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Local Programs

Virginia Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) programs improve family and community life through research based education focused on issues and challenges.  Educational experiences enable individuals and families to prevent and/or solve persistent problems, to improve their quality of life by increasing their ability to manage and utilize resources, maintain health, develop supportive and effective human relationships, and enhance home and community environment.

FCS programs in the area of Family, Food & Health and Community & Leadership.  Programming is offered throughout the year in various locations and during a variety of timeframes.  Fees vary.  For more information about FCS programming listed below check the VCE calendar or the local FCS Senior Extension Agent, Dawn Barnes. (lbarnes@vt.edu)

Family

Family Financial Management

Participate in a program for families and individuals to help secure healthy financial futures.  Learn how to:

  • Strengthen your personal or family finances

  • Protect yourself from scams

  • Be a part of a simulation experience; Life in the State of Poverty, Kid’s Marketplace, Reality Store

  • Bring financial education to your organization, business or school

The Personal Financial Management Course – Steps to Financial Success

            This is a 2 ½-hour class mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice to satisfy the requirements for discharge of bankruptcy.         

Master Financial Education Volunteers

Have an interest in helping others strengthen their finances?  The Master Financial Education Volunteer program focuses on helping families build their financial capacity through classes on topics such as managing money, getting out of debt, planning for their future, and preventing identity theft.  For more details check out 

Food & Nutrition

Nutrition & Wellness

            Learn how to:

  • Decrease risk of chronic disease through good nutrition

  • Make good choices when preparing meals

  • Get your ServSafe Certificate

  • Preserve foods safely using USDA-recommended practices

  • Bring nutrition programs to your agency or school

  • Other cooking, nutrition, physical activity related education opportunities available

Home Food Preservation

Join in on a variety of home food preservation workshops designed to teach participants how to safely can, freeze or dry their own foods. Classes and workshops available seasonally. In addition, we have the ability to check most gauge pressure canners for accuracy.

ServSafe Training

ServSafe Food Handler & Manager Trainings & Exams: Since 1991, Extension has offered the ServSafe® Manager Certification Training Course, an accredited food safety certification program developed by the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association. Family and consumer sciences agents offer the program locally to food service workers at restaurants, hospitals, schools, and childcare centers.

Click here for a current list of 2023 ServSafe Manager Classes  

Virginia Household Water Quality Program

Drinking water clinics are organized by local Family & Consumer Sciences and Agriculture, Natural Resources Extension Agents in cooperation with Virginia Tech faculty on a rotational schedule.  Taking place every 2- 3 years this program’s objective is to improve the water quality and health of Virginias with a private water supply system.

Master Food Volunteers

Combine your love of cooking, nutrition, physical activity, and helping others by becoming a Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Food Volunteer. The Master Food Volunteer Program helps Extension reach more Virginians with up-to-date, research-based knowledge on food preparation, nutrition, food safety, and physical activity.

Community and Leadership

Strengthening Your Facilitation Skills

Virginians are overcoming frustrating group meetings and discovering how to build a discussion process that leads to productive conversations and decision-making. Become one of these agents of change: Complete the Strengthening Your Facilitation Skills training!  During a two-day training participants will learn to facilitate discussions that result in clear direction.  Trainings provided regionally. 

 

 

 

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Agriculture and Natural Resources offers Programs to help sustain profitablilty of agricultre and forest production, while protecting and enhancing land and water resources. Effective management alternatives for livestock and poultry enterprise and presented through educational programs.

What We Offer

            Pesticide Safety Training

            Soil Testing & Fertilization Recommendations

            Insect, Disease & Weed Identification & Control Measures

            On-Farm Visits

            Forage Testing  

Additional Resources 

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

VSU College of Agriculture 

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences (VDACS)

Virginia Market News Service

Virginia Cattlemen's Association

Floyd County Government

Floyd Farmers Market

        

        

    

The Virginia Master Gardener Program. 

The Master Gardener Training Course provides the opportunity to improve horticultural knowledge and skills to share with the public through organized volunteer activities. Training classes are held at the Hahn Pavilion at the Peggy Lee Hahn Horticulture Gardens at Virginia Tech and hands-on sessions are held at various other locations around the New River Valley. Training classes meet two days a week and include the following topics:

Botany

Home Lawn Safety

Soils

Pesticide Safety & Use

Plant Propagation

Proper Pruning

Home Vegetables

Annuals & Perennials

Plant Problem Diagnosis

Home Fruits

Landscaping & Ornamentals

Trees & Shrubs

Integrated Pest Management

Soil & Water Conservation

Abiotic Plant Stress

Indoor Foliage