Cooperative Extension Services: Your Local Gardening Experts

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Find Your State's Cooperative Extension Service!

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Got gardening questions? You can always ask the Almanac, but you should also know about your own state’s cooperative extension service. They are made up of local experts who provide on-the-ground advice with tricky insect problems, the best varieties to plant in your area, and more! Here’s a list of cooperative extension offices by state.

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.

Cooperative Extensions in U.S. Territories

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann