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This week, May 8, the
Smith-Lever Act of 1914 turned 103 years old. The act established the nation’s Cooperative Extension System (CES), a
partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the land-grant universities,
and county extension offices. Working through land-grant universities and
county extension offices, Cooperative Extension agents provide research-based,
non-formal education and learning activities to families, farmers, rural, and
urban communities. CES programs include agriculture, family and consumer
sciences, health and nutrition, emergency preparedness, community development,
and the 4-H youth development and education program.
Throughout the month, NIFA
will highlight stories on how the Cooperative Extension System is helping farmers and ranchers
achieve greater success, empowering communities, educating families, and preparing today’s youth to become
tomorrow’s leaders.
Success Stories
 Award-winning invention could reduce food loss in Africa
University of California-Davis Cooperative Extension specialists Michael Reid and Jim Thompson invented a low-cost,
innovative tool that will help reduce food spoilage and waste in Africa. The
product, called DryCard,
shows farmers whether their dried food products are dry enough to store safely,
reducing food losses and risks of mold and other toxins.
DryCard is the size of a business card, with a strip of cobalt chloride paper
that changes color based on humidity and may be reused. With a DryCard
and an airtight container, farmers can easily test a sample of their product for dryness in 30 minutes.
In March 2017, the invention won the grand prize for technology and innovation
at the first All-Africa Postharvest Congress and Exhibition in Kenya.
Read more about DryCard.
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 Food Camp helps kids experience farms
According to the U.S. Farmers
& Ranchers Alliance, three out of four consumers know nothing or very
little about farming and ranching. That percentage is even greater for youth.
The New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension created Food
Camp for Kids, which offers youth between the ages of 9 and 14 the opportunity
to learn about farming in their community.
Valencia County has annual
agricultural cash receipts of $76 million for livestock and $10.9 million for
crops, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture farm statistics. It has
a wide variety of food production ranging from beef cattle, pigs and lambs, to
fruit orchards, raspberries and garden vegetables. It also produces products
such as packaged meat, milk, honey, and flour.
“The idea for Food Camp for Kids
came about with the understanding that many people are disconnected from where
their food comes from, especially youth,” said Newt McCarty, NMSU extension
agent in Valencia County. “We wanted to show them where their food comes from
with actual experiences of seeing the livestock, honey and berry farms, orchard
and dairy that exist in their county.”
Read about Food
Camp for Kids.
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News Coverage
No “summer slide” for West
Virginia students
West Virginia University Extension Service’s Energy Express offers more than 3,000 rural and low-income children educational opportunities in
reading, writing, drama, art activities, and books to keep and read. Energy
Express is operated by the Extension Service’s 4-H program during the summer
months when children often experience a “summer slide” of falling reading
levels.
The mentors make learning fun for the kids by creating an environment
that’s both friendly and safe. In addition teaching, they eat nutritious,
family-style meals with children, make family visits, and complete a community
service project.
Based on the success of Energy Express participants and curriculum, the
National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University named Energy
Express program one of the nation’s best summer learning programs in 2009. In
2016, more than 100,000 healthy meals were served to children in the program
and 65% of the youth maintained or increased reading achievement in broad
reading achievement.
Read more about Energy Express.
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 Guam ag resources
The University of Guam’s Western Pacific Tropical
Research Center Impact Report highlights the research, extension, and
education success stories of 2016.
Inside you will find stories about Guam’s latest invasive insect, the
greater banded hornet, and how it might affect humans and animals. Other topics include variety
trials with kale and bell peppers, and other highlights of Guam’s tropical
agricultural industry.
Read the University of Guam's 2016 impact report.
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Video
 Sweet home Alabama
In 2016 the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) provided information and programming to one in four Alabama residents. More than one million Alabamans attended an extension educational program, received personal guidance,
or participated in 4-H activities. Alabama Extension evolves to meet the
changing needs of the state while focusing on its mission of improving
Alabama's economy and quality of life through the delivery of educational
programs to all 67 counties in the state. These programs are relevant to
contemporary and local issues, research based, and provided through sustained
personal and institutional relationships. ACES is the combined extension effort
of Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities.
Watch the 2016 ACES video.
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