Download - Field Office Innovative Solutions (Part 3) Illinois NRCS All Employee Meeting March 2, 2005
Field Office Field Office Innovative SolutionsInnovative Solutions
(Part 3)(Part 3)
Illinois NRCS All Employee MeetingIllinois NRCS All Employee Meeting March 2, 2005March 2, 2005
Benefits to NRCS / Benefits to NRCS / SWCDSWCD Opportunity to educate non-farm Opportunity to educate non-farm
people about “conservation people about “conservation agriculture”agriculture”
Non-farm people are taxpayers—Non-farm people are taxpayers—what do their conservation dollars what do their conservation dollars buy?buy?
Benefits to NRCS / Benefits to NRCS / SWCDSWCD
President Bush’s “faith-based President Bush’s “faith-based initiative”initiative”
Build relationships with local agri-Build relationships with local agri-businessbusiness
Benefits to NRCS / Benefits to NRCS / SWCDSWCD Farmers sell our productFarmers sell our product
Recruit diversityRecruit diversity
workforce, volunteers, SWCD workforce, volunteers, SWCD board board
and committeesand committees
Benefits to NRCS / Benefits to NRCS / SWCDSWCD
Extends our areas of influence in Extends our areas of influence in towns, cities, and overseastowns, cities, and overseas
Strengthens our internal Strengthens our internal partnershipspartnerships
Something to put on your outreach Something to put on your outreach report!report!
Benefits to AgricultureBenefits to Agriculture
Non-farm people get “connected”; Non-farm people get “connected”; they can “put a face” on agriculturethey can “put a face” on agriculture
Farmers can explain:Farmers can explain:
costs / returns program pmts.costs / returns program pmts.
GMO’s nutrients / pesticidesGMO’s nutrients / pesticides
technology conservation technology conservation practicespractices
Benefits to U.S. societyBenefits to U.S. society
People know where and how their People know where and how their food is grownfood is grown
Improve our image overseas as a Improve our image overseas as a “caring” society“caring” society
Benefits to U.S. societyBenefits to U.S. society
Breaks down perceived barriers:Breaks down perceived barriers:
urban—suburban—rural—farmerurban—suburban—rural—farmer
religious denominationsreligious denominations
What you can do:What you can do:
Look for interest—”fan the flames”Look for interest—”fan the flames”
Have a speaker come to a meetingHave a speaker come to a meeting
Attend a harvest celebrationAttend a harvest celebration
Help us find diversity among the non-Help us find diversity among the non-farm partnersfarm partners
More informationMore information
See me or anyone from the See me or anyone from the Ottawa Field Office NRCS / SWCD Ottawa Field Office NRCS / SWCD staffstaff
Go to foodsresourcebank.orgGo to foodsresourcebank.org
Success
Some people dream of success…..
While others wake up and work hard at it!
CREATING INDIVIDUAL CREATING INDIVIDUAL WORK AREAS IN YOUR WORK AREAS IN YOUR
COUNTYCOUNTYBy ADAM LUCIE SCTBy ADAM LUCIE SCT
&&
JEREMY PIPER SCJEREMY PIPER SC
MANAGING WORK AREAS MANAGING WORK AREAS
• In Carthage we divide our county into areas according to the number of employees we have.
• The District Conservationist keeps a log book of all work going on in the county. Applications are then handed to the employee responsible for the area the project is located in.
• Each staff member is responsible for their own area of the county.
• We work together on large jobs or when someone needs extra help.
NEGATIVE RESULTS OF OTHER NEGATIVE RESULTS OF OTHER MANAGEMENT STYLESMANAGEMENT STYLES
• The person closest to the door gets the most work. Work is not evenly distributed.
• The employee who has been working in the office the longest receives a larger work load.
• Allowing employees to only work with one program cheats them in the future.
ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION
• Time is saved and the over all quality of work is improved.
• Travel distance and time is reduced.
• It is easier to track progress of employees and for employees to track their own progress.
Who’s Working on that?Who’s Working on that?
• If a question arises about a project the staff will know who is responsible based on the area where it is located.
• Clients will become familiar with the staff member in their area.
• Staff members will know their section of the county which will allow them to better serve the public.
CLOSINGCLOSING
• Finally, managing your workload and staff can be accomplished many different ways. However the way we manage can make the difference between an office or a great field office.
Excellence is the result of caring
More than others think is wise;
Risking more than others think is
Safe. Dreaming more than others
Think is practical and expecting
More than others think is possible.
Spores and More Spores and More Mushroom FestivalMushroom Festival
A Project of the Heartland A Project of the Heartland of Illinois RC&D of Illinois RC&D
OpportunityOpportunity Lake Shelbyville is not being used to the Lake Shelbyville is not being used to the
capacity availablecapacity available Businesses in the Towns around the Lake Businesses in the Towns around the Lake
want to see an increase in Tourismwant to see an increase in Tourism Many meetings have been held with State Many meetings have been held with State
Legislators to look into increasing TourismLegislators to look into increasing Tourism People have many outdoor interests in People have many outdoor interests in
the Areathe Area No Festivals involve each Town No Festivals involve each Town
collectivelycollectively
Ah! MorelsAh! Morels
Organizing a Planning Organizing a Planning CommitteeCommittee
Involve all 4 towns Involve all 4 towns of Bethany, of Bethany, Findlay, Shelbyville Findlay, Shelbyville and Sullivanand Sullivan
Build relationshipsBuild relationships Determine Events Determine Events
and Activities to be and Activities to be heldheld
Utilize “Experts” on Utilize “Experts” on the subjectthe subject
ADVERTISEADVERTISE
Secure Funding…RC&D GrantSecure Funding…RC&D Grant Determine the best way to reach Determine the best way to reach
people who may be interestedpeople who may be interested Those used: 3 TV Stations, Radio, Those used: 3 TV Stations, Radio,
Newspaper feature stories, Flyers Newspaper feature stories, Flyers and Postersand Posters
Hold Pre-event ContestHold Pre-event Contest
To get local people To get local people involved using their involved using their favorite mushroom favorite mushroom patchpatch
To build anticipation To build anticipation for the Festival Huntfor the Festival Hunt
Train Contest Judges Train Contest Judges for Biggest Shroom for Biggest Shroom
Festival KickoffFestival Kickoff
Mushroom Hunt Mushroom Hunt RegistrationRegistration
Mushroom HuntMushroom Hunt
Hunt Results and AuctionHunt Results and Auction
Town Town FestivalsFestivals
Another RC&D InitiativeAnother RC&D Initiative
Heartland Graziers Heartland Graziers Heartland of Illinois RC&D Heartland of Illinois RC&D
ProjectProject An Opportunity to provide Assistance An Opportunity to provide Assistance
to New and Existing Graziersto New and Existing Graziers Network with each other and share Network with each other and share
Ideas, experiences, successes, rent Ideas, experiences, successes, rent equipment or sell productsequipment or sell products
Cooperate with other Agencies Cooperate with other Agencies (Cooperative Extension Service, Farm (Cooperative Extension Service, Farm Bureau, Illinois Beef Association)Bureau, Illinois Beef Association)
WorkshopsWorkshops
Provide Resource Provide Resource Information on Information on Pasture Pasture Establishment, Establishment, Management, Herd Management, Herd Selection, Selection, Marketing and Marketing and EconomicsEconomics
Pasture Walks and Pasture Walks and DemonstrationsDemonstrations
Innovation
The best way to perfect
The future…
Is to create it.
Thank you for your attention!