Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Assistant Agent Program: An Ex-Ante Economic Analysis

Many former participants credit Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Assistant Agent (AA) program as a key factor in their career success. However, its economic costs and benefits are unclear. Results show that the program is economically successful (i.e., has a higher net present value) when a former AA remains in an agent position for 2-3 years longer than someone who was hired without AA experience. This is likely to be the case because the former AA has a better understanding of an agent’s job responsibilities and/or because administrators have had a chance to observe performance as an AA, leading to better hiring decisions.