(Operative date July 1, 1998.) If on or before September 1 of any even-numbered year a petition is filed with the county clerk containing the names of twenty percent or more of the farm operators of any county, as determined by the last available federal census, asking the submission to the voters of the question of whether county funds should be appropriated for the continuance or support of county agricultural extension work in the county on January 1 after the filing of the petition, the clerk of the county shall place upon the ballot at the election following the filing of the petition the question, Shall an appropriation be made annually from the general fund of the county for the support of agricultural extension work? Yes ... No ... If a majority of the votes cast on this question are opposed to such appropriation, the county board shall deny the appropriation. If a majority of the votes cast on this question are in favor of the appropriation, the county board may annually set aside in the general fund of the county an amount equal to the county extension budget established under section 2-1606 or 2-1607. Such amount shall not exceed thirty thousand dollars or an amount equal to a levy of two and one-tenth cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property in such county, whichever is the greater. As claims are approved by the board of directors or by a joint board established pursuant to section 2-1607 and filed with the county clerk, the county board may order warrants to be drawn upon the general fund of the county in payment of such claims. In counties where extension work is being conducted in accordance with sections 2-1110 to 2-1117, C.S.Supp., 1937, which sections have been repealed, the county board may continue to appropriate funds for the continuance of extension work until such support is denied by vote as provided for in this section. If any county has an organization recognized as the sponsoring organization for extension work by the director of extension service within a county not then receiving a county appropriation and can show on August 1 of any odd-numbered year that it has a membership of not less than twenty-five percent of the farm operators of the county included within the organization as petitioners and members, the county board of commissioners or supervisors may appropriate funds for extension work within that county for one year and the county clerk shall submit the question of continued support at the next general election.