John Knapp Recognized as a Friend of Cooperative Extension

John Knapp, of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in La Junta, was named a Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Friend of Extension at an awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 22, in Fort Collins. The Friend of Cooperative Extension award is given each year by the Colorado chapter of the Cooperative Extension professional fraternity, Epsilon Sigma Phi, to recognize businesses or individuals who are not employees of Cooperative Extension but who provide significant support and service to help the organization’s success.  

Knapp, a Colorado State University alumnus, has played an active role in 4-H and Colorado State Cooperative Extension throughout his years. For example, he helps to recruit 4-H members and solicits donations for 4-H’ers to participate in educational camps.

In addition, he supports Cooperative Extension’s educational programs for local agriculturalist. He partners on projects such as livestock grazing studies, water quality studies, drainage and flood mitigation, drip irrigation studies, the Arkansas River Water Forum and invasive plant control education. He advocates for partnerships and cooperation among the NRCS, Farm Service Agency and Colorado State Cooperative Extension in major projects.  

Some of Knapp’s accomplishments over the years have included delivering agricultural and natural resource programs, obtaining grants to provide farmers with educational and technical information and numerous studies and programs on subjects ranging from drainage and flood mitigation to livestock grazing.

Knapp is also an active leader in his community. He serves on the school board in Rocky Ford and is a member of the state school board; is president of the Rocky Ford Community Hospital board, where he played an important role in securing funding for a new assisted living center; and is actively involved as a 4-H leader. He also represents his congressional district on the Colorado Federal Relations Network.

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