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.

If funding of the Smith-Lever act is slashed at the federal level, it will likely remove the opportunity for more young people to benefit from 4-H – and the very important citizenship, leadership and life skills. I’ve seen the consequence of Extending funding reductions at Michigan State, the negative impact on agriculture/food programs and the loss of land grant perspective.  Should Extension be updated in some areas and be more entrepreneurial?  Yes, but  It concerns me that national funding cuts will compromise programs that touch many lives.  That’s why I’m sharing this information – in the hopes that you will contact your congressman to help future generations.

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.