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Consumer Information Tool Kit
What's Inside

• Recommended Phone/Web Services by Topic
  A web tool organized by subject matter
  
  
• Recommended Phone/Web Services at the University and Other Helpful Organizations
  An alphabetical listing or resources in table format
  
  
• How to Use this Tool Kit
  Instructions on navigating the web to make efficient use of these tools



• More Links to Useful Resources

Recommended Information Services by Subject Areas

• Families
  • Lifestyle
  • Money Management
  • Parenting
  • Food
  
  
• Farming
  • Crops
  • Animals
  • Finances
  • Safety and Environment
  
  
• House & Garden
• Housing
• Household Pests
• Yard & Garden
  
  
• Natural Resources
• Water and Waste
• Trees and Shrubs
• Bio-based Products
• Wildlife

Families

Lifestyle
www.extension.umn.edu/living

• Across Generations & Aging – INFO-U, United Way
• Appliances, power outages – INFO-U, Xcel Energy
• Classes "Extension", check if Ext like "Parents Forever" if not, – College of Continuing Education
• Clothes, stains – INFO-U, Quick 'n Easy Stain Removal
• Community crisis/weather prep (REE BRE Classes) – INFO-U, United Way
• Homes, energy efficient, accessible – INFO-U, United Way
• Youth learning leadership skills (4-H Clubs, positive out of school time) or – INFO-U

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Money Management
http://fsos.che.umn.edu/outreach (then scroll to products, articles, etc.)

• Budget including Money Resources, or Dollar Works – or INFO-U
• Consumer Rights – INFO-U, MN Attorney General, United Way
• Cost of Living – INFO-U, MN Attorney General
• Credit – INFO-U, MN Attorney General
• Food Budgets – INFO-U
• Fraud – INFO-U, MN Attorney General
• Gambling – INFO-U, United Way
• Housing – INFO-U, United Way
• Insurance – INFO-U, MN Attorney General, MN Commerce Energy Info
• Loans – INFO-U, MN Attorney General
• Property Transfer – INFO-U, MN Attorney General
• Rent – INFO-U, MN Attorney General, United Way
• Retirement planning – INFO-U
• Tax Credits – INFO-U or IRS (1-800-829-1040)

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Parenting
www.parenting.umn.edu

• "Parents Forever Classes" - REE/RED – INFO-U
• Child Development, Safety – INFO-U, United Way
• Education/K-MN Commerce Energy Info – INFO-U, United Way
• Human or Social Service Agency Information – United Way
• Money Resource, "DollarWorks" – INFO-U
• Nutrition - See "Food" – INFO-U
• Positive Parenting (of teens) (REE/RED classes), or – INFO-U
• Youth Leadership, 4-H Clubs – INFO-U

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Food (Nutrition & Education Programs)
http://fscn.che.umn.edu/nutrinet/

Preservation
National Center for Home Food Preservation Web Site
• Canning – INFO-U, USDA Meat & Poultry Line, AnswerLine
• Possible Illness – MN Foodborne Illness Hotline, MDA Dairy & Food Division
• Poultry Products – INFO-U, USDA Meat & Poultry Line, AnswerLine
• Drying Freezing, Harvesting foods
  Technique/Safety – INFO-U, FDA Nutrition & Safety, AnswerLine
  
  Nutrition
  
• Budgets for nutritious food – INFO-U
• Food Storage – INFO-U, USDA Meat & Poultry Line, FDA Nutrition & Safety, AnswerLine
• Nutrition & Health – REE/NEA/Classes, 4-H, or – INFO-U, USDA Meat & Poultry Line, FDA Nutrition & Safety, AnswerLine
  
  Food Safety
• Babies – FDA Nutrition & Safety, USDA Meat & Poultry Line, INFO-U
• Food Borne Illness – INFO-U, MN Foodborne Illness Hotline, MDA Dairy & Food Division
• Food Handling Processing (Food Mgr Cert, REE/NEA Classes) – INFO-U, FDA Nutrition & Safety, AnswerLine, MDA Dairy & Food Division
• Food Pests – INFO-U, Yard & Garden, FDA Nutrition & Safety, MN Dept. of Health Info Line
• Food Recall – USDA Meat & Poultry Line, FDA Nutrition & Safety, MDA Dairy & Food Division
• Live Animal Suspected ill-BSE, chronic waste; basic info INFO-U; diagnose Veterinary Diagnostics
• Poultry – INFO-U, MN Foodborne Illness Hotline, Farm Information Line
• Water-Drink, lead in it, safety in floods, or power outages – INFO-U, AnswerLine, MN Dept. of Health Info Line
• Youth Learning About Food Safety – 4-H, MDA Dairy & Food Division

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Farming

Crops
http://agronomy.coafes.umn.edu/

• Alfalfa - clippings – Farm Information Line, INFO-U-for desired county
• Alternative Crops – Farm Information Line, INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Corn – Farm Information Line, INFO-U + Posted Prices
• Hay – Farm Information Line
• Marketing – REE/RED Launch market plan, or INFO-U
• Oats – Farm Information Line, INFO-U + Posted Prices for desired county
• Pasture Management – Farm Information Line, College of Continuing Education
• Pests – Farm Information Line, INFO-U
• Production Costs-corn – Farm Information Line
• Soil Tests – Farm Information Line
• Sugar Beets – Farm Information Line
• Weeds – Farm Information Line, INFO-U, Bio-based Products
• Wheat – Farm Information Line, INFO-U + Posted Prices for desired county
• Youth Learning About Crops – 4-H Clubs

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Farming-Animals

• Animal Disease Diagnosis – Veterinary Diagnostics, INFO-U, Farm Information Line
• Composting – INFO-U, Farm Information Line
• Marketing – Launch market plan, INFO-U, Farm Information Line
• Poultry Health & Disease – Farm Information Line
• Poultry Production – Farm Information Line, INFO-U
• Septic Systems – Onsite Sewage Treatment, INFO-U, Yard & Garden, Farm Information Line
• Youth Learning About Farming – 4-H Clubs, Farm Information Line
• Wildlife Pests – Bell Museum, INFO-U, Yard & Garden, Farm Information Line

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Farming-Finances, BRE
www.cffm.umn.edu

• Budget – INFO-U, Farm Information Line
• Custom Farm Rate – INFO-U, Farm Information Line
• Finpak – REE Classes, on-line
• Marketing – Launch market plan, INFO-U, Farm Information Line
• Migrant Workers – INFO-U, Farm Information Line
• Minnesota Custom Rates – Farm Information Line
• Rental Guidelines – INFO-U, Farm Information Line
• Tree Lots – Bio-based Products, Farm Information Line, Forest Resources, Bio-based Products
• Worker Issues – INFO-U, Farm Information Line

Farming-Safety & Environment – REE Classes, 4-H Clubs or – INFO-U, Farm Information Line

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House and Garden

Housing

Health Issues in Home
• Air Quality, Asthma, Radon – INFO-U, MN Dept.of Health Info Line, US-EPA Indoor Air Quality Info, Xcel Energy
• Floods – REE, community planning/dev workshops – INFO-U, US-EPA Indoor Air Quality Info, Xcel Energy
• Mold & Mildew – INFO-U, Bio-based Products, MN Commerce Energy Info, US-EPA Indoor Air Quality Info, MN Dept.of Health Info Line,
• Power Outages – INFO-U, Xcel Energy


Home Improvement & Cleaning-www.cnr.umn.edu/WPS/
• Building Codes – MN Commerce Energy Info
• Commercial Builders – Bio-based Products
• Garbage, Recycle, Hazardous Wastes – INFO-U, Onsite Sewage Treatment
• Ice Dams – INFO-U, Bio-based Products, MN Commerce Energy Info, Xcel Energy, AnswerLine
• Siding – INFO-U, Bio-based Products, MN Commerce Energy Info, AnswerLine
• Windows – INFO-U, Bio-based Products, MN Commerce Energy Info, Xcel Energy, AnswerLine
  
  Other
• Resource Mgmt-Rental, Purchase – REE/NEA-"Dollar Works" – INFO-U

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Household Pests – Bio-based Products, Yard & Garden, MN Dept.of Health Info Line

Yard and Garden

• Flowers – INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Fruits and Vegetables – INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Lawns – INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Soil Test Interpretations – Yard & Garden
• Trees – Forest Resources, INFO-U, Yard & Garden

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Natural Resources

Water, Waste Water Education
www.extension.umn.edu/water/questions.html

• Sewage Management – INFO-U, Onsite Sewage Treatment
• Shoreline – INFO-U
• Water Quality – MG, INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Water Quality Testing After Flood – INFO-U, Onsite Sewage Treatment
• Wells – INFO-U, Onsite Sewage Treatment

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Trees & Shrubs
www.cnr.umn.edu/FR/extension

• Commercial Producers – Forest Resources
• Community Urban Forestry Programs – Forest Resources
• Culture/Varieties – Master Gardener, Tree Care Adviser or – Forest Resources, INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Disease – MG, TCA or – Forest Resources, INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Maintenance – MG, TCA or – Forest Resources, INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Production – MG, TCA or – Forest Resources, INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Pruning, Planting – MG, TCA or – Forest Resources, INFO-U, Yard & Garden

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Bio-based Products
www.cnr.umn.edu/BP/

• Lumber – Forest Resources, Bio-based Products
• Manufacturing – Forest Resources, Bio-based Products
• Preservation – INFO-U, Bio-based Products
• Marketing Wood Products – Bio-based Products
• Roof, Moss – INFO-U, Bio-based Products, AnswerLine
• Wood Drying – Bio-based Products

Wildlife

• Birds – Bell Museum, INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Mammals – Bell Museum, INFO-U, Yard & Garden
• Other – INFO-U, Yard & Garden
  
  

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