5 million. That is the number of youth involved in the national 4-H program this past year. The fate of the Pennsylvania 4-H program rests squarely in your hands with the veto or passing of PA House Bill 1460 Printers Number 2626 and PA Senate Bill 1073 Printers Number 1459. Each of these bills contains nearly all of the Pennsylvania state budget, but I believe after reviewing all of the contents and evaluating the effects of each, you will conclude that the governors proposed line-item veto of the Land Scrip Fund, one of the primary revenue sources for 4-H, would be unnecessary and quite disastrous.
Why 4-H you ask? Because the benefits to youth and our greater communities is nearly immeasurable. “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service and my health to better living for my club, my community, my country and my world.”, at the beginning of every 4-H meeting following the pledge of allegiance, every 4-H member recites this 4-H pledge. A pledge that embodies each 4-H member’s life, through which dedication builds some of the finest youth in America. According to a Tufts University research study students in grades 7-12 involved in 4-H were four times more likely to contribute to their communities. Each year 4-H clubs have to perform at least one major community service project, many complete countless more. Over the years, many 4-H leaders have cited that after exposure to the idea of making a difference and helping others, members often become addicted, choosing to promote community service in their other extracurricular activities or developing their own projects.
The Tufts study also found that those 4-H’ers in grades 8-12 were two times more likely to participate in civic activities. 4-H meetings are run according to parliamentary procedure and provide all members leadership opportunities with traditional positions ranging from president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, to reporter, historian and even scrap booker. The great thing about the 4-H program is the levels with which it operates on, from the local club level to County Councils, District Committees, State Councils and even National Council – there truly is something for everyone. Not only are members exposed to Parliamentary procedure and leadership opportunities but they learn how to lead others, follow, be a team player, how to listen and how to be heard. 4-H teaches kids how to stand up for what they believe in, and due to such strong recognition and respect in communities nationwide, members are often given once in a lifetime opportunities to meet with influential members of both state and national congressional bodies, like yourselves.
The benefits of 4-H don’t just stop at community and civic involvement, they continue with lifelong decisions about health and wellness as well as career and hobby choices. The Tufts research revealed that 7th graders in 4-H were two times more likely to make healthier choices than their peers, they knew how to say no to drugs and alcohol because they had developed confidence. They understood the importance of maintaining their fitness levels and eating healthy thanks to club members who’s yearly projects or presentations may have been in wellness or research revolved around health. 4-H outreach programs such as master gardeners and Extension agents such as Cambria County’s Renee Pettenati, a Nutrition Education Adviser, whose sole job is to educate community members and travel to local elementary and high schools teaching about nutrition and ways to make the best of what food they may be offered or able to obtain. Finally, programs supported through the Land Scrip Fund ignite interest in new and developing career fields. Studies have shown that students in grades 10-12 who participated in these promoted organizations were two times more likely to participate in STEM programs during extracurricular activity time. Not to mention that 4-H girls specifically, were up to three times more likely to participate in science events outside of school than their non-member peers.
While the youth of our society benefit greatly from the funding provided through the Land Scrip Fund, so too does every community in Pennsylvania, regardless of urban or rural status. You see, the Land Scrip Fund provides the basis which other funding is built upon, there are a great deal of Extension and Pennsylvania State University personnel who will be impacted and the detriments to our agricultural system are enormous. First off, the University would lose an additional $22 million of USDA funds due to a partnership that is variable based on the Land Scrip Fund amount. Continued loss of nearly $56 million of competitively awarded grant monies and $13 million of county funds would wreak havoc on employee salaries, research, and program budgets.
Ultimately these losses would be too great for the University to overcome resulting in the untimely ending of 4-H, Master Gardeners, and all Extension outreach programs. All sixty-seven of the county extension offices, three agricultural experiment stations, and a significant portion of the Pennsylvania State University’s University Park campus facilities would be closed. With impacts on 93,340 youth members, 9,556 adult volunteers, and direct job losses for more than 1,108 personnel, the Pennsylvania economy and communities cannot afford a veto of the Land Scrip Fund.
The Pennsylvania State University provides services to civilians, government agencies as well as PA’s agricultural sector. The two main functions of the University’s Extension Programs is to complete testing and research and then distribute the results to the public in a manner that is easy to understand and will breed positive change. Testing generally comes in the form of agricultural analysis of soil, water and plants or animal diagnostics, disease, disorder, or genetics. Research on the other hand is broad encompassing beef, sheep, dairy cattle, deer, forestland, horses, mushrooms, poultry, and swine. The 4-H program emphasizes efficiency and effectiveness in all agriculture and stresses environmental resilience as well as proper business development and advancement.
Finally, the Pennsylvania State University Programs act as crisis response for concerns such as foodborne illness outbreaks or flooding, drought, or severe weather emergencies. Scientists and students are currently also working to learn about and combat chronic wasting disease, the spotted lanternfly, and the highly pathogenic avian influenza. Chronic wasting disease is a transmissible neurological disease in deer and elk that produces small lesions in brains of infected animals and is characterized by loss of body condition, behavioral abnormalities, and death. While human cases have not yet been confirmed the risk will be all too real if the disease cannot be contained. The spotted lanternfly is a non-native invasive insect that prefers grape, apple, fruit, ornamental and pine trees as host. The spotted lanternfly hatches and begins killing off its victim immediately resulting in great reductions in plant populations. Particularly the fruit trees could result in an irreplaceable loss of produce worldwide, not to mention scientists concerns that the lanternfly’s reproduction rates are quickly going to be difficult to slow down let alone control. Perhaps the most recent project is avian influenza. With the average US citizen eating over sixty pounds of chicken a year, even the slightest of decreases in chicken production could mean a significant loss of food for many low-income citizens. Avian Influenza results in a swift death and can wipe out an entire poultry farm in less two weeks. Not to mention the eminent danger to humans, as avian influenza is contractible by many other species.
The youth of today will leave their legacy for generations to come. With such great advancements, we simply cannot afford to not place substantial investment in childhood development and enrichment opportunities. As such organizations, 4-H and the University of Pennsylvania Extension Programs are essential to ensuring the continued success of our nation. With direct benefits to our youth and all aspects of agriculture we cannot deplete the Land Scrip Fund. I ask that you remember this as you vote against the governors proposed veto of PA House Bill 1460 Printers Number 2626 and PA Senate Bill 1073 Printers Number 1459.
