The Calhoun County Extension Office is one of 250 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Offices across the state. AgriLife is a partnership between the Texas A&M University System, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts. The Extension Service is a unique outreach education agency designed to address local priority needs.
Our goal is to provide quality, relevant outreach and continuing education programs and services to the people of Texas. We do this by bringing the resources of the Texas A&M University System to Calhoun County. Local agents can provide unbiased, research-based information, educational programs, and technical assistance in various core service areas.
Currently our Agriculture Agent is Mr. Eric Taylor. Eric holds a Master’s Degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M – Kingsville. He works closely with the Cattleman’s Association, Junior Livestock Committee and the Row Crop Committee. He also works with Stephen Biles, the Integrated Pest Management Extension Agent that serves Calhoun, Victoria, and Refugio counties. Eric is also passionate about working with youth and their animals. His commitment to community service and youth leadership is evident in many of his programs.
Ms. Tina Trevino has been the Family and Consumer Science Agent here for nearly four years. Her Master’s Degree is from Texas A&M – Kingsville in Human Sciences. In addition to working with the Texas Extension Education Association, she offers programs on managing diabetes, child safety seats, health, diet and nutrition. She also assists with the 4-H programs such as clothing and textiles, food show and food challenge. Whether it is “Walk Across Texas” or “Step Up to Scale Down”, Tina is your resource person.
When we are fully staffed, the Calhoun County Office has an agent dedicated to working with more than 40 projects that Texas 4-H Youth Development program offers, including animal projects for the county fair and livestock show. Currently this position is unfilled, so Eric and Tina do most of this programming.
Our Officer Manager, Katherine Sutherland, is also extremely knowledgeable about the 4-H program. Katherine is usually the “face” or “voice” of our office, located in the Agriculture Building at the County Fairgrounds outside of Port Lavaca. She holds the most regular office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. As agents make site visits, work in the field, visit schools, lead field trips, attend meetings, etc., she is in the office to answer questions and answer the telephone.
Texas has 18 coastal counties, of which seven are served by a Coastal and Marine Resource Agent (a.k.a Marine Agent). This person not only works for AgriLife but also for the Texas Sea Grant College Program with is a federal program under the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Rhonda Cummins is in her 9th year in our office after completing a Master’s Degree in Marine Resources Management from Texas A&M Galveston. Her programs generally fall into the main focus areas as defined by the Sea Grant program, including Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Environmental Literacy. She builds boats with 7th grade students, does wetland restoration work and outreach at Little Chocolate Bayou Park, showcase the biodiversity of the bay with her saltwater aquarium at the annual Hardhead Derby, and many more projects.
The best part about the Extension Office is that the entire staff is here to serve you – the residents and visitors of Calhoun County. Give us a call or drop by. We’d love to help you.
