A brief overview of Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) and how BSE fits into VCE

1. A brief overview of Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) and how BSE fits into VCE Brian Benham BSE Extension Project Leader

2. Exposure to Extension… Hank Kimball, County Agent If you’re of a certain age, perhaps your first exposure to Extension was thru the character Hank Kimball on Green Acres (1965 – 1971). Kimball, played by Alvy Moore (1921-1997), was the well-meaning and friendly, but scatterbrained “County Agent,” apparently educated past his intelligence.  Although supposedly a farming expert, his advice was usually worthless. Although Cooperative Extension is often associated only with agriculture, and at times in not a very flattering way, extension has a long and distinguished history of improving the lives of Americans in a variety of ways.

3. Brief History www.rogerknapp.com/knap/seamanknapp.htm Dr. S.A. Knapp www.rogerknapp.com/knap/seamanknapp.htm Morrill Acts (1862 and 1890)Established land-grant system. Original mission to teach agriculture, military tactics, and the mechanical arts as well as classical studies so that members of the working classes could obtain a liberal, practical education. Hatch Act (1887)Created the Agricultural Experiment Station at state’s land-grant institution. Each state must match a major portion of federal funds. First “Extension Agent” (1903)Seaman A. Knapp, a special agent in the USDA, was invited to Texas to discuss the serious spread of the cotton boll weevil. In 1904, Dr. Knapp reported on the Porter demonstration: "The object of all such demonstrations is to test or prove some important fact bearing upon agricultural conditions. If these demonstrations are conducted in such a way that few persons see the result, little is accomplished.“

4. Brief History cont… www.ncpedia.org/extension-service • Family and Consumer Sciences • Community Viability • Extension in Virginia (1906)Dr. J. D. Eggleston, then Superintendent of Public Instruction in Virginia, invited Dr. Knapp to Virginia. Dr. Knapp recruited T. O. Sandy of Burkeville, Virginia, to be a demonstrator. In 1907 Dr. Knapp made Mr. Sandy state agent and gave him authority hire additional agents. • Smith-Lever Act (1914)Established Cooperative Extension system. Broadened land-grant mission, and marked the beginning of a partnership among federal, state, local governments and higher education working cooperatively towards the solution of social and economic problems. • Today Virginia Cooperative Extension focused in 4 areas • Agriculture and Natural Resources • 4-H Youth Development

5. Virginia Cooperative Extension System • Joint program of: • U.S. Department of Agriculture • Virginia Tech (1862) • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences • College of Natural Resources • College of Veterinary Medicine • Virginia State University (1890) • Virginia county and city governments • Force-multiplier model • Specialists educate agents – agents (generalists) serve local clientele • Needs-driven programming • Agents solicit county-based Extension Leadership Councils for input about local programming needs. Specialists seek input from agents and develop programming to address issues on the horizon.

6. State-wide Network 107 unit offices organized in four districts 13 Agricultural Research and Extension Centers (ARECs) Six 4-H centers 213 Agents CALS faculty 44 on-campus and 33 AREC 10 CNRE faculty 1 Vet-Med faculty

7. How does BSE fit into VCE? VCE Agents at household water quality in-service training Multi-day water quality modeling course for VA state agency staff • Personnel Resources • 4 tenure track Specialists (2 on-campus, 2 out-state) • 2 non-tenure track specialists (both out-state) • 1 Extension Associate (on campus) • BSE develops and delivers programming in 3 of the 4 VCE program areas. By far, the majority of BSE programming is in Ag and Natural Resources (ANR). • BSE programs go beyond the traditional specialist/agent force-multiplier model. We reach a diverse clientele that includes, federal and state agency staff, local public officials, practicing engineers, ag producers, and more. • Several BSE extension faculty provide additional service to the Commonwealth by serving on various commissions and advisory boards.

8. Performance Expectations for Tenure Track Specialists • Joint extension/outreach and research appointments • Programming developed by Specialists undergo peer/clientele review • A program is a coordinated set of learning experiences focused on a problem and aimed at achieving predetermined expectations or objectives. A program should be based on issues, needs, and/or assets documented through a situation analysis. • Evaluation based on both quality and quantity of inputs, outputs and outcomes • Inputs are program investments: needs assessments, educational resources, grants • Outputs are activities, services, events and products that reach the target audience: VCE peer-reviewed publications, curriculum-based trainings, journal articles • Outcomes are documentable changes attributable to extension programming: Learning – increased awareness, knowledge gains, changed attitudes, skills acquired (short-term) Implementation – behavior change, practice adoption, (medium term) Societal - social, economic, environmental changes (long term)

9. On campus, Tenure track faculty Bobby Grisso Biomass logistics, machinery systems, machinery management, precision farming, and farm safety rgrisso@vt.edu 540.231.6538 Dr. Grisso was recently named Assoc. Director for ANR Brian Benham (Extension Project Leader) Watershed management, nonpoint source pollution assessment and control, household drinking water quality benham@vt.edu 540.231.5705 JactoneArogoOgejo Management and use of animal manure and other organic bioresidues; characterization and mitigation of aerial pollutants from animal feeding operations arogo@vt.edu 540.231.6814

10. Off-campus (AREC), Tenure track Zach Easton Hydrology and water quality, alternative best management practice design and assessment, watershed and water quality modeling Eastern Shore AREC, Painter, VA zeaston@vt.edu 757.414.0724 David Sample Urban stormwater management, watershed modeling, and design of best management practices. Hampton Roads AREC, Virginia Beach, VA dsample@vt.edu 571.229.0755

11. Non-tenure track faculty John Ignosh Agricultural byproduct utilization, renewable energy, nutrient management, and international development. Northern District Office, Harrisonburg, VA jignosh@vt.edu 540.432.6029 Robert Lane Thermal and vision food processing, sustainable energy, water, resource and waste management. Virginia Seafood AREC, Hampton, VA rlane@vt.edu 757.727.4861 Erin Ling Private water supply testing and outreach, development of water quality education and outreach materials, social marketing and behavior change assessment ejling@vt.edu 540.231.9058