How UGA Cooperative Extension Works in Georgia
If you farm, raise livestock, grow a garden, run a youth club or just have a question about a pest on your pecans, Georgia has a free place to start: University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. According to the UGA Extension overview, it is a collaboration between the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences. It has provided free, research-based information for over 100 years, and it began as a way to bring agricultural research to farmers.
The key fact for any Georgia reader is local: Extension has personnel in all 159 Georgia counties. Agents, specialists and trained volunteers are available by phone, and the Extension site has a "Find Your Office" link so you can reach the people who cover your county. Start there before you drive anywhere.
Three Program Areas
The UGA Extension programs page describes science-based lifelong learning in agriculture and the environment, family well-being, and 4-H youth development. In practice that means three program areas, and a county office such as the one in Athens-Clarke County describes the same split.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Agriculture and Natural Resources, often shortened to ANR, supports what the programs page calls Georgia's largest industry, with an estimated $74 billion in direct and indirect economic impact and more than 411,000 jobs. For producers and landowners, the page lists research-based guidance on soil fertility, pest management, crop varieties, water quality and herd health.
Homeowners are covered too. Extension offers workshops on lawn care, landscaping, gardening and water conservation, and Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteers answer questions in county offices and build educational programs. The Athens-Clarke office, for example, lists a free "Green Thumb Lecture" series, Master Gardener classes, home site visits, a monthly gardening newsletter and a Master Gardener help line covering vegetable and landscape gardening, turf, pests and plant diseases. Your own county's menu will differ, so ask what yours offers.
Family and Consumer Sciences
Family and Consumer Sciences, or FACS, covers issues such as nutrition, food safety, financial insecurity, family stress and housing. The programs page names consumer economics courses including ServSafe, Relationship Smarts and PRIDE, a teen driving course, along with Walk Georgia, a virtual fitness-tracking resource. It also lists EFNEP and SNAP-Ed, which teach families to stretch food budgets, eat healthier and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
For farm families who sell at markets, the Athens-Clarke page mentions food safety education for farmers market vendors, farmers and consumers, a good reminder that Extension is not only about fields.
4-H Youth Development
The programs page says Georgia 4-H serves more than 170,000 students in grades 4 through 12 as part of a national network. Members build skills in agricultural and environmental awareness, leadership, communication, citizenship, energy conservation, health, and food and nutrition through hands-on learning. 4-H holds club meetings at school and county levels, and offers state, regional and national competitions, camps and conferences.
Local detail varies. In Athens-Clarke, the county page describes after-school judging teams in forestry, wildlife, consumer judging and poultry, with the county 4-H program covering competition fees and providing transportation to practices and contests. Other counties may run different projects, so contact your office before assuming the same menu.
How Extension Delivers Help
The overview lists the main ways information reaches you:
- Programs and workshops
- Field days
- Blogs, newsletters and mass media
- Phone and in-person consultations
- Print and online publications
Services include classes, consultations, certifications, camps and educator resources. Extension will also make on-site visits to farms, businesses and homes on request, give presentations at local and statewide events, and run 4-H club meetings and teaching gardens in schools. There is also an event calendar listing national, statewide and local events. Popular topics named on the site include beef, blueberries, commercial and home food safety, child and teen development, and lawn and garden ornamentals.
Four Districts, One Local Office
Behind the county offices, the 2024 Extension administrative map shows four Extension districts: Northeast, Southeast, Northwest and Southwest. Each has a district extension center and a district extension director. You rarely need to deal with the district level. Your county office is the front door, and it can bring in a specialist when your question is too big for one agent.
The Scale of the Work
The Extension impact page reports that in fiscal year 2023, UGA Extension made 1,808,305 face-to-face contacts with Georgians and delivered 26,917 programs. Those numbers are a reminder that the agent who answers your call is one of many, and that the service is built to handle ordinary questions as well as big ones.
Practical Tips
- Find your county office through the UGA Extension site and save the number before you need it.
- Call before you buy chemicals, seed or an animal. A five minute conversation can save a season.
- Ask about on-site visits if the problem is easier to see than describe.
- For youth livestock and fair projects, ask the 4-H office about club meetings, project requirements and deadlines.
- Sign up for your county newsletter if one is offered.
- Bring photos, samples where the office accepts them, and any labels or records related to your question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an Extension office in every Georgia county?
UGA Extension says it has personnel in all 159 Georgia counties. Use the "Find Your Office" link on the Extension site to reach yours.
Does Extension cost money?
Extension describes its information as free and research-based. Some classes or certifications may carry fees, so check with your county office.
What grades does 4-H serve?
The Extension programs page says Georgia 4-H serves students in grades 4 through 12, with more than 170,000 participants.
Can an agent visit my farm or home?
Yes. The overview says Extension offers on-site visits to farms, businesses and homes on request.
Program names, contacts and schedules change, so confirm details with your county office.
Georgia Listings Covered by This Guide
- Briarpatch Classic Dairy Heifer Show
The 20th annual Briarpatch Classic dairy heifer show takes place February 13, 2027, at the Putnam High School livestock facility in Eatonton.
Eatonton, GA Official event details - Bacon County 4-H Project Achievement
Cloverleaf Project Achievement for 4th through 6th grade 4-H members, held at Bacon County Middle School in Alma on March 28, 2026. Held each year; the most recent date is shown.
1188 US Hwy 1 S, Alma, GA 31510 | Organizer: UGA Cooperative Extension Bacon County Official event details - Georgia 4-H Area Poultry Judging Contest, Tifton
Georgia 4-H area poultry judging contest hosted at the Tift County Extension Office in Tifton on April 21, 2026. Held each year; the most recent date is shown.
- Georgia State 4-H Horse Show
Georgia 4-H state championship horse show with free spectator admission. Held each year; the most recent dates were June 3-6, 2026. Questions go to the Georgia State 4-H Office.
- Georgia 4-H State Council
Held each year; the most recent dates were June 26-28, 2026, at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, where 4-H state officers are elected and 8th-12th graders compete and train.
- Chattahoochee County UGA Extension Office
The Chattahoochee County Extension office operates from the first floor of 1111 1st Avenue in Columbus and is the local contact for UGA agriculture, 4-H and family programs.
1111 1st Avenue, 1st Floor, Columbus, GA 31901 | 706-225-4200 Website - Coweta County 4-H Livestock Club
Special interest 4-H club for kindergarten through 12th grade focused on livestock, conservation and service, meeting the third Thursday of each month from August through May.
GA | 770-254-2620 - Dublin 4-H Center
Historic 4-H center on 33 acres beside the Oconee River south of Dublin; the Lions Club donated the land in 1939 and the first annual meeting was held there in July 1942.
Dublin, GA Website - Jefferson County UGA Extension Office
Staff cover agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H for Jefferson County residents from an office on U.S. Highway 1 North in Louisville.
2529 U.S. Highway 1 N, Louisville, GA 30434 | 478-625-3046 Website - Jones County UGA Extension Office
Jones County Extension and 4-H office in the county government center at 166 Industrial Blvd in Gray; it publishes a monthly 4-H newsletter with horse judging, hippology and shooting sports dates.
166 Industrial Blvd, Gray, GA 31032 | 478-986-3958 - Lamar County UGA Extension Office
Lamar County Extension is found at Suite A, 118 Academy Drive in Barnesville, where agents handle agriculture questions, family programs and 4-H clubs.
118 Academy Dr, Suite A, Barnesville, GA 30204 | 770-358-5163 - Lanier County UGA Extension Office
Lanier County Extension office, Suite A at 162 West Thigpen Avenue in Lakeland, offers agriculture advice, family programs and 4-H activities.
162 West Thigpen Avenue, Suite A, Lakeland, GA 31635 | 229-482-3895 - Laurens County UGA Extension and 4-H
Laurens County Extension in Dublin runs 4-H, family and consumer sciences, and agriculture programs, and its 4-H group is a local organizer of youth livestock activities.
Dublin, GA | 478-272-2277 Website - Lee County UGA Extension Office
Lee County Extension operates from the government building at 107 Main Street in Leesburg, serving southwest Georgia farmers, families and 4-H youth.
107 Main Street, Govt. Building, Leesburg, GA 31763 | 229-759-6025 - Liberty County UGA Extension Office
Liberty County Extension is in Suite 1200 at 100 Main Street in Hinesville, supporting coastal-plain growers, households and 4-H members.
100 Main St., Suite 1200, Hinesville, GA 31313 | 912-876-2133 - Lincoln County UGA Extension Office
Lincoln County's UGA Extension office occupies its own Extension Building on Rowland-York Drive in Lincolnton, with agriculture, family and 4-H programming.
2080 Rowland-York Drive, Extension Building, Lincolnton, GA 30817 | 706-359-3233 - Long County UGA Extension Office
Long County Extension is located at 81 W Academy Street in Ludowici and supports area agriculture, family life education and 4-H youth clubs.
81 W Academy Street, Ludowici, GA 31316 | 912-545-9549 - Macon County UGA Extension Office
Macon County Extension works out of the Courthouse Annex on South Sumter Street in Oglethorpe, offering agriculture, home and 4-H youth resources to county residents.
105 South Sumter Street, Courthouse Annex, Oglethorpe, GA 31068 | 478-472-7588 - Madison County UGA Extension Office
Madison County's Extension office on Sunset Drive in Danielsville offers agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H youth programs, including a monthly 4-H newsletter series.
97 Sunset Drive, Danielsville, GA 30633 | 706-795-2281 Website - Marion County UGA Extension Office
Marion County Extension office at 111 Baker Street in Buena Vista provides agriculture, family and consumer, and 4-H youth services for the county.
111 Baker Street, Buena Vista, GA 31803 | 229-649-2625 - McDuffie County UGA Extension Office
McDuffie County Extension office in Room 108 at 337 Main Street, Thomson, serving local farmers, families and 4-H members.
337 Main Street, Room 108, Thomson, GA 30824 | 706-595-1815 - Meriwether County UGA Extension Office
Meriwether County Extension at 1250 Terrell Street in Greenville provides west Georgia farmers and families with agriculture, home and 4-H help.
1250 Terrell Street, Greenville, GA 30222 | 706-672-4235 - Miller County UGA Extension Office
Miller County Extension is based in the county Agricultural Center at 406 W Crawford Street in Colquitt, serving peanut, cotton and livestock producers and 4-H youth.
406 W Crawford Street, Agricultural Center, Colquitt, GA 39837 | 229-758-4106 - Morgan County Agricultural Center (UGA Extension)
Morgan County Extension hosts 4-H livestock clinics, including commercial dairy heifer show clinics, at the Morgan County Agricultural Center on Athens Highway in Madison.
2268 Athens Highway, Madison, GA 30650 Website - Murray County UGA Extension Office
Murray County Extension at 2662 Mt. Carmel Church Road in Chatsworth offers northwest Georgia growers, families and 4-H members local UGA programs.
2662 Mt. Carmel Church Rd., Chatsworth, GA 30705 | 706-695-3031 - Newton County UGA Extension Office
Newton County Extension, Suite 202 at 1113 Usher Street NE in Covington, runs agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H programs.
1113 Usher Street NE, Suite 202, Covington, GA 30014 | 770-784-2010 - Oconee County UGA Extension Office
Oconee County Extension sits on Experiment Station Road in Watkinsville and offers agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H programs.
1420 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville, GA 30677 | 706-769-3946 - Paulding County UGA Extension Office
The Paulding County Extension office on West Memorial Drive in Dallas provides UGA agriculture, horticulture, family and 4-H programs and hosts the county Master Gardeners.
530 West Memorial Drive, Dallas, GA | 770-443-7616 - Peach County UGA Extension Office
Peach County Extension occupies Wing A at 700 Spruce Street in Fort Valley, serving peach and pecan growers, households and 4-H youth.
700 Spruce Street, Wing A, Fort Valley, GA 31030 | 478-825-6466 - Pierce County UGA Extension Office
Pierce County Extension, at 705 College Avenue in Blackshear, serves local growers and families with agriculture, family and consumer, and 4-H programs.
705 College Avenue, Blackshear, GA 31516 | 912-449-2034 - Polk County UGA Extension Office
Polk County Extension on Main Street in Cedartown offers agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H youth development programs.
225 Main Street, Cedartown, GA 30125 | 770-749-2142 - Pulaski County UGA Extension Office
Pulaski County Extension at 87 N. Lumpkin Street in Hawkinsville provides agriculture, family and 4-H assistance to central Georgia residents.
87 N. Lumpkin St., Hawkinsville, GA 31036 | 478-783-1171 - Richmond County UGA Extension Office
The Richmond County Extension office sits in Suite 100 at 501 Greene Street in Augusta and runs ANR, 4-H, family and consumer sciences and EFNEP programs, with soil and water testing, pesticide applicator licensing and the Augusta Area Master Gardeners.
501 Greene Street, Suite 100, Augusta, GA 30901 | 706-821-2350 Website - Rock Eagle 4-H Center
Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton is a UGA Extension retreat offering summer camp, environmental education, facility rental, adventure and team-building programs, and 4-H state events.
350 Rock Eagle Road, Eatonton, GA 31024 | (706) 484-2899 Website - Schley County UGA Extension Office
UGA Extension serves Schley County growers and 4-H families through its county office. The county posted about $42.4 million in 2024 farm gate value, led by poultry and eggs at roughly $26.9 million.
GA Website - Screven County 4-H Horse Club
The Screven County 4-H Horse Club is open to youth in grades 4 through 12, meets monthly, and feeds equine teams in Horse Quiz Bowl, Horse Judging, Hippology and the State Horse Show.
GA - Screven County UGA Extension Office
The Screven County Extension office has no resident ANR agent, so staff work with agents in surrounding counties while offering soil and water testing and plant problem reports. Row and forage crops lead the county at about $35.8 million of an $80.0 million 2024 farm gate value.
GA Website - Stewart County UGA Extension Office
UGA Extension serves Stewart County landowners and youth from its county office. Forestry products lead local agriculture at about $6.5 million within a 2024 farm gate value near $19.0 million.
GA Website - Talbot County UGA Extension Office
The Talbot County government site carries the Extension office page, describing agent-led education in agriculture, environment, youth and family topics. Forestry leads local farm output at about $8.6 million of a $15.5 million 2024 farm gate value.
GA Website - Taliaferro County UGA Extension Office
The Taliaferro County Extension office keeps weekday hours of 8am to noon and 1pm to 5pm and has an ANR agent and a 4-H educator on staff. Poultry and eggs dominate the county at about $46.0 million of a $49.5 million 2024 farm gate value.
GA Website
Plus 37 more. Find yours on your county's page in the Georgia directory.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.