Current Extension agriculture programming in Shelby County seeks to enhance the sustainability of agriculture as it faces continued challenges of a growing urban-rural interface. In order to facilitate this goal, expansion of the volunteer base and maintenance of a formal council has been and will continue to be imperative to the success of the Extension agriculture and horticulture programs. Active involvement of local citizens via a thriving advisory council and functional committee system guides the agent and technician in developing relevant educational programming.

A purposeful Horticulture and Agriculture Advisory Council (HAAC) is comprised of volunteers who are invested, engaged and enthused in the program. HAAC has enabled the ag and hort programs in Shelby County to move forward and to remain viable and relevant to both the farm and non-farm audiences they serve.

The benefits of an engaged group of leaders who take ownership in the program include increased marketing efforts by volunteers, the continual evaluation of the success and relevancy of Extension programs by the clientele being served, and the development of new and relevant programming through input to the Plan of Work and responsiveness to emerging issues. The commitment and vested interest of HAAC members has increased the scope and reach of Extension.

In past years, HAAC members have actively recruited new council members to fill vacancies when terms expire.   However, in the wake of the Covid pandemic, meeting frequency, member input and term rotations were disrupted resulting in a disjointed council and ultimately all terms expiring without the input of a nominating committee to replace members.  The ag agent and horticulture technician took this break in continuity to revamp the council structure and reestablish membership, recruiting a fresh group of representatives from across ag and hort disciplines.  New members include several new-to-extension recruits, as well as some who have not traditionally accepted leadership roles within extension programming.  

Over the past 10 years, HAAC input has resulted in the development and implementation of several large-scale programs such as the Good Neighbors Farm Tour, Rooted in Shelby and Breakfast on the Farm.  These programs are successfully expanding the reach and familiarity of Extension throughout the community and are gaining new clientele for not only horticulture and agriculture, but all programming areas.  The unique make-up of the new council membership should offer a fresh look at our ag and hort programming and open the door to additional innovative programming ideas and opportunities.

Rebuilding an active and engaged volunteer base in the ag and hort programs will continue to strengthen programming, increase recruitment and retention in the volunteer base and increase Extension’s reach throughout the Shelby County community.