Purkett takes over as new food and consumer science extension agent

Havre native Kati Purkett is Hill County's Montana State University Extension Food and Consumer Science Agent and is looking to help the community in her new role.

Purkett said she hasn't had a tremendous number of calls just yet, but she's hoping now that people know she's in the office there will be more, especially with gardening and canning season coming up.

She described food and consumer science as the science of everyday living and her job as an extension agent is to be a resource for people in the community who have questions about anything from food science to mental health to family relations and fiancees.

She said the field also includes, textiles, retail, housing and interior design, as well as nutrition.

Purkett said she has a considerable knowledge base and is familiar with all branches of food and consumer sciences, but she is not an expert in all of them. However, she said, as an extension agent she has access to people in extension and in the community who will be able to fill those gaps, as well as access to research-based material that can provide answers to people with questions about things that may not be in her wheelhouse.

She said growing up in Havre means she has developed relationships with local experts in many fields, which only widens the informational resources at her disposal.

"I have very easy access to good information," she said.

Purkett was previously a manager at Northern Home Essentials, her family's business, one she said she will still have a role in, even if people see her on the floor far less often now.

"Family Consumer Science has always been a passion of mine, and I was excited to do something completely different," she said.

She said she's looking forward to every aspect of her new job at Hill County Extension but her specialties are in food science, finance and 4-H.

Purkett said 4-H is familiar ground for her, having been a participant when she was a child, just as her own children are now.

She said her family is very active in the community and she spends a lot of time with them.

Purkett said the new job has been great so far, as she spends much of her time networking with the extension community and getting to know more people in the county.

She said she hasn't been in the position long enough to know if larger issues in the community exist that she would be able to address in her capacity as an extension agent, but she is hoping to talk to more stakeholders to see if there is anything like that she can assist with.