kidsandkows
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2010
- Messages
- 172
Dear Friends of Extension,
Disproportionately deep funding cuts could be passed in the next 20-30 days that would devastate Extension programs serving your family, including your 4-Hers, and your community. We understand the need for belt tightening. But, proposed federal budget cuts would slash the Extension programs that serve your community while some other USDA programs suffer no cuts or even get funding increases.
If there is not a grassroots movement in the next week to 10 days, these cuts will happen and Extension may never recover its momentum. No time can be lost. The vote is imminent.
If enacted, these disproportional cuts will hit every Extension program in the nation. So please tell your family and 4-H friends even in other states to ask Congress to treat Extension fairly. Consider posting your concerns to your Facebook account and asking others nationwide to immediately contact members of Congress regarding the cuts proposed in the 2011 Continuing Resolution dealing with the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Explain what 4-H and Extension mean to your family/community and why budget cuts must not be applied disproportionally.
We are not asking for increases, but we are asking that Extension be treated in the same manner as other funding lines and maintained at FY2010 levels.
The cuts affecting Cooperative Extension are part of the “Smith-Lever Act of 1914.” The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 establishes the Cooperative Extension Service and provides federal funds for cooperative extension activities. We suggest that you tell members of Congress that the proposed cuts to the Smith-Lever funds are greater that cuts to other parts of USDA NIFA’s budget, especially compared to “AFRI”, USDA NIFA’s competitive grant program. Some NIFA programs are getting no cuts or even slightly increasing while the Extension budget (Smith-Lever funds) are targeted for disproportionally bigger budget cuts.
You may want to write your own letter, here are some talking points to include with the correct terminology. But please take action ASAP. No time can be lost. The vote is imminent. Please contact your representatives in the House first, and then in the Senate next. Share these points with your friends and ask for their help to get fair treatment for Extension.
• As reported out of the House Appropriations Committee , H.R.1 will cut $29.82 million from the Smith-Lever 3(b)-(c) base formula funds that were previously budgeted for the national Cooperative Extension System. Such a reduction would impose significant ‘retroactive’ cuts in the current Extension budget, because five months or FY2011 are already gone.
• As an educational service based in our local communities 80% of Extension’s budget goes into personnel who often live in our communities and directly serve the people in my county and state. Local county agents are the backbone of Extension programs in all communities, but especially in small, rural communities. Extension has maintained its “contract with the people” since the 1914 Smith-Lever Act to improve local communities and citizens’ lives, including 4-H youngsters, by applying scientific knowledge and research to solving local problems.
• Extension programs have local and state support. This is not just another ‘federal program’. Joint funding from local, state, and federal governments has long upheld this contract. Voters support Extension through joint state and local appropriations. For every $1 in federal support for Extension voters add $6.55 in state appropriations and $1.17 in county appropriations. This is $7.72 of local and state match for each $1 from the federal government demonstrates how important Extension is at the grassroots level.
• The proposed cuts would reduce Smith-Lever funding to levels below the FY1994 appropriation, while some other NIFA programs enjoy no cuts or funding increases! For example, grant programs, such as AFRI, are slated to receive more federal funding and agencies under the Hatch, McIntire-Stennis, and Evans-Allen Program formula funds are slated to receive marginal increases.
• We request support for fair treatment of programs that serve local needs. Please restore level funding for the Smith-Lever distribution ($297.5 million).
• The proposed cuts jeopardize one of the most highly effective, problem-solving educational and economic development network ever devised. It will endanger the effectiveness of the 4-H program serving tomorrow’s voters. Athough often taken for granted in America, Extension programs are the envy of the world. Disproportional cutback to Extension would devastate our citizens, our counties, and our local partners. If lost, this network of Extension agents, volunteers, 4-H programs, and local cooperators would be extremely expensive to rebuild—a misfortune for our nation that can be avoided.
• Please uphod the federal commitment to this unique state/local/federal partnership through formula funds.
Please help Congress recognize the harm and unintended consequences to your family, community funding partners and the entire Cooperative Extension System by this proposed unfair singling out of Smith-Lever Extension formula funds. Thank you for your immediate action.
Disproportionately deep funding cuts could be passed in the next 20-30 days that would devastate Extension programs serving your family, including your 4-Hers, and your community. We understand the need for belt tightening. But, proposed federal budget cuts would slash the Extension programs that serve your community while some other USDA programs suffer no cuts or even get funding increases.
If there is not a grassroots movement in the next week to 10 days, these cuts will happen and Extension may never recover its momentum. No time can be lost. The vote is imminent.
If enacted, these disproportional cuts will hit every Extension program in the nation. So please tell your family and 4-H friends even in other states to ask Congress to treat Extension fairly. Consider posting your concerns to your Facebook account and asking others nationwide to immediately contact members of Congress regarding the cuts proposed in the 2011 Continuing Resolution dealing with the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Explain what 4-H and Extension mean to your family/community and why budget cuts must not be applied disproportionally.
We are not asking for increases, but we are asking that Extension be treated in the same manner as other funding lines and maintained at FY2010 levels.
The cuts affecting Cooperative Extension are part of the “Smith-Lever Act of 1914.” The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 establishes the Cooperative Extension Service and provides federal funds for cooperative extension activities. We suggest that you tell members of Congress that the proposed cuts to the Smith-Lever funds are greater that cuts to other parts of USDA NIFA’s budget, especially compared to “AFRI”, USDA NIFA’s competitive grant program. Some NIFA programs are getting no cuts or even slightly increasing while the Extension budget (Smith-Lever funds) are targeted for disproportionally bigger budget cuts.
You may want to write your own letter, here are some talking points to include with the correct terminology. But please take action ASAP. No time can be lost. The vote is imminent. Please contact your representatives in the House first, and then in the Senate next. Share these points with your friends and ask for their help to get fair treatment for Extension.
• As reported out of the House Appropriations Committee , H.R.1 will cut $29.82 million from the Smith-Lever 3(b)-(c) base formula funds that were previously budgeted for the national Cooperative Extension System. Such a reduction would impose significant ‘retroactive’ cuts in the current Extension budget, because five months or FY2011 are already gone.
• As an educational service based in our local communities 80% of Extension’s budget goes into personnel who often live in our communities and directly serve the people in my county and state. Local county agents are the backbone of Extension programs in all communities, but especially in small, rural communities. Extension has maintained its “contract with the people” since the 1914 Smith-Lever Act to improve local communities and citizens’ lives, including 4-H youngsters, by applying scientific knowledge and research to solving local problems.
• Extension programs have local and state support. This is not just another ‘federal program’. Joint funding from local, state, and federal governments has long upheld this contract. Voters support Extension through joint state and local appropriations. For every $1 in federal support for Extension voters add $6.55 in state appropriations and $1.17 in county appropriations. This is $7.72 of local and state match for each $1 from the federal government demonstrates how important Extension is at the grassroots level.
• The proposed cuts would reduce Smith-Lever funding to levels below the FY1994 appropriation, while some other NIFA programs enjoy no cuts or funding increases! For example, grant programs, such as AFRI, are slated to receive more federal funding and agencies under the Hatch, McIntire-Stennis, and Evans-Allen Program formula funds are slated to receive marginal increases.
• We request support for fair treatment of programs that serve local needs. Please restore level funding for the Smith-Lever distribution ($297.5 million).
• The proposed cuts jeopardize one of the most highly effective, problem-solving educational and economic development network ever devised. It will endanger the effectiveness of the 4-H program serving tomorrow’s voters. Athough often taken for granted in America, Extension programs are the envy of the world. Disproportional cutback to Extension would devastate our citizens, our counties, and our local partners. If lost, this network of Extension agents, volunteers, 4-H programs, and local cooperators would be extremely expensive to rebuild—a misfortune for our nation that can be avoided.
• Please uphod the federal commitment to this unique state/local/federal partnership through formula funds.
Please help Congress recognize the harm and unintended consequences to your family, community funding partners and the entire Cooperative Extension System by this proposed unfair singling out of Smith-Lever Extension formula funds. Thank you for your immediate action.
