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Illinois Extension reports growth in 4‑H, launches venison donation program in Richland County
Summary
Tara Biercher, county director for Illinois Extension, told the Richland County Board that the Extension's five‑county annual report shows 261 4‑H members in the unit and introduced a venison donation program that will deliver processed deer to local food pantries with partner processors covering processing costs.
Tara Biercher, county director for the Illinois Extension unit that covers Richland County and four neighboring counties, updated the Richland County Board on the Extension's annual report and new programming plans.
Biercher said the Extension's new venison donation program connects hunters who do not want the meat with partner processors and local food pantries. “It is a program that extension has developed and it allows hunters to, hunt. And if they don't want the deer … they can donate it through one of our partner processors, and we raise funds to cover the processing,” Biercher said. She said the program has been popular with pantries and noted delivery plans for Masters Hands in September.
Biercher also reported the unit currently serves 261 4‑H members across the five counties and described active programming: farm tours (including a recent visit to Weiler Enterprises, Michael's Dairy), workshops on gardening and tree pruning, a popular lion‑dancing play workshop and school‑based outreach such as monthly library Spark events. Young 4‑H member Kylie Coker, a Richland County High School senior, told the board that 4‑H and FFA experiences helped build her public‑speaking and project skills.
On finances, Biercher said the program has absorbed recent cuts to a SNAP‑education grant and is using a temporary state grant to rehire some staff for local programming. She said the unit is being conservative with expenses (no printed showbooks this year, reduced mailings) and will monitor whether existing county support—historically around $65,000 in property taxes—will be sufficient. “I would say right now, that is sufficient,” Biercher said, while acknowledging the unit may seek additional assistance later in the budget cycle.
Biercher said the Extension will pilot a nutrition and brain‑health program with an educator visiting Olney in the morning and Lawrence County in the afternoon, and she asked the board to let staff know by late summer if local financial needs will change.
The board took no formal vote on Extension funding at the meeting; Biercher said staff would return if more assistance is required and thanked the board for continued support.
The Extension presentation and the questions that followed are expected to inform the county's budget dialogue later this year.
