Work Smarter-Improving an Agent's Return on Time Investment
Extension Education
Zachary Snipes
Extension Agent
Clemson Extension
Charleston
Abstract
Ongoing staffing issues within the Extension system often result in high turnover, burnout, and gaps in coverage, affecting our ability to serve clients effectively. In light of these challenges, how can we continue to fulfill our mission of providing unbiased information that improves our clientele’s lives? One potential solution is to reassess how we view our return on time investment, focusing on more efficient ways to serve our clients while better supporting our agents.
Visiting growers is a vital part of Extension work, but not every inquiry requires an in-person visit. SCGrower, a weekly crop report available at SCGrower.com, is sent to 546 subscribers to keep growers informed. This resource helps reduce the number of farm visits agents need to make, providing essential updates without the time investment of in-person visits. Agents spend fewer than 15 minutes each week preparing the crop report, and in return, it reaches over 700 clients every week.
In-person meetings are crucial to Extension’s success, but they require significant time, energy, and financial resources. To broaden our reach, our team began offering webinars as an alternative. We quickly discovered that on-demand webinars—where participants can choose the time, place, and date of participation—led to a 363% increase in attendance. These on-demand sessions allow agents to spend less time on scheduling and preparation while reaching a larger audience compared to in-person or scheduled webinars.
Teaching new farmers essential skills is critical but time-consuming, often involving repetitive content. To address this, we developed Farming Foundations, a free, on-demand class designed to teach the basics of farming. Created from recycled presentations combined into a cohesive course, Farming Foundations has served 1,032 clients since its launch in 2022. This class frees up hundreds, if not thousands, of agent work hours annually, requiring fewer than 10 hours of management each year.
Since 2019, our team has been implementing systems to improve each agent’s return on time investment. These systems have enabled us to significantly increase our reach, serving more clients in a timely manner while reducing agents’ workloads.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: Zachary Snipes, Justin Ballew, Mallory Maher
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Snipes, Z. Extension Agent, Clemson Extension, South Carolina, 29401
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Ballew, J. Fruit and Vegetable Research Associate, Clemson Extension, South Carolina, 29229
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Maher, M. Natural Resources Extension Associate, Clemson Extension, South Carolina, 29670