EATON COUNTY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Eaton County slashed funding for its long-standing youth development initiative under Michigan State University (MSU) Extension. That means the local 4-H clubs, which serves more than 700 area kids and includes volunteer training, may simply disappear.
According to WKAR, Public Media from MSU, the 2025-26 budget included a whopping $8.4 million in cuts that the Eaton County Board of Commissioners approved, pointing to failed millages and declining revenue.
Necessary cuts.
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County Chairman Jim Mott provided a statement addressing the situation to Fox 47 News saying, “I understand the disappointment over MSU Extension. But with millages failing, we had no choice but to make cuts everywhere, both inside the county and with partners like MSU Extension. I grew up in 4-H. I hope they can find a way to fill the funding gap because I think their programming is so valuable. I hope to restore these partnerships when resources allow, but that is not right now.”
End of the line for the clubs or just a pivot?
As reported, the funding cuts eliminated the support staff who recruit, train, and oversee 4-H volunteers. While volunteers might try to hold things together, reports indicate that roughly half the clubs will likely shut down. Others may end up traveling to neighboring counties just to keep participating.
The show (fair) will go on.
Despite the county’s funding cuts to MSU Extension, Eaton County Fair Board President Martin Fabrik assured families in a Nov. 5 letter that the fair will run as usual. All livestock, small-animal, and non-livestock shows, along with the exhibits, auctions, and other fair-week activities, will remain unchanged. Youth exhibitors can still bring and showcase their projects just as they always have, though Fabrik noted that some 4-H clubs may experience internal changes depending on how each club adapts.
Eaton County kids won’t lose their fair, but they may lose the year-round support system that made their projects possible. With no staff to train volunteers, rebuild clubs, or keep programs running smoothly, the future of 4-H in the county now rests on who’s willing (and able) to step up. With about 250 volunteers in the program, whether this becomes a temporary setback or a long-term loss will depend on how quickly new solutions emerge.
