
































Microsoft Word - 151-Manuscript-1887-1-11-20211028.docx


Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
  Volume 2, Issue 3, 2021 
  agdevresearch.org 

1. Alicia Halbritter, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent I, University of Florida, 1025 W. Macclenny Ave, 

Macclenny, FL 32603, aliciah1221@ufl.edu,  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2991-0871 
2. Marcelo Wallau, Assistant Professor and Forage Extension Specialist, University of Florida, PO Box 110965, 

mwallau@ufl.edu,  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9898-3399 
3. Matt Benge, Extension Assistant Professor, University of Florida, PO Box 112060, mattbenge@ufl.edu,  

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5358-3233 
4. Cheryl Mackowiak, Associate Professor, University of Florida, 155 Research Rd, Quincy, FL 32610, echo13@ufl.edu, 

  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9860-6665 
 

61 

 

Identifying Important Skills and Competencies Needed for 
New Florida Agriculture Extension Agents 

 
A. Halbritter1, M. Wallau2, M. Benge3, C. Mackowiak4 

 

   
 

Abstract 

The onboarding needs of Extension agents is a topic continuously discussed and researched, yet 
overwhelmed agents persist, suggesting that there is still a missing link. We undertook a study to 
determine the competency training needs of newly hired agricultural agents in Florida. Two 
assessments were performed. First, we asked University of Florida’s County Extension agents and 
Directors in Agriculture, Horticulture and Natural Resources to identify main agriculture skills and 
competencies for new Extension. Second, we then classified those competencies into main domains 
and asked the same cohort to rank the competencies within each domain, in order of most 
important to least important. Data were collected via an online surveys, with 65% and 51% response 
rates, respectively. Agents needed training in specific agricultural competencies related to every-day 
work activities such as soil sampling, diagnostic skills, educational resource utilization, and 
relationship building. Although we assume that, based on job requirements, newly hired agents will 
enter Extension with such knowledge, results suggest an agriculture specific training is needed to 
meet the onboarding needs of new agents. Our study identified the priority needs for developing an 
onboarding program that establishes a level of standard knowledge. Those findings will serve to 
enhance onboarding training for new Extension professionals.  
 
 
 
 

Keywords 

Professional development, needs assessment, basic skills, in-service training, onboarding  



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   62 
 

Introduction and Problem Statement  
 

Agriculture plays a pivotal role in Florida’s economy as the second highest grossing industry 
(Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services [FDACS], 2019). Florida’s vast and 
diverse agriculture industry presents a challenge for Extension agents to be prepared and 
equipped (Cooper & Graham, 2001; Harder et al., 2010; Seevers & Graham, 2012) to work with 
and educate stakeholders with the most current best management practices and unbiased 
information. Entry-level Extension agents often feel overwhelmed with the diverse 
requirements of their jobs (Arnold & Place, 2010). Supporting those early stages through the 
development of job-related skills can be fundamental for career success (Bailey, 2005). 
Appropriate initial training can significantly impact behavior, attitudes, practices, and 
relationships, leading to a more productive and less stressful early career. Nevertheless, the 
diverse professional and educational backgrounds of newly hired agents, coupled with the wide 
variety of clientele demands, makes defining onboarding educational needs a challenge. Thus, it 
is important to understand what agents perceive are the main skills needed for early-career 
peers to be successful in their jobs. This information can help develop more efficient 
onboarding trainings to fulfill immediate needs and challenges newly hired Extension agents 
face when joining our institution. 
 

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework  
 
Agriculture Extension agents need to be competent in agricultural practices and have 
technical/subject matter expertise early in their career to be successful. McClelland (1973) 
suggested that competency approach was a better approach to employee and organizational 
success than an intelligence or trait approach. Harder et al. (2010) further advocated for a 
competency approach within Cooperative Extension, stating “the implications of the 
competency approach for organizational development are clear; organizations that identify the 
skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to achieve their goals, and work to develop those 
competencies in their employees through training and education, will achieve increased 
capacity” (p. 45). 
 
Harder et al. (2010) identified technical/subject matter expertise as one of nineteen important 
competencies entry-level Extension professionals’ need. Furthermore, the Extension 
Professional Development Model supports the notion that technical/subject matter expertise 
should be possessed by Extension agents upon entering the organization; and the Extension 
organization should provide professional development and training to extension agents prior to 
starting the job if they are lacking skillsets (Benge et al., 2011; Brown et al., 2008; Gusto et al., 
2020; Moore & Rudd, 2004). Specifically, regarding technical/subject matter expertise, there is 
some literature citing the needs for agriculture-related competencies for Extension agents, such 
as integrated pest management (Benge et al., 2020), produce safety (Kilonzo-Nthenge et al., 
2018), tree and forest health (Gusto et al., 2020), aquaculture (Schwarz & Gibson, 2010), and 
nematology (Gentry et al., 2017). However, the literature is limited in understanding the skills 
and competencies new agriculture Extension agents should possess early in their career. 



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   63 
 

In Florida, the Extension Faculty Development Academy (EFDA) provides foundational training 
to new Extension agents and specialists, focusing on program development, program 
evaluation, teaching and learning, and communication. However, there was not 
technical/subject matter training for new agriculture Extension agents. Two of the researchers 
were commissioned by the Associate Dean for Extension, Agricultural and Natural Resources 
Programs to address this need. In order to begin developing an onboarding process that 
incorporates agricultural skills, we created a needs assessment to determine the main skills and 
competencies perceived as important for those early-career stages.  
 

Purpose  
 
The purpose of our study was to understand the skills and competencies needed by early career 
agriculture Florida Extension agents. Our objectives were to 
1. Identify the agriculture-related competencies needed by early-career agriculture Extension 

agents, and  
2. Describe Florida agents’ perceptions of the importance of agriculture skills and 

competencies needed for early-career agriculture Extension agents. 
 

Methods  
 
We used an exploratory sequential design with a mixed methods approach (Creswell & Plano 
Clark, 2018) which allows us to identify and assess needs of our audience with limited 
understanding or previous research available (Witkin & Altschuld, 1995). First, through 
qualitative research, we identified the main agriculture skills and competencies for new 
agriculture Extension which were then ordered (quantitative step) by perceived rank of 
importance. We targeted Florida agriculture Extension agents and County Extension Directors 
(CEDs) to participate in our study. County Extension Directors are expected to have a good 
understanding of all areas of Extension, as well as the firsthand challenges experienced by new 
agriculture faculty, which is why we included them in the study. Two questionnaires were 
developed and administered online through Qualtrics, during the summer of 2019 and spring 
2020. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained prior to conducting the study.  
The first questionnaire consisted of the open-ended question, “In your opinion, what types of 
skills do new agriculture/horticulture agents need when they begin their job as an Extension 
agent. We also included five demographic questions related to their years of experience, if they 
were a CED, highest degree completed, formal education background, and their major 
programmatic area (i.e. agriculture, horticulture, or livestock/forage). We asked a 4-member 
expert panel comprising three state Extension specialists and one Extension agent to review the 
study (Ary et al., 2006). The Tailored Design Method (Dillman et al., 2009) was used to ask 
Extension agents and CEDs (n = 190) to complete the survey, yielding 124 complete responses 
and a 65% response rate.  
 
Through a constant comparative method (Merriam, 1998) we conducted the analysis of the first 
survey, reducing the data into identifiable, recurring themes (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Within 
qualitative research it is important to address trustworthiness (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). We 



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   64 
 

maintained an audit trail throughout the data sorting and analysis steps and used investigator 
triangulation (Patton, 1999) to interpret the data collaboratively. Researchers were three state 
Extension specialists of different subject matters (i.e., Agronomy, Soils and Education) and one 
county agent, who are responsible for onboarding. A pilot test to verify reliability of the data 
was not conducted. Our analysis yielded four competency domains which we incorporated into 
our second questionnaire.  
 
Our second questionnaire described the importance of the agriculture skills and competencies 
needed for early-career agricultural agents. Again, we asked both agriculture Extension agents 
and CEDs (n = 194) to complete the survey, yielding 98 complete responses and a 51% response 
rate. We asked respondents to rank the competencies within each domain in order of most 
important to least important. For example, for the agriculture-related domain, “Please rank the 
below agriculture-related skills in order of importance (1 = most important and 13 = least 
important) for new agriculture Extension agent success. To rank, simply click on the item and 
move it to the rank you desire.” We created an average ranking within each competency 
domain, with the highest ranking (i.e. lowest ‘score’) representing the competency which was 
most important to respondents. 
 
Respondents’ demographic characteristics are presented in Table 1 (see Table 1). All questions 
were completed in all responses submitted, minimizing non-response error. The average 
respondent was an Extension agent with 0-5 years of experience, and held a Master’s degree in 
horticultural science. 
 
Table 1 
 
Demographic Characteristics of Survey Respondents 
Demographic characteristic  f % 
Years working in extension 0-5  47 37.9 
 6-10  18 14.5 
 11-15  24 19.4 
 16 or more 35 28.2 
County Extension director Yes 38 30.6 
 No 86 69.4 
Highest degree completed Bachelor’s 9 7.3 
 Master’s 96 77.4 
 Doctorate 19 15.3 
Formal educational background Horticultural science 32 25.8 
 Animal science 24 19.4 
 Agronomy 18 14.5 
 Agriculture education 12 9.7 
 Natural resources 9 7.3 
 Agriculture business 6 4.8 
 Biology 6 4.8 
 Pest & diseases 6 4.8 
 Other/no response 11 8.9 



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   65 
 

Findings  
 
Twenty-four distinct competencies were identified and categorized into four major competency 
domains of agriculture, extension-related, technical resources, and personal relationships (see 
Table 2).  
 
Table 2 
 
List of Competency Domains and Competencies deemed Important by Respondents 
Competency domain Specific competencies 
Agriculture Soil properties and sampling; plant identification; diagnostic 

sample submission and interpreting results; plant 
physiology/horticulture/agronomic practices; disease diagnostics; 
insect identification; fertilizer management; pesticides; livestock 
husbandry/management; pasture management; irrigation; 
industry economics; natural resources. 

Extension-related Customer service; public speaking and presenting; organization 
and time management; communicating with a diverse audience; 
written communication; program planning; program evaluation; 
educational technology; conflict resolution; social media. 

Technical resources Specialists; EDIS; diagnostic labs; accessing critical/scientific 
information; Florida research and education centers; 
administration; agencies and stakeholders outside of extension. 

Personal relationships Clientele; agent to agent; County Extension directors; Extension 
specialists and researchers.  

 

Extension-related competency domain skills were included in the majority (60.5%) of the 
responses of the first survey. When asked to rank competencies, respondents perceived 
customer service skills, public speaking/presentation skills, and organization/time management 
the most important competencies for new agriculture Extension agents (see Table 3). Social 
media, conflict resolution, and educational technology were ranked least important. 
 
  



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   66 
 

Table 3 
 
Ranking of Important Competencies from the Extension-Related Domain 

Competency 
Ranking of 
importance 

Average  
ranking 

Customer service skills 1 2.90 
Public speaking/presentation skills 2 3.78 
Organization/time management 3 4.24 
Communicating with a diverse audience 4 4.68 
Written communication 5 5.02 
Program Planning 6 5.07 
Program evaluation 7 6.09 
Educational technology 8 6.70 
Conflict resolution 9 8.09 
Social media 10 8.43 

 

Fifty-eight percent of the respondents of the original survey included agriculture competency 
domain as main skills need for new agriculture Extension agents. When asked to rank, 
respondents perceived soil properties and sampling, plant identification, and diagnostic sample 
submission and interpreting results the most important competencies for new agriculture 
Extension agents (see Table 4). Natural resources, industry economics, and irrigation were 
ranked least important. 
 
Table 4 
 
Ranking of Important Competencies from the Agriculture Domain 

Competency 
Ranking of 
importance 

Average 
ranking 

Soil properties & sampling 1 4.43 
Plant identification 2 5.10 
Diagnostic sample submission & interpreting results 3 5.16 
Plant physiology/horticulture/agronomic practices 4 5.60 
Disease diagnostics 5 6.06 
Insect identification 6 6.07 
Fertilizer management 7 6.51 
Pesticides 8 6.60 
Livestock husbandry/management 9 8.53 
Pasture management 10 8.78 
Irrigation 11 9.01 
Industry economics 12 9.36 
Natural resources 13 9.78 

 



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   67 
 

Both the Agriculture and Extension-Related competency domains demonstrate few 
subcategories that are prioritized higher than others by a larger number of respondents. 
General knowledge, like soil properties and horticulture/agronomic practices, were ranked with 
a higher priority than application-oriented skills like pasture management, fertilizer 
management, or irrigation. The former group has a broader application over most agriculture 
program areas (i.e. natural resources, horticulture, crops, etc.) while application-oriented skills 
are applicable to a lesser range of agents and therefore not as important for a general 
onboarding process. This indicates that onboarding for agriculture Extension agents likely needs 
to have two tiers: (a) a broad and general training composed of skills needed regardless of the 
job specifics; and (b) a second more program-area oriented section to cover the management-
related topics. Condensing onboarding for agents according to this strategy has the potential to 
reduce the staff development effort and expense required to establish necessary competencies 
in all new hires.  
 
Regarding the Technical Resources domain (20.2% of original responses), respondents 
perceived specialists, extension factsheets (Electronic Data Information Source, EDIS), and 
diagnostic labs the most important resources for new agriculture Extension agents (see Table 
5). Administration and agencies/stakeholders outside of Extension were ranked least important 
for new agriculture Extension agents. 
 
Table 5 
 
Ranking of Important Resources from the Technical Domain 

Competency 
Ranking of 
importance 

Average  
ranking 

Specialists 1 2.42 
Extension factsheets (EDIS) 2 3.78 
Diagnostic Labs 3 3.80 
Accessing critical/scientific information 4 4.15 
Research & Education Centers 5 4.31 
Administration (CED/DED/Program Leaders) 6 4.48 
Agencies/stakeholders outside of Extension 7 5.06 

 
Last, on the Agent Relationships domain (23.5% of original responses), respondents perceived 
clientele and agent relationships as the most important relational contacts for new agriculture 
Extension agents to build (see Table 6), followed by County Extension Directors, Mentors, and 
Extension Specialists/researchers.  
 
  



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   68 
 

Table 6 
 
Ranking of Important Contacts from the Agent Relationships Domain 

Competency 
Ranking of 
importance 

Average  
ranking 

Clientele 1 2.37 
Agent to Agent 2 2.53 
County Extension Directors 3 3.15 
Mentors 4 3.40 
Extension Specialists/Researchers 5 3.55 

 
Regarding the competency domains of Technical Resources and Personal Relationships, there 
was little agreement between respondents on what the highest priorities were. Some 
competencies that occurred with a lower frequency on the first survey, such as public 
speaking/presentation skills, were some of the higher priority competencies ranked by 
respondents of the second survey. The differentiation in responses between the two surveys 
illustrates the difficult nature of open-ended questions and further exemplifies why a second 
quantitative survey was necessary to determine priority needs. 
 

Conclusions, Discussion, and Recommendations  
 
Early-career Extension agents enter the organization with a wide array of formal education 
backgrounds (Benge et al., 2020). This breadth of employee competencies and skillsets 
increases the intellectual capacity of the Extension organization as a whole. However, it can be 
difficult to create a baseline knowledge in Extension workforce that meets the needs of all new 
agricultural agents. This is a major challenge when developing an effective onboarding 
program, especially considering that many agricultural agents have multiple responsibilities 
within their counties and need to be trained in multiple commodities (Rasmussen, 1989; 
Seevers & Graham, 2012). 
 
The surveys were only sent to agriculture/horticulture agents and CEDs, and the questions were 
framed to ask what new agricultural agents needed specifically; therefore, the respondents 
may have been in a certain frame of mind regarding agriculture specific competencies. General 
Extension skills such as program development and design were identified by previous studies as 
critical training needs (Cooper & Graham, 2001; Harder et. al., 2010). However, the survey 
participants for this study did not rank these needs most important. This does not mean these 
competencies are not important as they still occurred frequently in the initial survey, but may 
instead be an indicator that these needs are being met either by the already occurring 
Extension Faculty Development Academy or by the mentorship from experienced agents. 
Another explanation for some general Extension skills having a lower priority may be based on 
the different perceptions of what a new agent should be focusing on in their early-career days.  
Our study identified the priority needs of new agricultural Extension agents as an important 
step in developing an onboarding program that establishes a level of standard knowledge. 



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   69 
 

Those findings will serve to enhance the EFDA to cover critical needs within the pre-entry and 
entry levels within the Extension Professional Development Model (Benge et al., 2011). 
Ensuring each new agent begins their career with at least the same baseline of knowledge will 
also help future professional development opportunities (in-service trainings) since instructors 
will know what to expect in terms of basic skills. A strong career start (Benge et al., 2011) 
through a more complete new Extension agent training experience will lead to long-term career 
success for agriculture Extension agents (Harder et al., 2010).  
 
Next steps for ensuring career success is to implement an onboarding process that fulfills the 
need of the identified priority competencies. Given the breadth of answers and priorities 
identified, it is unlikely a singular training will suffice for matching the needs of all agriculture 
Extension agents. A tiered approach where a logical sequence of trainings builds up on 
precedents, and where initial sections are common for all agricultural agents might be an 
efficient strategy. As trainees advance in knowledge, they progress into more focused, 
management-oriented sections within their specific job-related content areas.  The 
development of a proper training will require further research of how to instruct new Extension 
agents in the most effective manner. Research should focus on how to disseminate the general 
conceptual knowledge to agricultural Extension agents with a broad range of responsibilities 
and programmatic areas in order to effectively prepare agents for the duties expected of them. 
 

References  
 
Arnold, S., & Place, N. (2010). Career influences of agricultural extension agents. Journal of 

Agricultural Education, 51(1), 11-21. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2010.01011  
 
Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., Razavieh, A., & Sorensen, C. (2006). Introduction to research in education 

(7th ed.). Wadsworth Publishing.  
 
Bailey, J. A. (2005). Perceptions and impacts of the University of Florida, Institute of Food and 

Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) Extension mentoring program (Master’s thesis). 
https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UFE0011830/00001 

 
Benge, M., Harder, A., & Carter, H. (2011). Necessary pre-entry competencies as perceived by 

Florida Extension agents. Journal of Extension, 49(5). 
https://www.joe.org/joe/2011october/a2.php  

 
Benge, M., Harder, A. & Goodwin, J. (2015). Solutions to burnout and retention as perceived by 

county Extension agents of the Colorado University Extension system. Journal of Human 
Sciences and Extension, 3(1), 1-16. https://www.jhseonline.com/article/view/606  

 
Benge, M., Martini, X., Diepenbrock, L. M., & Smith, H. A. (2020). Determining the professional 

development needs of Florida integrated pest management Extension agents. Journal of 
Extension, 58(6). https://www.joe.org/joe/2020december/rb5.php  



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   70 
 

 
Brown, A. S., Gibson, J. D., & Stewart, D. L. (2008). An assessment of Virginia Cooperative 

Extension's new agent training program. Journal of Extension, 46(4). 
https://www.joe.org/joe/2008august/a7.php  

 
Cooper, A. W., & Graham, D. L. (2001). Competencies needed to be successful county agents 

and county supervisors. Journal of Extension, 39(1). 
https://www.joe.org/joe/2001february/rb3.php 

 
Diaz, J. M., Jayaratne, K. S. U., & Chaudhary, A. K. (2020). Evaluation competencies and 

challenges faced by early career extension professionals: Developing a competency 
model through consensus building. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 
26(2), 183–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2019.1671204  

 
Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2009). Internet, mail, and mixed-mode surveys: 

The tailored design method (3rd ed.). Wiley. 
 
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (2019). Florida agriculture overview 

and statistics. https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Florida-Agriculture-
Overview-and-Statistics  

 
Gentry, M., Edgar, L. D., Graham, D. L., & Kirkpatrick, T. (2017). Assessing Extension agents’ 

nematology knowledge needs and related resource preferences: Implications for 
trainings on complex agricultural topics. Journal of Extension, 55(1). 
https://www.joe.org/joe/2017february/a5.php  

 
Gusto, C., Silvert, C., Diaz, J., Carton de Grammont, P., & Coyle, D. (2020). Identifying forest 

health gaps: A needs assessment of tree and forest health Extension education. Journal 
of Extension, 58(1). https://joe.org/joe/2020february/rb3.php  

 
Harder, A., Place, N. T., & Scheer, S. D. (2010). Towards a competency-based Extension 

education curriculum: A Delphi study. Journal of Agricultural Education, 51(3), 44–52. 
https://doi.org/doi:10.5032/jae.2010.03044  

 
Kilonzo-Nthenge, A., Ricketts, J. C., & Pitchay, D. (2018). Good agricultural practices training for 

limited-resource produce growers and Extension educators. Journal of Extension, 56(7). 
https://www.joe.org/joe/2018december/rb5.php  

 
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE. 
 
McClelland, D. (1973). Testing for competence rather than intelligence. American Psychologist, 

28(1), 1-14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4684069/   
 



Halbritter et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
 

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v2i3.151   71 
 

Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education. Jossey-
Bass. 

 
Moore, L. L., & Rudd, R. D. (2004). Leadership skills and competencies for Extension directors 

and administrators. Journal of Agricultural Education, 45(3), 22–33. 
https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2004.03022  

 
Patton, M. Q. (1999). Enhancing the quality and credibility of qualitative analysis. Health 

Sciences Research, 34(5 part 2), 1189-1208. 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1089059/pdf/hsresearch00022-
0112.pdf  

 
Rasmussen, W. D. (1989). Taking the university to the people: Seventy-five years of Cooperative 

Extension. Iowa State University Press. 
 
Schwarz, M. H., & Gibson, J. (2010). A needs assessment of aquaculture Extension agents, 

specialists, and program administrators in Extension programming. Journal of Extension, 
48(2). https://www.joe.org/joe/2010april/pdf/JOE_v48_2a6.pdf  

 
Seevers, B., & Graham, D. (2012). Education through Cooperative Extension (3rd ed.). University 

of Arkansas. 
 
Witkin, B. R., & Altschuld, J. W. (1995) Planning and conducting needs assessments: A practical 

guide. SAGE.  
 
 
© 2021 by authors. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of 
the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 
 


