West Virginia University Archives

Land-grant university research and Extension support resilience for youths, families and communities nationwide

Here are a few examples of that work: The effectiveness of the Department of Defense’s Military Family Readiness System depends on well-trained Extension professionals with research-based tools and resources. Extension specialists in Kentucky contributed by providing personal finance training to military service providers so they can pass on knowledge, tools and resources that help military families prevent and navigate financial [...]

Land-grant university research and Extension strengthen nutrition, health and well-being

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of illness, disability and death in America. Research and Extension are fighting back. Over half of adults who participated in a Texas diabetes education program now choose healthier foods, monitor glucose levels during exercise, and control their diabetes to avoid interference with daily life. These changes could help participants save up to $94,021 in [...]

Research and Extension ensure everyone has ample access to affordable, safe, nutritious food

Invasive pests damage crops, costing U.S. agriculture an estimated $30 billion every year. Pest management research and Extension stabilize the food supply chain. Researchers and Extension specialists in Oregon, developed cost-effective alternatives to glyphosate for herbicide-resistant Russian thistle control, protecting more than 30,000 acres of wheat and preventing over $1 million in yield losses so far.Oregon State University Extension Service. [...]

Building West Virginia’s future fire service workforce through youth engagement

Volunteer fire departments across West Virginia face ongoing recruitment and retention challenges threatening emergency response capacity, particularly in rural and economically distressed communities. Aging volunteer memberships, increased training requirements and limited early exposure to fire service careers have weakened the traditional pipeline of new volunteers. To address this workforce gap, the West Virginia University Extension State Fire Training Academy operated [...]

Advancing student workforce development in West Virginia

In West Virginia, fewer students are going to college after high school. To meet the state’s workforce demand, 60% of West Virginians need to have some form of degree or certificate. As of 2022, only 45% of the adult population had achieved this level of education. West Virginia University Extension conducted a statewide needs assessment in 2021 and discovered that [...]

Mitigating costly poultry diseases

Avian diseases pose a major challenge to the nation’s $77 billion poultry industry and drastically increase the cost of poultry products for consumers. Avian diseases can also pose a health threat to other animals and humans. At the same time, there is a demand to produce poultry without antibiotics or other drugs commonly used to fight diseases. Working together, [...]

Community gardens increase food security and community well-being

Based on the 2023 National Gardening Survey, 80% of American households participated in a gardening project in 2022. Through Extension trainings, seed libraries and gardening kits and the efforts of Extension Master Gardener volunteers, land-grant universities are increasing access to gardens, improving community well-being, and helping individuals learn to grow their own food. Here are a few examples of that [...]

Safer, more sustainable pest management

Managing pests is essential to healthy, safe and productive agricultural, urban, residential and natural areas. But pesticides can cause air and water pollution and unintended harm to nontarget organisms. Pesticide exposure has also been linked to human health problems. In addition, many pests eventually develop resistance to commonly used chemicals, rendering those chemicals ineffective. Researchers and Extension educators across [...]

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