San Benito County’s 84-year-old 4-H program and all research
done by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE)
may be cut in July, if the county, which is facing a potential $4
million deficit, chooses to pull its funding from the programs.
San Benito County’s 84-year-old 4-H program and all research done by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) may be cut in July, if the county, which is facing a potential $4 million deficit, chooses to pull its funding from the programs.
UCCE covers 78 percent of the program’s budget, the federal government covers 14 percent and the county is responsible for 8 percent, which equals $70,000. UCCE and the federal government will not pay the county’s 8 percent share, so without the county’s support, all UCCE programs, including 4-H will be cut. UCCE has been conducting farm and livestock research throughout the county and running the 4-H program since 1920.
County Supervisor Richard Scagliotti, who sits on the county budget committee which is recommending the cuts, hung up when called. Supervisor Pat Loe, also on the committee, couldn’t be reached for comment.
“This is a very serious issue,” UCCE County Director and Youth Adviser Pat Johns said. “This would mean none of the kids are going to the fair and the community would lose all of the benefits from the community service projects the kids do.”
If the 4-H program is cut, the San Benito County 4-H Council will also lose $1.7 million in assets from the Georgia Wapple Trust, which it inherited in the mid-90s. Because UCCE owns the rights to the name and emblem of 4-H, the members no longer will be able to show their animals or compete in any competitions as 4-H members.
Life without 4-H would be pretty boring, 15-year-old Danielle Escover said.
“You grow up with it and it helps you make friends, learn responsibility and it teaches you how to become a mature adult,” she said.
Out of all the counties in the state, San Benito contributes the least amount of money to the UCCE program, and Supervisor Reb Monaco said that doesn’t make sense.
“Out of all the counties, we’re probably the ones who use the resources the most since we’re so agriculture based,” he said. “I’m very concerned about this, and I would like to see even budget cuts across the board and not just zeroed in on one program.”
None of the other county supervisors were reachable by phone Monday.
Along with the 4-H program, farm and livestock research happening in San Benito county will end. There are 22 projects under way. UCCE Farm Advisers Bill Coates and Sergio Garcia have been helping local farmers and conducting crop-saving research in the county for more than 20 years. Having UCCE is crucial for the care of the produce and livestock, Coates said.
“We conducted the research that is used statewide on the chilling requirements of cherries during the winter,” Coates said. “That was all originated right out here on Highway 25.”
During their time here, Coates and Garcia have reduced the abundance of husk flies, which helps county walnut growers grow organically and allowed them to market their nuts in a niche market, bringing in more profit as a result. They’ve also helped control the amount of Yellow Star Thistle, a weed that was having a huge impact on the local range grass.
“This allowed ranchers to minimize the cost and raise their production,” Garcia said.
San Benito County Farm Bureau Executive Director Nancy Griffin said cutting funding to UCCE doesn’t add up.
“It doesn’t make sense for a county, whose number one commodity is agriculture to lose its extension office,” she said.
If the county decides to cut the funding, Johns, Coates and Garcia will have to relocate to other UCCE locations, their secretary will be laid off and the office will close.
Coates said leaving the county isn’t something any of them want to do.
“We’ve all really enjoyed being in San Benito County,” he said. “Our families and friends are here, and we feel like we’ve done some good work here.”
