This commentary reviews the development of an extension education program within the context of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association’s Extension Competition. The competition gives graduate students the opportunity to develop extension education skills through the development of an extension education program that focuses on CattleTrace, one of the largest beef-cattle disease tracing programs in the United States. The extension program’s main objective is to identify industry participants and provide them with economic analysis and potential policy impacts relating to CattleTrace. The main outputs of the program include in-person workshops and conferences, informational factsheets, and economic decision tools.

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Smith, M.F., and A.A. Straugh. 1983. “Impact Evaluation: A Challenge for Extension.” Journal of Extension, September/October 1983.

Sneed, C.T., and K.L. Franck. 2019. “Back to the Basics: Are Traditional Educational Methods Still Effective in a High-Tech World?” Journal of Extension 57(6).

Rader, Heidi. 2011. “Extension Is Unpopular–On the Internet.” Journal of Extension 49(6).

Taylor, M., and W. Zhang. 2019. “Training the Next Generation of Extension Economists.” Choices Quarter 2. http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/the-future-of-farm-management-extension/training-the-next-generation-of-extension-economists.

USDA APHIS. 2019. APHIS Statement on Animal Disease Traceability. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/traceability.pdf.

Wilson, M.C., and G. Gallup. 1954. Extension Teaching Methods and Other Factors That Influence Adoption of Agriculture and Home Economics Practices. Federal Extension Service, USDA. May 1954, Circular 495. https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/apronsandkitchens/items/show/2.