- - AGRICULTURE CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF1000) Advanced Core Cluster: agricultural business Management (CLF1850) Unit Title: COOPERATIVE EXTENSION ______________________________________________________________________________ (CLF1854) Cooperative Extension Time Year(s) 1 Hour 3 / 4 ______________________________________________________________________________ Topic Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to: Learning Outcome: (D-3) Describe the services provided by the Cooperative Extension Service. Special Materials and Equipment References: Kelsey, Lincoln D., & Hearne, Cannon C. (1963). COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK (3rd ed.). New York: Comstock. Resources: Bennett, C. (1990). COOPERATIVE EXTENSION: ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS FOR A NEW ERA. Available from Extension Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. North Carolina State University. (1988). WORKING WITH OUR PUBLICS: IN-SERVICE EDUCATION FOR COOPERATIVE EXTENSION (Module 1 - Understanding Cooperative Extension: Our Origins, Our Opportunities). Available from: Dept. of Adult and Community College Education, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7607, Raleigh, NC 27695-7607 Evaluation: Topic PRESENATION: Cooperative Extension A. Purpose and History 1. The Cooperative Extension Service was established in 1914 to bring the research conducted at the land grant universities to the farmers. a. Morrill Act of 1862: established land grant universities b. Hatch Act of 1887: established experiment stations c. Smith-Lever Act of 1914: established Cooperative Extension 2. Mission of Cooperative Extension a. To develop and empower people in "self-direction, resource management and management of change in primary dimensions of their lives" b. To act as the nonformal educational branch of the land grant universities B. Organizational Structure of Cooperative Extension 1. Cooperative Extension is a partnership of the USDA, land grant universities and colleges, and counties. a. Funding is provided from all three levels. b. All three perspectives are included in the planning process. 2. Federal Cooperative Extension a. The national office of Cooperative Extension dministers the resources of the USDA budgeted for use by Cooperative Extension b. This office also interprets area, national, and international situations and selects national initiatives. c. State plans are approved in this office. d. Some program direction and/or coordination is also provided here. e. The national office provides a national-level reporting system. 3. State Cooperative Extension Systems a. All states in the U.S., as well as several U.S. territories and posessions, have a state Cooperative Extension system. b. Each state's Cooperative Extension system has its own philosophy and priorities in addition to the basic mission that is shared by all Cooperative Extension offices. c. State Cooperative Extension systems are administered through the state land grant universities. d. Each state's system generates its own state plan. e. State directors oversee state programs and any regional directors and/or program leaders. e. State specialists conduct applied research and identify relevant research conducted by experiment stations and other researchers to address problems at the local, state, and federal levels. They then extend this research-based information to the end users, often through the county advisors/agents. 4. County Cooperative Extension a. Most counties in United States and its territories are served by Cooperative Extension agents/advisors. b. County advisors are trained in such areas as agricultural production and marketing, home economics, youth development, community development, and natural resources management. c. Paraprofessional staff may assist in such program operations as nutrition education and youth development. d. Advisors/agents are hired to meet the priority needs of counties or multi-county areas. e. County advisors work closely with state specialists to extend education and research to the areas of greatest need. f. The county office acts as a source of information and education for all of Cooperative Extension's target users. C. Educational Areas of Cooperative Extension 1. Primary Areas of Education a. Agriculture (production, marketing and sustainability) b. Natural Resources c. Family Living d. 4-H and Youth e. Community Resource Development f. Rural Development 2. Legislative Additions to Cooperative Extension a. Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) b. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Cotton Pest Management Programs (CPM) c. Pest Impact Assessment Program (PIAP) d. Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) e. Farm Safety (FS) f. Urban Gardening Program (UGP) g. Farm Financial Management (FFM) h. Renewable Resources Extension Program (RREP) i. Rural Development Center Support (RDCS) D. Providers and Users of Cooperative Extension 1. Providers are those who generate and transfer agricultural technology and practices to the users. Examples of providers are: a. Cooperative Extension Personnel b. Public and Private Researchers c. Industry d. Other Agencies 2. Users are those who ultimately benefit from the technologies and practices. Examples of users are: a. Agricultural Producers b. Agribusiness c. Community Leaders d. Limited-resource Families e. Youth f. Homemakers g. Particular Ethnic Groups h. Environmental Groups i. Agricultural Policymakers ___________________________________________________________________ Activity: 1. As a class, students should name the major agricultural commodities produced and the natural resources found in their county, as well as any quality-of-life problems in the local community. From these, they should suggest possible areas of advisor expertise that would be useful to the community. At the end of the discussion, the instructor should inform the students of the expertise areas of the current advisors, and examples of any local problems that either have been or are now being dealt with by Cooperative Extension. ___________________________________________________________________ 11/26/91 MH/ch #%&C