4-H Members of the Future, Extension & Federal Funding
Will Extension programs like 4-H be available for future generations?
Water balloon fights during the county fair, Dairy Days underneath the Michigan State football stadium, my first trip to Washington, D.C., my first long distance boyfriend from 4-H Exploration Days, hours upon hours getting ready for 30+ exhibits at the county fair and flaming cherries jubilee at a fancy hotel in Chicago for the national awards banquet. Were you a member of 4-H? Then you understand the walk down memory lane. Suffice it to say that 4-H – along with FFA – made me the person I am today. And both my husband and I have seen 4-H members flourish in the great youth development program we have in Boone County, Indiana.
~ provided by Dr. Jane M. Clary, Extension Professor, Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion, Mississippi State University, jclary@ext.msstate.edu or @try2dobetter on Twitter.
We encourage Congress and the White House to treat the Cooperative Extension (Smith-Lever) budget line the same as other formula funding lines by restoring the Smith-Lever fund line to the FY10 levels, similar to the other formula fund lines in the budget.
The effects of the Smith-Lever funds are far reaching across the United States. The Cooperative Extension Service includes programs that affect the welfare of families, farms, communities, local and state entities across the country through research, education, and extension work. Cooperative Extension faculty and staff take the research to the people to help improve everyday lives.
eXtension “Families, Food and Fitness” a virtual education site for young families with children, to help combat childhood obesity is used across the country to help bring about positive behavior change. On average in 2010, 48.1% found the six behaviors on the FFF website to be extremely useful. 34.8% found the behavior resource areas to be useful. Based on something learned on the “Families, Food and Fitness” page, participants indicated the following: 50% lost weight, 35.09% lost inches, 58.77% started exercising more, 71.05% improved their diet, 57.02% stated they ate less. Participants taking the survey were from states across the country including a large percentage of participants from Mississippi that also participated in “Mississippi In Motion.”
This is just a small example of the cooperative extension service at work throughout the country. Whether it is agriculture related programs, 4-H, family resource management, nutrition and health, child development, the cooperative extension service is there to help families improve their lives and strengthen their communities in this nation.
Encourage congress, write your senators to restore the Smith-Lever budget line to the FY 2010 level. Pass along this information and join us in helping to make the difference this country deserves.
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Thanks so much for posting this, Michele! I don’t think the days of Extension are over yet! As our society becomes more technologically advanced and the pace of life just gets faster and faster, there is an innate desire for most to come back to some sort of fundamental survival skill that puts us back in contact with the land and natural resources around us…whether it’s a family farm, a vegetable garden, or hiking through the woods, Extension offers valuable resources and knowledge in all of the areas that differentiate us, human beings, from the technology we’ve become so dependent. Extension is about taking the research from the University to the consumer, the every day Joe, that can use the information to better themselves, their family, and their life! The American people deserve that! There are many wasteful areas of spending…but when it comes to helping others, there is no room for a budget cut.
My pleasure – I try very hard to not forget where I came from. Extension has been a part of my life since my earliest memories. There is certainly need for adapting to today, as is the case with any business. However, when I consider the wasteful spending that happens in our nation – this would go very low on the list of cutting priorities for me. Thanks for your comment – and sharing the post. Looks like many shared it on Facebook, so hope it helped.
I’ve seen cuts to extension in Minnesota but they haven’t been as bad as some other states. I was in 4-H for over 10 years and I credit it for making me who I am today. I was very involved in it and it gave me so much: friends I still have, my current boyfriend (actually my ex I met through 4-H as well), leadership skills, great memories, and much more. I think extension provides a great service beyond 4-H as well and it’s where a lot of research and outreach occurs that brings new knowledge to farmers and community members.
Hi Anna. Extension brings a great value to different communities. I’ve seen a lot of variation in use/value of the services by states, sectors of agriculture, and types of operations. 4-H is simply something our country needs to instill proper values in young people – I consider that irrefutable. You’re a living testament to that! Thanks for your comments.