Program Description

  University of Maryland Extension (UME)

The Montgomery County Extension Office serves as the non-formal outreach and education arm of the University of Maryland. This agency is funded cooperatively through local, State, and Federal governments to make non-formal education accessible to all Montgomery County residents. Adults, families, and youth are target audiences. Extension programs serve across four major program areas: Agriculture and Food Systems; Family and Consumer Science; Environment and Natural Resources; and 4-H Positive Youth Development. Educational programs for farmers include raising crops and livestock, protecting the environment through good agriculture practices (GAP) and nutrient management advising and plan writing, farm and business management, reducing farm stress (financial, emotional, and physical wellbeing), marketing commodities, and integrated pest management (IPM). Programs for families include home horticulture, financial literacy, and nutrition education. 4-H youth programs focus on healthy living and nutrition, leadership development, civic engagement, public speaking, and agricultural programs to learn how to care for, raise, and show livestock. The Close Encounters with Agriculture (CEWA) program engages over 3,000 4th grade students annually, from across Montgomery County, to learn about agriculture through a hands-on learning experience at the Agricultural History Farm Park. Extension faculty and staff engage and rely upon a large network of over 2,000 volunteers to support facilitation of program delivery. Over 100,000 information requests are received annually, and UME faculty, staff, and volunteers help to field and respond to these inquiries with research-based solutions. Outreach education efforts are facilitated through one-on-one consultations, telephone assistance, responses to internet inquiries, classes and workshops, field days, website, radio, television, and print media publications.