Evaluation of Economic and Social Consequences of Cooperative Extension Programs

This report describes the cooperative extension system and evaluates the consequences of its educational programs. An executive summary provides an overview of the contents: background, highlights of findings related to consequences, interpretations, and implications for the future. Following an introduction, chapter 2 discusses extension in terms of its development, organization, roles, relationships, and resources. The next four chapters describe the four program areas: agriculture and natural resources, home economics and nutrition, 4-H youth, and community and rural development. The following program consequences are identified for each program area: agricultural extension programs have contributed significantly to growth in agricultural productivity and efficiency and have increased average net income per farm; participants in extension home economics and nutrition programs report savings from home gardening; food preservation, home repair, sewing, and upholstery refinishing; the most visible consequence of 4-H was participation itself; and community and rural development programs have taken an initiating role in addressing needs of disadvantaged citizens. Chapter 7 summarizes the economic and social consequences of the extension programs. An epilogue reviews and interprets issues highlighted during the evaluation as they related to questions concerning institutional support, role, programs, objectives, clients, funding, and other aspects of the Cooperative Extension Service.