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Martin Taylor, 14, joined the Rolling Hills 4-H Club five years ago because his father thought getting a goat would solve the weed problem at his house. Later, they realized they should have gotten a sheep instead of a goat because goats don't like to eat weeds. But over the years, he has had 15 goats and is now vice president of the club.
His club has a lot to celebrate this month and a lot to worry about.
The club, which teaches youth everything from beekeeping to computers, will have its 30th anniversary at the McClellan Ranch. During the past few weeks, the club has had seven new-born goats and is expecting seven more.
But the happiness is clouded. As the county is expecting a $238 million budget deficit, Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner Greg Van Wassenhove proposes cutting the 4-H program and five other programs they have run with the UC Cooperative Extension since the1960s.
Van Wassenhove said he has to cut the program because it is the only non-mandated program under his department.
"The county requires me to cut $422,000 from my budget. Our annual budget for the UC Cooperative Extension is about $438,000. Cutting the program helps me meet my reduction target," Van Wassenhove said.
Van Wassenhove said the county can keep all the programs by moving all the their staff into a county building and helping with office expenses. "The state just needs to come up with $60,000," he said.
Van Wassenhove said if he cannot keep all the programs, he would love to keep some of the more popular and cheaper ones such as 4-H and Master Gardeners.
Officials from the UC Cooperative Extension said the six programs are co-related and cannot be separated.
"Our farm advisors show our master gardeners how to plant things and our master gardeners show our 4H group how to make a garden," said Pam Kan-Rice, spokesperson for the UC division of agriculture and natural resources.
"The university contributes about $1.8 million each year just in Santa Clara County. We just ask the county to contribute the rent and a little bit more to support the office. I think we are doing our share," Kan-Rice added.
Maria de la Fuentes, county director for the UC Cooperative Extension, said programs like 4-H and Master Gardeners, although better known, are only a small part of the UC Cooperative Extension.
In addition to the 800 children involved in the 4-H and 250 Master Gardeners volunteers, the UC-Cooperative Extension program in Santa Clara County serves 5,000 children below the poverty line who benefit from the nutrition program and 1,000 small-scale farmers who receive informational assistance.
"Eighty percent of our clients are small farmers, low-income families and ethnic minorities," De la Fuentes, who has served as a county director for nine years. "If you remove the services from them, they won't make a noise."
"The program is not mandated because it needs the flexibility to respond to the changing needs of the community. The county commissioner has historically wanted to use us as an easy way out to solve his budget crisis," De la Fuentes said. Van Wassenhove proposed cutting the UC Cooperative Extension in 1993.
The county and the UC Cooperative Extension have only two months to settle their dispute. The county supervisors will make final decisions on the budget June 14.
To save the program, the county's 13 4-H clubs have initiated a letter campaign, petitioning the county supervisors to keep the program. Club members also make April 24 the 4-H awareness day and will go to events like farmers' markets to promote the program.
Martin Taylor said the program is valuable for children like him.
"I have learned a lot about live stock. I took them to county fairs. I milked them, made soap out of the milk and sold it to the neighbors. I also learned beekeeping and collected honey," Taylor said. "We have also learned how to write checks and keep records."
Taylor said if the 4-H program is cut, the club's lease with McClellan Ranch will be over this summer. While club members can sell cattle, pigs and goats at the county fair, they will have to find new homes for the chickens and dairy goats
Taylor's mother, Kris, said it will be a tragedy if the program is terminated. She was a 4-H member when she was a child. She is now president of the Rolling Hills 4-H Club.
"Children learn to manage their assets, take risks and things they cannot learn at school," said Kris Taylor, 53. "It is important for the children to know their food doesn't come from Safeway."
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