Organizational and Legal Form of the State System of Agricultural Extension Services

The idea of creating the State System of Agricultural Extension Services was legally declared as early as 2011, but still remains unrealized. The purpose of the article is to determine the organizational and legal framework for the functioning of the State System of Agricultural Extension Services in Ukraine. The organizational aspects of the functioning of the subjects of agricultural advisory activity in the conditions of Ukraine's integration into the European economic space were examined. The problem of the underdevelopment of the network of agricultural extension services in Ukraine at the local level was revealed. It was proposed to solve the mentioned problem by creating the National System of Agricultural Extension Services, with mandatory participation of the state, joint territorial communities, agricultural enterprises in the formation of its authorized capital. It was proved that the organizational structure of such system should take into account the administrative-territorial structure of the state and the functional features of its structural elements. The analysis of the legal bases for the formation of the National System of Agricultural Extension Services on the base of engagement of the state (scientific institutions), public (joint territorial communities) and private (agricultural enterprises, including farms) property was carry out. It was found that the optimal organizational and legal form of the National Center for Agricultural Extension Services, which should operate at the national level, is a state enterprise. The author suggests creating the regional extension services that operate at the regional level, in the form of joint-stock companies, and their territorial divisions form in the rural joint territorial communities as affiliates.