Boards of county commissioners' knowledge and perception of the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension Service

The study sought to determine how the members of the Boards of County Commissioners in Idaho perceived the programs and activities of the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension Service in their counties. A total of 57 commissioners responded to the survey from 42 counties in Idaho having Extension Service offices. A sample of Extension agents were also surveyed. Over 50 percent of the commissioners indicated they perceived the major role of Extension to be that of helping people solve problems and to provide information. Eighty-five percent used their own observations or contact with the extension agent as a source of influence. Ninety-five percent of the commissioners were satisfied with the relationship between themselves and the agents, while only a little more than 50 percent of the agents indicated they were satisfied with this relationship. Eighty percent indicated that the Extension staff to be the right size and only two percent indicating that it was too small. They ranked involvement of the staff with the 4-H youth and the average size farm being of greatest importance. The commissioners were not as familiar with the work of the 4-H agent and home economist in the county as they were with the agricultural agent.