University of Arizona Yuma Cooperative Extension receives money for new building

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY)- The University of Arizona's Cooperative Extension in Yuma will be receiving an extension worth $5.5 million.

The University's Cooperative Extension currently shares a building with the Yuma County Public Health Services District, but thanks to the new money this will no longer be the case.

"We're kind of seperated it gives us a centralized location located on the AG center to provide all of our services out of one location,” said Russell Engel, Director for Yuma County Cooperative Extension.

The Yuma County Board of Supervisors approved the money in funding for the local university's organization.

The money will go towards a new county building that the "U of A" in Yuma will use.

A board supervisor expresses why it's important to help support the local organization.

"We believe that the U of A's programs, the 4H program, the programs that they have for kids, the programs that they support, the research they do for agirculture in the county is important enough for us to make sure that they have a facility they can work on," said Tony Reyes, Board Member for the Yuma County Board of Supervisor.

Engel also discusses how students looking to join the program are able to get so many opportunities.

"We call it the Silicon Valley of agriculture...Agriculture is so big here, so the opportunities for future employment to get their training to get their education and their training," Engel spoke.

This project is just in the beginning stages and blue prints and construction have yet to be started.

However, according to the Yuma County Board of Supervisors construction could begin sometime next year.