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MISSOULA COUNTY2017 Program HighlightsWelcome to Missoula CountyMissoula is known as the Garden Citybecause of its ability to grow localfood crops. In the early days, fruits andvegetables were marketed to surrounding miningcommunities. Today a number of stores andrestaurants use locally-grown food crops,and producers can market through sevenfarmer’s markets.Missoula County has a population of 116,130people. Missoula, the county seat, has apopulation of 72,186. The major industry formany decades was timber. That has declinedsignificantly since the early 1970’s and Missoulahas become a regional trade center. Additionalcategories of economic importance are educationalservices, health care and social services. Ninetypercent of the wage and salary workers areemployed by small businesses of 20 employees orless. One out of four people are self-employed.Subdivision since the 1970’s has resulted inmany small acre parcels of land. The currentGIS data shows 5,936 individual landowners inMissoula County that own five acres or more ofland. The 2012 Census of Agriculture reports 637farms in Missoula County with average sales of 21,355 per farm.species has brought new challenges. Through theencouragement of the Governor, the departmenthas provided statewide leadership in organizing aMontana Invasive Species Council.Youth education is an important part of ourprogram. The 4-H program is very important inMissoula. Changes are under way that will enhanceour abilities in working with 4-H youth andfamilies. Youth education in natural resources andlocal-grown foods through the schools and nonprofit groups is also an important part of our work.Recently, the department collaborated witha number of partners to conduct a statewidelandowner natural resources value survey. Theresults will be used in organizing upcomingprograms.These highlights are a brief look at the programswe do. We encourage people to contact us forinformation and to consider becoming involved inprograms of interest.Due to the interest and concerns about invasivespecies, the MSU Extension office and WeedDistrict are combined into one department.Considerable effort has resulted in new toolsand sustainable methods of managing invasiveweeds, such as the biological weed controlprogram. The concerns about invasive aquaticPhoto by Jed Littlewww.msuextension.org

Plant & Pest EducationMissoula Plant Clinic keeps residents inthe know about plants and their pestsThe Missoula County MSU Extension PlantClinic provides leadership and educationalopportunities to the public on the identificationand integrated pest management practices(IPM) of plant diseases, pests and related planthealth problems through the coordination andmanagement of the Plant Clinic. The clinic:§§ Performs weekly scouting trips, checking onpest levels that challenge gardeners, landscapersand homeowners in maintaining healthy plantcommunities and environment.§§ Traps for insects such as the codling moth,cherry fruit fly and currant/gooseberry flyto give Missoula County residents timelyinformation on when to spray for those pests tocontrol damage to fruit. This information helpsreduce unwarranted pesticide use.§§ Updates the Pest Alert Hotline, which isdistributed through email, Missoula CountyMSU Extension website and phone recording.§§ Provided information for 1,600 calls, walkin clients and emails this year includinginformation on soil testing, pruning, plantidentification, and pest control.§§ Collaborates with the YMCA’s Gardeningfor Kids Camp. Thirty children were givenmagnified bug viewing containers to examineprovided lady bugs. We talked about good andbad bugs in the garden and what role bugs play.§§ Assisted the City of Missoula Parks departmentby training 10 volunteers how to maintainplants in traffic circles.§§ Participates in two radio talk shows answeringhorticulture questions from listeners.§§ Partners with FCS Agent Kelly Moore inteaching four Lunch and Learn classes: subjectsinclude Stevia, fruit leather, beet growing andharvesting, and growing herbs.§§ Held a class for 10 people on how to growsalad greens in containers (Seed to Salad).§§ Works with the local native plant society andU of M maintenance on diagnosing problemsin their native plant garden at the University ofMontana.ABOVE: Talking about good and badbugs in the garden with the YMCAyouth gardening class.RIGHT: Lady beetle larva pupatinginto adults.2MISSOULA COUNTY Montana State University Extension

Partnerships: Refining Outreachthrough Social UnderstandingIn 2013, the weed district brought togetheran interdisciplinary group of natural resourcemanagers, social scientists, and conservation leadersto work collaboratively to find ways to improveoutreach effectiveness and enhance natural resourcestewardship in Montana. Natural resources issuesidentified by the group included mitigating theimpacts of wildfire, wildlife conflict and invasiveweeds. With funding provided by the MissoulaCounty Weed District, Montana Department ofNatural Resources, Gallatin Valley Land Trust,Defenders of Wildlife, Montana State UniversityExtension and the Montana Department ofAgriculture, the group partnered with the HumanDimensions Lab of theUniversity of Montana toconduct a statewide surveythat could provide a betterunderstanding of landowners’attitudes and values towardkey natural resource issues,constraints, and preferencesfor information sources. Thisinformation could then beused to clearly identify groupsof Montana landowners mostin need of assistance anddevelop audience appropriatemessaging and informationfor them. The survey wascompleted in 2016, and hereare the results of Landowners’perspectives on weed controlacross Montana.controlling weeds on their property wouldmotivate their neighbors to take action.§§ While 70% of landowners reported checkingtheir property for weeds, only 40% oflandowners thought their neighbors weretaking action.§§ 80% of landowners are willing to useherbicides to help control noxious weedson their property; only 44% of landownerswere willing to apply for a government grantprogram to do so.§§ Friends and family and general internet searchwere the most popular sources people usedto get info. Workshops/classes and federalgovernment were the least popular sources.§§ 70% of landowners saidthey always checked theirproperty for weeds.§§ Almost 90% of landownersbelieved their personalactions could help controlweeds, only 31% ofrespondents believed thatwww.msuextension.org3

Montana Biocontrol Coordination ProjectThe Montana Biocontrol Coordination Project works toprovide the leadership, coordination, and educationnecessary to enable land managers across Montana tosuccessfully incorporate biological weed control intotheir noxious weed management programs.In 2017:§§ 35 days were spent collecting insects§§ Nearly 500 land managers assisted in collectingbiocontrol agentsCyphocleonus achates-spotted knapweedroot weevil§§ 7 species were collected (Mecinus janthiniformis,Mecinus janthinus, Agonopterix alstroemeriana,Aphthona spp, Oberea erythrocephala, Larinus spp,and Cyphocleonus achates)§§ 3 additional species were brought in and released inMontana (Chrysolina spp, Hylobius tranversovittatus,and Puccinia punctiformis)§§ 40 Montana counties collected or received insects§§ 14 other states received insects (Colorado,Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, Utah,New Mexico, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota,Minnesota, Tennessee, and New York)§§ Approximately 2.5 million insects distributed§§ 16,520 acres treated (following rule of: 5 acrestreated for every 1 release)§§ 550,000 approximate market value of distributedinsects§§ 15 workshops were coordinated or presentationswere given in Columbus, Kalispell, Miles City,Missoula, Ovando, Deer Lodge, Dixon, Condon,Philipsburg, Whitehall, Browning, Fishtail, and Utica§§ Over 300 participants were involved in theseworkshops or presentations§§ Nearly 6,750 miles traveled throughout Montana forworkshops and collectionsLarinus spp – spotted knapweed flower weevil4MISSOULA COUNTY Montana State University Extension

Grocery shopping tours with MissoulaEFNEPFamily and Consumer Sciences 2017Program HighlightsThe Expanded Food and Nutrition EducationProgram (EFNEP) provides free classes to lowincome families in Missoula County. Classgraduates have the opportunity to attend a groceryshopping tour. Families receive a 10 gift card andare challenged to make a healthy meal consistingof all five food groups according to MyPlate.EFNEP partners with Super Walmart, a store thatis convenient and familiar to families. During the2016-2017 fiscal year, nutrition educators JuliaGoar and Bonnie Medlin conducted six tours.§§ Powerful Tools for Caregivers. Two sessionswere offered in spring and fall, in partnershipwith MAS (Missoula Aging Services). Twentyparticipants got information and peer supportin groups. Participants are better able to utilizeresources shared in class to ensure improvedself-care during the challenges of familycaretaking.Recently, while touring the bread aisle, BonnieMedlin asked her participants to grab the breadthey normally buy and identify the fiber content.MyPlate teaches that a whole grain productis defined as 3g of fiber or more. One of herparticipants was shocked to discover that hernormal bread purchase only contained 1g offiber. She was tricked into thinking the bread waswhole grain based off the color of the bread. Theparticipant then chose to buy a loaf of whole grainbread with a higher fiber content.Missoula EFNEP 2016-2017 Statistics§§ 95 families graduated.§§ 89% of families had a positive change, eatingmore of the five food groups. Graduates atemore food with fiber, calcium, and Vitamin A.§§ 8.12 is saved in healthcare costs by a familywho graduated from EFNEP.§§ DEEP (Diabetes Empowerment EducationProgram). Two sessions were offered in springand fall with 15 participants. Universityof Montana Pharmacy School seniorspresented updates on diabetes medicationsand management progress. Empowermentstrategies are adopted by participants to betterhandle the challenges of diabetes self-careand management. The Community DiabetesEducation Program presented the doctorreferred program for those with diabetes tocontinue to expand their diabetes awareness.§§ Strong People. Two, six-week sessions of lowimpact exercises and strength training (witha nutrition component) were offered for anaverage of 6-8 seniors ranging in age from 5594 at River Ridge Senior Apartments. Severalparticipants expressed their excitement abouthaving more energy and endurance as a resultof the program.§§ 884 children reached in the 2016-2017 schoolyear.Canning demonstration and pressure gaugetesting at Caras Nursery.Missoula EFNEP nutrition educator Bonnie Medlin leadinga shopping tour at Walmart.www.msuextension.org5