Flint Hills Extension District #13

In 1991, the Kansas Legislature passed an act permitting two or more county extension councils to form a district to deliver the extension program. The first extension district in Kansas was formed in 1994.

On July 1, 2010, the Flint Hills Extension District #13 was formed by merging the Chase County Extension Council and the Morris County Extension Council. District offices are located in Cottonwood Falls and Council Grove.

The two county Flint Hills Extension District has an eight member governing board, represented by four board members from each county in the district. Board members are elected in an election conducted by the county clerk in each county. The District Governing Board, in partnership with the Area Extension Director, is responsible for leading the educational program and developing the budget in the district.

Overall, extension provides practical education you can trust - to help people, businesses, and communities solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future. The focus in Kansas is on solving grand challenges in the state around water, health, global food systems, vitalizing communities, and developing tomorrow's leaders.

State Partner:

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, commonly known as K-State Research and Extension (KSRE)

The Flint Hills Extension District is a branch of Kansas State University Research and Extension. While all universities engage in research and teaching, Kansas State University, being one of more than 100 land-grant colleges and universities, has a third critical mission - extension.

"Extension" means "reaching out." Along with research and teaching, land-grant institutions "extend" their resources to solving public needs through non-formal, non-credit programs at the local level.

Along with the other Extension Unit programs in Kansas, the Flint Hills Extension District helps make the university's expertise available on the local level. The educational information provided is research-based, and without bias.

Kansas State Research and Extension employs approximately 300 research scientists, 180 faculty specialists and program leaders, 270 county and area specialists, and 400 support staff in 23 departments from 5 different colleges. Personnel are located at the main campus, in 105 county offices, 9 experiment fields, 4 area offices, 3 research centers, and 3 research-extension centers.

Mission

"We are dedicated to a safe, sustainable, competitive food and fiber system and to strong, healthy communities, families and youth through integrated research, analysis and education."

Vision

K-State Research and Extension is committed to expanding human capacity by delivering educational programs and technical information that result in improved leadership skills in the areas of communication, group dynamics, conflict resolution, issue analysis, and strategic planning that can enhance the economic viability and quality of life in communities.

Federal Partner:

The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide, non-credit educational network. Each U.S. state and territory has a state office at its land-grant university and a network of local or regional offices. These offices are staffed by one or more experts who provide useful, practical, and research-based information to agricultural producers, small business owners, youth, consumers, and others in rural areas and communities of all sizes.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is the federal partner in the Cooperative Extension System. It provides federal funding to the system and, through program leadership helps the system identify and address current issues and problems.

Our History:

1862	The Morrill Act was passed paving the way for a land-grant university in every state.
1863	Bluemont College was renamed the Kansas State Agricultural College.
1887	The Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station was created at Kansas State Agricultural College under the provision of the Hatch Act.
1914	The Smith-Lever Act created the Cooperative Extension Service.
1959	The official university name was changed to Kansas State University of Agriculture and Applied Science.
1996	The Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and Kansas Cooperative Extension Service merged to form the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service (K-State Research and Extension).