Volunteer Program Name Change
- Jun 12
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 18
Originally Posted 6/09/2025
Last updated 8/18/2025
There have been concerns related to the term “Master” in Master Gardener Volunteer Program name for over a decade. You can find threads about that in MastGAR and may remember some conversations if you've been in the program for a long time. We are now at the point where changes may actually happen.
This is a fast-moving process. We want everyone to be as informed as possible and will use this page to collect details as we get them.
History
The Master Gardener Volunteer Program leadership inside University of Minnesota Extension started exploring the community perception and value of the name "Master Gardeners" in 2020, culminating in an inclusivity study conducted by local research agency, Terra Soma in 2021. Taking action to "Improve Access and Inclusion" in the program was incorporated into the Master Gardener Volunteer Program Strategic Plan for 2022-2027 as program goals and action areas.
In August 2024, an article—Should the Master Gardener program at the U remove ‘master’ from its name?—appeared in the Star Tribune that discussed the name change within Ramsey County. The article received dozens of comments from the public. A related conversation appeared inside MastGAR in response to the article.
Since mid-summer 2024, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and the Master Gardener Volunteer Program leadership inside University of Minnesota Extension have been in talks about the name of the Master Gardener program in Ramsey County about the program name. In response, Extension is outlining a process for individual counties to choose between pre-determined alternative names—Master Gardener Volunteer Program or Horticulture Volunteer Program—for the volunteer program and Ramsey County may become the pilot case for that process.
Next Steps
More information will become available in the coming weeks (so watch your email!) but we welcome questions from the volunteers. We will respond to questions with answers and share them on the volunteer news blog as we get more details.
Volunteer Questions & Answers
When did the conversations between Extension and the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners start?
We know that the conversation between the Ramsey County Commissioners and Extension leadership formally began in July 2024.
What is the process for changing the name of a Master Gardener program?
These steps were described by Tim Kenny, Director of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program. The process applies to all counties that have local Master Gardener chapters. The process has been reviewed and approved by Dean of Extension.
Process Steps
A county Board of Commissioners may formally request a name change for the county program.
Once received, the request will be shared with the local Master Gardener group. The local group will vote on one of two naming options. (below) This process respects local decision-making and values volunteer insight into community needs.
Retain: University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program of X County
Adopt: Extension Horticulture Volunteers of X County
Vote results will be shared with the county Board of Commissioners.
If the name change is adopted, a joint transition, timeline and communications plan will be developed.
Independent of the group decision, individual volunteers may choose a second badge, based on personal preference and audience needs:
Extension Master Gardener Volunteer
Extension Horticulture Volunteer
Where are we in the name change process?
Currently Status: Step 1
Extension has not received a formal request for a name change, though we expect Extension will receive it soon.
What are the pre-determined alternative names?
The name options are either
University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program of Ramsey County. The participants in this program are Master Gardener volunteers. OR
University of Minnesota Extension Horticulture Volunteer Program of Ramsey County. The participants in this program are Horticulture volunteers.
These are the only options available.
How was the alternative name chosen?
An extensive list of potential alternative program names was provided as part of the Master Gardener Program study conducted by Terra Soma. The alternative name, "Horticultural volunteer" was ultimately selected by Extension leadership based on its accuracy and alignment with the mission and vision of the program.
How do I find my Ramsey County Commissioner to discuss this issue with them?
You can find information about the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and find your local commissions on the Ramsey County website: https://www.ramseycounty.us/your-government/leadership/board-commissioners/find-your-commissioner
Can you summarized the concerns listed in the Star Tribune article?
The link to the Star Tribune article above has been updated and should be accessible.
To summarize the main take-aways of the article:
– The Board of Commissioners is pushing to remove 'master' from U of M from its Master Gardener volunteer program because of the word’s connection to the painful legacy of slavery.
– Ramsey County has systematically removed the word “master” from its purchasing and contracting work, after
pressure from the community and board in 2022.
– The results of the Terra Soma study in 2021 have identified that, among communities of color, the name of the program can affect whether members of those communities engage with the program, either by joining as a volunteer or collaborating with the organization.
– The state leadership for the Master Gardener volunteer program has already outline actions to “improve access and become a more welcoming program to all” following the same 2021 Terra Soma report on its inclusivity.
If the new name is selected, will new badges and shirts with that title be provided or made available for purchase?
If the program name is changed, all volunteers will be provided with a new name badge and t-shirt that does not included the name "Master Gardener." These will be paid for by Ramsey County and at no expense to the volunteer.
When will the vote take place?
At the moment, Extension has not received the formal request for the name change from the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners so no vote is currently scheduled.
We currently do not know when the vote will happen once the formal request is received. This item is under discussion but we expect that it will happen this summer (2025).
Will there be an opportunity for volunteers to discuss the name change issue amongst themselves before the vote?
Originally the goal was to use the July monthly meeting for a volunteer-centric discussion of the topic but, after getting new information the day before, the plan to to reschedule for another date in the coming weeks.
Could a position statement be created so that it clearly outlines the who, what and why as well as potential pros and cons of changing the program name?
Response in progress
Can we see any survey data that has previously been completed regarding the name change?
Response in progress
Is there a suggestion form for alternative names?
There is no suggestion form that we are aware of.
Why not have all Master Gardener programs throughout the county come to consensus and adopt the same name, so there is consistency across all university MG programs?
Currently, only Ramsey County in MN has been formally asked to take this action, though there are a few chapters elsewhere in the county that are considering some kind of change. Other chapters have not expressed interest in changing the name of the program.
Is there more information from the TerraSoma study?
Currently the report is not being distributed so there are not details that can be shared.
