Introductory Comments
(Here is the script of a video we prepared to kick off our local government support initiative in March. I want to share it with everyone as we engage our local partners in signing new cooperative agreements with the LSU AgCenter – Cooperative Extension Service)
For nearly 90 years, the LSU AgCenter’s Cooperative Extension Service has served as your parish’s connection to university-based research in agricultural and home economics and so much more. As the director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, I am proud to say we are a leader in providing knowledge at the local level for natural resource management, home gardens and landscapes, economic growth and the development of one our most precious resources, our young people, through the ever-popular 4-H program.
Bringing the university to the people is our mission and results in an improved quality of life for Louisiana citizens. With offices in every parish, The Extension Service provides the latest and most reliable information generated through quality research conducted by AgCenter scientists working both on campus and its 19 research stations. Having university-trained AgCenter faculty living and working in all 64 parishes has been extremely beneficial to all its citizens.
Our community and economic development team helps workers remain competitive in the business and job market while developing strong community-based enterprises crucial to the community’s economic viability. Family and consumer scientists provide the tools necessary to maintain health families and lifestyles. 4-H agents teach leadership, citizenship and life skills to our children. Your parish extension office serves as a direct conduit to new technology and university expertise so vital to long-term parish sustainability.
The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service is a locally focused federal, state and local partnership linking parish citizens to university knowledge. With offices in all 64 Louisiana parishes, and more that 3000 counties nationwide, Extension is supported through Congressional appropriations through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, funded on the state level by the Louisiana legislature, and locally supported by parish governments via police juries, parish councils or school boards. Local government partners provide office facilities, including essential needs such as utilities and maintenance, as well as partial support for operations, salaries, and benefits for faculty and staff located within the parish.
In Louisiana, this relationship is designated as a Memorandum of Understanding or MOU which served us well for many years. The MOUs on record require revision due to program changes and a lack of defined responsibilities, in particularly local financial support that is required in addition to parish-provided facilities. It is the AgCenter’s intent to replace out-of-date MOUs with Cooperative Agreements that explain this partnership and describe what local support will be required to maintain a Cooperative Extension office in your parish.
The new agreements you will soon review or have already reviewed represent the legitimate financial responsibilities that must be considered by your local government to continue an Extension office in your parish.
I understand that many parishes face serious financial challenges and do not have access to funds that may be required to meet the obligations of the partnership with Cooperative Extension’ however, the AgCenter cannot ignore the fact that Louisiana is last among the southern states in providing financial support for Extension programs and this discrepancy must be addressed. Local salary and benefits support for faculty and staff average about 3% in Louisiana with the southern average at 21%. The new cooperative agreements have a target to raise this minimum support to 10% over the next two fiscal years—a figure still less than half of the southern average. Additionally, a commitment to review each cooperative agreement every five years will be included.
Every local funding agency will be contacted to re-establish updated cooperative agreements that specify the financial responsibilities of each cooperating partner supporting a parish-based Extension office. It is both my hope and the AgCenter’s hope that the excellent programs made available to every parish citizen can be sustained through these new agreements. We are looking forward to maintaining the relationship that began in 1914 with our local partners as the AgCenter’s works to maintain its exemplary programs in all 64 parishes.
Through these new Cooperative Agreements we know the viability of our mission of “bringing the university to the people” can be sustained.
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| Posted on: 7/12/2005 10:05:26 AM |
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