In many states there are several stakeholder groups including farmers, environmentalists, local officials, legislators, agri-chemical companies, community residents, educators, parents etc. Focus group interviews indicate that citizens are tired of negative campaigns and sound bites. They want to know more about issues and how they affect me and the people I care about. They found that the likelihood of success is enhanced when programs are planned and implemented by a coalition of groups or organizations, and that these coalitions must be created and carefully nurtured. The basic premise is that individuals are the most appropriate judges of their interests.
Extension plays a role in enabling individuals and groups in making better decisions.
Extension is well qualified to engage in public policy education because it employs professionals possessing process skills, ability to collect and analyze information, and credibility as educators who can be fair to the different sides of the issue. At the national level, several non-Land Grant organizations have partnered with Extension in public policy education. In addition to the Kellogg Foundation and the Farm Foundation, the Kettering Foundation, Study Circles Resource Center, and Project Public Life are examples of collaborators. At the state and local level, NGOs, pubic agencies, and Voluntary Associations are examples of potential customers. The initiation of public discourse before positions have hardened and a crisis has emerged.