Upshur County

AgriLife Extension Service Office

Welcome to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension-Upshur County. The mission of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Upshur County is to improve county residents’ quality of life through educational programs and activities which are based on community-identified needs and developed by local volunteers. We provide research-based information in Agricultural/Natural Resources, Family & Community Health, and 4-H & Youth Development.

Through an expansive network of 250 county offices and more than 900 professional educators, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides practical, accessible solutions to everyday challenges. Connect with an AgriLife Extension representative in your area to explore the wide range of educational resources, programming and activities available to you.

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Home of the East Texas Yamboree!

Upshur County is located in the piney woods of Northeast Texas. In 2020, the county population was just over 40,000. Gilmer, the county seat, is located on the Old Cherokee Trace. This trail was used by the Cherokee Indians. The location of the city of Gilmer was decided because of a flood on Little Cypress Creek. It was first located near the creek, but residents fought to change the location because of flooding issues. On Election Day, a flood kept the voters on the north side of the creek from getting to the polls, so the south side won.

Upshur County, along with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service work together to provide research-based information and education to citizens.

WHAT IS EXTENSION? What does a County Extension Agent do? Click here to find out.

Resources Available in Upshur County

AgriLife Extension offers key programs across the state that are organized and supported at the county level. Click the links below for more information about local programming or contact your county office.

Volunteer for Upshur County 4-H Youth & Development

4‑H is America’s premier youth development program, serving nearly 6 million young people, ages 5–19, nationwide under the auspices of land‑grant universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Grounded in a positive youth development approach, 4‑H fosters youth strengths, supporting meaningful relationships, safe environments, hands‑on learning, and opportunities for leadership and contribution.

Core to the 4‑H philosophy is “learn by doing.” Youth gain life skills—like communication, problem‑solving, citizenship, and leadership—by exploring and competing on projects in areas such as STEM, healthy living, civic engagement, animal and plant sciences, and creative arts. 4-H creates a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.

Regardless of the project area, all 4‑H programs include mentoring and career readiness as core elements. If you are interested in volunteering reach out to the office or email [email protected].