TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – A lack of funding is raising questions about the future of Ohio State University Extension’s agriculture programs in Lucas County.
The program, which has been in place across the country for over a century, brings in federal, state and local dollars. Now it could face cutbacks in Lucas County.
Amy Stone has spent 26 years building the Master Gardener program in the area. Volunteers in the program logged more than 6,500 hours last year, worth more than $200,000 in community service.
“Volunteering at the Sylvania Area Family Services and growing a garden with Master Gardeners, we harvest that produce on Wednesday and it goes right out to their food choice pantry on Thursday,” Stone said. “There’s no better feeling than people having access to fresh fruits and vegetables.”
The program serves as education for gardening, sustainability and local species. Stone has also become an expert in grant writing and raising funds for the program.
For the past six years, county commissioners have approved $100,000 for the extension’s budget. For 2026, that leaves a more than $58,000 shortfall from what they say they need.
The group has made ends meet during that time, but that could come to a halt with Stone set to retire at the end of the month.
“Amy is an expert in all sorts of things, invasive species, horticulture. She leads our Master Gardener volunteer program. Without her here, without someone in that position, we’re going to be very limited in what we can provide,” said Megan Arnold, co-director of operations for OSU Extension.
Stone’s retirement leaves a gap in experience, knowledge and finding ways to bridge the funding gap.
“Trying to find those funds to be able to rehire that position and continue to do what we have been doing,” Arnold said.
Unless funding changes, Lucas County could lose its agricultural and natural resources educator and with it, a program that’s grown to serve thousands.
“We’ve got really committed volunteers who are out there advocating for us. And so if there is a possibility that we can find the funding to be able to have some help in the interim, we’ll certainly explore that. But we’re also looking at long term,” Arnold said.
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