Johnson County K-State Research and Extension

What Johnson County K-State Research and Extension does

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension is the county-level extension office of Kansas State University, operating in Olathe, Kansas since 1917 as a tripartite partnership between Kansas State University, Johnson County Government, and the USDA Cooperative Extension Service under the federal Smith-Lever Act framework. The office delivers research-based educational programming to Johnson County residents across agriculture, horticulture, health and nutrition, youth development (4-H), family wellness, community development, and personal finance. Core service offerings include free basic soil testing for county residents, a Garden Hotline staffed by Master Gardener volunteers, structured 4-H youth programming with school enrichment modules, multiple recurring newsletters (Knowledge for Life, In Good Health, Clover Clips, Silver Clovers), and in-person classes and events on timely topics.

The underlying technology is essentially a content-distribution model built on Kansas State University's land-grant research base, delivered through newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn under JoCoExtension), a website, volunteer-led programming, and physical office services. The office relies on a small staff of 12 and an extended ecosystem of trained volunteer Master Gardeners, Master Food Volunteers, and Master Naturalists to scale program delivery beyond the paid workforce.

The business model is non-commercial public service delivery rather than revenue generation. Most programs are free to Johnson County residents; the only disclosed fee-based element is non-resident or additional soil testing beyond the free annual basic test. Funding flows from K-State, county appropriations, and USDA Cooperative Extension Service pass-through dollars. The entity does not pursue funding rounds, venture capital, or commercial pricing, and operates as a stable institutional program rather than a growth-oriented enterprise.

Name

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension

Legal name

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension

Website

https://johnson.k-state.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension is the Kansas State University extension office serving Johnson County, Kansas since 1917, delivering free, research-based education on agriculture, horticulture, health, nutrition, 4-H youth development, and community wellness to county residents through agents and trained volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Extension Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Support Activities for Crop Production (1151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Soil Testing, pH Adjustment & Soil Amendments (Lime/Gypsum/Organic Matter) (HSAIAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Soil Testing & Nutrient Analysis Services (AFACAKAA)

Keywords

• Community education programs
• Agricultural extension services
• Youth development programs
• Horticulture education services
• Nutrition and health education

Headquarters

HQ city

Olathe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Government and university-funded extension service. Operates as a partnership between Kansas State University, Johnson County Government, and USDA Cooperative Extension Service. No direct revenue model as this is a public service organization providing free educational programs to county residents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension delivers research-based educational programs and services to Johnson County, Kansas residents. Core offerings include soil testing, 4-H youth development programs, horticulture and small farms advising, nutrition and food safety education, family wellness and financial counseling, adult enrichment (Silver Clovers), and volunteer-driven outreach through Master Gardeners, Master Food Volunteers, and Master Naturalists.

Product overview

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension operates as a local university extension office providing research-based educational programs and services. The organization offers a unified portfolio of community education services including soil testing, youth development through 4-H programs, health and nutrition education, horticultural assistance, and various newsletters. Key products include soil testing services with free basic tests for Johnson County residents, multiple newsletters (Knowledge for Life, In Good Health, Clover Clips, Silver Clovers), 4-H school enrichment programs, and a Garden Hotline. All services are designed to deliver Kansas State University research-based knowledge to Johnson County residents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Soil Testing Services
• Garden Hotline
• Classes and Events
• 4-H Youth Development Program
• Silver Clovers Program
• Volunteer Master Programs

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kansas State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand-grant university partnership. K-State provides research-based educational content and faculty agents. Extension office is the local branch of K-State Research and Extension.
• Johnson County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partnership providing local funding and administrative support. Office is located in Johnson County.
• USDA Cooperative Extension ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner through the national Cooperative Extension System established by the Smith-Lever Act. Provides national framework and funding support for extension programming.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Broad incumbents

• Penn State Extension: Pennsylvania's land-grant extension service and a national leader in extension best practices, particularly in digital content delivery and online courses. Comparable mission and university-county partnership structure with substantially larger scale, illustrating the upper bound of the land-grant extension operating model.
• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Iowa's land-grant extension service operating across multiple counties. Comparable role in delivering research-based agricultural, family, and youth programming through county offices; functions as a broad incumbent in the same regional land-grant extension ecosystem with similar funding and operational model.
• Nebraska Extension (University of Nebraska-Lincoln): University of Nebraska-Lincoln's statewide extension service delivering programming across Nebraska counties. Operates the same Cooperative Extension and land-grant model for horticulture, agriculture, youth development, and family education, serving as a broader regional peer in the same institutional category.
• University of Missouri Extension: Statewide land-grant extension service covering Missouri counties including the Kansas City metro's Missouri side. Comparable structure and programming with broader geographic coverage, making it a broader incumbent in the same extension service category that directly overlaps the Johnson County metro audience on the Missouri side.

Direct peers

• Wyandotte County K-State Research and Extension: The adjacent Kansas county extension office operating under the same Kansas State University system, serving the Kansas City, Kansas metro area. Direct operational peer with identical partnership structure (K-State/County/USDA), similar programming breadth across 4-H, horticulture, nutrition, and community development, and shared faculty agent support model.
• Douglas County K-State Research and Extension: Kansas county extension serving the Lawrence area under the same K-State Research and Extension partnership. Direct operational peer with similar programming lineup, including 4-H, horticulture, family-focused education, and community development delivered via newsletter, classes, and volunteer programs.
• Sedgwick County K-State Research and Extension: Another Kansas county extension office under the K-State Research and Extension system, serving the Wichita metropolitan area. Comparable operating model, staffing structure, and programming mix including 4-H youth development, horticulture, nutrition education, and community development delivered through a single county office.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChi52RTGEy6N41Jfx75Fp6Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/JoCoExtension
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jocoextension
• Instagraminstagram.com/jocoextension

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Johnson County K-State Research and Extension