VALDOSTA — Valdosta is surrounded by farmland.

The Lowndes County seat has been surrounded and shaped by farm land prior to the signing of the city charter in 1860.

To understand the importance of the University of Georgia extension service and the Ft. Valley State extension service in South Georgia, one need only drive a few miles outside of the Valdosta city limits in any direction.

The Lowndes County Extension Office notes: “Our mission is to extend lifelong learning to Georgia citizens through unbiased, research-based education in agriculture, the environment, communities, youth and families.”

The Lowndes County extension agency is part of the UGA Extension Service, which is part of the university’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Extension services have been around since 1914. They were created to be a local resource for the latest research-based information in agriculture, youth development through the 4-H, and Family and Consumer Science. They were created by the Smith-Lever Act of 1914.

The Lowndes County extension agency is located at 2102 E. Hill Ave. Lowndes County is part of the Extension Service’s Southwest District. Ft. Valley State also has an extension agent, Josh Dawson, housed in the Lowndes office.

Jake Price is the Lowndes County extension agent/coordinator.

Price has said the extension agency has specialists in many agricultural areas to include plant pathology, entomology, forestry, turf grass, pecans, weed science, tobacco, cotton/peanuts and livestock.

The extension service works closely with farmers, small landowners, residents and homeowners to help them make informed decisions in agricultural and natural resources. Agriculture is a broad term that encompasses many topics ranging from row crop and vegetable production to tree crops to turf and ornamental plants.

Price regularly educates the public on plants and planting through a regular column in The Valdosta Daily Times Sunday business section.

The extension service offers numerous programs to help farmers and the community enhance the region’s agriculture.

Subjects of agriculture production meetings in late winter/early spring have included cotton production, pecan production, peanut production, row crop disease/fertility, vegetable production, citrus, forage production, livestock, managing ponds, etc. All of the programs are presented by various instructors, most holding doctorates in their fields.

The UGA Extension Service’s main campuses include locations in Athens, Griffin, Statesboro and Tifton.

Extension departments include agricultural and applied economics; agricultural leadership, education and communication; animal and dairy science; biological and agricultural engineering; crop and soil sciences; entomology; food science and technology; horticulture; plant pathology; poultry science.

In addition to the offices, the service has various centers throughout the state: Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development; Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health; Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture & Environmental Sciences.

Extension facilities include Attapulgus Research & Education Center, Attapulgus; Blueberry Research and Demonstration Farm, Alma; Burton 4-H Center, Tybee Island; Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm, Savannah; Consortium for Internet Imaging & Database Systems (service center); Central Georgia Research and Education Center, Eatonton; C.M. Stripling Research Park, Camilla (research park); Fortson 4-H Center, Hampton; Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center, Blairsville; Jekyll Island 4-H Center, Jekyll Island; Northwest Georgia Research & Education Center, Calhoun; Research and Education Garden, Griffin; Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Eatonton; Southeast Georgia Research & Education Center, Midville; Southwest Georgia Research & Education Center, Plains; Structural Pest Control Training Facility, Griffin; Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center, Lyons (farm); Wahsega 4-H Center, Dahlonega.