Extension Service face changes, seek 18-22 regional centers

By TERRY SALMELA
Extension Director
Posted 6/26/03

On May 14, 2003, the University of Minnesota Extension Service announced major changes in the process by which the Extension Service programs and services will be delivered to the public and in the method that it will be funded. This potentially could have a major impact on the access to some popular Extension programs that have traditionally been delivered through local County Extension Offices.

The new Extension Service Change Plan will create 18-22 Regional Extension Centers that are geographically distributed around the State, and are primarily funded by State and Federal funding that the U of M receives for the Extension Service. The University has released criteria for selecting the Regional Centers and an Interest Form for groups or individuals to nominate potential locations for the Regional Centers. These Interest Forms were due June 25th and the final selection of the Regional Center locations will occur in July. A committee external to the U of M Extension Service is assisting with the selection process for the Regional Centers which will open in January, 2004.

On June 18, the Kanabec County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to apply for a Regional Center for Mora. On June 24, the Mille Lacs County Board discussed applying for a Regional Center in Milaca and Princeton. Some of the other area communities for which applications have been submitted include: Pine City, Cambridge, Aitkin, Cloquet/ Duluth.

Each Regional Extension Center will include a Regional Director and 5-10 specialized Regional Extension Educators in various subject matter expertise areas that will be matched to the critical needs of that region and the research-base of the University of Minnesota. The subject matter areas include: Agriculture, Food and Environment; Community Vitality; Family Development; Natural Resources and Environment; and 4-H Youth Development. These are the same subject matter expertise areas that currently exist in the Extension Service. The Regional Centers will rely heavily on technology to reach producers and consumers with Extension information and to deliver future Extension programs.

Counties can choose to keep County Extension Offices open after 2003 and could provide additional local, customized Extension positions that are funded through county resources and other local funding sources. These local Extension positions would be purchased through the U of M Extension Service. Counties currently have annual funding allocations for the Extension Service; however, county resources are being stretched very thin due to state funding reductions. County funds will not be required to support Extension programs and staff at the Regional Extension Centers, which should help make more resources available for county-based Extension positions. It will be permissible for two or more counties to share the cost of funding the localized Extension positions. Other local agencies or organizations could partner with counties to provide Extension Service programs and positions. If a county chooses not to allocate funding to continue the Extension office and programs in that county for 2004, the Extension Office in that county will likely close on Dec. 31, 2003.

In the U of M Extension Service program model, the overall management of the 4-H Youth Development Program will be administered through the regional centers by the regional extension educators. All youth and adult leaders will have the opportunity to enroll in the traditional 4-H program through the regional centers. Counties will need to hire additional staff support at the local level to maintain a strong local 4-H program. Otherwise, support for popular 4-H activities such as community clubs, project meetings, county fair, leadership development, camps, retreats, Share the Fun, communications contest, shooting sports, arts-in, dog, horse and livestock training and other 4-H events could be greatly limited. Local support by Extension staff will also be necessary to maintain program leadership and support for other youth programs such as 4-H after-school programs, Ag in the Classroom, Environmental Field Days and other special youth activities.

Other local Extension programs could also be affected by future decisions regarding county Extension offices and staffing. This includes the Master Gardener Program, Nutrition Education Program, newsletters, media information and other well-used services that are currently available at county Extension offices. The changes could also limit access to Extension staff for answering producer and consumer questions on agriculture, horticulture, nutrition, water quality, family resources and other subjects. Some support for these programs would be maintained with the continuation of county-based Extension staff resources.

4-H families and the public are invited to an Extension and 4-H Conversation to discuss the future priorities for County Extension and 4-H programs in each county in the next two weeks. The Conversation for Kanabec County will be following the 4-H Leaders Council meeting on Monday, June 30, at about 7:45 p.m. at the Kanabec County Public Service Building in Mora. The conversation in Mille Lacs County is scheduled for Tuesday evening, July 8 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Milaca.

County Extension committees will be working with county boards of commissioners and county administration over the next few months to review county Extension budgets and to set priorities for future Extension Service programming and staffing at the county level. They will also be looking for opportunities to partner with other counties and external funding partners to maintain a strong Extension Service program locally. These will certainly be some difficult and important decisions for county officials during some very challenging financial times. Decisions will no doubt be influenced by funds available and local support for Extension programming.

For more information on the University of Minnesota Extension Service Change Plan, individuals should contact their local County Extension Service or go to the University of Minnesota Extension Service web site at: www.extension.umn.edu

Individuals can also contact their county commissioner and county Extension committee members. In Kanabec County, Extension committee members are: Eli Berry, Ruth Reed, Vicki Smith, Duane Munsterteiger, Jill Kent, Greg Yankowiak, Dennis McNally, Kathi Ellis and Denise Cooper.

In Mille Lacs County, Extension committee members are: Pat Braun, Patti Hook, Richard Erickson, Pam Humphrey, Paula Bitzen, Margaret Reiman, Robert Hoefert, Phil Peterson and Phil Thompson.