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Letter from the Editor In 1990, 66 percent of Idahoans qualified as rural. Today only 37 percent do, according to U.S. figures. While Idaho is less rural than it was in 1990, it is still far more rural than the United States as a whole. Nationwide only 17 percent of the population live in non-metro counties. Stories from pages 10 to 18 examine ways UI Extension is evolving to continue its service to rural Idaho as new needs arise. We report on structural changes within UI Extension (pages 10 to 13). We also feature programs designed to strengthen 10 rural communities—Bonners Ferry, Burley, Cottonwood, Elk City, Grangeville, Kamiah, Kooskia, McCall, Riggins, and Preston (pages 14 to 19). Bill Loftus updates us on events that have focused the most national and global attention on the University of Idaho in its history (page 7) and reports Idaho’s growing importance in biodefense and infectious disease research (page 23). Marlene Fritz reports on four ways UI College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) scientists are helping Idahoans—both homeowners and commercial growers—conserve water (pages 8 to 9). Diane Noel shares tips on using meat thermometers to help you gauge when hamburgers and other thin cuts are done, so they are safe and tastiest. Last summer alumnus Lee Schatz e-mailed us from Baghdad where he was one of the coalition leaders helping to restore Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture. Through him we learned about three other CALS alums, also playing leading roles in the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Their stories are on pages 24 and 25. Mary
Ann Reese © 2003 University of Idaho, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. |
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