 |
 Mike Regans, Areas Specialized Agent of
the Neuse Education Team, is helping hog producers make the grade. Through a series of
workshops and with help from a new record-keeping notebook, Regans is enabling hog
producers to keep more accurate records for hog operation - a key issue in the Neuse River
Basin today. |
| Sections in the book include: waste application records, farm field maps,
certified waste management plan, waste sample analysis, annual soil analysis report and an
emergency action plan. The book, which has become an integral part of his record-keeping training with farmers, is unique in that the back cover of each record book has emergency phone numbers. These numbers are tailored to the farmer's county whose using it. "The farmers appreciate these workshops and the notebook," Regans says. "One farmer even said we should have the workshops on a routine basin to keep people updated on the procedures." Regans' cluster of counties -Greene, Lenior, Pitt, and Wayne - each have farmers
using the record book. The book may serve as a model for other counties in the Neuse River
Basin. Regans has even suggested that these workshops count toward the six hours needed
for recertification needed by hog farmers. (Every producer or operator that goes through
the certification, mandated by Senate Bill 1217, has to receive six hours of
recertification training every three years.) Andy Fisher |
 The hat trick. In hockey the term means that a player scores three times in one match. In the world of academia it can me three college degrees. Enter Bill Hunt - the new urban nonpoint source pollution member of the Neuse Education Team. With two Bachelor Degrees, one in Civil Engineering, the other in Economics, and a Masters Degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Hunt brings a wealth of resources to combat the problems plaguing the Neuse River. "I feel
that this opportunity offers much potential for me to use my background. I can not think
of another job where I could weave my schooling so effectively in addressing real-world
problems," Hunt says. |
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| Hunt will be dealing with issues such
as water transport (how it gets from point A to B), dam and wetland design, and divengent
or path-altering devises such as canals and swales. Hunt hopes to lend his technical expertise to the Neuse Education Team to help them better educate citizens about water quality issues. "Education is crucial in dealing with these issues.Whenever we can give the average citizen useful information, we are that much closer to involving them in solutions," Hunt says.  Hunt has
two main goals in working with the Neuse Education Team: developing a demonstration
project in each agent's territory and showing the agents hands-on the how and why it
works. Hunt also wants to work with the team in developing and nurturing urban affairs
contacts by creating a more targeted approach in delivering education."I want to include municipal leaders, city planners, and engineers," Hunt says. Hunt is very excited about joining the Neuse Education Team and feels fortunate to work with such quality people. "They're a bunch of problem solvers. I'm thankful to be working with this caliber of individuals." Andy
Fisher |
on
regulations," Regans says. In addition to his timely knowledge of legislative
proceedings, Regans had the technical expertise to make it happen. 