The Consumer Horticulture National Committee (CHNC) was formed in July 2006 and is comprised of consumer horticulture specialists and Extension Master Gardener (EMG) state coordinators elected to represent the four geographical Cooperative Extension regions (Northeast, North Central, Western, Southern) and the directors of nationwide projects.
The CHNC provides a national focus and contact point for the nation-wide Extension Master Gardener program and the various state efforts in Cooperative Extension Consumer Horticulture. The National Committee facilitates inclusion of county and state gardening information in eXtension; provides a channel for contacting, funding, and training Extension Master Gardeners to be frontline detectors/information providers on national, critical issues related to home yards and landscapes; facilitates national collaboration to avoid redundancy in development of educational materials, and expedites collaboration with federal agencies, funders and professional organizations for input and funding for national issues and priorities.
Objectives of the CHNC
Specifically, the CHNC was initially charged with the following objectives. Some have been accomplished, some are on-going, and others await action due to limitations in funding or personnel to carry out the project.
- The CHNC will facilitate national communications and collaborations to avoid redundancy in development of electronic materials and training.
- The CHNC will steer development of a National EMG Core Curriculum. The choice to use all or parts of this curriculum will reside with individual states.
- CHNC will provide a Web-based, locally proctored, and locally fee-charged Core Curriculum Certification program for optional use by states. Core Curriculum Certification will be a credential to be cited in funding applications for projects utilizing EMG volunteers. A certification will also serve as a transcript to be used by EMG volunteers when they transfer to other counties or states.
- CHNC will facilitate Web-based, national Specialized Courses to enhance volunteer continued education and retention.
- CHNC will provide a network to mobilize EMGs as front line information providers on critical or emergency national horticultural issues.
- CHNC will establish and maintain a national EMG Web site.
- CHNC will develop a national identifying logo.
- CHNC will develop a national impact white paper to enhance national recognition and support for the EMG program.
- The CHNC will collaborate with eXtension and will encourage applications for eXtension grants.
- The CHNC will coordinate the annual national conference for Consumer Horticulture Specialists and Extension Master Gardener State Coordinators.
Elected Regional Representatives
Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialists and/or EMG state coordinators are elected by their peers to represent the four Cooperative Extension geographical regions. Elected representatives serve two-year terms and elections are staggered so that representatives from the Northeast and Western regions are elected in even-numbered years and representatives from the North Central and Southeast regions are elected in odd-numbered years. Service on the CHNC is limited to two consecutive terms with unlimited non-consecutive terms.
Northeast Region:
Leslie Alexander, Extension Master Gardener State Coordinator
UConn Home and Garden Education Center
1380 Storrs Rd. Unit 4115
Storrs, CT 06269
Telephone: 860-486-6343
Fax: 860-486-6338
E-mail: leslie.alexander@uconn.edu
Southern Region:
Dr. Lelia Kelly, Horticulture Specialist
Mississippi State University Extension
Email: leliak@ext.msstate.edu
Western Region:
Tonie Fitzgerald, Extension Master Gardener Program Leader
WSU Extension at WSU Spokane
Phone: 509-358-7879
Fax: 509-358-7979
Email:tjfitz@wsu.edu
North Central Region:
Pam Bennett, State Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator
Ohio State University Extension
4400 Gateway Blvd.
Springfield, Ohio 45502
Telphone: 937-521-3860
Email: bennett.27@cfaes.osu.edu
At-Large Members
An unspecified number of at-large representatives who are providing leadership to various aspects of the eXtension project or who direct other national projects related to Extension Consumer Horticulture/EMG programs are invited to be voting members of the CHNC by the regional representatives. Current at-large members include:
Janet Carson, Extension Horticulturist
Univ. of Arkansas, P.O. Box 391
2301 S. University
Little Rock, AR. 72203
Phone: (501) 671-2174
Fax: (501) 671-2303
E-mail: jcarson@uaex.edu
Dr. Rick Durham
eXtension Consumer Horticulture Project Leader
University of Kentucky Extension Master Gardener State Coordinator
Department of Horticulture
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0091
Phone: 859-257-3249
Fax: 859-257-2859
Email:rdurham@uky.edu
Ms. Monica David, Chair of the CHNC
Illinois Master Gardener Coordinator
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
1007 Plant Sciences Lab, MC-634
1201 South Dorner Dr.
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: 217-265-5256
Email:modavid@uiuc.edu
Executive Board
The executive board of the CHNC is elected annually from the CHNC by its members. The executive board is made up of three officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary/Reporter.
Liaisons to the Board
A USDA/NIFA National Program Leader with responsibilities for EMG programs will be a nonvoting member of the Board and Committee. Additionally, non-voting liaisons from other Federal Agencies will be invited to meet with the Committee as deemed appropriate by the Committee. The International Master Gardener Committee might also be invited to appoint a liaison to serve on the National Committee to facilitate communications between the two committees. A representative from among the state Extension Directors will also be invited as a nonvoting member of the Board and Committee. Current liaisons include:
Monte P. Johnson
USDA - National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Waterfront Centre
Room 3409, Stop 2240
Washington, D.C. 20250-2220
Telephone: 202-401-1108
FAX: 202-401-4888
Email: mpjohnson@nifa.usda.gov
- Visit the NIFA Homepage at :http://www.nifa.usda.gov
Dr. Jimmy C. Henning
Associate Dean and Director
Cooperative Extension Service
UK College of Agriculture
S-107 Ag Science Bldg. - North
Lexington KY 40546-0091
Phone (859) 257-4302
Email:jimmy.henning@uky.edu
