Welcome to Cooperative Extension Service
Visit the Cooperative Extension web site.

Cooperative Extension is a partnership between the County, United States Department of Agriculture, and the state land-grant universities (University of Florida and Florida A. & M. University) established by Congress in 1914.

Cooperative Extension offers a variety of programs:

• 4-H and youth education
• 4-H leaders and co-leaders
• Energy and water conservation
• Environmental horticulture
• Family and consumer sciences  
• Florida Association of Home and Community Education (HCE)
• Florida Yards and Neighborhoods
• Master Gardeners
• Pasture and livestock management 
• Volunteer development
• And much more

Functions
Cooperative Extension develops and delivers practical, educational programs to meet the needs of Pasco County residents in the following four areas:

• Environmental Horticulture, including plant and pest identifications; integrated pest management; pesticide applicator training and examinations; water conservation and protection of water quality through Florida-friendly landscaping;
• Sustainable Agriculture including livestock and pasture management and youth livestock programs;
• 4-H and Youth Development for both rural and urban youth including school enrichment;
• Family and Consumer Sciences programs in food, nutrition, health and safety, family economic stability, housing, energy, and indoor water conservation.

Extension Service also actively recruits, trains, and encourages volunteer participation (Master Gardeners, 4-H leaders, Florida Association of Home and Community Education volunteers, and advisory committees) so as to more broadly extend our educational reach to the public.

Purpose
Congress established the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) in 1914 to bring research-based information from the universities to the people within their own communities. All 67 of Florida's counties have a Cooperative Extension Service.

Professional Faculties
Pasco County Cooperative Extension has four professional faculties. Multi-county extension agents also serve Pasco residents. Four regional specialized agents cover concerns of small farmers/Hernando, natural resources / Citrus; commercial horticulture / Sumter and livestock in Pasco, Hernando, Citrus and Sumter counties. Four paraprofessionals and three support staff help the Pasco County agents deliver educational programs.