County has new extension agent

The Daily Inter Lake

Patricia McGlynn has begun work as the Montana State University Extension Services' new agriculture, natural resource and community development agent for Flathead County.

McGlynn replaces Wesley Gwaltney, who had worked as the Flathead County agent for a year.

She has more than 30 years of agriculture experience that includes dairy, landscape design and nursery production, equine management, agriculture education and bioenergy feedstock research and production.

McGlynn comes to Flathead County from Cornell University in upstate New York, where she was involved in research and teaching. She has master's and doctoral degrees in education with a focus on agriculture.

McGlynn plans to expand current successful extension programs such as pesticide applicator certification and Master Gardener, as well as initiating new workshops on grant writing, renewable-energy alternatives, food safety/security and public-school gardening.

"We are pleased to have recruited a person with the domestic and international experience that Pat brings to our county," Flathead County Commissioner Dale Lauman said.

McGlynn joins Flathead County 4-H Extension agent Karole Sommerfield in the extension annex, just east of the main courthouse at 800 S. Main St. in Kalispell.

The MSU Extension Service is an educational resource dedicated to improving the quality of people's lives by providing research-based knowledge to strengthen the social, economic and environmental well-being of families, communities and agriculture enterprises.