PAUL PUTNAM, DISTRICT 1 director of the Michigan State University Extension, in a lounge at Bay College, where the local MSU Extension office is located. Putnam, who is based in Stephenson, explained the Extension has much more to offer locally beyond the 4-H youth program. (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — While Michigan State University Extension has its roots deep in agriculture, that is not all the Extension does.

The system dates back to 1862 when the Morrill Acts created the land grant system. The law specified the mission of certain institutions: to focus on the teaching of practical agriculture, science, military science, and engineering without excluding other scientific and classical studies.

Michigan State University was the first institution to form a land grant university and many were modeled after what became the MSU Extension. Now there are 106 colleges and universities in every state that offer such services.

“Back in the time of Lincoln, with westward expansion we had all sorts of folks that were cutting down trees and trying to farm,” MSU Extension District 1 Director Paul Putnam said. “They had no idea how to forest or farm and were dying of starvation, so it was created to be able to have universities help them.”

MSU Extension focuses on four areas of importance: leveraging natural and human assets, enhancing agriculture and agribusiness, improving health and nutrition and preparing children and youth for the future.

Agriculture plays a prominent role in the state’s economy and MSU Extension is there to support farmers and growers, helping them produce safe and abundant food supplies. MSU Extension focuses on animal health and wellbeing, fruit, vegetable and crop production, ornamental plants, sustainability and profitability, gardening and farm management.

“It is not just 4-H, it is not just pigs and sewing and things like that,” Putnam said. “We have folks working on robotics, we have afterschool programs, we have SPIN (special interest) clubs if you are interested in, say, archery, kayaking or fly fishing.” The Extension offers dozens, if not hundreds of classes and activities that are delivered online or in person.

No Extension office offers the exact services as another nearby and resources are shared. For example, Putnam said that staff from the Delta County Extension office comes to Dickinson County to teach ServSafe certification to food service workers.

The Extension also offers community and economic development support, working with local governments, the Michigan Association of Counties and organizations like downtown development authorities. The Extension also works with local office-holders, especially after elections, on proper procedures for conducting meetings. Financial literacy education, particularly for youth, is another emphasis of MSU Extension.

In Dickinson County, a community nutrition instructor is on staff to help people access healthy food, cook healthy and shop on a limited budget.

Another issue that MSU Extension helps with in Dickinson County is educating people on the SNAP-Ed. Food program. Putnam said that many people who are struggling with food security do not even realize that they may be eligible for the program. SNAP-Ed programming is an important part of the Extension’s overall efforts to assist underserved and vulnerable populations within the communities it serves.

All told, in 2023, 11 Extension programs were held in Dickinson County, with 1,411 attending. Another 67 MSU Extentsion programs drew Dickinson County participation.

At the cornerstone of the MSU Extension’s local presence is the program most have heard about — 4-H. If county funding is provided for an Extension office, it is tied to having a 4-H person in the office.

Putnam said that the 4-H program teaches youth valuable skills like record-keeping and that raising their livestock is like a small business with all that is involved. Putnam added that 4-H is good for the community long-term.

“If you take a look at statistics we have an awful lot of these kids that end up staying here,” Putnam said. “They go and get a degree and then they come back.”

While Michigan State University is huge, MSU Extension is its own separate entity, a part of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Extension only receives about $2 million of its operating budget from the university’s general fund.

Putnam said there is a misconception that being under the MSU umbrella means the Extension has a lot of money at its disposal.

“All of the money MSU has is campus-based,” Putnam said. “Then we hear about how much coaches make, that’s not Extension money, not even MSU money, a lot of that is boosters and others that have no direct tie and we have no ability for the Extension service to access.”

MSU Extension has a presence in nearly every county in Michigan, just a few are without.

Putnam addressed recent events that have transpired locally and said that he looks forward to having pending litigation concluded so he can once again discuss the future of MSU Extension in Dickinson County.

“The pending litigation, which we are not a part of, caught us off guard, too,” Putnam said. “MSU Extension does not sue our partners and collaborators — we never have, we never will. These are relationships we have had for decades and we are in no way going to be suing county governments or local government units because of funding. That is not how this works.”

With four new members seated in January, the Dickinson County Board withdrew an $81,000 allocation to MSU Extension that the previous board had approved for 2025. Last month, Jason Gibbs of Iron Mountain filed a lawsuit that contends the decision to deny funds violates Michigan law because no budget amendment was proposed or passed.

The board has yet to respond to the suit and no court date has been set.