It’s not a new story. Wisconsin’s Division of Extension is struggling. A revised model that removed county-based Extension services and pivoted toward regional offerings was met with a cold shoulder. Today, Extension faces funding challenges and talent shortages.
Dean and Director Karl Martin tells Mid-West Farm Report what the path is for 2025.
Contrary to the current trend, there’s a new position opening up within the division. Martin says thanks to a $300,000 donation, the new hire will focus on helping entrepreneurs in rural Wisconsin start successful businesses. The pilot position will last three years. The dollars come from philanthropists Patrick and Jane Thiely who have a passion for small business development in Southwest Wisconsin.
Martin says Extension has lost about 20 percent of its staff in the past decade. He points to funding challenges as the reason for the loss of agents. Most recently, Iowa County has had to cut Extension funding. Martin says this is often because essential services, such as EMS, take precedence in a county’s small budget.
To reverse the trend, Martin says Extension is actively seeking out more funding opportunities.
