ANNUAL REPORT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RESULTS THE COMPREHENSIVE ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM Alabama A&M University Auburn University Tuskegee University FISCAL YEAR 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE: ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY / AUBURN UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATION……………………………………………………….…………..PAGE 03 PREFACE……………………………………………………………………..........PAGE 04 INTRODUCTION………..................................................................................PAGE 05 Planning and Reporting Refinements……………………………….…...PAGE 06 NATIONAL GOALS: PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS………..………….…PAGE 07 Goal One…………………………………………………………………….PAGE 07 Goal Two…………………………………………………………………….PAGE 47 Goal Three………………………………………………………………..…PAGE 50 Goal Four........................................................................................…...PAGE 67 Goal Five…………………………………………………………………..…PAGE 90 ALLOCATION OF FISCAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES…………………….…PAGE 152 STAKEHOLDER INPUT…………………………………………………………….PAGE 153 PROGRAM REVIEW PROCESS…………………………………………………..PAGE 155 INTEGRATED RESEARCH & EXTENSION AND MULTISTATE ACTIVITIES………………………………………………………….PAGE 157 PART TWO: TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………..……...PAGE 168 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS, RESULTS, AND IMPACTS…..………….PAGE 170 Goal One………………………………………………………………….….PAGE 170 Goal Two……………………………………………………………………..PAGE 176 Goal Three………………………………………………………………...…PAGE 183 Goal Four........................................................................................…...PAGE 188 Goal Five…………………………………………………………………..…PAGE 191 ALLOCATION OF FISCAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES……………………….PAGE 198 STAKEHOLDER INPUT PROCESS…............……………………....……..…....PAGE 199 PROGRAM REVIEW PROCESS……………………………………….……….…PAGE 200 EXTENSION TEAM PROJECT SUCCESS STORIES…………………………..PAGE 201 CONTACTS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM………………………………………………………………PAGE 217 SUPPLEMENT TO THE ANNUAL REPORT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RESULTS: MULTISTATE EXTENSION ACTIVITIES AND INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES.......................................................................................................PAGE 218 2 CERTIFICATION The Alabama Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results has been reviewed and approved by the1862 Extension Director - Auburn University, the 1890 Administrator - Alabama A&M University, and the 1890 Administrator - Tuskegee University. The 2002 Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results was electronically transmitted by a duly sanctioned designee (Ronald L. Williams, Extension Head, Program Planning and Development). By separate correspondence the required Letter of Certification for the Alabama Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results has been directed to the Administrator, CSREES. 3 PREFACE The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is in its second century of helping the people of Alabama improve their lives. The more than 900 members of our Extension System team have every right to be proud of their accomplishments over the past year. Cooperative Extension professionals have generated positive impacts to the lives of thousands of Alabama residents as they fulfilled Extension's mission of making the latest in university-based research, knowledge, information and technological innovation available to all Alabamians. In response to locality relevant needs, concerns, and priorities, program content has changed greatly over the years. One element, however, has never changed—our focus on the individual. Our organization has never lost sight of the importance of helping individuals make positive changes in their lives. Program contents have expanded and program delivery methods have evolved since our beginning. Necessary improvements to our program content and delivery process will continue to evolve but at the end of the day, Extension professionals will always continue the focus on the individual Alabama residents who benefit from our services. This year, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System launched a new initiative to carry us into the future. The strategic plan encompasses a continued vision of transformation into a world-class organization—one that is fully equipped to provide real-life solutions that improves the lives of all Alabamians. As our new motto so succinctly expresses, Extension professionals are "Your Experts for Life." The reports and success stories that follow illustrate just how Extension is fulfilling our new slogan. Evidence will be provided to explain just how Extension touches lives from the youngest to the oldest citizens of the state. Our System looks forward to a future filled with documentation of how Extension professionals significantly, and positively, affect quality of life for our individuals, families, communities, and businesses. 4 INTRODUCTION The Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act (AREERA) Annual Report of Accomplishment and Results from the State of Alabama reflects the program accomplishments of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) and of the Tuskegee University Cooperative Extension Program. This AREERA Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results provides detailed information that documents outcomes and impacts that result from Cooperative Extension programs in the State of Alabama. The programs and related outcomes and impacts, as contained in this report, reflect the positive and mutually supportive program-planning interface among the three institutions. Where appropriate, institutional identification associated with specific outcomes is noted. Given that the three institutions (Alabama A&M University, Auburn University, and Tuskegee University) cooperated fully in the development and implementation of the AREERA Plan of Work the Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results is by definition, evidence of inter-institutional program planing, program implementation, and program accountability. The Alabama Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results reflects the Cooperative Extension programs funded by Federal agricultural extension formula funds and any required matching funds. In addition, it should be noted that many of these same programs are subject to the benefits of fiscal inputs leveraged from other sources, to include additional state appropriations and a significant amount of entrepreneurial dollars. This Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results is constructed consistent with the design and format of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act (AREERA) Plan of Work from the State of Alabama. Alabama remains appreciative of the flexibility allowed in the design of our AREERA Plan of Work. Such flexibility of design was beneficial in that it allowed Alabama Cooperative Extension to produce a program plan that was foremost in addressing the critical needs of our citizens and that also met the stated needs of our Federal partner. This Annual Report of Accomplishments and is aligned with the five (5) National Goals and includes impact data and success stories for each included program. As in prior submissions, this document addresses the stated components of Planned Programs, Stakeholder Input Process, Program Review Process, and Evaluation of the Success of Multistate Extension and Integrated Research and Extension Activities. The stated request for brevity and concise reporting, as noted on the AREERA web page, has been noted and is reflected in this report. Extension work in Alabama is organized under twenty-four (24) “Statewide Major Programs” (SMPs) which have emerged from our six (6) base program areas. The SMPs are the broadly defined areas in which the System conducts educational 5 programs, provides research-based information and carries out all of its activities. Under the twenty-four SMPs there exist a set of “Extension Team Projects” (ETPs). An ETP is defined as a combination of clearly related, preplanned educational activities which occur over a specified period of time (usually several years), and geographic area (usually statewide) and which involve several Extension-funded employees working together to accomplish specific, highly-focused, measurable results based on the organizations objectives and goals. Each of the Alabama Extension team projects are all linked to one or more of the five (5) national goals. For each Goal there is a set of Extension Team Project Reports. Each report defines project intent, methods, and related impacts. The listed activities are representative of Alabama Cooperative Extension programs that address the National Goals and which have significant impacts for the 2002 program year. PLANNING AND REPORTING REFINEMENTS As previously reported, for program year 2002 Alabama implemented a more rigorous and useful on-line planning and reporting system that greatly enhanced the capacity to document program accomplishments and impacts as well as capturing contacts and days worked data. For each of the ETPs there is a unique set of quantitative and qualitative questions developed by the ETP leader. Each agent and/or specialist who signed up to work under each ETP was required to provide responses to the quantitative and qualitative questions. Responses to the questions provided the ETP leader the data necessary to conduct a thorough project evaluation and to produce a comprehensive report reflecting all of the FTEs devoted to the project and explaining the measurable impacts and results. The on-line reporting system also allowed for narrative success stories associated with both SMPs and ETPs. Each agent and full-time specialist was required to submit