The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 establishes the Cooperative Extension Service and provides federal funds for cooperative extension activities. The act requires that states provide a 100% match from non-federal resources (many states provide a greater match).
Funding under Smith-Lever sections 3(b) and 3(c) is distributed to cooperative extension units at eligible land-grant institutions under a statutory formula.
Congress provided modest increases from FY 2008 to FY 2010, following steady erosion in previous funding for this vital program.
However, the FY 2011 Continuing Resolution as recently passed by the House, would cut Smith-Lever funding by $29.827 million to $267.673 million, a level less than the FY 1994 appropriation!
The LSU AgCenter pro rata reduction would be more than $460,033.
Before the Continuing Resolution becomes law, Congress must restore Smith-Lever funding to at least the FY 2010 enacted level of $297.500 million.
CONTACT:
William B. Richardson
Chancellor, LSU AgCenter
225-578-4161
e-mail
Contact your Senator:
Office of Senator Mary Landrieu
431 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5824
(202) 224-9735 fax
http://landrieu.senate.gov
Senator@ Landrieu.senate.gov
Office of Senator David Vitter
Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4623
(202) 228-5061 fax
http://vitter.senate.gov
Senator@vitter.senate.gov
Thank you in advance for your support of the LSU AgCenter.
Please join the discussion at the LSU AgCenter Cooperative Extension Service Facebook page.
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Louisiana State University AgCenter |
Unless the Smith-Lever cut is restored the LSU AgCenter stands to lose $460,033 and that would limit our ability to help reduce obesity, provide youth leadership opportunities, protect our natural resources, and provide a safe and affordable food supply.
STATE AND LOCAL MATCHING FUNDS WOULD ALSO BE AT RISK
In Louisiana, each FY 2010 dollar received under the Smith-Lever 3(b)-(c) appropriation was leveraged by $5.49 in state funding. This in turn leveraged $.96 in county funds. Thus, total state and county leveraging equaled $6.45 per Smith-Lever dollar received.
ABOUT THE LSU AGCENTER
- The LSU AgCenter serves all 64 parishes with local offices in every parish. There are 993 full-time equivalent employees, a reduction of 238 since July 2008.
- State funds have been reduced by more than $22 million, a cut of 23.6% of funding since July 2008.
- Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service has more than doubled outside annual funding from $5.8 million in FY 2001 to more than $13.1 million in 2010.
IMPACTS OF PROPOSED SMITH-LEVER REDUCTION
A reduction of this level, this late in the fiscal year, would irreparably harm our ability to meet commitments to the federal government’s state and county funding partners, as well as many other organizations and government agencies that depend on our collaboration. If the FY 2011 Smith-Lever 3(b)-(c) appropriation is cut, key stakeholders would be harmed as certain meritorious programs would be scaled-back or terminated:
- Working with farmers and forest landowners to provide the latest research based information to keep Louisiana’s agriculture competitive and safe will be severely reduced. This will impact the amount of production and economic development from commodities such as lumber, sugarcane, rice, cotton, soybeans, corn and cattle.
- Master Programs such as Master Farmer, Gardener and Cattlemen will be reduced, negatively impacting resource conservation, environmental stewardship and best management practices.
- Research and outreach programs to improve and propagate coastal plants, restore marshes and protect our coastal communities will be greatly reduced or eliminated.
- Seafood safety testing to build consumer confidence in eating Louisiana’s seafood will be curtailed, which will reduce the demand for our products and undermine the Louisiana fishing and processing industries.
- 4-H youth programs will be severely affected and fewer youth will be reached to receive programs that develop character, leadership and science skills that grow better citizens. There are currently 234,367 youth involved in 4-H programs, and 1,518 clubs statewide.
- Integrated pest management (IPM) programs will be dramatically reduced. These were the first to: identify Asian Soybean Rust in the U.S., evaluate transgenic cotton and soybean for insect control, and implement an area-wide Formosan termite management program in a major urban area.
- Education for families and consumers on healthy lifestyles to improve quality of life and reduce childhood obesity and health care costs will be severely curtailed or eliminated.
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