DETERMINING ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF COMMERCIAL HORTICULTURE EXTENSION
Horticulture & Turfgrass
Shawn Steed
Environmental Horticulture Production Extension Agent
Hillsborough County Extension Service
Seffner
Abstract
An environmental horticulture production extension agent wanted clearer impact statements for extension efforts that were primarily non-programmatic. Site consultations, e-mails, and phone calls were the primary efforts of education for the agent. A method was undertaken to arrive at consistent and clear impact statements that could be used statewide with other commercial horticulture agents.\r\nThe agent surveyed district commercial horticulture agents to find out what types of economic impact measurements were needed from non-programmatic consultations. These areas included 1) calculating the value of trees saved in the landscape, 2) the value of distributing CEUs for pesticide applicators, 3) the impact of saving plants or trees in the nursery production setting, 4) adding new crops to nursery producers. The agent worked with an agricultural economist extension specialist to obtain methods to calculate the above areas of extension effort. A methodology was determined to assist other commercial horticulture agents in creating impact statements for internal and stakeholder use. The agricultural economist also arrived at value added economic numbers to show the larger impact of extension efforts within the community.
Authors: Steed, S. T.
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Steed, S. T. Environmental Horticulture Production Extension Agent, Hillsborough County Extension Service, Florida, 33584