Honored for work in conservation and education

Leslie Merriken received Delaware’s 2017 “Tree Farmer of the Year” award for her extensive work in forestry conservation and education at the Delaware Forestry Association annual meeting in Bridgeville. The honor recognizes landowners who practice exceptional management and promote sustainable forestry. The American Tree Farm System was established in 1941 and is one of the oldest forest landowner organizations. Delaware’s first Tree Farm was certified in 1959; today there are more than 200 Tree Farms covering over 20,000 acres.

For the past 30 years, Merriken has been a forceful advocate for forest stewardship planning and multiple resource management embodied by the Tree Farm model: “Wood, Water, Recreation, Wildlife.” She owns and manages more than 1,000 acres in Delaware that have been in the Merriken family for generations and are recognized by the Delaware Century Farm program: the historic 600-acre Fairplay Farm near Greenwood and the 440-acre California Farm west of Harrington, which dates to 1752.

Merriken grew up on a dairy farm but got involved in forestry through her late husband Cal, whose family began farming in the First State after arriving from England in the 1680s. She attended her first Tree Farm meeting in 1988, began serving on the State Forest Stewardship Committee in 1999, and joined Delaware’s Tree Farm Committee in 2000.

Her active approach to forest management was recently featured in the September 2016 edition of USDA’s “Profiles in Conservation,” where she related her passion for natural resources, forestry, and wildlife:

“The forestry part, with long-range goals, is for timber income, wildlife, and my own personal satisfaction,” she said.  “There’s nothing better after a stressful day than to come out to these farms and just sit there. I find it very peaceful.”

This past year, she completed a successful 245-acre thinning that accounted for the presence of bald eagle nests. She partnered with the Delaware Forest Service to begin work on a 300-acre timber stand improvement project. In addition, she received funding from NRCS to improve oak species on a 23-acre tract to enhance wildlife habitat.

A strong supporter of education, Leslie has hosted tours at her Delaware Tree Farms and attended a variety of local, regional, and national Tree Farm meetings, among them: the 50th Anniversary Tree Farm meeting at Cape Henlopen in 1991; the first annual National Tree Farmer Convention in Williamsburg, VA; and national conventions in Ogunquit, Maine and Savannah, GA.

She regularly shares her firsthand experience with other landowners and forestry professionals, such as a recent talk on the benefits of quality deer management and diversion food plots at the 2017 Delaware Ag. Week sessions in Harrington. She encourages landowners to practice whitetail deer management through the Quality Deer Management Association because it has helped her to diversify income on her Tree Farms while also promoting healthy population levels for deer herds.

Merriken’s pioneering work on deer diversion food plots was featured in a Feb. 2015  article of “American Agriculturalist,” which outlined how she helped develop an innovative solution to minimize deer browse damage to the cash crops near her woods. She had found that 13 years of participating in Delaware’s Severe Deer Damage Assistance Program had not fully addressed the issue.

“We saw no substantial reduction of deer browse on our crops,” recalled Leslie Merriken. “We reached a point where additional deer harvesting wasn’t effective.”

So she worked with farmer Richard Carlisle of Bridgeville and wildlife expert Latty Hoch to plant diversionary food crop plots along the most heavily browsed areas of the farm. Non-irrigated, odd shaped areas lying adjacent to the farm’s pine plantations with poor soils were chosen.  Fifty-foot-wide strips of clover and alfalfa were planted between the cropland and the pine plantations.

When the improvement in yield was measured against the amortized costs of planting along with the reduction in acreage, the project was nevertheless deemed a success. In the first year, an 80% reduction of corn browse damage was observed.

Merriken’s outstanding dedication to forestry has earned her this accolade before: in 2007, she shared the Tree Farmer of the Year award with her husband Cal, who passed away in 2008. Calvert Merriken himself first won the award back in 1978.

Dover – Start your January 2016 right with the help of the Division of Public Health’s (DPH) “31 Days to a Healthier You” social media campaign.  Use the hashtag #31DaysDE to view how-to videos, tips, photos, and contact information for starting the New Year right.

“Healthy habits will lead to a healthier Delaware,” said Delaware Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Rita Landgraf.  “I encourage all Delawareans to have at least one New Year’s resolution that is health-oriented:  walking more, eating wiser portions, or visiting your doctor or dentist.  Small steps can lead to big health improvements.”

“We all need refreshing and inspirational ideas for taking charge of our health,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH director.  “If Delawareans are more physically active, make healthier food choices, quit smoking, and get regular medical screenings and immunizations, they are at reduced risk of certain cancers, heart attacks and strokes, diabetes, and obesity.”

Secretary Landgraf and Director Rattay’s comments are reinforced by the newly issued 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  New in this update of the Dietary Guidelines is the recommendation that less than 10 percent of calories should come from added sugars and saturated fats.  View the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans here.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Delawareans have access to free health screenings (like mammograms, blood pressure checks and autism screening for toddlers) and prevention opportunities (like free immunizations, nutrition counseling and more). To learn about Delaware’s health insurance marketplace, go to www.choosehealthde.com.

To learn about preventive benefits, visit healthcare.gov and search for “prevention.”

DPH offers these healthy lifestyle suggestions:

·      Re-thinking your drink to sugarless drinks can lead to a weight loss of up to 15 pounds in one year.  Visit http://www.deheal.org/projects/rethinkyourdrink/.

·      People at increased risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay the disease’s onset by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight. Delawareans who lose weight might also lower their blood pressure and cholesterol, and lessen pressure on their joints.

·      DPH recommends following the 5-2-1 Almost None concept: eating at least five servings of fruit or vegetables a day, watching no more than two hours of recreational screen time daily, getting one hour of physical activity each day, and drinking almost no sugar-sweetened drinks.

·      Becoming more physically active reduces the chance of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Most people feel better after taking a brisk walk or run, or participating in other activities such as ice skating, swimming, or working out.  Find out how much physical activity you need by clicking here.

·      Monitoring your blood pressure regularly and being aware of your recommended waist circumference can reduce the possibility of a heart attack or stroke. An ideal blood pressure is less than 120/80. The goal for waist size is less than 35 inches for women and less than 40 inches for men. (If you are South Asian, Chinese, or Japanese, the waist size goal is 32 inches for women and 35 inches for men.) Visit the Million Hearts® Delaware partnership.

·      Delaware residents 18 and older smoke can quit through a free program. Visit the Delaware Quitline’s website or call toll-free: 866-409-1858.

·      Visit the immunization schedules page on the DPH website to see immunization schedules recommended for adults and children, and then make an appointment with your provider.

·      Parent, teachers, and child care providers can find helpful physical activity ideas and resources at Making Health Easier.

Individuals seeking TTY services should call 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460. A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech-disabled can use a TTY to type his/her conversation to a relay operator, who then reads the typed conversation to a hearing person at the DPH call center. The relay operator relays the hearing person’s spoken words by typing them back to the TTY user. To learn more about translation services and TTY availability in Delaware, visit delawarerelay.com.
 
Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, drink almost no sugary beverages.

State, Local and Federal Leaders Celebrate Delaware’s
$18.8 Million USDA Grant for Job Training
Program Will Bring Together Partners to Provide Education, Skills to Food Benefit Clients

WILMINGTON  – Gov. Jack Markell, joined by federal, state and local leaders, praised the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today for choosing Delaware as one of 10 states to receive a federal grant to provide pragmatic job training to Delawareans who receive food benefits and have limited job skills or work experience, calling workforce development “the single-most important thing we can do.”

The Governor was joined at a noontime press conference at Wilmington’s Central Baptist Church by U.S. Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons, U.S. Rep. John Carney, Wilmington Mayor Dennis P. Williams, Dover Mayor Robin R. Christiansen, Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Rita Landgraf, community partners, and Audrey Rowe, administrator of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, which awarded the competitive grant. Central Baptist Church is home to Eastside Rising, one of the community partners in the job training program.

USDA’s Rowe said the federal agency sought out pilot programs that would increase household income and reducing reliance on public assistance programs, and that could be replicated and duplicated across the country. She praised Delaware’s “creative and forward-leaning innovation,” saying, “Delaware has an opportunity to be a nation leader.”

In March, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) was awarded a three-year, $18.8 million grant to collaborate with community partners in providing employment and training services for people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Beginning in the fall, DHSS expects to serve about 1,770 individuals each year – half will receive the new specific training services and the other half will be receive existing employment training services. The USDA funded programs in the 10 states as a research project to determine the most effective ways to prepare people who receive food benefits for career paths with a higher earning potential.

“I want to thank the delegation for their support of both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and this employment and training program,” Gov. Markell said. “This public-private-nonprofit collaboration will benefit all who are involved, especially the SNAP clients who are eager to get a good-paying job.”

The employment and training program called Delaware WONDER (Work Opportunity Networks to Develop Employment Readiness) is being led by DHSS’ Division of Social Services (DSS), which administers the SNAP Program in Delaware. It will offer targeted career tracks in construction, culinary arts, manufacturing, and broad-based job placement. About 20 percent of the 150,000 Delawareans who receive food benefits will be eligible for the job training. The remaining clients are seniors, people with disabilities, children, or adults already in the workforce full time.

As part of the grant, the Division of Social Services will work with several state agencies and local partners, including the Delaware Department of Labor (DOL), the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), the Division of Employment and Training (DET), the Delaware Department of Education (DOE), the Delaware Workforce Investment Board (DWIB), $tand By Me, Central Baptist Community Development Corporation, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, Food Bank of Delaware, Delaware Technical and Community College, Kraft Foods, and Career Team. To measure its effectiveness, Delaware’s training program will be part of a national research study conducted by Mathematica.

Delaware’s congressional delegation, which supported DHSS’ grant application, believes it will provide many benefits to Delawareans.

“This pilot project will help provide greater economic opportunities for families, while helping attract employers seeking a skilled, qualified workforce to our state,” U.S. Sen. Tom Carper said. “This is a true win-win for Delawareans and employers, which is why I supported this grant application along with Senator Coons and Congressman Carney for our state.”
“Providing strong and clear pathways for jobs that are in demand is a great way to help strengthen and broaden the middle class,” U.S. Sen. Chris Coons said. “These training programs like the one that will be piloted here in Delaware will help those who want work, get work. Thousands of Delawareans, up and down the state are looking for an opportunity to earn a living but are unprepared for the jobs that are available. This federal grant, coupled with key community partnerships, will get those folks who are ready to work, trained and into the workforce.”

“This pilot program will provide critical new opportunities for the training and support needed to transition into employment,” U.S. Rep. John Carney said. “One of my main priorities since coming to Congress has been to create ways for unemployed and underemployed Delawareans to join the workforce, so they can lift themselves up and provide for their families.”

In detailing the four tracks, DHSS Secretary Landgraf said, “What I admire about Delaware WONDER is the pragmatism behind the program.”

The employment and training program will offer intensive case management services to participants to further reduce the barriers to employment, including free one-on-one financial coaching through $tand By Me. Beginning in the fall, SNAP clients who take part in Delaware WONDER will be linked to needed community resources and will have a job readiness assessment done. From there, participants will be assigned to one of four career tracks based on aptitude and interest:
Track 1: Construction trade
Track 2: Culinary arts
Track 3: Manufacturing position
Track 4: Broad-based job placement

TRACK 1: CONSTRUCTION TRADE

The Eastside Rising project is an existing collaboration between the Central Baptist Community Development Corporation, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, Delaware Workforce Investment Board, Laborers International Union of North America Local 55, Wilmington Housing Partnership, and Habitat for Humanity created to take ownership of approximately 140-150 homes in East Wilmington and rehab them to achieve a dual goal of neighborhood revitalization and increased employment and training for disadvantaged adults in the state’s highest poverty areas. This pre-apprenticeship program is committed to serving clients with limited jobs skills and work experience, including those on probation/parole and individuals with disabilities.

Eastside Rising has committed to taking participants from the pilot as priority referrals. With the support of this grant, Eastside Rising estimates it can support up to 400 pre-apprenticeships during the three years, or about 11 pre-apprenticeships per month. Eastside Rising expects to maintain participants in paid pre-apprenticeships and transition them from one rehab project to another until permanent paid employment is found.

“This is truly a great and momentous day for the East Side,” said the Rev. Terrence Keeling, pastor of Central Baptist and a leader of Eastside Rising. “It will help us help ourselves. Wait till you see the return on your investment.”

TRACK 2: CULINARY ARTS

The Food Bank of Delaware’s Culinary School has an annual capacity of 90 individuals statewide in its state-of-the-art training facilities in Milford and Newark, and is experienced in serving high-need populations, including individuals with low incomes, ex-offenders, veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The 39-week training program – 14 weeks in the kitchen and 25 weeks of wrap-around employment support services – is recognized as a certified trade school by the Delaware Department of Education.

Through the employment and training program, the Food Bank of Delaware will double the Culinary School’s current capacity by adding 90 slots earmarked for pilot participants annually, with 45 each in Newark and Milford. Individuals who graduate from the program will be ready for full-time positions in the culinary trades. The Culinary School currently has a placement rate of 70 percent, with graduates earning starting wages of $9.50 an hour.

“Workforce development through training opportunities in the food service industry has been of real interest to us since we started our culinary training program in 2002,” Food Bank of Delaware President and CEO Patricia Beebe said. “The success stories that have resulted from our culinary training program show that these training opportunities really benefit the population that will be assisted through the SNAP Employment and Training funding. We are thrilled to be partnering with the State of Delaware on this exciting initiative that will get Delawareans back to work in industries that can provide a sustainable wage.”

TRACK 3: MANUFACTURING POSITION

This track will offer participants a 90-day trial placement in a full-time entry level production position at the Kraft Foods manufacturing plant in Dover upon successful completion of the Certified Production Technician (CPT) program through Delaware Technical Community College. The technician program is a web-based independent-learning program that consists of four individual certificate modules: Safety; Quality Practices & Measurement; Manufacturing Processes & Production; and Maintenance Awareness. Candidates must earn all four certificates to receive the full CPT certification.

Kraft Foods employs more than 400 entry-level production workers, and has committed to place as many as 60 CPT graduates per year.

Dover plant manager Justin Cressler said Kraft Foods is about “the best people, the best brands.” “We can’t wait to get started,” he said.

TRACK 4: BROAD-BASED JOB PLACEMENT

The Department of Labor’s Division of Employment and Training (DET), with the assistance of the Delaware Workforce Investment Board, operates the “one-stop” employment and training system in Delaware through four full-service offices as well as a specialty office. The electronic backbone of the system is Delaware JobLink (DJL), which served 57,000 job applicants in the last 12 months.

The Division of Employment and Training will also offer a new and unique service over and above the traditional One-Stop location offerings. This will be a bundled service package designed to provide individualized support to both work-ready and non-work ready pilot participants. Placement specialists will receive specialized training that will allow them to provide both basic education instruction and soft skills training.

Tanya Warner, a DHSS employee who is managing the grant, said she understands the opportunity that Delaware WONDER will provide.

“I remember how difficult it was,” she said as a single mother receiving food benefits 21 years ago. “I remember the stigma when I paid for my groceries with food stamps.” She said people who receive food benefits want to be connected to a job that will help to provide a safe and nurturing household that sustains them and their families. “And we’re going to do just that” through Delaware WONDER, Warner said.

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For more information, contact Jill Fredel, Director of Communications, (302) 255-9047 (office)
or (302) 357-7498 (cell).

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.
Photos from today’s press conference will be available to download on DHSS’ flickr account.

Harrington, DE – At the Agricultural Commodities Building today at the Delaware State Fair, USDA Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse and Governor Jack Markell were joined by USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Bob Walls, DDA Secretary Ed Kee and DNREC Secretary David Small to announce an increase in the maximum incentives available for landowners and agricultural producers through the Delaware Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).

The program is a federal-state conservation partnership designed to protect environmentally-sensitive lands in the state’s Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay and Inland Bays watersheds. USDA and the State of Delaware contribute to the incentive payments that eligible participants receive when enrolling in the program.

“CREP is an extremely important program for Delaware and the Delmarva Peninsula,” said USDA Under Sec. Scuse. “USDA’s partnership with the State of Delaware has enabled the enrollment of approximately 6,000 acres into conservation practices that directly impact the water quality and wildlife habitat of the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay and Inland Bays, and we will continue to work together to increase CREP participation by landowners and producers in Delaware”.

“Preserving our environment and keeping our air and water clean are bedrock commitments of my administration and principles that all Delawareans share – none more so than our farmers and landowners,” said Gov. Markell. “This is a true partnership between the federal government, state government and our farmers and landowners, and I thank the CREP partners for expanding this program.”
In 1999, FSA’s Commodity Credit Corporation and the State of Delaware partnered on Delaware’s CREP to improve water quality of the state’s bays, rivers and streams and increase wildlife habitat. The program encourages landowners to voluntarily remove marginal lands from agricultural production and establish conservation practices that reduce soil and nutrients from entering waterways. Participants enroll eligible acres in contracts of 10 to 15 years and receive funding to create riparian and grassed buffers, wetlands, wildlife habitat, grass filter strips and other conservation practices adjacent to impaired streams and drainage ditches. To date, more 6,000 acres have been conserved, with the goal of enrolling up to 10,000 acres through the program.

Participating landowners receive cost-share assistance for establishing conservation practices, an annual rental payment throughout the length of the contract (10-15 years), and an incentive payment. The new maximum incentive payment increases the range from $165 to $225 per acre, an increase from previous levels of $110 to $150 per acre.

“CREP has enabled landowners and producers to have a direct impact on the lives of all Delawareans by providing incentives to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff, as well as promote enhanced wildlife habitats,” said FSA State Director Walls. “The increased incentive rates will help to retain and increase environmentally sensitive acres devoted to CREP conservation practices.  With help provided by our CREP partner, the State of Delaware, USDA will continue to support this important conservation initiative.”

“It is often said that farmers are the first environmentalists, and this is especially true in Delaware,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Kee. “Partnerships such as these are valuable ways to protect our waterways and keep them clean and healthy for future generations.”

Managed by DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship, CREP is a critical component in Delaware’s efforts to meet the state’s goals of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan and the Pollution Control Strategy for the Inland Bays.

“CREP achieves long-term protection of environmentally-sensitive land near impaired streams and other waterways, improving water quality and restoring and enhancing riparian habitat,” said DNREC Sec. Small. “The program is among several clean water initiatives important to helping Delaware make measurable water quality improvements in our Chesapeake Bay tributaries and the Inland Bays. Our thanks to the CREP partnership for enhancing incentive payments to landowners, which will help expand conservation areas throughout the state.”

Landowners can enroll in Delaware CREP on a continuous basis. Interested participants are encouraged to contact Dale Churchey, Delaware CREP Coordinator, at 302-242-9943, to review eligibility and discuss practices appropriate for their property.

DOVER — Delaware Governor Jack Markell and Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee released the following statement regarding today’s report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing significant environmental improvements due to farmers’ work in the Chesapeake Bay region. The report states that cropland productivity in the Chesapeake Bay region is on the increase, while nutrient runoff from nitrogen and phosphorous, as well as sediment loss, are decreasing.

“Improving our environment and water quality has long been our goal in Delaware, with the First State’s work in nutrient management on the leading edge,” Gov. Markell said. “We recognized early on the importance of a partnership between farmers and the state to reducing environmental impact, and our farmers have stepped up to the challenge. Their work is paying off, as we see today. Our farmers should be applauded for their work using the latest conservation techniques that will benefit all Delawareans.”

“I often say that farmers are the first environmentalists, and that becomes especially clear when we look at this report,” Secretary Kee said. “There’s no one closer to the land and more in tune with the environment than Delaware farmers. While there’s still plenty of work to be done, science showed us the path forward 15 years ago, and science is now telling us that our farmers have done a great job and are committed to this task.”