Message From the Director

During the past year, I asked several people, both within and outside the organization, to define or describe Extension. In other words, to articulate who we are and what we do in easy-to-understand terms. Seems a simple enough task for an organization that has been helping the people of Colorado solve problems for 84 years. Like society, however, Extension continues to change and evolve, and, to add to the challenge, the organization is complex and diverse. So were the responses to my question.

Some said Extension is "an organization that provides informal educational programs and information to improve quality of life." Others contend we are "an organization that provides information people can trust or knowledge you can use." Others said "Extension is about agriculture and 4-H." Another said simply, "Extension is about building partnerships." Of course, they're all correct. But of all the descriptions I heard, the words "building partnerships" seems to capture the essence of who we are and what we do. Our

84-year-old county/state/federal partnership is fundamental to our success and mission. In fact, it's the very foundation of our organization -- and is a testament to the impact our programs have when we collaborate with others to address our customers' critical needs and issues.

Partnerships, as defined by Webster's New World Dictionary, is "the relationship of partners; joint interest; association." Every day, Extension builds new partnerships, strengthens existing ones, and celebrates those past. Our partners are private citizens who call our offices to ask questions about literally hundreds of different topics. They're also the more than 95,000 Colorado youth involved in our 4-H programs, and the volunteers who help us extend our programs statewide. Our partners also include agriculturalists; local business owners; local, state and federal government agencies; schools; libraries; and community colleges and other institutions of higher learning.

Another very important partnership is the one we share here at Colorado State University with colleges, academic departments, agencies, and non-academic units. This unique partnership, which is the very fabric of the land-grant university, makes Colorado State University the people's university. It's what allows the university to serve you where you live, work and play. And it's the partnerships that allow Extension to help communities and the citizens who live there effectively address critical issues of social, environmental and economic importance.

Our commitment to meet the goals articulated in our Extension 2000 initiative, launched in July 1996, has helped us build on existing partnerships and identify new ones to serve Colorado effectively by strengthening the structure and function of our organization and educational programs. As a result of CE 2000 and in response to critical issues articulated by our partners, in 1997, Extension developed and began to implement state program plans in the following areas:

• environmental and natural resource management through sustainable and profitable agriculture,
• families and communities,
• growth, change, communities in economic transition,
• horticulture and the green industry,
• nutrition, food safety and health,
• small-acreage management, and
• youth development

It's important to note that the list of state program plans does not represent all of our work. While they provide guidance, there are many instances in which county, area and regional staff focus on issues that are unique and particularly relevant to the people they serve locally.

This report provides but a few examples of how Extension's partnerships are woven into program planning to serve the needs of the state's citizenry.

In the year ahead, we will continue to identify and develop partnerships with individuals, community organizations, businesses and our colleagues at Colorado State University to address the critical needs of Coloradans throughout the state. It's our responsibility and our privilege to do so.

-- Milan Rewerts, Director

For more information, contact your local Colorado State University Extension office.

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Uploaded Tuesday, November 27, 2007

© Colorado State University Extension. 1995-2004. Contact Extension Web Manager. Home Page: www.ext.colostate.edu. Issued in furtherance of Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Milan A. Rewerts, Director of Extension, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of products mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.