March is extension month in Tennessee

March is Extension Month in Tennessee. Extension is a national educational program supported by USDA through the nation's land-grant universities and administered with funding from state and local governments in Tennessee through offices in each of the state's 95 counties.

County Extension offices across the state are planning various celebrations and commemorations for the state's 107-year-old Extension program.

"UT Extension 'extends' the university's teaching and research missions to deliver research-based information and education to all the state's citizens through youth and adult programs in every county," said Dr. Delton Gerloff, interim dean of UT Extension. Dr. Latif Lighari oversees TSU Extension faculty as associate dean for Extension at TSU.

In addition to the traditional agricultural production recommendations available through county Extension offices, services for all citizens include the state's award-winning 4-H Youth Development Program including its summer youth camps; family and consumer educational programs; and healthy living courses. The increasingly popular courses for Master Gardeners, and gardeners in general, are also conducted through county Extension offices.

UT Extension also performs services for the state's citizens, including managing the statewide Soil, Plant and Pest Center through which clients can have the quality of their soil and forage analyzed and any insect pest or plant diseases identified. Extension also trains clients in the proper use of pesticides.

The statewide educational programs in 4-H youth development, agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, and community economic development are estimated to impact the state's economy by more than $512 million from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016. This amounts to a return of investment of $8.03 for every $1 in public funds invested in Tennessee Extension.Contact the Cannon County Extension Office for more information.