4-H’er boosts outreach on New World screwworm
When Aubree Paplow won a purple ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair for her project on the New World screwworm, it was clear that it was a topic that really mattered to her.
Minnesotans are asked to stay alert for New World screwworm, a fly that lays a destructive maggot capable of inflicting great harm on livestock, pets, wildlife and, on rare occasions, humans, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
Aubree comes from a beef-raising family, is the vice president of the Cottonwood County 4-H Federation and a beef ambassador for the Minnesota CattleWomen, and is involved in the Minnesota Youth Beef Experience Program, among other leadership positions. Aubree, who shows cattle in 4-H, uses her 4-H leadership skills and has appeared in the media to talk about her experiences.
Highlights
- RSDP impact: With support from a CERTs Seed Grant, the South Central Electric Association hosted an electric vehicle education event with information about charging options and different EV models.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: The Smith family has long ties to 4-H, the Cottonwood County Cattlemen Association, their churches and community boards.
- In 2025, Extension’s agricultural business management team and the Southwest Minnesota Farm Business Management Association reported noticeable crop improvement after years of weather-related setbacks, including in Cottonwood County.
- The Delton Doers, Westbrook-Rosehill and Windom Workers-Dale Diggers 4-H Clubs of Cottonwood County pledged to “squash hunger” by donating garden-grown squash to their local food shelf, along with recipes, for a holiday meal. They also talked to food shelf staff to donate additional items that were most needed.
- 4-H youth in Cottonwood County received an Association of Minnesota Counties award for making and distributing safety kits to help remind farmers and truckers to be vigilant and safe on the road.
- Extension provides financial capability education for participants in the judicial district’s treatment courts, including adult and juvenile drug courts, and courts for mental health, veterans, family dependency and DWI/DUI.
- The Climate Adaptation Partnership is helping characterize future flood and drought extremes in the Cottonwood River watershed, equipping natural resource managers, farmers and communities with education and resources to inform resilience strategies.
Cottonwood County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Cottonwood County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.