Virginia Cooperative Extension
 | |
| Type | Federal-State-County Partnership |
|---|---|
| Established | 1914 |
| Director | Edwin Jones |
| Location | Headquarters Blacksburg, in Virginia, United States |
| Affiliations |
Virginia Tech and VSU |
| Website | www.ext.vt.edu |
Virginia Cooperative Extension provides resources and educational outreach to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s more than seven million residents in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, and 4-H youth development. Since the passage of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914, it has operated as the primary in-state outreach service for the commonwealth’s two land-grant universities: Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. Today, Virginia Cooperative Extension has a network of faculty and staff at two universities, 107 county and city offices, 11 agricultural research and Extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers.[1]
Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Virginia Cooperative Extension is an educational outreach program of Virginia's land-grant universities: Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, and a part of the National Institute for Food and Agriculture, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.[2]
Extension Delivery
Extension programs are delivered through a network of faculty at both universities, 107 county and city offices, 11 agricultural research and Extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers. The system incorporates the expertise of faculty at the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and through research and Extension efforts, the college helped elevate the state’s agricultural exports to record numbers. In 2013, exports in the commonwealth reached $2.85 billion.[3]
In addition the extension has partnerships with the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources and Environment, the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station; as well as the College of Agriculture at Virginia State University.[4]
Core Values
- Inclusion of all stakeholders and partners in programming and discussions related to issues that affect agricultural enterprises, the family, and the local community.
- Integrity of information is maintained through unbiased and relevant research.
- Science-based knowledge is gathered from the research of highly respected scientists.
- Engagement of each partner in developing solutions for the challenges faced by the family, on the land, or in the community.
- Partnerships with all universities, state and federal agencies, community organizations, local and state governmental representatives, and other groups that provide access to vital resources.
- Individual relationships between Extension educators and specialists with farmers, families, and local community representatives.
- Good stewardship of public trust where investments of time, money, and intellectual resources are effectively applied to responding to local issues.
Extension is committed to providing access to unbiased, scientific information related to locally defined issues; a presence in local communities; the establishment of strong partnerships and collaborative coalitions; and innovative service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.[5]
See also
- Cooperative Extension Service
- Virginia Tech
- Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Virginia State University
