Georgia County Government - January 2009 - (Page 36)

EXTENSION continued from page 35 their expertise. With the full support of all the resources of the University of Georgia behind them, Extension delivers solid, factual, unbiased, researchbased information. “I am a firm believer that county government is a service to the citizens of the state. By the same token, public service through Cooperative Extension is also a service to the citizens. Our taxpayers provide our funding source and we need to be responsive in an effective way to the citizens of our community. Cooperative Extension, working with and through various committees and advisory boards and in tandem with county government, helps us to do just that. I completely support the efforts of Cooperative Extension and the relationship that they have with county government.” Bulloch County Manager Tom Couch agrees. “Generally, the leverage provided by county government investment, which is usually minimal (in the scope of) county operating budgets, provides access to key resources available from The University of Georgia. As Georgia’s counties have grown, the role of Cooperative Extension – which historically focused on agriculture – has expanded to meet the demand for more community resource services focused on improving the overall quality of life through research-based education.” Couch continues, “I have found in working for three county governments (urban, suburban and rural) that the success of, and support for, a county Extension office is directly attributable to the quality of the staff. What distinguishes Cooperative Extension from other outside agencies that are supported with county funds, is the confidence that the citizens have in it. I have noticed that when county budgets go through austerity measures or tax increase hearings, there is no circumstance where the Extension budget is challenged by elected officials, or the public. That speaks to the value I think we get here in Georgia.” Through county Extension offices, the University of Georgia Colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences help Georgians become healthier, more productive, financially independent and environmentally responsible. Through the cooperative funding of federal, state and county governments, Extension agents are in almost every county in Georgia. Tony Tyson, UGA Cooperative Extension’s Director of County Operations, has a keen appreciation for the support Extension receives from county governments across the state. “We pride ourselves in the fact that we have offices in almost every county in Georgia (157 out of 159). This is only possible because of the local funding partnerships. The funding that we receive from county governments is critical to maintaining the local outreach that extends the resources from the University to serve the people all across the state.” Regarding Extension’s reputation for assessing and meeting needs locally, Tyson says, “We believe that one of the strengths of Georgia Cooperative Extension lies in the fact that our agents are part of the communities they serve. Because they know their communities so well, they can easily assess the unique needs of their community and design their programs to meet those needs.” The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension’s educational programs have statewide significance: • In schools through 4-H • In urban areas with efforts such as Master Gardeners and Urban Gardening • In rural areas by helping farmers with crop, conservation and financial information • In homes by providing food, nutrition, child development and financial literacy information • In the environment by working with residents to protect natural resources • In the food service industry by providing information and training relating to safe food handling and preparation Working in three main program areas – Agriculture and Natural Resources (A&NR); 4-H Youth Development; Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) – the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and College of Family and Consumer Sciences cooperate to support Cooperative Extension’s delivery of unbiased, research-based information to the people of Georgia. County agents and specialists throughout the state share information on issues like Cooperative Extension Impacts the Three-Fold Mission of UGA T he University of Georgia is the land grant institution for the state. For UGA, this translates to a three-fold mission – teaching, research, and outreach. Cooperative Extension helps to fulfill all of these mandates. Working with students in grades up through high school helps prepare them for learning. Students who arrive at UGA and who have had exposure to Extension programming are more well prepared for academic success during the college years. Through 4-H and a variety of other Extension programs, students are encouraged to be independent and critical thinkers. UGA faculty members are engaged in some of the most imperative research in the country, research whose outcome will have critical impacts for citizens across the state, country and world. Some of the most important research is being done in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and in the college of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS). Research in the absence of outreach does not always reach those who can most significantly benefit from it. Cooperative Extension plays a vital role in delivering research-based solutions for problems to the citizens of Georgia in an effort to improve profitability of businesses and overall quality of life. However, any investment in UGA Cooperative Extension is an investment in a community’s future. It is surely true, also, that in difficult economic times, the economies taught by Extension Services are more relevant than ever – in every Georgia county, whether urban, rural, or in-between. 36 GEORGIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - January 2009

Georgia County Government - January 2009 Contents President’s Message County Matters Forward-Thinking Bulloch County Leaders Put Progress on the Front Burner Robert Farris: Champion for Georgia’s Forests ACCG, BCBS of Georgia Work Together to Improve County Employee Health Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: McIntosh County Extension News: Cooperative Extension Generates ROI Research Corner: How Does Your County Rate? County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - January 2009

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