Posts Tagged: Cooperative Extension

NPR talks about land grant universities

While visiting the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act, NPR's Talk of the Nation did a segment about land grant universities.

Sara from Fresno called into the show to explain the role of UC Cooperative Extension. She said:  "...we use the extension service to help us determine what kinds of things we can use to keep the crop healthy, not just pesticides, but how to check the crops and to make sure that they're healthy. They use independent research all the time to help us with this. And with the public funds just dwindling, we have a lot less independent research that go on and have to go on more of what the chemical companies are telling us."

When asked for an example, according to the show's transcript, Sara said: "Well, I'm looking at a cotton crop right now, and the farmer advisers, the cotton farmer advisors in California, helped us what the program called plant mapping, where we were able to take a look at what's going on with the plant even though we might have bugs out that could be damaging the crops."

Sandy Rikoon, professor of rural sociology at the University of Missouri, told listeners, "Many countries are trying to duplicate the extension system. Many countries have research, agricultural research, but what they don't have is that group of people who take the research and then take it to the people."

Host Neal Conan mistakenly said the California State University is one of the land grants and we have asked NPR to correct the online version to state that UC is California's land grant institution. 

Web site plugs Cooperative Extension programs

Education.com, a Web site that provides parents of school-aged children with parenting, developmental, and educational information, this week published an overview of the educational opportunities offered by Cooperative Extension programs around the country.

The title of the piece - "The Cheapest Kids Programs You've Never Heard Of" - and an oft-repeated phrase that opens the second paragraph - "Cooperative Extension might well be the best-kept secret around" - introduce details about Cooperative Extension's 4-H, Master Gardener and nutrition education programs. The article provides a brief history of the legislation that created Cooperative Extension in 1862 and outlines changes underway to adjust to budget cuts.

Reporter Anna Weinstein spoke to the director of UC ANR's Communications Services unit, Bob Sams, for perspective on changes expected in California's Cooperative Extension program.

Sams said the organization is adapting to what amounts to a 20 percent reduction in permanent state funding, and is involved in a major reorganization of its program delivery.

“Our approach is that we can longer afford to do business in the way that we’ve done in the past and we have an obligation to change our business processes," Sams was quoted.

Sams said he believes that making better use of the Web is one way to accomplish the goal.

“We’ve just really begun to see the impact of ubiquitously available information on the Internet and one of the things we still have to figure out how to do is to utilize that medium to deliver information that has a research and analytical base," Sams told the reporter.

BobSams

New county director shares plans with paper

The newly named county director for San Joaquin County UC Cooperative Extension, Brent Holtz, was profiled in the Stockton Record today by the paper's longtime ag reporter, Reed Fujii. Holtz begins his new job Jan. 4, but was already able to share a goal.

"One of the crucial things I'm going to be working with is to try to get a Delta specialist position," Holtz was quoted in the story.

The Delta advisor would focus on issues concerning the unique soil and growing conditions of the inland estuary as well as the need to protect the quality of the Delta's waterways, the story said.

Fujii's article noted that Holtz earned his doctorate in plant pathology from UC Berkeley in 1993, and was a post-doc at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center before beginning a 15-year stint as the plant pathology farm advisor in Madera County.

Ironically, the new job brings Holtz closer to home. He lives in Modesto with his wife and two sons, the story said.

"I'm actually going to be able to live in my house," Holtz told Fujii.

Holtz grew up in the San Joaquin County community of Escalon and his best friend's father, Robert J. Cabral, is the namesake of the new agricultural center where UC Cooperative Extension is housed.

Brent Holtz in the laboratory.

Cooperative Extension system suggested for health care

Since imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, the nation's Cooperative Extension service got a tremendous compliment in an article that outlined a plan by UC San Francisco physician Kevin Grumbach.

He told a Washington gathering of family physicians that the federal government should establish a cooperative extension service modeled after the one created nearly 100 years ago by the USDA. The new system, administered by HHS, would help primary care physicians transform their practices into patient-centered medical homes, according to a story posted yesterday on the American Academy of Family Physicians Web site about Grumbach's April 23 presentation.

Grumbach's idea has "the real action" taking place at the local level, with county extension office personnel working directly with medical practices.

"(Local agents) would create a sense of local learning communities among all primary care practitioners in a county, or a group of counties, or in sparsely populated rural counties," Grumbach is quoted.

In his presentation, Grumbach noted that CE agents (in California, "advisors") are placed in every county to serve as "coaches" helping farmers adopt new technologies and new methods of farming. The agent also helps facilitate the sharing of best practices and the exchange of information.

"At this point, we know what a high-performing, advanced primary care medical home looks like," Grumbach is quoted. "The problem is, change is hard, particularly in primary care. While you are on that hamster wheel running as fast as you can, it is very hard to step off and engage in the process of practice change."

Grumbach's idea speaks to the genius of the cooperative extension model as it is currently offered to the agricultural industry, and the importance of ensuring it is not dismantled.

Kevin Grumbach

Cooperative Extension around the country

University of California Cooperative Extension covers a lot of ground, but from time to time I'd like to give of glimpse of the diversity of programs offered by sister programs around the country, as portrayed in the news media. Some of the program are familiar, while others haven't been adopted by UCCE.

Nebraska Cooperative Extension is providing divorce care classes, according to The Grand Island Independent. The class for parents in divorcing families began in January 2007 as a requirement by the state Legislature for any parents of children 18 and under who are divorcing, seeking custody or seeking a change in custodial arrangements.

Alabama Cooperative Extension provides estate planning programs, according to a story in The Brewton Standard. An announcement published in the paper invites the public to "join us for two nights to learn all you ever wanted to know about estate planning - but didn't know who to ask."

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension provides advice for cattle farmers dealing with the nation's economic recession, said a story on CattleNetwork.com. "When feelings of confusion and helplessness set in, it’s time to get help immediately, before things get worse," the story quoted an Oklahoma CE resource management specialist.

Georgia Cooperative Extension provided information to The Early County News about the dangers of high blood pressure. Hypertension is the most common chronic disease in the U.S. and is becoming a major health concern for Americans of all ages, a CE specialist told the paper.

Florida Cooperative Extension was named as a source for baking information in a St. Petersburg Times story that posted the "Top 10" cookie baking tips. The 10th tip says, "There's no shame in asking for help. Stop someone at the grocery store, pester a relative or call an expert at your county's Cooperative Extension."

Wyoming Cooperative Extension announced the appointment of a coordinator for its Operation Military Kids program. "This is a new position supported through a 4-H military grant obtained by Laramie County 4-H youth educator Jenna Evans," the announcement says.

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