Ask AGNR

University of Maryland Extension (UME) is a powerful public service which has been in existence for over 100 years. We spoke with Jinhee Kim, professor and associate director of UME to discuss its evolution, strategies to combat federal funding cuts, and where the college intends to take UME into the future.

UMD Extension (UME) has been in existence since Congress enacted the Smith-Lever Act in 1914. How has UME evolved to serve the public for over a century? 

After the Smith-Lever Act of 1914, UME focused on agriculture, rural communities, home economics, and 4-H when it was formed. UME now delivers statewide, non-formal education on 21st century challenges, covering a wide range of topics, including youth robotics and STEM, precision agriculture, nutrition and health, and sustainable gardening.

I hear many stories from Marylanders who say our faculty helped them remain in the aquaculture business, answer critical pest issues for the nursery business, navigate farm operations during the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks, choose a successful career path through a life-changing experience in the 4-H program, or develop stormwater management projects for small communities to reduce runoff to the Chesapeake Bay.

We’ve also evolved in how we reach people from the early years of community workshops and demonstrations to offering online classes, and programming in collaboration with state and local partners.

UME is funded through a mixture of federal, state, and county dollars. Some programs have suffered due to federal funding rollback, and state dollars are scarce. What strategies do you deploy to keep UME thriving during such times?

We will need to leverage technology to deliver research-based education and operate more efficiently, reaching both new and returning audiences. Challenging times present new opportunities, and we will remain flexible and innovative in finding ways to serve Marylanders better.

Collaboration is essential. By working with other programs, campuses, agencies, nonprofits, and private partners, we expand our impact. We will also work to diversify our sources of funding.

It is essential that we widely share UME’s success stories and highlight our impact with clients, community, agency partners, legislators, and elected officials. Investing in UME supports Maryland’s future.

Many folks are aware of UME, but there are also untapped audiences who aren't keyed into UME as a resource. What would you say to the recently graduated agricultural or food-minded entrepreneur who isn't aware that UME offers many resources focused on business management?

That UME can be your trusted partner. We support the development of strong, sustainable food and agriculture businesses in Maryland by providing research-based knowledge, a statewide presence, and access to University of Maryland expertise.

UME offers programs for beginning farmers, urban agriculture, agricultural marketing, cultivating entrepreneurship, farm and agricultural business management, Maryland food ventures, and many more. We coordinate with supporting agencies to assist agriculture, food, and beverage entrepreneurs.

Ultimately, I would tell a new entrepreneur this: If you’re passionate about growing food, building a sustainable food or beverage business, or shaping the future of Maryland’s food system, UME is here to help you turn that passion into a thriving enterprise.