USU Extension

Shalane Smith-Needham- Over the last few weeks, the Black Lives Matter movement has been gaining momentum across the country with protests happening in every state and even countries around the world. While the information on the movement is all over the internet, how would you have these conversations with children?

Determining when to plant a garden can be especially confusing and Utah's unpredictable varied climate, or last frost days can vary by many days within just a few miles. Many experienced gardeners have planted and later lost their plants to frost.

Shalayne Smith Needham: On May 1, restrictions on restaurant dine-in options were lifted. Now that restaurant dining areas are opening up again, visitors should expect things to be different. 

Dr. Brian Nummer, a professor in the USU Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences Department joins us. 

Shalayne Smith Needham: With everyone spending more time at home a lot of us are taking time to clean out our cupboards, pantries and refrigerators and maybe finding the sell, buy and use by date stamps on our food items a bit confusing. Joining us to talk about food safety protocol is Teresa Hunsaker, consumer educator for USU extension. Thanks for being here.

Determining when to plant a garden can be especially confusing in Utah’s unpredictable, varied climate where last-frost dates can vary by many days within just a few miles. Many experienced gardeners have planted and later lost their plants to frost.

Mental wellness at work is an essential part of overall well-being that is often overlooked. Any job can be stressful, even if you love what you do.

As individuals and families come to Utah State University’s Student Nutrition Access Center (SNAC) to meet their food needs in the coming weeks, they will get to enjoy the fruits of the labors of other USU students and community volunteers.

Utah State University Extension 4-H youth have answered the call to help protect health care workers in rural Utah areas. 

Stress can be brought on by everyday hassles, but especially when there are larger issues like the ongoing public health concern of a pandemic. While no one’s life is completely stress free, regular negative stress can keep us from feeling and performing our best; therefore, it is important that we learn how to manage it. 

Not surprisingly, scammers are taking advantage of the fears that surround the Coronavirus. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission has already communicated with several scammers who are selling phony Coronavirus “treatments.” Scammers have set up websites to sell bogus products using fake emails, texts and social media posts as a method to get victims’ money and personal information.

In difficult economic times, many people consider purchasing chickens as part of their domestic safety net. Raising chickens, however, is distinctly different than stocking up on food storage or bottled water.

Shalayne Smith Needham: Joining me next is Dr. Lori Spears, invasive species survey coordinator at Utah State University, to talk about the Asian Giant Hornet, also known as the Murder Hornet. 

Shalayne Smith Needham: In stressful times, it's important to reach out to friends, family, and especially children who need guidance during these hard times. Callie Ward is an Extension assistant professor at Utah State University and specializes in family finance, family resource management, emergency preparedness and food preservation. Callie Ward joins us by phone from Garfield County. Thanks for being here. 

May brings many things to do in the garden. And if you've been to one of our garden centers here in Utah lately, you'll notice that there's a lot of people there buying plants-- lots of garden plants in particular.

Are restaurants safe for delivery and take out? Dr. Brian Nummer, an Associate Professor in the Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences Department at Utah State University, addresses this question.

Today's topic is on the USU Extension pest advisories. USU Extension experts produce four pest advisories to serve the needs of Utah citizens. Which pests are included in these advisories? Insects, mites, plant pathogens, and bird pests such as voles.

Our second episode focuses on debunking the myth that "good people like me don't become addicted to drugs." It features guest Michelle Chapoose who is a member of the Tribal and Rural Opoid Innative and the tribal liaison coordinator from the Tribal Opioid Resource Center in Roosevelt, Utah; Dr. Christina A. Porucznik, an associate professor and associate division chief for education in the division of public health; and Jay Hymas of Clear Recovery Cache Valley.   

This first episode introduces the Tribal and Rural Opioid Initiative, and the state of the opioid crisis in Utah. It features guest Heather Bush from Utah Department of Health, a Syringe Exchange Program Coordinator and Dr. Erin Fanning Madden, assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology and biostatistics at University of New Mexico Health Science Center.   We review information about how the crisis began, and set the stage for debunking a myth in each of our episodes moving forward.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 70,000 Americans died of an overdose in 2017, over 47,000 of which involved opioids.  The Utah Department of Health reported that Utah has been ranked in the top 10 states for overdose deaths for the last 10 years, and Carbon and Emery counties have opioid overdose mortality rates 2.5 times the national average.  In order to address these issues, a summit will be held this week at Utah State University Eastern in Price.

This week, Utah State University hosted 300 middle and high school students from across Utah and Idaho for the Latino Youth Leadership Boot Camp. 

While most individuals are unaware of how food gets from farm to table, Dr. Kynda Curtis, a professor and extension specialist in applied economics at Utah State University, is all too familiar with the process.

In 2017, only 77 percent of Utah Latinos graduated high school. The percentage of those going to college is even lower.

The Food Fun and Reading course is designed to help children from preschool through second grade learn more about eating well through reading and activities.

Spring weather in Utah can be unpredictable, creating frustration for people looking forward to summer weather. But for farmers, the up and down weather could impact the health of fruit trees. Experts are trying to warn people before it’s too late.