Marlin Bates, the director of Douglas County Extension Services, has made a career of his work in the field.
Bates explained the history of land grant institutions and the breadth of services that they provide. Many are unaware of the scope of programs in place to fulfill the land grant mission: “We are dedicated to a safe, sustainable, competitive food and fiber system and to strong, healthy communities, families and youth through integrated research, analysis and education.”
Many extension programs are familiar to the public:
- 4-H Youth Development
- Health, Nutrition & Safety
- Lawn & Garden
- Business & Economics
- Home & Family
- Crops & Livestock
In recent years, extension staff has focused more on programs that address issues at the systems level as opposed to teaching particular skills. Those broad areas include health, global food systems, community vitality, water and natural resources, and development of leaders.
During the Civil War, the Morrill Act of 1862 established land grant universities to teach agricultural science, mechanical arts, and military science. Kansas’ land grant institution is Kansas State University in Manhattan. The Hatch Act of 1887 widened the definition of land grant institutions to include research and established a network of field stations to conduct that research. The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 directed the land grant institutions to distribute and disseminate information to the public.
Kansas has an extension office in every one of its 105 counties. Each has a 24-member board that is elected by the citizens in the county. An executive board tends to day-to-day issues. Douglas County has fourteen staff.
