About eXtension

Cooperative Extension is a nationwide educational organization provided by the U.S. Government through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state governments through land-grant universities, and county governments. Extension provides information educational opportunities and practical, non-biased information to help adults, children, families, farms, businesses and communities.

Extension serves almost every county in the nation, from the biggest to the smallest. People in each county decide what Extension should do for them and guide the planning and delivery of programs.

The information offered by Extension is provided by scientists and researchers at universities, and it is made practical and relevant by Extension educators, or agents, who work in each county.

Extension Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) professionals provide education in areas that are important to the quality of life for children and adults, individuals and families including:

  • Food preparation, food safety and nutrition
  • Financial Management
  • Healthy Lifestyles
  • Home and work environment and safety
  • Relationship and parenting skills
  • and much more!

NEAFCS is one of the six professional Extension associations within the Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP). Organized in 1989, JCEP focuses on strengthening the efforts of its member organizations and does what each cannot do individually.

Each year in April, JCEP sponsors its Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference in Washington D.C., which trains and encourages Extension professionals to engage in U.S. public policy and the legislative process and also presents the opportunity to connect with their congressional representatives to discuss Extension programs and issues. JCEP also sponsors annually the Regional Leadership Training Workshops. Created for state chapter officers representing all six professional Extension associations in all U.S. states and territories, the workshops help participants build new skills for leading within their affiliate chapter, as well as preparing to potentially serve their association at the national level.

JCEP is composed of the president, past-president and president-elect of the member organizations, along with a representative of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) and a representative of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).