal votes tied to the extension presentation during the meeting.
