Research and education. Those are two of the main focuses of the cooperative extension system here in Florida and beyond. They are also two of the reasons why industries such as agriculture, natural resources, and horticulture are as strong as they are today, all thanks to the work of the extension system. Questions and issues related to areas that the extension system focuses on do not research and tell the world about themselves, though, as all the work done within cooperative extension is the product of countless professional extension agents from around the state and country.
Many people have memories of being members of a 4-H club, receiving information on how to better the production and health of their plants or animals from an extension bulletin, or attending a course on something related to their lives such as nutrition or homebuying, all thanks to the research and work of extension agents. The agents are the backbone of all this work, and put in many years into their schooling, many hours into professional development and continuing education,
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Additionally, extension has set and made progress towards seven statewide initiatives over cutting-edge topics, such as protecting water quality and strengthening community resources and development. To top it off, over 94 percent of persons who used extension’s services were satisfied, and it is estimated that for every dollar invested into research and extension, twenty are returned to the community (“Florida Extension,” n.d.). All thanks to the work of extension agents, and what needs to be done next is to educate the public on the impact of this