RD192 - Cooperative Extension/Agricultural Experiment Station Division Annual Report of Actual Expenditures by Fund Source and Program 2011-12 - August 14, 2012


Executive Summary:
Item 228 B.2 of Chapter 3 of the 2012 Appropriation Act requires the submission of an annual report of actual expenditures for the Cooperative Extension/Agricultural Experiment Station Division (CE/AES) to the Department of Planning and Budget, House Appropriations Committee, and Senate Finance Committee by September 1 each year.

The report summarizing the sources and uses of funds for the Cooperative Extension/Agricultural Experiment Station Division (Agency 229) for fiscal year 2011-12 is attached. This report is provided in the format defined by the Secretary of Education in November 2011. The report arrays sources and uses according to the Commonwealth’s fund and program accounting structure. The total expenditures made directly by the localities in support of extension programs are also displayed. Consistent with the Commonwealth’s standards, the report is provided on a cash basis which reflects actual revenues and expenditures as of a point in time, in this case June 30, 2012.

Beyond the $3.45M reduction in state support enacted in 2011-12 for Agency 229, 2011-12 was a turnaround year for Cooperative Extension. Cooperative Extension was preparing for $1M in additional state budget reductions assigned specifically to Cooperative Extension for 2011-12, which required a slowdown of expenditures, before it learned of a new $1M additional allocation in late Spring of 2011. This allowed Cooperative Extension to work to recruit agents and associated support staff. As a result, Cooperative Extension worked to recruit agents throughout 2011-12 and the agency made significant increases in staffing by year end. As a part of this, an investment in training and professional development was made in agents as well as technology enhancement to help the agents better serve the agribusiness community and increase productivity. Institutional Support costs in 2011-12 were down due to a partial payment for 2011-12 made in 2010-11.

The Cooperative Extension/Agricultural Experiment Station Division Annual Report of Actual Expenditures by Fund Source and Program for 2011-12 is attached. The second page reconciles the information provided through the report to the Commonwealth’s Accounting and Reporting System (CARS) and compares it to the authorized appropriation.