“
It is Extension’s obligation to apply the breadth and depth of the Land-grant university system to ... help improve lives and communities. —Dr. Brad Gaolach Professor Washington State University
Needs ASSESSMENTS
program leaders at 1862, 1890, and 1994 LGUs, and there is considerable support, at least in theory, for CES to broaden its capacity in this area. But we’re still not seeing Extension making a broad investment in tourism and recreation-related positions; there appears to be interest but not invest- ment.
ARBOGAST : Although Extension is increasingly being called upon to engage in tourism and outdoor recre- ation, it’s an underserved component of Extension nationally. We think our project can ultimately expand Exten- sion’s currently limited capacity to support outdoor economies. We have just completed a survey of commu- nity and economic development
COWAN : Our goal is to expose youth to agriculture and inspire them to consider it as a career. To achieve this, we had to engage not just the youth but also their parents, as summer schedules and transportation logistics were key factors in ensuring participation. ·
Team members discuss the need for their programs in rural and urban economies.
youtu.be/rZjnkXvh720?si=WC_rxLcG0n8QIkej
Why is it important for Extension to be involved in communities’ economic health, and why is it well-suited to do so?
What challenges are you facing as you implement your project? RIVARD: “Growing Growers” is very much a grassroots program, and it has always included representatives from nonprofit farming organizations—and oftentimes those organizations have pretty high turnover. Our organizing committee has turned over four or five times since I started at Kansas State, which is great in that you get new energy and new ideas, but it’s still challenging. Also, Kansas is a tough place to grow vegetables, because of the climate— we hope our program can provide growers with strategies so that they will stick with farming despite this obstacle.
GAOLACH : With 80% of Americans living in metro areas, it is Extension’s obligation to apply the breadth and depth of the Land-grant university (LGU) system to urban issues. It is important for us to help improve lives and communities and to steward our natural environment. COWAN : Cooperative Extension uses its networking connections and rich knowledge across the state to support communities. This allows Extension to effectively foster the next generation of the workforce, helping strengthen local economies and com- munities.
KANDEL: Growers have faith in CES people. They listen to and would like to learn from CES more than from other platforms. There is also a posi- tive correlation between the technolo- gy disseminated by CES and adoption of that technology by farmers. ARBOGAST : Because we’re trusted, we’re valued, and we have connections to university expertise that can be lever- aged to support the communities. We’re also invested and rooted in the commu- nities themselves.
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2023-2024 YEARBOOK | EXTENSION FOUNDATION/NTAE
EXTENSION FOUNDATION/NTAE | 2023-2024 YEARBOOK
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