At the present time, yes, according to a recent survey of North Carolina farmers. But the same survey indicated that changes might be necessary to maintain quality efforts in the future.
Extension has a long tradition of disseminating research findings and technological advances.
In recent years, however, its critics have argued that Extension's delivery of technical information is no longer keeping pace with the rapid rate of technological development. Although many Extension workers feel these criticisms are unfounded, their confidence may have been shaken by events like the federal budget scare of 1986 and several negative magazine articles. The survey used a score of 3 for the most positive perception and 30 for the most negative perception. The study was also designed to determine whether a respondent's perceptions were related to age, educational level, farm characteristics, or the respondent's anticipated needs for information about complex technologies in the future. Farm characteristics included gross income, employment status, percentage of a part-time farmer's gross income resulting from farming, and the type and size of the farm.