Franklin County Extension Association

Franklin County Extension Association (FCEA) is the citizens’ advisory board for University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Franklin County.

UMaine Extension’s successful educational programs result from a federal, state, and county partnership that addresses the issues of Franklin County residents. Since 1919, when the Maine Legislature passed the County Extension Act, the University of Maine has been in all Maine communities with a local county office that is funded in part by each county government. FCEA oversees the funding allocated by the Franklin County Commissioners, which provides the office space, support staff, and basic operations for Extension in Franklin County.

Franklin County Executive Committee Officers

Officers:

  • President, Rachel McClellan, Farmington
  • Vice President, 
  • Treasurer, Christine Meyer, Industry
  • Secretary, 

Members:

  • We are actively accepting new members.
History of Extension Associations
The County Extension Act
Roles and Responsibilities

History of Extension Associations

A History of University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 1914 – Present

– Adapted and enlarged from Extension Committee on Organization and Policy. NASULGC Publication, Washington, D.C., 1985.

Good weather, markets, and prices fostered a prosperous agriculture, and Extension grew steadily, clarifying the roles and relationships between the federal and state partners and gaining local support from farmers’ groups (precursors of today’s County Extension Board). World War I saw the rapid development of County Extension offices, culminating in a nationwide network by the close of 1920. The Extension agent became, during the war, “the patriotic leader of numerous war campaigns” and “a propagandist of the highest order,” according to Extension historian Gladys Baker.

The postwar agricultural depression created the “farm problem” and the not-so — Roaring ’20s’ for rural America. Agents most often worked one-on-one with farmers, stressing efficient production and marketing. But the number of volunteers increased substantially (182,000 in 1923), and Extension programs swelled to include rural sociology, child development, public affairs, and drama and music. Gradually, as farm and city people became increasingly interdependent, agents worked more with community groups, less with individuals. In 1923, the Federal Extension Service replaced the original States Relations Service. By 1928, the Extension staff numbered over 5,000.

The “Great Depression” dealt a devastating blow to rural and urban America alike. Extension became the chief means of implementing national program activities directed at the economic preservation of the family farm, the farm family, and rural America. With a service function thrust upon them, Extension staff members spread knowledge about Roosevelt’s aid packages for depression victims. Extension also helped establish her sister USDA agencies, including the Soil Conservation Service and the forerunner of the Farmers’ Home Administration. By 1938, the Extension staff had grown to 8,682.

World War II ended the depression as the nation made an all-out production effort: Extension agents educated the public about dealing with shortages and rationing and about the war effort itself, training 600,000 “neighborhood leaders”: a man and a woman in every locality — each responsible for contacting 10 to 20 families. “Victory gardens” and “war cookery” took much staff time, and Extension broadened its efforts beyond agriculture and home economics. Its agents held public policy discussion groups all across the country, dealing with the issues of war and the defense of democracy.

Rapid technology development spread across rural America, transforming the family into a complex business and the agricultural system into a vast economic/technological network. By 1950, increased production and effective marketing were still top priorities for Extension, but the old aim of engendering a love of rural life gave way to promoting rural people’s appreciation of national and international issues. The increasingly complex subjects of home economics began to include a new emphasis on human relationships. Pilot efforts in rural development were undertaken. And Extension staff ranks swelled to more than 11,000 in 1948, almost 15,000 in 1958.

The massive social conflicts growing out of the war in Vietnam and the civil rights movement profoundly affected Cooperative Extension programs. Congress began to use grants-in-aid funding to influence Extension more directly, and program focus shifted to include the problems of the city, low-income people, and minorities. Farmers, who in 1940 had made up 25 percent of the American people, accounted for only 5 percent by 1970 and Extension’s clientele broadened to reflect this massive demographic shift. New programs arose, particularly in community resource development, and Congress mandated new initiatives in nutrition for low-income people, rural development, and urban 4-H programs, among others. Major civil rights equal opportunity efforts were carried out in both Extension staffing and program delivery and Congress mandated, for the first time, separate federal funding for the 1890 institutions and Tuskegee University.

By 1985, the farm population decreased to 2.4 percent of the population and the majority of Extension’s clientele was now in urban areas. The economic plight of farmers who were suffering from cash flow problems and drastic real property deflation after 1981 resulted in Extension programs on farm family stress management and much greater emphasis on farm business management. Teams or clusters of Extension staff members in various program areas collaborated on problem-solving programs for farm families. At the same time, efforts at broader programming intensified in 4-H, family living, community resource development, and natural resources.

As the U.S. population shifts toward an older age spectrum and family structures and relationships change, Extension is generating new programming in family resource management, family strengths and communications, and issues such as pre-retirement, health and the elderly, and home-based business. Educational programs on community problems — economic, social, and aesthetic — have kept agents and specialist in key facilitating roles with local groups.

Extension today

Today, Extension still meets public needs at the local level. Increasingly, Extension serves a growing, increasingly diverse constituency with fewer and fewer resources.

Technology continues to change the way Extension advances its mission. The Extension system supports eXtension, a coordinated, Internet-based information system where customers will have round-the-clock access to trustworthy, balanced views of specialized information and education on a wide range of topics. Information on eXtension is organized into Communities of Practice (COP), each with articles, news, events, and frequently asked questions (FAQs). The information comes from Land-Grant University System faculty and staff experts and undergoes peer review before publication.

Technology also allows more integration of work locally and regionally, including work with partners in other institutions, and enables staff to provide information and engage with citizens 24/7 through online resources, including publications, databases, images, video clips, blogs, social media communities, and more.

– Adapted in part from CSREES (http://www.csrees.usda.gov/qlinks/extension.html#today)

The County Extension Act

Cooperative extension work shall consist of the giving of practical demonstrations in agriculture and natural resources, youth development, and home economics and community life and imparting information on those subjects through field demonstrations, publications, and otherwise. For the purpose of carrying out this chapter, there may be created in each county or combination of two counties within the State an organization known as a “county extension association,” and its services available to all residents of a county. The county extension is viewed as a unique and important educational program of county government. The executive committee of each county extension association shall prepare an annual budget as requested, showing in detail its estimate of the amount of money to be expended under this chapter within the county of counties for the fiscal year. The executive committee shall submit to the board of county commissioners on a date requested by the county commissioners, and the county commissioners may, if they deem it justifiable, adopt an appropriate budget for the county extension program and levy a tax therefor. The amount thus raised by direct taxation within any county or combination of counties for the purposes of this chapter shall be used for the salaries of clerks, provision of office space, supplies, equipment, postage, telephone, a contribution toward the salaries of county educators and such other expenses as necessary to maintain an effective county extension program.1

1Excerpted from Title 7, Chapter 7 of the Maine Revised Statutes, §191–§195.

Roles and Responsibilities

Franklin County Extension Association Member Roles and Responsibilities

Mission of the Franklin County Extension Association:
  • Be an ambassador to the community about Cooperative Extension’s programs in the Maine food systems and youth development and its role as the outreach branch of the University of Maine
  • Support and advise staff regarding programming and operational work
  • Formulate and help secure annual funding from the county government by working with County Commissioners and County Budget Advisory Committee

UMaine Extension Mission: To help Maine people improve their lives through an educational process that uses research-based knowledge focused on issues and needs.

Time Commitment:

  • Election of new members and officers is held at our Annual Meeting in October of each year. New members are elected for a 3-year term unless specified otherwise
  • Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. with the following exceptions:
    • There is no meeting in June, July, or August
  • Standing and ad-hoc subcommittees meet on an as-needed basis to assess items such as the budget (finance committee) and 4-H Scholarship Committee (Annual Award)
  • Become familiar with the staff and programs of the Franklin County Extension Office
  • Promote the educational programs and impacts of Franklin County Extension to citizens, county commissioners, legislators, and other community leaders
  • Attend and actively participate in scheduled monthly meetings
  • Actively participate on a subcommittee
  • Oversee and actively participate in the preparation and operation of the Franklin County Extension Office budget
  • When possible, participate in and help evaluate current Franklin County Extension programs
  • Help prioritize staffing needs by making recommendations in selecting and hiring staff
  • Assist Franklin County Extension to reach diverse audiences
  • Commitment to helping people help themselves through an educational process
  • Strong commitment to UMaine Extension and its educational programs
  • General knowledge of people’s educational needs and issues in your geographic area
  • Ability to work as a team member with the full committee and subcommittees
  • An orientation is provided
  • A County Executive Committee binder is provided to each member and is updated as needed
  • Regular updates about new and continuing programs
  • Networking with experienced committee members
  • Opportunity to participate at the local and state level as a volunteer for UMaine Extension
  • Increased awareness of the broad range of educational programs, literature, and online resources available to the public through University of Maine Cooperative Extension
  • Understand the educational needs of county citizens more fully
  • Build upon and learn new leadership skills
  • Opportunity to give back to your community