INNOVATION IN EXTENSION: Auburn University

The following describes an innovation.

Region: Southern

Main contact information for this innovation: Paul Brown

Main contact job title / position: Associate Director, ACES

Main contact number: 334 844 7372

Main contact email address:  pbrown@aces.edu

Innovation name: Centennial Youth Iniative

Brief description of innovation as provided in online survey: Reinvention of 4-H programming to reach 1/4th of the youth of Alabama through innovative programming and delivery techniques

Notes from phone interview with director / administrator:

It's increased the engagement of local volunteers in communities. It brings in the local ownership of the 4-H program. It's increased our participation in public school systems so that we are now in 50% of the schools in Alabama. It's increased the number of students enrolled, and it has increased the number of approaches in which 4-H programs are delivered.


The following describes an innovation.

Region: Southern

Main contact information for this innovation: Emery Tschetter

Main contact job title / position: Director of Communications and Marketing

Main contact number: 334-844-5690

Main contact email address:  ejt0010@aces.edu

Innovation name: Signature Programs; electronic communications

Brief description of innovation as provided in online survey: interdisciplinary programming and electronic delivery of priority Extension programs;  integration of apps, I-Books, web-based delivery and social media into Extension programs.

Notes from phone interview with director / administrator:

I think my support is because it's been successful in reaching new audiences in Extension. It has engaged younger stakeholders. And I think that the limitation is availability of patient's and specialist's time to rethink how they're delivering programs there to have the technical expertise from communications, and IT to develop the apps in electronic iBooks, and things like that.


The following describes an innovation.

Region: Southern

Main contact information for this innovation: Chris Becker

Main contact job title / position: Regional Extension Agent; home grounds, gardens and home pests

Main contact number: 256-766-6223

Main contact email address:  cmb0034@aces.edu

Innovation name: Operation Grow

Brief description of innovation as provided in online survey: Extension program developed to assist returning and retiring veterans to launch a career in the local food system

Notes from phone interview with director / administrator:

It's addressing the needs of an undeserved stakeholder population of well deserving Veterans and retiring military personnel. It's providing them the technical skills, the national skills to launch a new career after their military time and service to our country. The limitations are, it's a limited craft program, and then the distributions. There are a very uneven distribution of Veterans, so you have pockets of high Veteran needs around military bases. It's not a unified program that you can apply across the state. It has to be focused locally.


The following describes an innovation.

Region: Southern

Main contact information for this innovation: Kim Mullenix

Main contact job title / position: Extension Specialist

Main contact number: 334-844-1546

Main contact email address:  clinemk@aces.edu

Innovation name: Forage - Beef Systems

Brief description of innovation as provided in online survey:interdisciplinary team of forage agronomists, animal scientists, and economists working with farmers to increase grazing days and increasing profitability through the use of on-farm trials, electronic media and other Extension delivery methods

Notes from phone interview with director / administrator:

This has really brought a team approach to producers, industry representatives, and Extension, both within the animal sciences, and the 4-H's. It's resulted in increased profitability of producers, and it's had a return on investment of about 700 to 1. The limitations would be balancing the time requirements of those agents for this activity verses other responsibilities.


The following describes an innovation.

Region: Southern

Main contact information for this innovation: Jean Weese

Main contact job title / position: Extension Specialist

Main contact number: 344-844-3269

Main contact email address:  weesej@aces.edu

Innovation name: Food entreprenuership

Brief description of innovation as provided in online survey: Project to increase success among food processing business entrepreneurs using the cottage food law, GAP training, workshops, laboratory services, and a commercial food processing laboratory

Notes from phone interview with director / administrator:

The project has helped small food processing entrepreneurs to launch businesses. In addition, it has resulted in expansion of the mono-sized businesses. In one case the relocation of a processing plant from another state to Alabama. The limitations are the complexities of USDA licensing of food products and the availability of finances for entrepreneurs.