Extension Entomology: A Personal Perspective on Past, Present, and Future Challenges

As I ENTER MY SEVENTEENTH YEAR AS AN extension entomologist, I feel a need to reflect on the direction and focus of the Cooperative Extension Service (Extension) during the first half of my career and what might be expected in the next decade. The issues that Extension has chosen to address have affected extension entomologists' programs and our ability to achieve goals. Even individuals with only a few years of experience in Extension undoubtedly have dealt with issues associated with integrated pest management, low input sustainable agriculture, chemophobia, reductions in funding, downsizing, documenting our impact, justifying our existence, building our political base, and expanding our educational programs to urban audiences. These and other issues may be even more important for the future of Extension because they affect both what we do and how we structure and fund our programs. Some entomologists are concerned about Extension's future; perhaps, their concern is justified. When our mandate was established in 1914, almost 70% of the population was engaged in agriculture. Now, no more than 2% of the population is involved directly in agriculture, and, in many geographic locations, almost any other use of land now is more profitable than farming (McDowell 1993). At the turn of the century, more than 75% of the U.S. gross national product (GNP) and 85% of its employment opportunities were associated with agriculture; those percentages have dropped to 18 and 16%, respectively (Council for Agricultural Science and Technology 1994). Previous speculation about the future of extension entomology (e.g., Lincoln and Blair 1977) predicted increased emphasis on urban entomology, split academic appointments in research and extension, and more interaction with agribusiness and environmental groups. More recently, Allen and Rajotte (1990) focused on external forces that influence Extension including reductions in funding, competition from the private sector, new information delivery systems, and the use of new technology to solve entomological problems.