County Extension Service and 4-H

The Macon County Extension Office provides residents of Macon County with a diverse variety of information, educational programming and testing services.

Extension is a unique partnership between the Macon County Board of Commissioners, the Macon County Board of Education and the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension System.

Congress established the Cooperative Extension Service in 1914 to deliver information from land-grant colleges and universities to all Americans, particularly those who lacked access to formal education. The "College on Wheels" carried University of Georgia faculty and exhibits of interest across the state from 1908 through 1917.

Although agriculture and society have changed dramatically during the past 100 years, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension continues to fulfill its basic mission.

County Extension agents help keep farmers abreast of the latest agricultural technology, research and marketing strategies. Some agents help parents cope with the pressures of balancing home, work and children; others help keep families healthy with information on nutrition and food safety.

One of the major programs of County Extension is 4-H,a world in which youth and adults learn, grow, and work together as catalysts for positive change!

The mission of Georgia 4-H is to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society. This mission is accomplished, through "hands on" learning experiences, focused on agricultural and environmental issues, agriculture awareness, leadership, communication skills, foods and nutrition, health, energy conservation, and citizenship.

Exploring and discovering, encouraging and challenging, that's what Georgia 4-H is all about. As a program of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension System, 4-H is part of the nationwide Extension network.

4-H'ers are known for sharing their research-based knowledge and technology to people where they live and work. 4-H combines federal, state, and local expertise and resources.