Extension Changes Name, Hours
The Texas Agricultural Extension service has changed its name to Texas Cooperative Extension. The fact that agriculture is no longer in the name acknowledges the fact that Extension has been providing educational programs for all segments of the population on a wide variety of topics for many years.
Extension’s mission has always been to help farmers and ranchers be more productive, encourage families to grow stronger, empower young people to become good citizens, and help communities develop economically. Some people never realized Extension offered all these opportunities because the name seemed to emphasize only one area. Despite the name change, Extension leaders affirmed the agency’s commitment to the Texas agricultural industry will remain as strong as ever.
Established by Congress in 1914, the national Cooperative Extension program was designed to extend to the people the educational opportunities and the scientific research of the nation’s land-grant universities. Texas Cooperative Extension (part of the Texas A & M University System) is founded on the cooperation and funding of the commissioners’ courts in each county, the Texas A & M System, and the United States Department of Agriculture; thus the word, cooperative. It is also part of the national Cooperative Extension System found in every state and U.S. territory. (This material was taken from a press release from the Extension service.)
The local Extension office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, including the lunch hour.