Extension is a partnership between federal, state and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public. The University of Florida, together with Florida A&M University, administers the Florida Cooperative Extension Service. At the University of Florida, Extension is located in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and is called UF/IFAS Extension. UF/IFAS Extension encompasses thousands of Extension faculty members, scientists, educators, staff members and volunteers.
Chances are that you’re familiar with the University of Florida and UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. You probably know that UF/IFAS Extension is a partnership between federal, state and county governments, with offices in all 67 Florida counties. We offer science-based solutions to help Florida residents and local governments deal with a vast range of challenges. What you might not realize is that your local Extension office is the front door to UF experts. Extension can connect county and city governments with University of Florida experts in a broader range of disciplines to provide advice and information on many issues facing Florida communities today. That’s right! Whether you need to better understand a complex topic, deal with a crisis, see both sides of a controversy, or learn how others have resolved difficulties, we can help! Here's all of the agents at UF/IFAS Extension Columbia County.
UF/IFAS Extension provides practical education you can trust, to help people, businesses and communities solve problems, develop skills and build a better future. When you use UF/IFAS Extension, you can be confident that experts have reviewed and developed educational programs to ensure that you receive the best information for your needs. UF/IFAS Extension employees and volunteers work hard at improving the quality of life for our neighbors and communities. We provide solutions to everyday problems.
UF/IFAS Extension county offices are part of a network reaching across the state, with contacts not only through UF/IFAS but also through the entire UF academic enterprise. What’s more, our UF/IFAS Extension county faculty members are experts at connecting clients with information — so, regardless of the questions you have in mind or the issues you face, we’ll try to locate the correct UF faculty member to answer them for you.
Heather Janney is the UF/IFAS Extension Columbia County Extension Director/4-H Extension Agent II. After obtaining her BS in Psychology and BA in Sociology, Heather Janney started her career in Extension in Early County, Georgia as a Program Specialist. She worked with a grant funded program providing education through home visitation of "borderline" child abuse cases. She developed a strong love of providing education to individuals as a way of “saving” them from other negative outcomes. Heather came to UF/IFAS Extension as the Baker/Bradford Multi-County Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agent. She spent 6 months working to make strong connections in these counties to provide programming but when Hamilton County created a 4-H /FCS Agent position, she could not resist taking the position allowing her to work with youth. Despite Heather’s appointment being 60% 4-H and 40% FCS, after much work and determination, she was successful in providing 100% of both program areas to clientele in Hamilton County. Heather accepted the position of County Extension Director/4-H Agent in October 2018 to expand on helping others and to increase her leadership abilities. She is working to develop a fully functioning county extension office and 4-H program. The pandemic did cause few delays in programming but she is working to get back to what she loves most, serving the county in as many ways as possible.