Who We Are

The Cooperative Extension Service is nationwide and was established by the Smith-Lever Act of 1914. It is a partnership between state land grant universities, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the county governments throughout the nation. All of these groups share in the planning, financing, and operation of extension programs. In Florida, the Cooperative Extension Service is administered by the University of Florida.

UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County is part of a nationwide network of land grant universities providing non-biased, research-based information to America's residents. In our state, Extension's land grant link is the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences(IFAS). UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County serves as a bridge between the research labs of the university and the local community by providing educational opportunities for adults and youth.

Extension is based on the Federal Land-Grant system established in the early 1900's to "extend" university resources out to the people where they live. Locally, Extension is a cooperative partnership between your Pinellas County Government and the University of Florida in Gainesville. Our topical educational programs are directed at broad national and state issues, as well as issues specific to Pinellas County with locally determined - and citizen influenced - priorities.