University of Arizona tours local U of A Cooperative Extension

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Representatives from the University of Arizona were in Yuma Tuesday to tour their local "U of A Cooperative Extension" office.

This was an opportunity for the local extension and for the AG experiment station to highlight all that they do in the local area.

This is a part of the U of A’s statewide tour where they travel to rural extensions throughout Arizona.

While in Yuma they discussed current funding, potential future funding, and the operations they run.

These extensions are a part of the University Land Grant, and they explain why their work is so important.

"A lot of the research done here...you can't do that type of research in farmers' fields because we're using experimental chemicals or experimental methods that we don’t know if they're going to pan out, if they're going to be economically viable," says Ed Martin, the local extension's director.

Arizona State Sen. Tim Dunn (R-District 25) was in attendance, and he says we haven't even reached the extension’s full potential.

"We can bring interns down from the main campus, we can actually have different upper division classes, we can actually have different degrees available here in Yuma that we haven’t had in the past," Sen. Dunn says.

The event hosted university deans and state officials to tour the local extension.