Cooperative Extension
University of California Cooperative Extension
Cooperative Extension is the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resource's outreach arm. It has advisors specializing in farm; 4-H; and nutrition, family, and consumer sciences who are based in more than 50 county offices.
In addition, Cooperative Extension specialists are headquartered at the University of California campuses at Berkeley, Davis, and Riverside, where they conduct research and coordinate advisors' activities. As an integral part of a land-grant institution, the Cooperative Extension has a mandate that is tied to the welfare, development, and protection of California agriculture, natural resources, and people.
County farm advisors' work is aimed at enhancing California agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Together with farmers, pest control advisors, and industry representatives, they identify current and emerging agricultural opportunities and problems. The advisors collaborate with campus-based Cooperative Extension specialists and Agricultural Experiment Station scientists to research, adapt, and field-test agricultural improvements or solutions and promote the use of research findings.
The 4-H youth development program, with staff in each county office, provides meaningful, learn-by-doing educational activities to children in 4-H clubs and to children participating in school enrichment and after-school programs. The 4-H program includes traditional offerings - such as cooking, animal husbandry, and sewing - and an array of exciting new programs for today's youth - including rocketry, computer science, and leadership.
The nutrition, family, and consumer sciences advisors focus on nutrition, food safety, food preparation, food preservation, and finance management. Collaborative partnerships with government and private agencies extend the reach of UC advisors. Workshops, public meetings, newsletters, the mass media, and other communications tools bring information to the community.
Three regional offices administer UC Cooperative Extension: the North Coast and Mountain Region, the Central Valley Region, and the Central Coast and South Region.
The California Cooperative Extension is linked to CEs in other states by the federal Cooperative Extension System, a national, publicly funded, non-credit educational system that links the educational and research resources and activities of USDA, land-grant institutions in every state, territory, and the District of Columbia, and approximately 3,150 county administrative units. This unique federal, state, local, and tribal college partnership focuses on practical solutions to critical issues affecting people's daily lives.
In addition, CSREES-the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service-is a USDA agency that unites the Department's research, higher education, and extension education and outreach resources. Its mission is to advance knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well being, and communities. A broad spectrum of public and private partnerships, including other USDA agencies, federal and state government departments, nonprofit organizations, and private sector entities strengthens CSREES contributions. CSREES is also the federal partner of the Cooperative Extension System.
