[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
HEARING TO REVIEW THE SMITH-LEVER ACT
ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HORTICULTURE, RESEARCH,
BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND FOREIGNAGRICULTURE
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
MARCH 4, 2014
__________
Serial No. 113-9
Printed for the use of the Committee on Agriculture
agriculture.house.gov
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
87-047 WASHINGTON : 2014
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COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma, Chairman
BOB GOODLATTE, Virginia, COLLIN C. PETERSON, Minnesota,
Vice Chairman Ranking Minority Member
STEVE KING, Iowa MIKE McINTYRE, North Carolina
RANDY NEUGEBAUER, Texas DAVID SCOTT, Georgia
MIKE ROGERS, Alabama JIM COSTA, California
K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, Texas TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota
GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania KURT SCHRADER, Oregon
BOB GIBBS, Ohio MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio
AUSTIN SCOTT, Georgia JAMES P. McGOVERN, Massachusetts
SCOTT R. TIPTON, Colorado SUZAN K. DelBENE, Washington
ERIC A. ``RICK'' CRAWFORD, Arkansas GLORIA NEGRETE McLEOD, California
SCOTT DesJARLAIS, Tennessee FILEMON VELA, Texas
CHRISTOPHER P. GIBSON, New York MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, New Mexico
VICKY HARTZLER, Missouri ANN M. KUSTER, New Hampshire
REID J. RIBBLE, Wisconsin RICHARD M. NOLAN, Minnesota
KRISTI L. NOEM, South Dakota PETE P. GALLEGO, Texas
DAN BENISHEK, Michigan WILLIAM L. ENYART, Illinois
JEFF DENHAM, California JUAN VARGAS, California
STEPHEN LEE FINCHER, Tennessee CHERI BUSTOS, Illinois
DOUG LaMALFA, California SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, New York
RICHARD HUDSON, North Carolina JOE COURTNEY, Connecticut
RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois JOHN GARAMENDI, California
CHRIS COLLINS, New York
TED S. YOHO, Florida
VANCE M. McALLISTER, Louisiana
______
Nicole Scott, Staff Director
Kevin J. Kramp, Chief Counsel
Tamara Hinton, Communications Director
Robert L. Larew, Minority Staff Director
______
Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign
Agriculture
AUSTIN SCOTT, Georgia, Chairman
VICKY HARTZLER, Missouri KURT SCHRADER, Oregon, Ranking
JEFF DENHAM, California Minority Member
STEPHEN LEE FINCHER, Tennessee SUZAN K. DelBENE, Washington
DOUG LaMALFA, California JIM COSTA, California
RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio
CHRIS COLLINS, New York ANN M. KUSTER, New Hampshire
TED S. YOHO, Florida JUAN VARGAS, California
SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, New York
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Peterson, Hon. Collin C., a Representative in Congress from
Minnesota, prepared statement.................................. 3
Scott, Hon. Austin, a Representative in Congress from Georgia,
opening statement.............................................. 1
Schrader, Hon. Kurt, a Representative in Congress from Oregon,
opening statement.............................................. 3
Witnesses
Ramaswamy, Dr. Sonny, Director, National Institute of Food and
Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C... 4
Prepared statement........................................... 6
Hammock, Tess, Youth Trustee, National 4-H Council Board of
Trustees, Athens, GA........................................... 9
Prepared statement........................................... 10
Reed, Ph.D., A. Scott, Vice Provost for University Outreach and
Engagement, Oregon State University; Director, OSU Extension
Service, Corvallis, OR......................................... 11
Prepared statement........................................... 13
Lyons, Dr. L. Washington, Executive Administrator, Association of
Extension Administrators, Greensboro, NC; on behalf of Delbert
T. Foster, Acting Vice President, Land-Grant Services and
Executive Director, Research & Extension Programs, South
Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC; on behalf of
Association of Extension Administrators........................ 15
Prepared statement........................................... 16
Submitted Materials
American Society for Horticultural Science, submitted statement.. 33
HEARING TO REVIEW THE SMITH-LEVER ACT ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY
----------
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and
Foreign Agriculture,
Committee on Agriculture,
Washington, D.C.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:05 a.m., in
Room 1300 of the Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Austin
Scott [Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
Members present: Representatives Scott, Davis, Collins,
Yoho, Schrader, DelBene, Fudge, and Kuster.
Staff present: DaNita Murray, John Goldberg, Mary Nowak,
Tamara Hinton, Andy Baker, Anne Simmons, John Konya, Merrick
Munday, and Riley Pagett.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. AUSTIN SCOTT, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM GEORGIA
The Chairman. Good morning. This hearing of the
Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and
Foreign Agriculture to review the Smith-Lever Act on its 100th
anniversary will come to order.
In consultation with the Ranking Member, Dr. L. Washington
Lyons, Executive Administrator for the Association of Extension
Administrators, will be testifying in the place of Mr. Delbert
T. Foster due to travel issues if there is no objection.
Seeing no objection, today's hearing of the Subcommittee on
Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture
will review the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 on its 100th
anniversary. Thank you all for being here to discuss our
nationwide Cooperative Extension Service. We are pleased to
have before us several witnesses who are involved and
experienced the benefits of the Extension Service.
As we hear from our distinguished panel of witnesses today,
we hope to gain an understanding of the role that our nation's
land-grant colleges and universities continue to play in
providing for the needs of the public through the resources and
extension work established under the Smith-Lever Act. To better
understand where we are, we have to understand where we have
come from.
A century ago, Congress created a nationwide Cooperative
Extension Service through the Smith-Lever Act to address rural
agricultural issues. It formally established the partnership
between the agricultural colleges and universities and the
United States Department of Agriculture to create a
transformative education system. Specifically, the Act stated
as its purpose: ``In order to aid in diffusing among the people
of the United States useful and practical information on
subjects relating to agriculture, uses of solar energy with
respect to agriculture, home economics, and rural energy, and
to encourage the application of the same, there may be
continued or inaugurated in connection with the college of
colleges in each State, Territory, or possession . . .'' At
that time, more than 50 percent of the United States population
lived in rural areas, and 30 percent of the workforce was
engaged in farming.
Through the establishment of the National Cooperative
Extensive Service, the Smith-Lever Act helped to create a
partnership between land-grant colleges who are conducting
research and the farmer who could use the information to
improve his farming systems, thereby improving the lives and
leading the nation into an agricultural revolution. For
example, in 1945, it took 14 labor hours to produce 100 bushels
of corn on 2 acres of land. Today you can produce 100 bushels
of corn on less than an acre.
Over time the Extension Service has adapted but continues
to address a wide range of human plant and animal needs in both
urban and rural areas. Today's extension educational offerings
are in the areas of 4-H youth development, agriculture,
leadership development, national resources, family and consumer
sciences, and community and economic development.
Before us today is a panel that will provide their unique
perspective from many of the various components of our
country's Extension Services. We are honored to be joined by
Mr. Delbert Foster, Acting Vice President for the Division of
Land-Grant Services, directly involved in outreach and
engagement to the citizens of South Carolina on behalf of South
Carolina State University. Mr. Foster also represents the
critical contribution of the 1890 land-grant community to the
overall extension mission.
We are also joined by Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director of the
USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, who oversees
NIFA awards, funds for a wide range of extramural research,
education extension projects and addresses the needs of
farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers.
Dr. Scott Reed, Vice Provost for University Outreach and
Engagement at Oregon State University also joins us to discuss
his involvement with a growing number of educational programs
within the OSU Extension Service, which enhances the economic,
environmental and social welfare of society.
Finally, I am pleased to welcome Tess Hammock, a sophomore
at the University of Georgia--go Dogs--to share her experience
and insight as a member of the Youth Council for the 4-H
National Board of Trustees.
We appreciate the time each of you has given to prepare for
this hearing. Your testimony will be important to evaluate the
current state of the Cooperative Extension Service and ensure a
successful model of cooperative extension education for years
to come.
Thank you, and now I would like to recognize my friend and
colleague from Oregon, Ranking Minority Member, Mr. Kurt
Schrader, for any opening remarks he may have.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. KURT SCHRADER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM OREGON
Mr. Schrader. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate
having this hearing today. Now that we are past the farm bill,
which I enjoyed working with you on a lot and was a pretty
decent piece of legislation, it is time to get back to meat-
potatoes-type issues, things that make a difference on the
ground every day in our districts. Smith-Lever allows us to do
that. It really does allow us to do that.
I would like to welcome the witnesses also. Thank you for
making the trek, especially in this weather. Good to have you
all here, and two good friends of mine from back in my Oregon
State legislative days. Scott, it is really good to see you
guys here. I appreciate you coming out and being able to tell
the story that's been so successful for us back home.
I think as we approach this 100th anniversary that
authorized the cooperative extension programs, I think that is
a big point. These are public-private partnerships that allow
us to leverage taxpayer dollars to help us feed the world, and
in this day and era, even though the urban population has
increased and some of our rural population has decreased, it is
important or maybe even more important for Extension to be out
there because we are feeding a lot more people now that don't
raise their food, and Extension talks about that.
Personally, I am a huge fan. I farmed for over 20 years.
Oregon State University's Extension Service was critical to my
early success as a strawberry grower trying to find out the
right varieties and ways to go out about the cultivation. We
actually have a huge master gardener following in our State of
Oregon. A lot of urban counterparts are very excited about
those opportunities, and it makes a nice symbiotic relationship
and I think Smith-Lever has that ability that we have seen over
the last 100 years to be relevant not just to rural America but
urban America also.
And a case in point about how critical Extension is was the
outbreak of the Drosophila suzukii issue with the stone fruit
back in 2010. I was able to get the then-Chairman of the
Committee to come to Oregon. We convinced him of the work that
Oregon State could do. We were able to get a grant and stop a
huge, huge pest from devastating some of America's agriculture
that again helps feed the rest of the world.
So I am very excited about the opportunity here. I think it
is going to be a great hearing, hopefully a great recognition
of the work that is done and I look forward to hearing from the
witnesses today, and again, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Schrader, and the chair would
request that other Members submit their opening statements for
the record so the witnesses may begin their testimony and to
ensure that there is ample time for questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Peterson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Collin C. Peterson, a Representative in
Congress from Minnesota
Good morning. Thank you Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Schrader
for holding today's hearing on the 100th Anniversary of the Smith-Lever
Act. And thank you to today's witnesses for braving this Minnesota-like
weather to join us today.
One hundred years after it became law, the Smith-Lever Act
continues to play an important role in rural communities across the
country. With the 2014 Farm Bill now being implemented, the work of
Extension economists and crop and livestock specialists at land-grant
universities is perhaps more important than ever. These folks do an
excellent job in spite some of the tough budget challenges they've
recently had to endure.
The Smith-Lever Act also formalized 4-H Clubs to carry out the
Cooperative Extension System's nationwide youth development program.
Like many of us on this Committee, I was active in 4-H and they
continue to do great work. Looking ahead, I hope that we can work with
4-H and Extension Service along with local companies and technical
colleges, in addition to the land-grant universities, to help supply
workers in rural areas with the skills needed for off farm job
opportunities.
I'm also proud to be an original cosponsor of a Congressional
Resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act
and I look forward to its consideration by the full House.
So, thank you again, Mr. Scott, for today's hearing on this
important issue. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses.
The Chairman. For the panel, I would like to welcome our
panel of witnesses to the table: Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director,
National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Washington, D.C.; Ms. Tess Hammock, National 4-H
Council Board of Trustees, Youth Trustee, University of
Georgia, Athens, Georgia; Dr. Scott Reed, Vice Provost,
University Outreach and Engagement and Director, Oregon State
University Extension Service from Corvallis, Oregon, and Dr.
Washington Lyons, Executive Administrator for the Association
of Extension Administrators, North Carolina A&T University.
Dr. Ramaswamy, please begin when you are ready.
STATEMENT OF DR. SONNY RAMASWAMY, DIRECTOR,
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Dr. Ramaswamy. Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Members of
the Subcommittee. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk
about something that is like talking to my own family here
about this incredible enterprise that we have in the United
States called Cooperative Extension Service.
As you noted, Mr. Chairman and Congressman Schrader, it is
the 100th anniversary of this enterprise, and I would like to
share with you a little bit of my thoughts and particularly
share with you also where we want to go as we go forward
looking at the future as well.
As you noted, the Smith-Lever Act was passed in 1914 and
has been around for 100 years, and in my mind truly the global
preeminence of America in general and particularly about the
food and agriculture enterprise in large measure is
attributable to that Cooperative Extension Service. Mr.
Chairman, as you noted, the ability to grow food compared with
what we are able to do 40 years ago, 50 years ago, 100 years
ago with fewer people on smaller acreages of land is an
incredible testimony to the kind of work that Extension has
done.
So Cooperative Extension Service itself, it is a three-way
partnership. It is a partnership with the Federal Government
and the state government and the local government, so funding
is provided by all three entities. The funding from the Federal
Government is provided by the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture on behalf of the U.S. Government, the United States
Department of Agriculture.
Now, I could go on and on and wax eloquent about thousands
of stories and in fact, you have both shared some stories
already, but what I would like to do is just take a couple of
examples and speak to the amazing things that happened in
Cooperative Extension Service and in large measure is
responsible for the strength that we have as a nation as well
as global preeminence. I will keep referring to that as I make
my comments here as well.
Now, in terms of technical education to growers and land
managers, this is an agricultural and natural resources area
that Extension provides support in. Whether it is a backyard
gardener or a farmer that farms maybe 1,000 acres of cotton or
peanuts or a large rancher with thousands of acres of ranches
in Oregon or other parts of our nation, these folks, they get
their knowledge, their information from those local boots on
the ground, our local boots on the ground of the Cooperative
Extension Service, I will refer to as educators, county
Extension agents as faculty. Depending on the state we are in,
each one of them is called differently but all these folks,
they get their knowledge from the boots on the ground, these
local extension educators that we have. Or they might crowd-
source the best knowledge from a whole community of practice
that is part of what we referred to today as eXtension, this
online community of practice that we have. Literally you can
bring together a problem with horses or organic production
systems or Drosophila suzukii, the insect that Congressman
Schrader referred to. You can bring in the best breeds together
as part of the community of practice to be able to address
that, so that is the breadth of efforts that are contributed to
by our Extension personnel across America.
I want to share with you a couple of examples from the
State of California and from the State of Georgia as well in
this ag and natural resources world. As you know, droughts have
been afflicting our nation pretty much west of the Mississippi
and particularly California and the West Coast. They epitomize
the situation that we have, and our Extension personnel at the
University of California System has undertaken applied research
and extension efforts in coming up with more efficient
irrigation systems. They have created an app, for example, for
smart phones and tablets where the local producers working with
water conservation districts and others can go ahead and bank
the water in the wintertime when you have excess water and
runoff and things like that, and then deploy that water that
has been banked in the summertime when you need the water for
the crops to be grown, two quick, simple examples of the kind
of work that is being done, and I can, as I said, go on and on
about other states as well.
Another area, for example, Georgia itself, one of the
examples that I would like to share with you, and I know
Congressman Scott knows this particular example is the
blueberry industry in that state. It went in a matter of about
10 years with the help of Georgia researchers, University of
Georgia researchers and Cooperative Extension Service, has gone
from a farm-gate value of about $20 million to about $150
million in a matter of 10 years. This has come about because of
the wonderful work done by the researchers at developing new
varieties. There is a particular variety called Titan, and this
variety, the blueberries, if you can believe this, they are as
big as a quarter. The diameter of the blueberry is as big as a
quarter, and I have the privilege of tasting them as well. They
are fantastic-tasting as well. So it gives you the idea of
things that are going on.
In the realm of family and consumer education, EFNEP is a
program that works particularly with limited-resource families.
Research recently has demonstrated that it has reduced health
care costs, reduced absenteeism, reduced dependence on
emergency food assistance as well.
In the realm of community development, in the State of
Oregon, for example, we have a program, Extension runs a
program called Recipe to Market, and that one works with
entrepreneur, people wanting to be entrepreneurs and offering
them a boot camp where they are learning about business plans,
what kind of products to take to market, et cetera, and a
consequence of that is, three individuals have a company that
produces several million dollars' worth of economic activity as
well, and that produces jobs and contributes to a number of
jobs that are being created.
In terms of youth development, Tess Hammock is going to
testify about 4-H, and she really to me epitomizes the amazing
things that are going on with our youth. We have seven million
children in America that are part of 4-H, and in large measure
the success is because of the volunteers. We have about a half
a million volunteers that work with 4-H as well.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Ramaswamy follows:]
Prepared Statement of Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, National Institute
of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D.C.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to have
this opportunity to discuss the role and relevance of the Cooperative
Extension System.
As we mark the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914,
which established our nation's Cooperative Extension System, I believe
that Extension is well-positioned to build on the successes of its
first 100 years.
The Cooperative Extension System is funded through a partnership
between the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National
Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), state land-grant
universities, and local governments. Extension deploys science-based
solutions to address problems in food, agriculture, natural resources,
family and consumer sciences, youth development, and community economic
development.
Today, I would like to use a few examples to highlight how
Extension helps American agriculture, consumers, youth, and communities
succeed and strengthen our nation.
Technical Education to Growers and Land Managers
Whether it is a backyard gardener or a farmer, rancher, or forester
managing thousands of acres seeking information to address their
particular problem, they can rely on unbiased, science-based technical
information available from their local Extension agent. Or they can
crowd-source knowledge via eXtension, the Extension system's national
online interactive learning environment.
I'll cite two particularly compelling examples from California and
Georgia, where technical information from Extension is making a
difference.
In California, afflicted by the recent, severe droughts, Extension
personnel are providing science-based information to help growers and
other residents use their water resources more efficiently and
effectively. With funding from NIFA, University of California
Cooperative Extension refined conservation tillage practices to reduce
water use on field crops through lower evaporation and higher
irrigation efficiencies. At the same time, these practices have
contributed to reduced production costs while maintaining or increasing
yields. Similarly, with funding from NIFA's Specialty Crop Research
Initiative program, University of California Cooperative Extension
personnel are testing new varieties of crops for salinity tolerance.
This is especially helpful as we look to increase our use of reclaimed
and recycled water. Finally, using a combination of NIFA, state, and
local funding, in cooperation with USDA's Natural Resources
Conservation Service, University of California Cooperative Extension
specialists have created a soil-based ``app'' for smart phones and
tablets. This app can help users in California locate optimal locations
for ``groundwater banking'' in times of excess water supply, thus
making that water available in times of drought. The app can also be
used to optimize irrigation of agricultural crops. This saves water
while maintaining agricultural productivity.
The Georgia Blueberry industry has undergone explosive growth in
recent years--in just over a decade, farm-gate value of blueberries in
the state has increased from $22 million in 2000 to more than $150
million in 2012. Research and Extension at the University of Georgia--
funded by NIFA--has been a significant contributor to the growth of
this cash crop. As University of Georgia researchers developed new
cultivars, new pest management and harvest techniques, and ways to add
value to grower marketing, Georgia Cooperative Extension helped growers
turn those advancements into profits. Researchers have developed
varieties that ripen quicker, get bigger, and are more marketable. One
blueberry variety developed by the University of Georgia, Titan, when
grown under suitable conditions can often grow to exceed the size of a
quarter! Another recently developed University of Georgia variety,
Early Dawn, offers the earliest maturing blueberry variety for
commercial growers in South Georgia. Cooperative Extension funding has
helped to demonstrate the advantages of these varieties and to provide
other science-based information to growers, guiding them through
variety selection and dozens of other grower decisions that represent
the difference between a farm profit and loss.
Consumer and Family Education
In addition to producers, Cooperative Extension educates consumers,
families, and communities. For example, NIFA's Expanded Food and
Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) currently operates in all 50 states
and in American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands,
Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Across the nation, EFNEP reached
130,485 adults and 479,398 youth directly and nearly 400,000 family
members indirectly in FY 2012. Obesity, poor health, and limited
physical activity are major health concerns for many, and particularly
so for limited resource families. EFNEP has improved the health and
well-being of limited resource families and youth through better
knowledge, skills, attitudes, and changed behavior regarding
nutritionally sound diets. Additionally, EFNEP programs are
contributing to public savings; for example, research shows that better
health is associated with reduced health care costs, reduced
absenteeism from work, and reduced dependence on emergency food
assistance.
Community Economic Development
Prosperity and economic security for individuals and families,
farmers and ranchers, entrepreneurs, and consumers across the country
are key to a strong economy. NIFA funding and program leadership
provide for Cooperative Extension activities that enable Americans to
make sound financial management decisions, discover new economic
opportunities, develop successful agricultural and nonagricultural
enterprises, and take advantage of new and consumer-driven markets.
For example, Cooperative Extension helped Oregonians launch new
food businesses through a program called Recipe to Market. This program
helps local entrepreneurs become marketable to well-established
companies. Throughout the 4 month Recipe to Market program, each
participant builds a business plan, helps design a marketing campaign,
and works one-on-one with local coaches to turn their dream into a
profitable local business. In one rural, isolated coastal community,
seven participants completed the first offering of Recipe to Market,
which enabled them to launch three new businesses. These three
businesses now generate almost $1.2 million in combined annual gross
income and provide employment for up to a dozen employees. The governor
of Oregon has likened creation of such economic opportunity in rural
communities to be equivalent to creating hundreds of jobs in
metropolitan areas such as Portland.
A team of researchers and Extension specialists led by Cornell
University is working to develop and test broccoli cultivars suited to
the climate and soils from Maine to Florida and westward into Ohio and
Tennessee. Estimates indicate that Eastern broccoli production will
result in a 66 percent reduction in fuel used to transport the crop to
market. This will save close to 2.3 million gallons of fuel per year
and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 51 million pounds
annually. The team expects that growers in the region will see
increased profits of $3,000 per acre per year, which translates to
increased profits of $40 million. The total annual economic impact on
rural economies will be almost $90 million.
The Nation's Largest Youth Development and Empowerment Organization, 4-
H
The Cooperative Extension based organization reaches more than
seven million 4-H youth in urban neighborhoods, suburban schoolyards,
and rural farming communities. Supported by university-backed
curricula, 4-H'ers engage in hands-on learning activities in the areas
of science, healthy living, and food security. These future leaders are
developing intellectual curiosity along with skills in math, science,
and technology, as a result of hands-on learning in 4-H programs
developed by our nation's land-grant universities. While Cooperative
Extension professionals oversee the 4-H programs, it is local community
volunteerism that really contributes to the success of the program.
More than 500,000 4-H volunteers are helping to create life-changing
experiences for young people in every county and community--all 50
states, U.S. territories and on military installations worldwide. In 4-
H, farm kids, city kids, and kids of every race, economic, and family
situation are acquiring the skills that will help them become the
capable future workforce our nation needs. They're also developing the
social values that lead to better futures. Research has demonstrated
that compared with youth not involved in 4-H programs, 4-H'ers are
twice as likely to go to college, twice as likely to pursue careers in
science, and three times as likely to give back to their communities.
More than 60 million of our nation's most successful statesmen,
business leaders, scientists, and academics credit 4-H with setting
them on a positive, productive path. This includes current Members of
the United States Congress!
Resources
Historically, the two main sources of Federal funds that provide
broad support for the Cooperative Extension System are from two line
items in the NIFA budget: Smith-Lever 3 (b&c) and 1890s Extension.
These Federal funds are matched by state and county funds. During the
last several years, Cooperative Extension efforts across our nation
have been strengthened with locally leveraged private funding sources,
including fees. Additionally, NIFA has worked to integrate Extension
directly into research projects that seamlessly deliver results to end-
users. NIFA's largest competitive grants program, the Agricultural and
Food Research Initiative (AFRI), is one such program that funds
integrated research, education, and Extension activities that provide
science-based solutions to address major agricultural challenges of
national, regional, and multi-state importance. For instance, last
week, Secretary Vilsack announced a new, 5 year, $30 million water
grants initiative through the AFRI program that will provide America's
farmers and ranchers solutions to serious agricultural water challenges
and improve the quality and quantity of our water resources.
The Future
I believe America's global preeminence in the food and agricultural
enterprise is attributable in large measure to the effectiveness of the
Extension system, which translates discoveries into solutions to
address problems faced by end-users. This system, unparalleled and the
envy of the world, is emulated by many; even today, many from around
the world come to America to learn about Extension.
In recent years, some have questioned--in the age of Google and
Wikipedia--the need for this public enterprise called Cooperative
Extension. However, Extension, with its service to every one of the
3,100+ counties, parishes, and boroughs of our nation, has demonstrated
over the last 100 years its ability to morph itself to provide
evidence-based, third party validated, unbiased information in
addressing problems faced by generations of the public. The challenges
our nation and the world face in the context of the burgeoning
population--from meeting food security to dealing with droughts and
other environmental constraints, public health issues, youth, family,
and community well-being, and economic well-being--our nation's
Cooperative Extension System is ready and available to address the same
and to help America continue to maintain its global preeminence over
the next 100 years.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for this
opportunity to speak about Cooperative Extension in the United States.
I look forward to working with you and the others around our nation to
continue to protect the interests of farmers, ranchers, consumers,
youth, and communities across America through a vital and effective
Cooperative Extension System.
The Chairman. Thank you, Doctor.
Dr. Ramaswamy. Thank you very much for that opportunity,
Congressman Scott.
The Chairman. Ms. Hammock.
STATEMENT OF TESS HAMMOCK, YOUTH TRUSTEE, NATIONAL 4-H COUNCIL
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ATHENS, GA
Ms. Hammock. Good morning, Mr. Chairman, Members of the
Committee, thank you so much for inviting me to be here today
to testify on the importance of the Smith-Lever Act, coauthored
a century ago by a fellow Georgian, the late Senator Hoke
Smith.
It is an honor for me to share my story this morning, and
to tell you how the Smith-Lever Act and one of the world's most
innovative educational ideas ever--the Cooperative Extension
System of our nation's land-grant universities--has helped to
shape my life and the person I am today.
As a young woman growing up in Georgia, I had access to a
life-changing experience called 4-H, the youth development
program of Cooperative Extension, the largest and one of the
most effective youth programs in America. For more than 100
years, 4-H has stood behind the idea that young people are the
single greatest resource we have to create a better world.
I am deeply grateful for the leadership skills I acquired
in 4-H and the amazing adults who believed in me, including my
county Extension agent and state program leaders. Without them,
my life would have been very different.
Two questions that I want to answer for you today are: how
did 4-H enhance my leadership abilities and skills and how am I
putting those skills into practice today?
4-H taught me that being a leader begins with confidence,
and there were three things that helped me develop confidence,
and that was participating in public speaking competitions,
serving as a state officer, and performing with the musical
group Clovers and Company. 4-H gave me the opportunity to
discover for myself what my gifts and talents are. Moreover, it
gave me the tools, the opportunities and the platform to master
and then to demonstrate those skills, just like today.
My passion is public speaking, and for millions of others
in 4-H, it might be creating an enterprise garden in a food
desert, cultivating a peer intervention program or designing a
smarter robot. Whatever it is, 4-H'ers, in partnership with
caring adults, are becoming confident, capable young men and
women with purpose, changing and leading the world today and
into the future.
There is proof that 4-H works also. According to a decade-
long research study completed by researchers at Tufts
University, 4-H'ers excel beyond their peers. They are nearly
four times more likely to contribute to their communities. 4-
H'ers are two times more likely to be civically active, make
healthier choices and participate in science programs during
out-of-school time. In addition, they are tackling issues that
matter most in the areas of science--healthy living and food
security--an issue that is important to me and is the reason I
am pursuing my undergraduate degree in agricultural
communications at the University of Georgia. Go Dogs.
Agriculture touches every person on the planet, every day.
It has been part of our story since the beginning of time and
it is vital to our very existence. Agriculture has an important
story to tell and I want to be one of the voices telling that
story.
One in seven people in the world go to bed hungry every
night. Food production must double by the year 2050 to meet the
demands of our world's population growth. No one knows where
the food, water or energy will come from but we do know that
the farmer who will feed the world in 2050 is 13 years old
today. This is just one example of why an investment in young
people is the most important investment you can make.
These experiences I have shared with you today have brought
me to this place and made me who I am. Because others have
invested in me, I have a responsibility to make a difference in
this world, a responsibility that I am well prepared for,
thanks to my family, my faith and to 4-H.
There are more than 20 million 4-H alumni in this country,
many right here in the halls of Congress, who are leading our
communities and our country in remarkable ways.
As a Youth Trustee of the Board of National 4-H Council, I
am passionate about empowering youth to serve their communities
and to make a positive difference in their own lives and those
of others. Our pledge at National 4-H Council is to increase
access to the 4-H experience for millions more young people
throughout the United States no matter where they live--on a
farm, in an urban food desert, on a U.S. military base, or a
tight-knit small town like Forsyth, Georgia where I grew up.
As we begin a second century of service, our mission is to
share the incredible story of Cooperative Extension, the power
of the 4-H program to change lives and save lives, and to
highlight the urgent need for all of us to invest in young
people.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, for
your support and the opportunity to tell my 4-H story.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Hammock follows:]
Prepared Statement of Tess Hammock, Youth Trustee, National 4-H Council
Board of Trustees, Athens, GA
Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me
to be here today, to testify on the importance of the Smith-Lever Act,
co-authored a century ago by a fellow Georgian, the late Senator Hoke
Smith.
It is an honor for me to share my story. And to tell you how the
Smith-Lever Act and one of the world's most innovative educational
ideas ever--the Cooperative Extension System of our nation's land-grant
universities--has helped to shape my life and the person I am today.
As a young woman growing up in Georgia, I had access to a life-
changing experience called 4-H--the youth development program of
Cooperative Extension, the largest and one of the most effective youth
programs in America.
For more than 100 years, 4-H has stood behind the idea that young
people are the single greatest resource we have to create a better
world.
I am deeply grateful for the leadership skills I acquired in 4-H
and the amazing adults who believed in me, including my county
extension agent and state program leaders. Without them, my life would
have been very different.
Across our nation, there are thousands of professional Extension
educators, who along with \1/2\ million volunteers and mentors, make
great things happen for more than six million young people each and
every day.
Two questions that I want to answer for you today are--``How did 4-
H enhance my leadership skills and how am I putting those skills into
practice?''
4-H taught me that being a leader begins with confidence. There
were three things that helped me develop confidence--participating in a
public speaking competition, serving as a state officer, and performing
with the musical group Clovers and Company. 4-H gave me the opportunity
to discover for myself what my gifts and talents are. Moreover, it gave
me the tools, the opportunities and the platform to master--and to
demonstrate--those skills.
My passion is public speaking. For millions of others in 4-H, it
might be creating an enterprise garden in a food desert, cultivating a
peer intervention program or designing a smarter robot. Whatever it is,
4-H'ers, in partnership with caring adults, are becoming confident,
capable young men and women with purpose--changing and leading the
world today and into the future.
There's proof that 4-H works. According to a decade-long research
study completed by researchers at Tufts University, 4-H'ers excel
beyond their peers.
They are nearly four times more likely to contribute to their
communities.
4-H'ers are two times more likely to be civically active, make
healthier choices and participate in science programs during out-of-
school time.
In addition, they are tackling issues that matter most in the areas
of science, healthy living and food security--an issue that is
important to me and is the reason I am pursuing my undergraduate degree
in agricultural communications at the University of Georgia.
Agriculture touches every person on the planet, every day. It has
been part of our story since the beginning of time and it is vital to
our very existence. Agriculture has an important story to tell and I
want to be one of the voices telling that story.
One in seven people in the world go to bed hungry every night. Food
production must double by the year 2050 to meet the demands of our
world's population growth. No one knows where the food, water or energy
will come from. But we do know that the farmer who will feed the world
in 2050 is 13 years old today. This is just one example of why an
investment in young people is the most important investment you can
make.
The experiences I've shared with you today have brought me to this
place and made me who I am. Because others have invested in me, I have
a responsibility to make a difference in this world, a responsibility
that I am well prepared for, thanks to my family, my faith and 4-H.
There's another number I want to share with you. There are more
than 20 million 4-H alumni in this country--many right here in the
Halls of Congress--who are leading our communities and our country in
remarkable ways.
As a Youth Trustee of the Board of National 4-H Council, I am
passionate about empowering youth to serve their communities and make a
positive difference in their own lives and those of others.
Our pledge at National 4-H Council is to increase access to the 4-H
experience for millions more young people throughout the United States
no matter where they live--on a farm, in an urban food desert, on a
U.S. military base, or a tight knit small town like Forsyth, Georgia
where I grew up.
As we begin a second century of service, our mission is to share
the incredible story of Cooperative Extension, the power of the 4-H
program to change lives and save lives, and to highlight the urgent
need for all of us to invest in young people.
Thank you for your support and the opportunity to share my 4-H
story.
The Chairman. Thank you, Ms. Hammock.
Dr. Reed.
STATEMENT OF A. SCOTT REED, Ph.D., VICE PROVOST FOR UNIVERSITY
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY; DIRECTOR, OSU
EXTENSION SERVICE,
CORVALLIS, OR
Dr. Reed. Chairman Scott, Members of the Subcommittee, it
is my privilege to be representative of Extension leaders
across the 106-member land-grant system, and as I begin, I
would like to offer my thanks for your having moved Concurrent
Resolution 86 that honors and inspires those who have spent
their careers working as public servants on behalf of the
Cooperative Extension Service.
Two months from now, we will recognize the signing of this
historic 1914 Act that created a funding mechanism and a system
unlike any other in our country. I would like to describe the
Federal dollars as the hardest working. They are the first ones
in the door that cause states and counties to make
contributions to the same powerful system. This relationship
connects knowledge resources to issues. It is driven by
national objectives but it is customized to meet local and
state needs.
My own career is an example. I began working in the private
sector in a pulp and paper company in northern Minnesota. I was
running a small research department, and in that capacity, I
was more of a problem solver. I had more problems than I could
solve. To my aid came the land-grant university Extension
Service that provided me with intellectual depth, research
design, access to graduate students, all things I did not have.
I provided access to land and researchable problems. Together
we worked with the local county Extension office and developed
an applied learning laboratory and did things together that
neither of us could have done separately.
I am sure that back in your own states, you no doubt see
the effects of Extension work all around you. While it is true
that we count and report to you things like people reached,
acres impacted and dollars saved or earned, we do all that, but
the real durable effects of Extension work is on public value
that manifests as healthy people, a healthy planet and healthy
economies.
So what are some of the innovations that you might be
seeing? In my home State of Oregon, the Extension Service
brings together vineyard managers, winemakers and students in
shared learning environments, a recent innovation. We bring
those audiences together both in-person and online that helps
to advance the dramatic growth in this agricultural sector. The
result: wine grapes have catapulted to the 17th most important
crop of more than 200 commodities in Oregon.
In Minnesota, concerns over the influence of climate change
and weather patterns are driving Extension to develop and
implement adaptation strategies. Community by community in
Minnesota, Extension helps growers make plant selection
decisions, how to deal with invasive pests, manage extreme
variations in rainfall, and choose levels of crop insurance.
In Georgia, rising energy costs have made energy efficiency
a high priority on farms, yet many farmers have trouble
financing these kind of improvements. Energy assessments across
47 farms in Georgia provided by Extension assisted in $3.6
million in grant requested renovations and projected annual
savings of more than $10,000 per farm.
And finally, in Oklahoma, development of best management
practices regarding the intersection of cattle grazing and
wheat production created decisions models and Extension
education about their application that translated to $285
million of savings from reducing lost production to wheat.
While it is true we have been teaching for the last 100
years, we have also learned and adapted our strategies for the
21st century. Today's issues are complex, and there are few
simple answers anymore. Beyond simply sharing, we bring
knowledge to the table developed by our research community that
is stimulated by the work of this Subcommittee and then we
partner with communities of place, communities of interest,
communities of practice to adapt and share practices that are
implemented across the landscapes. We are moving beyond simple
outreach to what we call engagement. Outreach, we like to say,
begins with an answer; engagement ends with one.
Our local presence allows for personal relationships and
face-to-face education but Extension also thrives in the Web-
based and socially networking world anywhere, anytime, any
format defines our national network. As an illustration, this
month we will answer 5,000 questions through the electronic Ask
an Expert System, part of the eXtension program that is funded
through a Congressional line that is called New Technologies in
Agriculture. With leadership of visionary policymakers and
annual appropriations of about $300 million of capacity funds
through the Smith-Lever Act, which I will point out is less
than $1 per American, we keep a local office open in more than
3,000 United States counties. We enroll seven million youth in
the legendary 4-H program. We advance nutritional support to
limited-resource families, and we focus on rapid response
through Extension's Disaster Education Network, among other
priorities.
Finally, while recognizing 100 years of Smith-Lever is
important, this isn't about looking in the rear-view mirror.
More critical is the windshield view of our adaptation to new
issues, new audiences, new approaches. In the next 100 years,
we will continue translating science for practical
applications, we will engage learners to co-develop solutions,
we will transform individuals, families, communities and
businesses in both rural and urban environments. That is the
work of Cooperative Extension.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Reed follows:]
Prepared Statement of A. Scott Reed, Ph.D., Vice Provost for University
Outreach and Engagement, Oregon State University; Director, OSU
Extension Service, Corvallis, OR
Why Cooperative Extension?--Extending Knowledge, Changing Lives
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, I am Scott Reed. My
role at Oregon State University is to serve as vice provost for
university outreach and engagement and director of the Oregon Extension
Service. I am an example of many others who lead such programs at the
nation's 106 land-grant universities as part of the Cooperative
Extension System.
Two months from now, we will celebrate the May 8, 1914 signing of
the Smith-Lever Act that put into place a funding mechanism unlike any
other. Federal dollars that flow to Extension services lever additional
appropriations from state and county governments and create a
tripartite partnership that connects knowledge resources to issues and
opportunities. This distinctive network identifies priorities through
systematic assessments that, while driven by national priorities,
customize responses to meet state and local needs.
My own career in Extension is an example. While working in the
private sector, I was responsible for a small research department in a
forest products company in northern Minnesota. In that setting, my job
was a problem solver for our land managers--and I had more problems
than I could effectively manage. To my aid came the land-grant
university Extension Service that provided intellectual depth, research
design support, and access to expanded knowledge, and graduate student
support--all things I would not have on my own. My role was to provide
access to land and problems that the local Extension Service used as an
applied learning laboratory. Through this type of engagement, we
accomplished things that neither of us could do separately. Working
partnerships like this illustrate a key feature of how Extension has
worked for 100 years.
Back home in your states, you no doubt see the effects of
Extension's work across the landscape. While it's true that we count
things like people reached, acres impacted and dollars saved or earned,
the durable effects of Extension emerge as healthy people, healthy
economies and a healthy planet. The impacts and outcomes associated
with Extension work generate huge public value. So what are some of the
innovations?
In my home State of Oregon, the Extension Service brings together
vineyard managers, winemakers and students in shared learning
environments--both in-person and online in a virtual setting to advance
dramatic growth in this agricultural sector. The result--wine grapes
catapulted to the 17th most important crop of more than 220
commodities.
In Minnesota, concerns over the influence of climate change and
weather patterns are driving Extension to develop and implement
adaptation strategies. Community by community, Extension helps growers
make plant selection decisions, how to deal with uninvited pests,
manage extreme variations in rainfall, and choose levels of crop
insurance
In Georgia, rising energy costs have made energy efficiency a high
priority on farms, yet many farmers have trouble financing these
improvements. Energy assessments across 47 poultry farms, dairies, turf
and row crop farms provided by Extension assisted in $3.6 million of
grant-requested renovations and projected annual savings of more than
$10,000 per farm.
In Oklahoma, development of best practices regarding the
intersection of cattle grazing and wheat production created decision
models and education about their application that translated to $285
million in savings from reducing lost production of wheat.
In Cooperative Extension's first 100 years, we've learned a few
things and adapted our strategies to match the way people learn in the
21st century. Extension is moving beyond outreach to engagement with
our audiences and partners. Outreach begins with an answer; engagement
ends with one. Through engagement with those we serve, benefits are
reciprocal and we learn as much as we teach.
We're about much more than information sharing--we're in the
knowledge business, and we bring to the table results of our cutting
edge research--much of which is stimulated by this Subcommittee. Then
we partner with communities--communities of place--of interest and of
practice to adapt and share practices that get implemented across our
natural and human landscapes.
Without giving up the value of personal relationships and local,
face-to-face education, Extension thrives in the web-based and
socially-networked worlds too. Anywhere, anytime, any format defines
our national network. As an illustration, this month, we'll answer five
thousand questions through the electronic ``Ask an Expert'' system.
Extension is a classic American innovation envied the world over
for its ability to change lives and improve the availability of safe
and affordable food. Extension attracts Americans in partnership that
dramatically expands our capacity. Nearly 100,000 Master Gardeners
provide 4.5 million volunteer hours and more than 800,000 pounds of
food for local food banks. Extension puts our youth on positive
trajectories through the 4-H program where participants are twice as
likely to go to college and three times more likely to contribute to
their communities. And Extension raises people up through our Expanded
Food and Nutrition Education Program where 90 percent of low-income
adult participants and 60 percent of youth improved their food choices.
With the leadership of visionary policy makers and annual
appropriations of approximately 300 million capacity dollars provided
by the Smith-Lever Act, we accomplish much. Smith-Lever funds are hard-
working dollars that generate state and county investments and help
create the infrastructure that allows effective targeting of
competitive grant monies. For less than one Federal dollar per American
citizen, we
keep a local office open in more than 3,000 counties,
enroll nearly seven million youth in the legendary 4-H youth
development program,
advance nutritional food support to limited-resource
families, and
focus on rapid response through Extension's Disaster
Education Network, among other priority programs.
Recognition of the first 100 year legacy of the Smith Lever Act is
important--but this isn't about looking in the rear-view mirror. More
critical is the windshield view of continual adaptation to new issues,
audiences and approaches. The next 100 years will continue translating
science for practical application; engaging learners to co-develop
solutions to complex problems; transforming individuals, families,
communities and businesses in rural and urban environments. That is the
work of Cooperative Extension.
The Chairman. Thank you, Dr. Reed.
Dr. Lyons.
STATEMENT OF DR. L. WASHINGTON LYONS, EXECUTIVE
ADMINISTRATOR, ASSOCIATION OF EXTENSION
ADMINISTRATORS, GREENSBORO, NC; ON BEHALF OF
DELBERT T. FOSTER, ACTING VICE PRESIDENT, LAND-GRANT SERVICES
AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RESEARCH & EXTENSION PROGRAMS, SOUTH
CAROLINA STATE
UNIVERSITY, ORANGEBURG, SC; ON BEHALF OF
ASSOCIATION OF EXTENSION ADMINISTRATORS
Dr. Lyons. Mr. Chairman, Members of the Subcommittee, I
would like to thank you for the opportunity to appear before
you today on behalf of the Association of Extension
Administrators. I would just like to take a few minutes to
share with you the importance of Cooperative Extension to the
state, to our communities and to this country as we celebrate
100 years of extended knowledge and changing lives. But first I
would like to thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Members of the
Committee for your support for the funding that you have
provided to Cooperative Extension, capacity as well as the
competitive funding.
Without the capacity funding, we would not be able to have
the infrastructure that we would need to answer the questions
and to provide the programs to change the lives of the people
we work with. Without the capacity funding, we would not be
able to be effective in implementing the competitive funding
that we receive through NIFA at USDA.
The land-grant system was created by the Morrill Acts of
1862 and 1890. The 1862 Morrill Act created a land-grant
university in each state and the 1890 Morrill Act extended the
land-grant status to the Historically Black Land-Grant
Universities in the southern states and the border states.
The Smith-Lever Act, as you know, gave rise to the
Cooperative Extension Program in 1914, which is a unique
partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the
land-grant universities. However, when the Smith-Lever Act was
passed in 1914, it created Extension at the 1862 land-grant
universities. The Act did not provide funding for the 1890
land-grant universities at that time. In 1972, Congress
appropriated the first funding to support Extension at the 1890
land-grant universities, and that gave rise to the support of
both 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities sharing the
responsibility of implementing Extension programs in the
southern states as well as throughout this country.
Today I would like to focus my comments primarily on what
the 1890 land-grant universities are doing to contribute to
Extension programs in this country. The 1890 land-grant
programs and Tuskegee, although Tuskegee is not an 1890, but it
is an institution that benefits from the Land-Grant Act and
carries on a great deal of work in support of Cooperative
Extension and the land-grant mission.
In general, all the Cooperative Extension programs are
designed to help people to develop the knowledge and skills
they need to solve the problems they are facing, but the 1890
land-grant universities have a special mission and mandate.
Many of these people have limited resources. They do not have
the same opportunities as others so the 1890s focus on that
client group.
The Cooperative Extension programs of the 1890s have
programs that are comprised of a broad range of science-
educational efforts, which have been proven to strengthen the
food and agriculture industry, particularly small and limited
resource farmers: by developing agricultural production systems
that are efficient, sustainable and highly competitive in the
global economy; enhance the health of families through diet and
nutrition and food safety education and their economic well-
being through practical financial education; enhance youth
skills in science, technology, math, citizenship and
leadership; and also foster strong, stable communities through
leadership development efforts and encouraging
entrepreneurship.
As Cooperative Extension continues in the future, the focus
will be on addressing emerging and critical issues that are
impacting families, youth, communities and agricultural
producers. With the projected growth in the population there
will be many issues and challenges that must be addressed in
both rural and urban Cooperative Extension with the research
base that the land-grant university will be in a unique
position to help address those challenges and issues.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, the future of
the land-grant system in this country looks great, and we look
forward to continuing your guidance, your oversight and support
during the next century of discovery, teaching and engagement.
We clearly understand what we do is not about us but about the
people we serve.
God bless you, the Members of this Subcommittee, and God
bless America. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Foster follows:]
Prepared Statement of Delbert T. Foster, Acting Vice President, Land-
Grant Services and Executive Director, Research & Extension Programs,
South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC; on Behalf of
Association of Extension Administrators
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, I want to thank you
for the opportunity to appear before you this morning on behalf of the
Association of Extension Administrators. I would like to share with
you, the importance of the work of Cooperative Extension to our
communities, states and country as we celebrate 100 years of Extending
Knowledge and Changing Lives.
First, I would like to thank you for your support of Cooperative
Extension. The capacity and competitive funding that you provide for
Cooperative Extension is crucial to providing the infrastructure and
ability to generate the knowledge and programs needed to respond to
critical and emerging issues impacting society.
Background
The land-grant system was created by the Morrill Acts of 1862 and
1890. The 1862 Morrill Act created a land-grant university in each
state and the 1890 Morrill Act extended the land-grant status to the
historically black public universities in the southern and border
states, where due to segregation, African Americans were barred from
attending the 1862 institutions.
Cooperative Extension is a part of the tripartite mission of the
land-grant university, which is Teaching, Research and Extension. The
Smith-Lever Act was passed in 1914 and gave rise to the Cooperative
Extension System in this country, which is a unique partnership of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture and the land-grant universities. There
are three types of institutions that have the responsibility for
implementing Extension programs. They are 1862 land-grant universities,
1890 land-grant universities and the 1994 tribal colleges.
However, when the Smith-Lever Act was passed in 1914, it created
Extension at the 1862 land-grant universities. The Act did not provide
funding for the 1890 land-grant universities, at that time. In 1972,
Congress appropriated the first funding to support Extension at the
1890 land-grant universities. Now, the development and implementation
of Extension programs is the mission of the 1862s, 1890s and 1994
tribal colleges.
Program Overview
Today, I will focus my comments primarily on the involvement of the
1890 land-grant universities and Tuskegee University in the delivery of
Cooperative Extension programs.
Cooperative Extension provides useful and practical research based
programs and information that address critical issues and problems that
are impacting agriculture, families, youth, businesses and communities.
When people are confronted with a major problem or issue, they want a
trusted resource for unbiased information.
In general, all Cooperative Extension programs are designed to help
people to develop the knowledge and skills they need to solve the
problems they are facing, but the 1890 land-grant universities have a
special mission and mandate. Many of the people the 1890 land-grant
universities work with have limited personal or family assets, limited
opportunities or they come from communities that have limited
resources. However, none of this matters, because the task is to meet
people where they are and move them to the next level. Moreover, the
programs are designed to transform behavior and improve the quality of
life.
In the early days of Extension, the pioneers used the Jessup Wagon
or the Movable School, which was a horse drawn wagon and later a panel
truck to deliver programs. Today, a variety of technologies are being
used to deliver programs. Many of the universities have mobile units,
which are school buses, in some instances, that have been transformed
into classrooms that are equipped with satellites, computers,
projectors and flat screens to deliver programs to under-served
communities in both rural and urban areas. The units are used to
deliver a variety of programs using technology that may not be
available in some of the remote rural areas. For example, the units are
used to teach families and individuals basic computer usage, business
development skills, financial planning, farm planning, entrepreneurship
development and food safety.
The 1890 Cooperative Extension programs are comprised of a broad
range of science based educational efforts, which have been proven to:
1. Strengthen the food and agricultural industry, particularly
small and limited resource farmers, by developing agricultural
production systems that are efficient, sustainable and highly
competitive in the global economy.
2. Enhance the health of families through diet and nutrition and
food safety education and their economic well-being through
practical financial education.
3. Enhance youth skills in science, technology, math, citizenship
and leadership.
4. Foster strong, stable communities through leadership development
efforts and encouraging entrepreneurship.
Small-Scale Agriculture
Cooperative Extension has developed transformation programs that
have improved the economic viability of small scale agriculture and
reduced the decline of small minority-owned farms. Programs emphasizing
agricultural diversification, marketing strategies and risk management
have been of paramount importance to this client group. Many of the
small farmers have diversified their operations to include vegetable
production, fruits, specialty crops and animals to increase their cash
flow.
For example, the development of a Natural Hog Growers Association
increased its membership hog-sale income by over $200,000 in North
Carolina and they have entered into contracts with the Whole Food
Market. The development of the Master Meat Goat Herdsman Program has
saved producers over $16,250, annually, in Florida in veterinarian and
production costs.
In Alabama, farmers participating in a comprehensive program in
record keeping, financial management, production management and farm
planning have become more efficient producers. It was reported that 13
farmers acquired USDA farm ownership loans in the amount of $2.6
million and ten acquired operating loans for nearly $1.0 million.
Without this training, the farmers would not have qualified for the
loans. Programs of this nature enabled the limited-resource farmers in
Kentucky to increase their net farm income by $4,500.00.
Nutrition and Health
Obesity is a serious health concern for both children in adults.
Nutrition education programs, such as the Expanded Food and Nutrition
Education Program (EFNEP), are being implemented to help families
understand the importance of consuming more fruits and vegetables,
making healthy food choices and engaging in physical activity. Programs
have focused on helping individuals and families to understand that
poor dietary choices and unhealthy life styles can lead to chronic
diseases. This contributes to an increase in health costs for the
family and others, if they cannot afford the care. Participants in the
various programs have indicated that they are consuming more fruits and
vegetables and preparing more healthy meals. The 1890 land-grant
universities are making a difference, but there is still a lot of work
to be done in this area.
4-H and Youth Development
Recent youth development research indicates a need to provide
opportunities for young people to increase their leadership skills.
Creating opportunists to engage young people in leadership roles is a
priority of 1890 Extension. Moreover, through the development of the
Teen Leadership Connection Curriculum in Texas, after school programs
were established in partnership with selected public schools.
Extension's work with 4-H volunteers has developed 4-H programs
addressing the problem of low self-esteem, high dropout rates and
juvenile delinquency. After School and summer 4-H enrichment programs
have enhanced youth skills in science, engineering, technology,
leadership and citizenship. In South Carolina, the Tech-Bridge Program
is a 5 week summer technology/academic enhancement program for rising
6th and 7th graders. The participants are taught how to build a
computer from the frame to a Computer Processing Unit (CPU). In
addition, the students are required to load all of the academic
software and are trained in CYBER-SAFETY and proper Internet decorum.
As a result of their participation, youth reported success in setting
goals, appreciating cultural differences, a better understanding of
leadership, positive change in behavior, improved academic performance
and an interest in STEM disciplines as a career.
Economic Development
Independently owned and operated business enterprises are a vital
part of the local economy. Helping entrepreneurs to develop, launch and
sustain their businesses is a primary goal of the economic development
activities of Cooperative Extension at the 1890 land-grant
universities. Programs have focused on developing business plans,
enhancing business management skills, marketing and managing risk. The
development of a Virtual Entrepreneurship Center (VEC) uses social
media platforms to merge traditional methodologies with online
resources to deliver a comprehensive entrepreneurship program in
partnership with each of the state's land-grant institutions in
Alabama. The Virtual Center located at Alabama A&M University, uses
integrated conferences, entrepreneurship training and social media to
expand delivery, widen customer bases and improve business interactions
for the millions of online contacts reached since September 2012.
Future Direction for Extension
As Cooperative Extension continues, in the future, the focus will
be to address emerging and critical issues that are impacting families,
youth, communities and agriculture producers. With the projected growth
in the population, there will be many issues and challenges that must
be addressed in both rural and urban areas. Cooperative Extension with
the research base at the land-grant universities is in a unique
position to respond to the challenges and issues. Some of the issues to
be addressed would include maintaining a safe and abundance food
supply, protecting the environment to ensure water quality and
quantity, helping to maintain a healthy society to reduce health care
costs, providing opportunities for youth to become leaders and
productive citizens, increasing the number of youth interested in the
science, engineering, technology, and mathematics fields, helping to
increase the sustainability and profitability of family farms and
increasing energy independence. To remain effective, we must continue
to develop and implement research based programs and use the latest
technology in our delivery system.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, I
would also like for you to know that many states with multiple land-
grant universities have a very productive history of working together
in the development programs and activities. Effective Fiscal Year 2015,
the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has mandated
that all states will submit a Joint Land-Grant State Plan of Work. This
requirement ensures that the universities will provide stakeholders
with the most cost effective and efficient Research, Teaching and
Extension programs, services and activities. In addition, the Joint
State Plan of Work will enhance program planning, implementation and
evaluation, as well as eliminate the possibility of duplication.
The future of the Land-Grant System in the country looks great and
we look forward to your continued guidance, oversight and support
during the next century of discovery, teaching and engagement! We
clearly understand what we do is not about us, but about the people we
serve!
God bless you, the Members of the Subcommittee and God Bless
America!
The Chairman. Amen, Dr. Lyons, and I see that Mr. Delbert
Foster has joined us. I know that the weather and traffic
caused you some problems, and thank you for being here, and I
would like to ask unanimous consent that Mr. Foster be allowed
to participate as a witness in the question-and-answer session
of the Committee, and seeing no objection, Mr. Foster, we will
be happy to have your participation in the question-and-answer
session.
If you would like to make a brief statement since you came
in late, we would be happy to allow you a couple of minutes for
that, and then we will move into the questions.
Mr. Foster. Yes, Mr. Chairman. I really appreciate that.
This is a prime example of what Extension does in this country,
where Dr. Lyons will pick right up and take the baton and
deliver what Extension is supposed to deliver. It is like an
Extension agent in the country that may have had a flat tire or
may have had a delayed meeting. The participants, the clients,
the citizens are expecting Extension to produce, and we do it
with a team effort in our states and our counties and in our
districts. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Foster, and the chair would
like to remind Members that they will be recognized for
questioning in the order of seniority for Members who were here
at the start of the hearing. After that, Members will be
recognized in order of arrival. We will rotate between
Democrats and Republicans, and I appreciate the Members'
understanding. I now recognize myself to ask a question of the
fellow Georgia Bulldog, if I may.
Ms. Hammock, as a leader in 4-H, which is one of my
favorite organizations, I can't help but give credit to FFA as
well as I sit here as a Member of the Agriculture Committee,
what would you suggest are the greatest opportunities and
challenges confronting the 4-H program as it begins its second
century.
Ms. Hammock. Honestly, I look back over the last century,
4-H, we started as a canning club in Crisp County in 1902, so I
can't help but look at the rich history that we have to draw
from, and you said challenges, but I look at this number. We
serve seven million youth across the world. We are in 3,068
counties across the United States, so I don't see challenges,
and even if there are challenges, I firmly believe that 4-H'ers
are adequately equipped to handle those challenges of the
coming century.
The Chairman. Thank you, ma'am.
Dr. Reed, Cooperative Extension rural versus urban, do you
consider it still primarily a rural-focused organization, or
can you speak to the areas where we are moving into an urban-
type setting?
Dr. Reed. Thank you, Chairman Scott. This Extension Service
covers every acre of our nation. It is true that our history
and our focus is in rural America, and when I look at the rural
parts of my own state, Extension provides a critical service to
rural communities and those managing the land. In many cases,
we are the only provider of knowledge in town, and in that
respect, it is a very responsible leadership position in order
to continue to make that contribution to rural America.
We also, though, however, need to pay attention to the rest
of the customers of the Extension Service, the residents of our
state that may not live in rural areas but they depend upon
rural areas, and so we are learning to adapt our programs and
to use knowledge to react to the needs of urban citizens as
well.
One of the particular themes of the conversation that is
growing in Oregon is the concept of interdependence. I think we
too often speak about rural and urban divides or technology
divides. Instead, we are finding that residents of our state
have a common future, and by co-committing to the value of, in
this case, rural Oregon, our urban residents benefit as well.
The Chairman. Thank you, Doctor.
Dr. Ramaswamy, you mentioned the ability of the Extension
System to adapt to the changing needs. How is USDA facilitating
the Extension's adoption of new technologies and new ways to
communicate with its customers?
Dr. Ramaswamy. Mr. Chairman, in multiple different ways,
one of which is, we have this program called eXtension that I
referred to in my opening comments, and this basically allows
for us to bring together the best brains, intellectual
resources from around the country to address the questions that
we have. And so that has created a network across the United
States, an online network as well as local networks that have
been created, and so USDA basically facilitates that effort
through funding that we provide as well.
The Chairman. Thank you, Doctor, and I will tell you,
somebody from the Farm Belt getting the information to the
people who are actually putting the crop in the ground is
extremely important, and I appreciate all of you being here to
testify, and with that, I will yield the remainder of my time
and turn it over to Mr. Schrader from Oregon for 5 minutes.
Mr. Schrader. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Going back to Dr. Ramaswamy here, where do you see the
biggest growth of requests for information now from Extension
agents in the Extension Service?
Dr. Ramaswamy. Congressman Schrader, the biggest growth has
been really in the realm of youth, families and nutrition area.
You know, obviously agricultural questions continue to come as
well but really the growth has been in issues pertaining to
children and youth and nutrition.
Mr. Schrader. These are tough budget times, and we struggle
here, as you know, here in D.C. to maintain a budget, and I
know from my experience back in Oregon as budget chair, it was
tough to fund some of these things. What is your experience
with other states around the country in funding for Extension?
Dr. Ramaswamy. Well, the funding for Extension has been,
particularly in the last 3 to 4 years with the very deep
recession that we had, has been very challenging. In fact,
across America Extension has lost about \1/3\ of its footprint.
When I am talking about \1/3\ of its footprint, I am talking
about boots on the ground. These are Extension agents. These
are the folks that really translate the knowledge and deliver
it to the end-users, and we lost that, and we need to be very
concerned that this global preeminence that I was referring to
is in jeopardy if we do not go ahead and turn things around,
and we need to make the commensurate public investments, and it
is just not the public investment. We are going to have to
bring in private enterprise as well, and indeed across America,
a lot of the different states have figured out different ways
to bring in private investments along with public investments
as well.
Mr. Schrader. Dr. Reed, you have often talked about going
beyond outreach, trying to get people engaged and stuff. Could
you elaborate a little bit on the engagement aspect you talk
about?
Dr. Reed. Yes. Mr. Chairman, Congressman Schrader, thank
you for the opportunity. The concept in the word engagement is
finding its way into our work more and more common. What it
does is recognizes that we don't have a corner on all the
knowledge but that we can work collaboratively with those that
we are serving and partners in order to recognize and put that
knowledge to work. It really seeks to make the universities a
better community but establishing reciprocal benefits, so while
we're contributing to the success of those we serve, we are
also learning and becoming better over time.
As I mentioned in my testimony, the issues of today are so
complicated, there is not a single answer to many of them, so
we find ourselves developing with our partners a set of
alternatives and consequences and then helping those that need
to make the decisions make the one that is best for them.
Mr. Schrader. And Dr. Reed again, we have alluded to
different core missions for Extension, and it seems, listening
to the testimony from all the witnesses here, there is really a
panoply of opportunities that Extension serves. Do you feel
that is still the appropriate role for Extension, again, tough
budget-limited environments, we are trying to make sure
taxpayer dollar go as far as they can, is it possible for
Extension to continue to have that broad continuum of services?
Dr. Reed. Mr. Chairman, Congressman Schrader, it is true
that we listen to people's issues and try to respond. However,
it is more important for us to provide a focus on those issues
that we have a capacity to respond to and so that we are
utilizing our resources in the best possible way.
Mr. Schrader. That is good to hear. Sometimes it is tough
to be all things to all people at the end of the day.
Dr. Reed. I occasionally describe the Extension Service as
sounding like the parable of the blind man and the elephant.
People believe they know Extension based upon the part that
they touch, and if you are a master gardener, you think that is
all Extension is, but it is true that we serve a variety of
audiences.
Mr. Schrader. I am glad you do.
Mr. Foster.
Mr. Foster. Yes, sir.
Mr. Schrader. Sir, you got in a little late, apologize for
that, but in your written testimony you talk about that Joint
Land-Grant State Plan of Work. Could you elaborate on that a
little bit?
Mr. Foster. Yes, sir. We started in Clemson University in
South Carolina in 1999 where our plan for the state, we meet,
we coordinate our activities, goals and objectives so that
there is not a sense of duplication so that when we are
speaking to our state legislators as well as our Federal
legislators, that question becomes a new point, and now that
Mr. Ramaswamy has taken over, all states will have to submit a
state joint plan of work for the land-grant services and have
it approved prior to receiving their appropriation, and we
started that with Clemson. Two thousand was the first year that
we have done it and every year since.
Mr. Schrader. Congratulations. That is a very smart way to
go, especially in this environment.
Mr. Foster. Yes, sir.
Mr. Schrader. I have a quick question to our youngest
witness up there. What should Congress be doing to better
support 4-H? Great program.
Ms. Hammock. Well, already this Committee does so much for
Cooperative Extension continuing the work we do, adding another
century onto what we already have. Obviously continuing to grow
is very important to us, and one of the most exciting things
that we get to see, and I get to see as a Youth Trustee, is the
growth globally. I just got to visit Africa this past
September, and this completely testifies to the life-saving
principles of 4-H here in the United States. We measure success
with a blue ribbon but they measure success by being able to
eat dinner. So thank you very much for the work you do. It is
much appreciated by seven million people around the world.
Mr. Schrader. Thank you very much, and I yield back, Mr.
Chairman.
The Chairman. I now recognize the gentleman from Illinois
for 5 minutes.
Mr. Davis. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to each
of you for being here today. Thank you, Mr. Foster, for making
the long trek. Welcome to our world.
Mr. Foster. Yes, sir.
Mr. Davis. It was mentioned that the Smith-Lever Act was
part of the beginning of one of the great things that happened
in central Illinois when it comes to Extension Services, it
comes to 4-H and it comes to land-grant universities like the
one I represent, the University of Illinois. I am very proud of
some of the partnerships that University of Illinois has been
able to make in my community, and I have seen young people grow
into great leaders who have gone through the same programs, Ms.
Hammock, that you continue to tout today, and I am very
thankful for that.
I want to get into the questions really quick. One of my
priorities is food security and food insecurity in this
country, and I urge each of you to read a book that I just
finished written by one of my constituents, Howard Buffet, that
is called 40 Chances and talks about food insecurity issues
globally and how to address them by using America's ingenuity,
and many of the ideas that he talks about in that book would be
applicable to some of the issues that you would address with
the folks you serve every day.
Dr. Ramaswamy, you mentioned food security in your
testimony too, and how have you seen the Extension Services
successfully tackle some of the issues we are seeing in some of
our poorest communities?
Dr. Ramaswamy. Congressman Davis, thank you very much for
that question. Just harkening back to the efforts that are
going on in your state with the district that you represent as
well and the fine work that is being done by the University of
Illinois, for example, the Expanded Food and Nutrition
Education Program, EFNEP, has been very successful in making
sure that the limited-resource individuals, their needs are
met, their health needs, nutrition needs, et cetera, are being
met, and so there is one example of EFNEP actually reaching out
and working with particularly limited-resource individuals. In
addition to that, we have also got programs in family and
consumer sciences and the nutrition area, and Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, education, for example, the
SNAP-Ed program that we have as well.
Again, our Extension colleagues in Illinois, they partner
with the EFNEP colleagues and work collaboratively to make sure
that there is good education about safe food, healthy food,
food safety, et cetera, addressing the food security/food
insecurity that you're referring to.
Mr. Davis. Thank you very much.
Ms. Hammock, you mentioned food security in your testimony
too. What can you tell me that 4-H is doing to help address
some of the issues that we see here in this country?
Ms. Hammock. Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Congressman. I am
so excited actually that you asked that question. I had the
opportunity to go to New York City this past April, and
actually today several of our trustees and council members are
visiting Tucson, Arizona, and one of the wonderful things that
4-H is doing is giving children and high schoolers the
knowledge, the tools, the opportunity to grow in urban food
deserts. So we got to visit the Food and Finance High School in
Manhattan, and it is a five-story high school. I did not know
high schools could go up. I thought they just went out. But it
was just so amazing to see them use aquaponics and hydroponics
to produce food for themselves and their communities and to
sell that, so it is not only just food security, it is economic
security because they are selling it, and I can't wait to hear
about the Tucson trip when people get back later on this week,
but that is just a little part of what 4-H is doing.
Mr. Davis. That is great, in Illinois, we take for granted
that everybody knows where the food comes from that gets to the
table, so to see you participate, to see 4-H participate in
trips like that to highlight what is going on in urban areas is
essential to addressing many of the food insecurity problems
that we have in this country.
I only have a few seconds left, and I just want to say
thank you to each and every one of you for what you do. It is a
problem. The food security issue is a problem with so many
kids. I am very concerned about the School Nutrition Program
where we have seen kids have to get by on less calories, and
those are some of the kids who need it the most. They are the
most food-insecure kids that we have, those who rely on the
free lunch program, and it frustrates me that many cafeterias
in my district are limited in what nutritious foods they can
actually give to our kids. Washington shouldn't be the
barometer of what kids get to eat. It should be a local school
district issue, and I appreciate what you do outside of the
school to highlight some of the food security issues, and thank
you for being here, thank you for your time, and thank you for
your service. I yield back.
The Chairman. I now will recognize the gentlewoman from
Ohio for 5 minutes.
Ms. Fudge. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, and I thank my
colleagues for allowing me to go out of order.
I actually only have two questions, and they are both to
you, Mr. Foster. In your testimony, you discussed how 1890
land-grant institutions have a special mission and mandate
under the Act as opposed to 1862 institutions. Can you tell me
what that special mission and/or mandate is as you see it and
why it is necessary?
And second, many of the best jobs and our ability to
compete globally in a global marketplace are related to STEM
yet the number of minorities and women choosing STEM majors in
college is disappointingly low. How can Cooperative Extension
specifically at the 1890 institutions address this issue?
Mr. Foster. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. The first question, the
special mission mandate is to serve those populations that
traditionally have been under-served in our communities, and
that goes to urban areas, limited resource base or income,
education or other resources. That is the special mission that
we see that we have as an 1890.
Second, in reference to STEM, most of our universities are
having a problem attracting members in the STEM field unless we
conduct a program like my former board member spoke about at 4-
H development, and several 1890 universities have youth
programs that introduce students and women to STEM-associated
disciplines at an early age. In fact, in South Carolina we have
Tech-Bridge, which is teaching 6th and 7th and some 8th graders
where they actually build a computer, load all of the software,
are taught all the ins and outs of how that CPU operates, and
then are able to maintain a group of conscientious students and
they teach those students and reteach those students and teach
people in their communities. So that is just one of the
examples of a STEM program that they really don't realize they
are in STEM. They are just messing with gadgets. But at the
final closing program to hear them articulate what they have
learned in 5\1/2\ weeks and sometimes 6 weeks will let you see
that they will truthfully garner that support they need at home
and in their communities to pursue a STEM career.
Ms. Fudge. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
The Chairman. Thank you. I now recognize the gentleman from
New York for 5 minutes.
Mr. Collins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I would like
to share a little story with the group before I ask my question
to Dr. Ramaswamy.
I was the County Executive up in Erie County elected back
in 2007, very rural area, but I now represent eight counties
including some small counties. The Erie County Cooperative
really is a major supporter of Cornell and the Cornell
Cooperative, which while it is located just outside my district
has offices throughout. Now, when I was elected, our county was
effectively bankrupt. The state had taken over our finances,
and I go line by line on the budget and I see this budget line
for Cornell Cooperative. I don't know what that is. That was 7
years ago. So I put that on the list of items that just might
not be funded. Lo and behold, no one comes to see me so when I
go to work through that, I eliminated all the funding to
Cornell Cooperative. I now know what I know and can't believe I
did that. I think you can appreciate it.
Needless to say, I got a panicked phone call and found out
if I didn't fund Cornell Cooperative through the county, they
would get no Federal funding. So I put it back in the budget
but my question is this: with tight finances around the
country, certain New York State probably more than most, the
rules are, if you don't have county funding to match the
cooperative, in this case, Cornell Cooperative wouldn't get any
funding. So I just have to wonder, are you hearing concerns
from others? In the case of Erie County, we dwarf the size of
the other counties. Without our support, Cornell Cooperative
would not continue, and that is the lifeblood of most of our
other counties, dairy, specialty crops. We have apples and
peaches and our apple growers want to sell their apples to
McDonald's, and Cornell has been very, very helpful in making
sure they have what they need to meet the quality standards.
So I am concerned, going forward, meeting the county match,
and I understand multiplying the dollars by having counties and
states put the money in but priorities are different in every
county, and I just wonder if you have heard that and if you
share my concerns and have anything else to--if you have heard
this kind of story elsewhere.
Dr. Ramaswamy. Congressman Collins, thank you very much for
that question. You saw a smile on my face as you were talking
about it. I smiled in the sense of recognition of that
situation that we have throughout America where many, many
local communities have had difficulty in meeting the budgetary
needs that we have as well, and not unlike Erie County, in
Indiana and Oregon and Illinois, as I said, about \1/3\ of our
footprint has been lost across the United States. Washington
State has lost about 50 percent of the Extension funding, for
example. So this is the situation that we have.
So one of the things that has happened, sir, is that
Cornell University or Oregon State University or others that
have had a situation like this, and Linn County is one of the
counties in Oregon that saw a similar situation as well, is
that the universities, the state funding and the Federal
funding were still available to be deployed and then the
neighboring counties picked up the slack, as it were. It was
not like they were left high and dry and walked away from and
there was a need for a cash flow type of situation as well. So
the folks at the land-grant universities are aware of this as
are ourselves here in USDA as well, and we are trying to figure
out a way to create a path forward.
Mr. Collins. Yes, and I can tell you after the scare that I
put them in my first year, they came with a very detailed
presentation each year after that, and they are in my office
here, at least four or five times a year because they know that
I know the issues as well and I am close to our legislators in
the county and sometimes have to share with them through tough
budgetary times.
I would like to also mention--maybe I should be one of your
witnesses--the 4-H in our rural communities, when they don't
have the same menu of options for the kids is very, very
strong, well-attended. Those are our future farmers. Many of
our farms are five, six generations old, and as such, it is
just almost a given that the kids will continue, whether it is
dairy farming or crop farming.
But I would just like to compliment Ms. Hammock because she
represents what I have seen in many cases, young folks able to
present themselves. You say public speaking is your passion,
and I can see that it is. Most people don't share that passion.
We have Members of Congress that won't give 1 minute speeches
because they are afraid to talk in front of the world on C-
SPAN. I am just making that up. But I just want to compliment
you for coming, and thank you for coming in because you really
do put a face on what is good about 4-H and all the funding
that we have. I am just grateful that we have a 5 year budget
now that has actually increased some of these fundings. You
know, flat is the new win, and the fact that you have a little
more money in there shows the bipartisan support for everything
Smith-Lever does and the impact across the country.
So again, thank you all for coming in. It has been very
interesting. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
The Chairman. Thank you. I now yield 5 minutes to the
gentlelady from Washington.
Ms. DelBene. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks to all of
you for being here today. I appreciate it.
Washington State University is the original land-grant
university in my state, and I am fortunate to have an Extension
up in Mt. Vernon in my district where they are doing great
work, research as well as bringing members of the community
together. They have a bread lab, bringing bakers and wheat
growers together so they understand the impact the different
crop varieties have on nutrition and the baking process and
taste, et cetera. So there is a lot of great work happening up
there, and a lot of the work they are doing is supported
through programs like the Specialty Crop Research Initiative,
and it does have a huge and lasting impact, not just to the
local growers but to entire industries and broadly to the
public. Research on improving crop yields through plant
mitigation, sun exposure, irrigation, mulch, all have had a
dramatic impact on our food supply, and so we see real results
from the work they are doing.
That kind of leads me to a question for you, Dr. Ramaswamy.
It is my understanding that after the last farm bill that you
began, or the USDA began awarding multi-year research grants
maybe more than it had done historically, and so I wondered, do
you think that that is a successful path and are you still
looking at awarding larger or multi-year grants, given that
research is something that takes place over a longer period of
time?
Dr. Ramaswamy. Congresswoman DelBene, thank you so much for
that question, and I want to congratulate you as well, and
Washington State University has done some tremendous work in
your state and in your district as well.
In regards to the multi-year research grants that we
started doing as a result of the 2008 Farm Bill, yes, that is
correct. What we have done is, the question that you asked me,
has it been beneficial, is it achieving what it set out to do.
We have asked the National Academy of Sciences to actually look
at that question, and they are going to be providing us with a
report in June and we are going to take that report and
determine whether or not that has been a successful model.* But
in the meantime, we have not quit. What we have done it to
basically continue those multi-year investments but we have
scaled it back down a little bit where we are doing $30 and $40
million grants. In fact, Washington State has received a few of
those and University of Washington as well. We have scaled it
back down to between $5 and $15 million, and we will continue
to do those continuation awards as well because it allows us to
invest. These challenges that we are addressing are really
complex and it requires multiple individuals to come together,
multiple disciplines to come together over multiple years, and
so we will not walk away from that but we are trying to scale
how much it is going to be and what sort of objectives might we
be addressing as well.
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* The report referred to is in process, the information concerning
the basis of the study can be found at: http://
www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49505.
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Ms. DelBene. That would be interesting to see the results
of that because when I talk to our farmers and our researchers,
they want to know that they have the investment, going forward,
so they can really do the research well, and sometimes that
means having the visibility, going forward. They know that they
can complete the research they are doing, and it isn't always
in a short-term time span that they look at.
One thing that we saw during the debate over the farm bill
that while the importance of agriculture is widely understood,
in some areas it may not resonate so much in other parts of the
country. I was wondering, and maybe this is a question a little
bit for everyone, how can we use tools like Smith-Lever to
deepen and broaden the education across the country and that
connection to agriculture that we all do have. In areas of my
district, there is a deep connection, and in other places,
people aren't as aware of what is happening close by in
agriculture, and so I wondered what your thoughts are on what
we can do to improve that, going forward.
Dr. Ramaswamy. I will take a shot at it very quickly.
Indeed, the Cooperative Extension Service is the translator of
knowledge and the deliverer of that knowledge to the end-users
and they have done that exquisitely well over the last 100
years, and part of that is to educate the populace as well, and
we need to continue to foster that. Along with that, we also
have programs like 4-H, for example. Ag in the Classroom is
another outstanding program that enables particularly young
kids to develop the knowledge as well. So it is going to have
to be a multipronged approach. You know, earlier we had a
question about science, technology, engineering and math. I
myself like to throw the letter A into it for agriculture, and
in fact, in America, a lot of the challenges that we see today
are in part--about obesity and things like that are in part due
to lack of understanding about food and where food comes from.
So we really need to do everything we can to convey that sense
of the education that we need, and the Smith-Lever Act and
Cooperative Extension Service have really allowed us to do that
very well.
Dr. Reed. Mr. Chairman, Congresswoman DelBene, thank you
for the question, and it is all surrounding food. It has become
almost a tired phrase, that while only two percent of Americans
farm, 100 percent of us eat, but it is true that people care
about food and the food systems that surround them. The Pacific
Northwest is a very foodie area, and to the point where some
farmers markets are now labeling the food with how many miles
it has traveled to get to people. And so I believe that we have
a teachable moment for Americans in order to help them
understand the consequences and the interdependencies that all
of us have on our farmers and farmers markets. In fact, at
Oregon State just 2 weeks ago, we hosted what we called the
Small Farms Conference, and there are a large and growing
number of individuals farming relatively small parcels, and
they were regarded at this conference as rock stars. I mean,
there was clearly a sense of pride and identity that I hadn't
seen before.
Ms. DelBene. Thank you. It looks like my time has expired.
I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you. I now recognize the gentleman from
Florida for 5 minutes.
Mr. Yoho. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I appreciate you all participating today, and you guys will
agree that God intended us to live at 70 and above. Being from
the great State of Florida where we have the University of
Florida and IFAS, which is the Institute of Food and
Agricultural Science, and we are blessed to have 67 different
Extension agents throughout the state with the 67 counties.
Having a diverse ecosystem from the Florida Keys where we have
key limes, coconuts, tropical plants and of course, margaritas
are down there, all the way up to the Georgia line to a more
moderate temperate zone and the second biggest industry in
Florida is agriculture, and we are proud of that. My background
is, I am a veterinarian for the last 30 years, and I hold my
roots with agriculture very dear to me, and I appreciate the
effort and the work you guys have done to strengthen the
Extension agents and the work that they do, especially you, Ms.
Hammock, with the 4-H. My question that I would like to ask you
is, what challenges are you seeing in extending the youth
programs, especially in the inner city areas where we just need
to get into those areas so much more. You were talking about
Manhattan with the five-story high schools and hydroponics. I
think that is a great way to break into an area, but to get
people involved in ag, especially today, when we see so many
people--agriculture is something they buy at a store, and we
all know that you can't have a secure nation without a secure
food source, so I would like to hear what your thoughts are on
the challenges that you have seen.
Ms. Hammock. Absolutely, and the challenges I have seen
have actually sparked my interest in my major, which is
agricultural communication, and this kind of goes back to your
question about educating the population about why agriculture
is so important, and those challenges are very evident. They
are very pronounced. Like Dr. Reed said, two percent of
population feeds 100 percent, and so that is an obvious
challenge, and that is the first step of getting into the high
schools in Manhattan and the large inner city areas of Atlanta,
Manhattan, San Francisco, all of the larger cities, and this is
a great starting point, and I am very proud of 4-H and the work
we have done through the Cornell Cooperative Extension in
Manhattan, but it is a starting point.
Mr. Yoho. Have you seen specific challenges that we can
address or maybe help? I know funding is the big issue. You
know, more funding will solve a lot of these things. But just
getting into a program, are you running into resistance?
Ms. Hammock. Program such as----
Mr. Yoho. Like in the inner cities to develop a 4-H program
or ag programs, or anything like that.
Ms. Hammock. There has actually been no resistance at all,
which is great, absolutely. But there has really been no
pushback on this. It is one of those things that people are
very welcome to do and we as agricultural communicators are
trying to make that story a little bit better.
Mr. Yoho. Okay. Dr. Ramaswamy, you were talking about
something you brought up, and I see this in Florida dealing
with IFAS on nutritional counseling as it deals with the
nutrition programs. What we see is, there is not only
undernutrition in some areas but there is malnutrition that you
brought out that leads to type 2 diabetes. You see a big role
of the IFAS or the Extension agents going out and educating
people. Do you want to elaborate on that, what else we can do?
Dr. Ramaswamy. There are multiple areas where our Extension
agents, our Extension educators might often be involved, are
involved in many, many states including your state as well
through IFAS, and obviously it is in the production of healthy
food. Specialty crops particularly are known to have very
significant positive health benefits. So you have Extension
agents involved in that part of it and making sure that
specialty crops are grown, they have healthier traits, the
genetics part of it being incorporated as well. That is one
area.
The second area is the education piece of it. Through the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--Education, SNAP-Ed
and EFNEP, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program,
so that they are reaching out to the young people through
schools, through faith-based and other non-governmental
entities, and we need to continue to foster that education as
well.
The third area is in the type of agriculture we practice as
well in terms of health impacts on the communities that live
around where food is being produced as well. So education is a
very significant part of this and then Extension certainly has
in all these different domains been providing the knowledge
necessary, reaching out to multiple conduits, as it were.
Mr. Yoho. Right. We just had a director from one of the
food banks come into our office today, and we were talking
about canning. You know, on the farm today, we have farm
communities and their families, they go into canning, they are
putting up beans, corn and all that, and that is an art that is
being lost that I hope we continue to promote throughout our
population so we can produce our own foods. My wife and I when
we were at the University of Florida, we were poor as a church
mouse, and we had a garden plot that we went out there they had
where you could go out and garden. And so we took advantage of
that, and I think that is something we need to promote more.
I appreciate all of you. I am proud to be associated with
the Extension agents, and the Smith-Lever Act, I am proud of
their heritage. Thank you all, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you. I now recognize the gentlewoman
from New Hampshire for 5 minutes.
Ms. Kuster. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and Ranking
Member Schrader, and thank you to all of the witnesses today.
This has been a very enlightening hearing, and I appreciate the
work that you do. I represent New Hampshire, western New
Hampshire and the University of New Hampshire is our land-grant
university, and we have farmers and foresters across the state
that are working with the Extension. I wanted to mention to Ms.
Hammock that I served on the board of the 4-H in New Hampshire
a few years back, and I am very impressed by the program. My
town has the largest state fair, and so 4-H and all that goes
with it has been a big boon for us.
I think we are all amazed and impressed by Congressmen
Smith and Lever over 100 years ago to have been thinking about
this and come up with a program that was so sustainable and so
effective in so many different environments, and I am sure
those of us here today would like to be a part of something
that has that kind of longevity.
I want to focus my questions briefly here on this
discussion about healthy people, healthy planet, healthy
economy, and how that is tied together. I represent a district
that has a mix of urban, suburban and rural, but the challenge
for me, and this came out during the farm bill, is that it is
the rural areas where we tend to have the challenges with
access to healthy food, and I find that somewhat distressing
because this has happened over the course of my generation.
When I was a girl, everyone had a garden and people raised
animals and raised food, but now part of it is just people's
lives are so busy and we have lost some of that. And so I guess
my question is directed at the panel, anyone that would like to
respond, on what we can do to put healthy food back into
people's lifestyles, and I want to commend my colleague, Marcia
Fudge, who had an amendment that we did pass on food deserts
and that will be helpful in the rural communities as well. But
I welcome your thoughts.
Dr. Ramaswamy. Congresswoman Kuster, indeed, as you said
right towards the end of your opening comments, that we have
the situation with food deserts in rural areas in a country
where we know how to grow food and we can feed the entire
world, and thus, it is a mind-boggling situation that we have.
We have these food deserts, and in part, it is the logistical
aspects that we need to be addressing of food distribution that
needs to occur as well along with education, access to safe and
secure food. These are things that our Extension folks are
really addressing. If you go across the United States, even
within New Hampshire itself, the University of New Hampshire
very clearly is addressing these sorts of questions of making
sure that people that have no or low access to food, their
needs are being met as well.
One other example about this connectivity between healthy
people, a healthy planet and a healthy economy is, University
of New Hampshire has an excellent program that works on
greenhouses. The greenhouse industry in New Hampshire is about
a $250 million industry that employs about 12,000 people, and
the work that is being done with the greenhouses to grow crops,
fruits and vegetables and things like that, and incorporated
into that is more effective and efficient means of energy use,
and so there is a 10 to 15 percent reduction in the cost of
energy producing these healthy foods that now is being made
available for distribution, and it creates jobs as well.
Ms. DelBene. Great. Thank you. Excellent example. Yes, Dr.
Reed?
Dr. Reed. Yes, Mr. Chairman, Congresswoman Kuster. I often
use healthy planet, people and economy to sort of help frame
conversations because you might recognize them as the pillars
of sustainability but they are all interdependent and we need
to work on all in order to advance kind of social welfare. And
while this is only a partial answer to your question, it seems
to me that compared to yesteryear, society today is some time-
driven in both urban and rural areas that we simply can't find
easy ways to take the time to produce the food that I think we
would all enjoy seeing in rural or urban environments. So if we
could figure out a way to slow down the clock, that might be a
way to make some progress.
However, seriously, our master gardener program, which was
our most successful and significant volunteer training program
has made a dramatic and observable shift to food production
where historically it had been focused more on the
environmental side of things and something that is central to
the stock and trade of Extension education is to work in peer-
to-peer education because individuals can accomplish sometimes
more than we can, and so it is my hope that we could adapt the
master gardener program to find a place in urban environments
to do exactly what you described.
Ms. DelBene. Thank you. My time is up, and I have a guest
from the food bank, so I am going to have to step out. But
thank you so much for your testimony. I appreciate it.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you, ma'am.
Before we adjourn, I invite the Ranking Member to make any
closing remarks that he has.
Mr. Schrader. Well, I appreciate that, Mr. Chairman. What a
great hearing. Tough times in our great country. It is nice to
see positive influence. Continue to take no prisoners and
continue to be a leading guiding light in food production,
leadership, and for our younger generation, see them grow and
develop the way they do through 4-H is just emblematic of I
hope what the future of this country is all about.
I had the privilege of being guided through my educational
career by three different land-grant institutions--Illinois,
Cornell and, of course, my Oregon State--go Beavs--and really
appreciate that opportunity, and everyone has been influenced
and impacted more than they probably realize by the work these
ladies and gentlemen do every day under tough circumstances.
So happy 100th anniversary to you all.
The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Schrader, and ma'am and
gentlemen, thank you for being here. I am proud to be a Member
of the Agriculture Committee where, as you can see, we are able
to work closely together. We understand that food security is a
part of national security, and we understand that this Act has
helped us as Americans and as a country to provide that
nutrition that Americans need in a very efficient and effective
manner.
Ms. Hammock, thank you for representing 4-H in the manner
that you do. Such a professional. I have a tremendous amount of
respect for that organization and the young leaders that come
out of that and look forward to the day when people like you
are representing us in Congress.
With that said, any written statements from the witnesses
shall be made part of today's record, and under the rules of
the Committee, the record of today's hearing will remain open
for 10 calendar days to receive additional material and
supplemental written responses from the witnesses to any
questions posed by a Member.
This hearing of the Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research,
Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:20 a.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]
[Material submitted for inclusion in the record follows:]
Submitted Statement by American Society for Horticultural Science
Happy Birthday Smith-Lever Act! You are the conveyer of our
research programs, and a positive facilitator of progress and
prosperity. The American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), the
world's premier professional society for horticulture science,
education, and training, considers Extension to be an inestimable gift
for agriculture research and the entire land-grant system. You convert
our discoveries into applicable deeds. From our extensive research and
analysis, you provide tools translating critical data into applied
science--educating and training current and future farmers to be good
stewards of the land, and wise protectors of their resources. Without
Extension assistance, we might not enjoy benefits from 4-H Clubs
educating our youth. Or training Master Gardener volunteers who provide
regional-based horticulture counsel. Or Family and Consumer Science
programs which sustain so many rural and urban communities. For land-
grant institutions, your outreach and support verifies the very essence
of their continued legacy to our nation.
With Senator Hoke Smith (D-GA) and Rep. Asbury Lever (D-SC) as your
first patrons, and President Woodrow Wilson as midwife. you were born
on May 8, 1914 in the crucible of a new century, as demographic shifts
and waves of immigration signaled new challenges and demands for
agriculture. Three years before America's entry into World War I, you
taught us how to plan and create urban gardens, preserve and prepare
food. and create new energy sources that would see us through dynamic
and transformative times ahead. Embarking upon your second centennial,
Extension remains a vibrant and integral part of the trifecta fueling
innovation and growth for American agriculture.
With education and training as core principles, Smith-Lever
disseminates information far and wide, from print manuals and videos to
online services and on-site training. This broadens agriculture
research's knowledge-base sphere, and educates the general public about
the many uses and benefits emanating from food and plant science.
Transforming our work from laboratories to practical on-site
demonstrations, you prove that quality Extension works in tandem with
quality research. This confirms the complimentary companionship
Extension and research will continue having among all land-grants and
affiliated stakeholders. Smith-Lever programs taught by dedicated
personnel--from 1862 and 1890 colleges to 1994 Tribal institutions--
offer practical knowledge translating science into action and
production into profits.
So congratulations and take a bow Smith-Lever. ASHS wishes you all
the best. For those in the land-grant community, and in other research
fields across our land, this observance marks a singular moment. Yet it
also celebrates successful models of cooperative partnerships between
government, academia, and private industry--partnerships that will
continue for the well-being and enrichment of all Americans. On this
occasion. we blow out the candles for your first 100, and relight them
for a bright and productive future ahead.