Trends in Extension Staffing

Overview

An important part of the USDA agricultural research and education system is Extension activities that deliver research findings to farmers. One indicator of the level of Extension activities is the allocation of personnel. This data product provides two datasets reflecting Extension staffing:

•     Total Extension staffing
•     Extension staffing by four major program areas.

Total Extension staffing data are presented in terms of full-time equivalent staff (FTEs) for the 48 contiguous U.S. States and for 4 major regions for the 1977-97 time period. Program area allocations are only available for 1977-92.

Feature

"Regional Trends in Extension Resources"—This paper, presented at the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Meetings in Orlando, FL, in February 2002, describes trends in staffing derived from these data. The paper is available from Mary Ahearn, 202-694-5583.

Data Sources

Unlike the allocation of research expenditures in the USDA agricultural research system, which is captured in the Current Research Information System (CRIS), no easily accessible data exist for Extension staffing. This is likely due to the greater burden in allocating the time of Extension experts, who are more likely to work on multiple issues on a daily basis, compared with researchers. Historical trend information on Extension staffing is piecemeal, and must be assembled from a variety of published and administrative documents.

The major data sources used in compiling this dataset were:

• National Summary of Level of Efforts in the Cooperative Extension System for FY 1984-87 with Trend Data for 1974-87. Prepared by Helen Young, Program Analyst, Program Development Evaluation, Extension Service, USDA, August 1988.
• Plan of Work reports from Extension Service files, State Extension Information Management System (SEIMS). Bart Hewitt, Program Analyst, Partnerships, provided 1992-93 data.
• USDA-CSREES, Funds Management Branch. Annual report, Table 3, Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001.
• USDA. Salary Analysis of Cooperative Extension Service Positions, December 2000. Human Resource Division, 2001.
• Sonny Barber, Personnel and Data Information Specialist Salary Analysis Reports for 1993-2000.

Media and Naming Convention

The two table files in the Extension staffing database are downloadable in both .wk1 and .xls spreadsheet format.

File names are listed and described below.

Labels describing program areas have changed over time, but Extension program areas can generally be classified into four major program areas.

Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR)—These are grouped into a single category because of the overlap between the two areas. For example, adoption of resource conserving farm production practices could be classified in either category. The agriculture area includes crop production and management, livestock production and management, farm business management, and agricultural marketing. Extension information and activities in the natural resource area are likely to have a more public good nature, benefiting society beyond individual producers. This is especially true for agricultural practices that are viewed as sustainable and for which there is little profit motive for the private farm operator.

Community Resource Development (CRD)—These activities are important both in communities with economies dependent on agricultural production and those with nonagricultural economies. Social scientists, such as economists and sociologists, dominate Extension activities in community development.

4-H & Youth Development Programs (4H)—Traditional 4-H programs for youth are focused on agricultural production activities. However, the overarching goal of all youth programs, both agricultural and nonagricultural, is youth development.

Home Economics and Human Nutrition (HEHN)—These programs are targeted to issues that affect all populations, and rely significantly on the expertise of consumer economists and nutritionists. Also included are programs associated with food safety.

Regional Definitions

Data Files

Extension staffing, by State and region

Total FTE, 1977-97:           .xls format     .wk1 format

Program area, 1977-92:     .xls format     .wk1 format

Updates

No update is planned for these data.