Agricultural Extension Workers' Roles in Canada and the United States

Abstract

Governments provide agricultural extension through agricultural departments or through universities. This research examined the effects of government and the university organizational models and of performing regulatory functions on American and Canadian agricultural extension workers' role perception and role performance. Data were collected by mailed questionnaires from 69 extension workers in Alberta and British Columbia and from 84 in Idaho and Washington. Extension workers in both models perceived that their performance of regulatory duties had a negative influence on their effectiveness as extension educators. Statistically significant differences were found between the perceptions of extension workers employed in the two models regarding the importance of eight of fourteen role functions. Implications for extension workers and other adult educators are discussed.