MITCHELL - Extension Service agents in some areas of South Dakota are in short supply, and officials say it is becoming increasingly difficult to round up new ones.

There are typically 65 Extension educators in the state, but 13 vacancies exist at the present time.

Karen Pierson, associate director for the South Dakota Extension Service, said the current number of vacancies is a concern, but she doesn't think South Dakota is suffering from an unusual shortage

She cites two reasons for the vacancies: difficulty in finding qualified candidates and competition in the private sector for people with that expertise - especially in the agronomy area.

"Private industry is very competitive with their salaries," she said.

Many people have misconceptions about the qualifications a competent agronomist should have, such as marketing and taking care of the land, Pierson said.

Because of the demands placed on an agronomist, Sanborn County Extension Educator Irene Graves said it makes sense that such a position is difficult to fill quickly.

"Agronomy is a very demanding field," she said. "There is an awful lot of competition with the private sectors for agronomists."

In some cases, Pierson said, Extension positions have been filled only to have a person leave shortly after. That means the hiring process must be started all over again.

"We've actually hired people," she said. "They've accepted the positions and then, at some point, changed their mind."

When an Extension educator position opens, Pierson said she meets with the advisory board in the county to determine if the position is still necessary for the area. After the agency reevaluates the type of position open, a job inventory detailing the requirements for the specific position is submitted for approval within the agency.

Budgetary concerns must also be addressed and a search plan, which details where advertising for the open position will be placed, is submitted. The job is then posted and, once the position's closing date passes, candidates are interviewed.

The process can take up to three months, Pierson said.

Pierson is hoping that a new online application system will reduce the time a position remains open. In addition, her staff is still adjusting to a redistricting process.

The redistricting added a district to the three created in 1999, when the state Legislature asked the Extension Service to conduct an analysis of its operations in an attempt to improve the agency's efficiency.

Counties were grouped into field education units. Extension "agents" became Extension "educators" and each educator was asked to select an emphasis area in agronomy, livestock, family consumer science or youth 4-H.

The idea was to have a specialized educator in each field education unit under the direction of a district supervisor.

Pierson said her agency is still adjusting to the changes, and, as a result, determining exactly what type of educator is needed in each area.