Cooperative Extension Agent

1. Agricultural Careers Cooperative Extension Agent By: Dr. Frank Flanders and Asha Wise Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office Georgia Department of Education June 2005

2. Job Description • Work through land-grant colleges and universities in almost every county/community in the nation • Organize and conduct cooperative extension programs to help farmers and individuals engaged in agri-business in the application of agricultural research findings • Provide public education in many areas of study as well as help to improve agricultural production and rural life • Provide educational outreach programs in fields of study relevant to their local communities • Provide programs in agriculture, rural and economic development, youth development and family and consumer sciences • Provide opportunities to educate the general public on the latest scientific research and to help those individuals understand and apply that knowledge • Activities could range from helping someone • save a tree in their front yard to helping a • farmer preserve or expand an orchard.

3. Duties & Responsibilities • Plans, develops, organizes, and carries outs training programs in subjects such as home management, horticulture, and consumer information • Prepares newspaper articles on subjects of interest to local producers and consumers • Conducts or coordinates special educational classes for community members • Interprets research results relevant to the local community • Coordinate services with those offered by other departments, agencies, and organizations in the community • Teaches improved methods for agricultural production • Leads workshops for groups such as dairy farmers, grain producers, and beef, poultry or swine producers • Coordinates programs for youth through the 4-H • Determines program needs by monitoring trends and issues • Designs programs to meet needs of target audiences • Maintains knowledge of current research information • Recruits and utilizes volunteers

4. Qualities and Skills • An individual interested in becoming a cooperative extension agent should: • Enjoy working with people • Be empathetic to problems that people and communities may be trying to solve • Be able to handle numerous tasks at once and be able to work under some pressure • Possess strong leadership qualities and a desire to educate others • Have integrity, as well as patience and persistence Special Requirements • Must have pesticide certification to work with pesticides or people who will be using them • No special licensing requirement for this career field • Many associations offer special certifications that are important for agents in these specialized areas of work • The extension service holds many workshops and educational clinics to help extension agents stay up-to-date

5. Salary • Varies from state to state • Depends on one’s education and experience • An entry-level professional with a bachelor’s degree can expect to earn an annual salary from $20,000 to $25,000 a year • An agent with a master’s degree will typically earn between $27,000 and $40,000 annually • Those with a Ph.D. will earn more

6. Education • Agents must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences or a related field. • Most land grant universities offer a major for extension education. • A master’s degree is preferred.

7. Career Resources National Association of County Agricultural Agents 252 N. Park StDecatur, IL 62523Internet: http://www.nacaa.com National Association of Extension 4-H Agents 1235-E. East Boulevard #213 Charlotte, NC 28203 Internet: http://www.nae4ha.org/ Joint Council of Extension Professionals Internet: http://www.jcep.org Epsilon Sigma Phi Internet: http://espnational.org/ United States Department of Agriculture Internet: http://www.usda.gov Journal of Extension Internet: http://www.joe.org/