The Extension Master Gardener (EMG) program was started in 1972 in Washington state. Dr. David Gibby trained volunteers with a passion for gardening to assist Extension with consumer horticulture education in the community. This unique volunteer program has become internationally recognized and often duplicated as a model for other volunteer programs. Today, Extension Master Gardener programs exist in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, several Canandian provinces, and South Korea.
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Extension Master Gardener is one of the largest volunteer organizations in the country with more than 86,076 volunteers in 49 states. EMG serves as a model for many other volunteer organizations.
On average, active certified EMG volunteers donate 60 hours per year. In 2018, EMG volunteers donated over 5.6 million hours to their local Master Gardener programs.
Extension Master Gardener volunteers make face-to-face contact with over 8.6 million people across the United States. Clientele is served through helplines, workshops, plant clinics and more.
Join Extension Master Gardener volunteers and colleagues from around the nation at one of these engaging conferences. Creating connections within our Extension Master Gardener community is an enriching and rewarding experience that benefits everyone.
The International Master Gardener Conference (IMGC) provides an opportunity for Master Gardeners, State and County Master Gardener Coordinators, and other horticulturally minded individuals to…
Read MoreJoin Us for the 2025 Extension Master Gardener Coordinator’s Conference! This conference is completely focused on equipping and supporting EMG coordinators to achieve excellence…
Read MoreThis work is supported by New Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no. 2015-41595-24254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.