Beaver County Information

Facts about Beaver County

Beaver County is a changing society, and Cooperative Extension continues to offer programs to meet the ever-changing needs of our community. The fact that you are reading this information on the World Wide Web is proof of the very different methods that people use to learn and communicate today as compared to a decade ago. Therefore, every area of Extension programming is making advances to keep in step with today's trends, as well as to make use of new technology to deliver information to you, our neighbors.

Gone are the days when rural housewives called in for recipes, when farmers thought that computers were for "city folk," and when 4-H was thought to be for rural youth only.

Today's Nutrition programs are taught by a registered dietitian and cover a wide variety of dietary issues that affect the health and well being of people of all ages and all walks of life. Food Safety programs are also offered for school-age children, teens, or adults, as well as certification for employees of food service establishments.

EFNEP, Family Strengths, Child Care, and Family Resource Management programs address the needs of day care providers, working parents, and single parents who are stretched for time and money.

4-H has expanded its scope to almost every area of science, skills, and hobbies that a young person could want to study and enjoy, including animal and plant science, engineering, entomology, natural resources, economics, jobs and careers, leadership, health, home economics, and leisure education.

And, of course, Cooperative Extension is still at work in the agricultural arena. Beaver County's number one agricultural industry is still dairy farming. Modern techniques for livestock management and crop production help our local agricultural community stay competitive in a tough market.

Good Water Quality is important for agriculture, natural resources, and homeowners alike. Education programs are available on private drinking water and wastewater systems, pollution prevention, and on topics suitable for youth audiences. Water testing and treatment information is available as well.

Even though much of our society is moving toward technical and corporate jobs, home gardening is still a favorite pastime. Beaver County's Master Gardener program has more than 100 volunteers who involve themselves in horticultural projects in the community and share their expertise with home gardeners who call our office for information.

• Number of Farms - 660
• Number of Dairy Farms - 55
• Approximate Number of Dairy Cows - 2,900
• Approximate Number of Cattle - 6,500
• Crop Value - $5,933,000
• Livestock Value - $7,870,800
• Milk Value - $7,236,000
• Total Value of Crops, Livestock and Milk - $21,039,800

  (1998-99 PA Agricultural Statistics Services)

Master Gardeners

• Certified Master Gardeners - 132
• Master Gardeners in Training - accepting applications for current class

Youth Development and 4-H

• Number of 4-H Clubs - 17
• Number of 4-H Members - 342
• Number of 4-H Volunteer Leaders - 110
• Total Youth Served (including In-School) - 2,438

Day Care

• Licensed Daycare Centers - 23
• Licensed Group-Homes - 8
• Registered Family Daycare Homes - 50