A County Perspective Summer 1991 Volume 29 Number 2 A County Perspective Linda P. Erickson Extension Agent Oregon City, Oregon Conflict of interest deals with a broad range of issues. Fowler raised some good questions on the issues which I, as a county faculty member, will have very little involvement in solving. There are no simple answers, but, as a county faculty member, I need simple, direct, policies to work with. I know there will be gray areas and as a professional, I should be empowered to use prudent judgment at all times. With all the differences that exist within the system, there must be common ground.
Consistency is needed across the organization.
If the ECOP position is consistent with USDA guidelines, this will be a good beginning. Consistent policies and guidelines should apply among the disciplines and program assignments, and within the counties. We don't hear much about conflict of interest in the county. The expectations of field staff in dealing with the private sector must be clearly communicated in a language easily understood and usable. Few agencies are as complex as ours with all the power structures and partnerships.