Many newcomers aren't aware of Extension. Administrators may need to alter traditional staffing patterns. The nature and structure of the rural population has changed 9 as 57 million people now live in rural areas. Programs need to be geared to people in transition in stage of life cycle, place of residence, and state and stage of employment Rural employment outpaced urban employment by one-third in the 1970's due to expanding job opportunities in the high tech, higher education, and extractive and resort industries. Conversely, the farm worker force is about one-third the size 6,000,000 that it was in the 1940's. 11 Extension programs that reflect these changes such as career choices, managing personal and family stress, money management, estate planning, and introduction to rural living are needed.
Poverty still exists in rural areas.
Rural poor families are likely to have at least one full-time worker, many have two or more, while urban poor families are more likely to be headed by a female, an unemployed worker, or people not in the labor force. 12 Extension programs must help dispel the myth among staff and clientele, including agency personnel, that rural poor and urban poor are similar in nature and structure and can receive the same programs to resolve their needs. Rural crime rates are increasing. The elderly members of communities are committing crimes at an alarming rate. Administrators should consider hiring a rural crime specialist to conduct research across the spectrum of rural crime to provide these types of programs.