Cooperative Extension Services: Your Local Gardening Experts

What Is a Cooperative Extension?

In 1914, the U.S. Department of Agriculture partnered with a nationwide network of universities to create a system of “extension” services. The goal of these services was to provide farmers across the country with advice from local experts regarding all things agriculture and farming. 

The program was a huge success, and today, there are extension services in all 50 states (though some are not associated with the USDA). Extension services routinely put on community events, hold lectures and courses, and answer gardening and farming questions from locals. Typically, an extension service has a “home base” located at a prominent university in the state, but will often have a series of county offices, too.

Contact your state’s extension service for advice on gardening. They can help you with anything from dealing with local pests to choosing plant varieties suitable for your area. You can also get your garden soil tested (usually for a small fee), enroll in a Master Gardener program, or get your child involved in a 4-H club through the extension service.

Cooperative Extension Services by State

Although we LOVE to answer your gardening questions here on our website, sometimes the knowledge of a local expert is required! Consult the list below to find the cooperative extension service in your state for free advice.

Note: These website links may change occasionally, so please comment below if you find the link needs to be fixed, and we will update it. Thank you.

• Alabama (Alabama A&M University, Auburn University, Tuskegee University)
• Alaska (University of Alaska Fairbanks)
• Arizona (Diné College, University of Arizona)
• Arkansas (University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware (Delaware State University, University of Delaware)
• District of Columbia
• Florida (Florida A&M University, University of Florida)
• Georgia (Fort Valley State University, University of Georgia)
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas (Haskell Indian Nations University, Kansas State University)
• Kentucky (Kentucky State University, University of Kentucky)
• Louisiana (Louisiana State University, Southern University, and A&M College)
• Maine
• Maryland (University of Maryland, University of Maryland Eastern Shore)
• Massachusetts
• Michigan (Bay Mills Community College, Michigan State University, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College)
• Minnesota (Leech Lake Tribal College, Red Lake Nation College, University of Minnesota)
• Mississippi (Alcorn State University, Mississippi State University)
• Missouri (Lincoln University, University of Missouri)
• Montana (Chief Dull Knife College, Aaniiih Nakoda College, Fort Peck Community College, Montana State University, Salish Kootenai College)
• Nebraska (Little Priest Tribal College, Nebraska Indian Community College, University of Nebraska)
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico (Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development, New Mexico State University)
• New York
• North Carolina (North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina State University)
• North Dakota (Fort Berthold Community College, Cankdeska Cikana Community College, North Dakota State University, Sitting Bull College)
• Ohio (Central State University, Ohio State University)
• Oklahoma (Langston University, Oklahoma State University)
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina (Clemson University, South Carolina State University)
• South Dakota (Sisseton Wahpeton College, South Dakota State University)
• Tennessee (Tennessee State University, University of Tennessee)
• Texas (Prairie View A&M University, Texas A&M University)
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia (Virginia Tech, Virginia State University)
• Washington (Northwest Indian College, Washington State University)
• West Virginia (West Virginia State University, West Virginia University)
• Wisconsin (College of Menominee Nation, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, University of Wisconsin)
• Wyoming

Cooperative Extensions in U.S. Territories

• American Samoa
• Guam
• Micronesia
• Puerto Rico
• US. Virgin Islands