1. Cooperative Extension Service
By Gabe Martin

2. Background
Idea behind Extension can be traced back to the years directly following the American Revolution.
American Farmer
Morril Act of 1862
"to educate citizens in agriculture, home economics, mechanical arts, and other practical professions"

3. Smith-Lever Act
It created a relationship between the agricultural colleges and the USDA in order to enable cooperative extension to take place.
Focus of the Smith-Lever Act:
-Developing practical applications of research knowledge.
-“Giving instruction and practical demonstrations of existing or improved practices or technologies in agriculture.“

4. Cooperative Extension In Action
WWI
Women’s Land Army of America was a response to the labor shortages during the war.

6. Cooperative Extension in Action cont’d
The Great Depression
The Extension educated farmers on management and marketing. It also worked to enable farmers to organize and maintain buying and selling co-ops.
Farm women were also educated by the Extension. They were taught ways in which to simply but effectively improve their lives.

7. Cooperative Extension in Action cont’d
During WWII, food production continued to increase within the United States. This can be attributed much in part to “Victory Gardens”

8. 6 Main Functions of Co-op Extension Today
1. 4-H Youth Development: The Extension works to keep kids in school, educate in basic school courses, social skills, encourage college application, and create opportunity for character education through hands-on experiences.

9. 2. Agriculture: “research and educational programs help individuals learn new ways to produce income through alternative enterprises, improved marketing strategies, and management skills and help farmers and ranchers improve productivity through resource management, controlling crop pests, soil testing, livestock production practices, and marketing.”

10. Leadership Development
The Extension trains volunteers and professionals to teach gardening programs, health and safety, 4-H youth development, and family and consumer issues, .

11. 4. Natural Resources
The Extension provides educational programs on water quality, composting, lawn waste management, recycling and timber management.

12. 5. Family and Consumer Sciences
Works to create healthy families through education on appropriate childcare, financial management, positive communication, health care strategies, appropriate food preparation and consumption.

13. 6. Community and Economic Development
This aspect of the Extension works with local governments, hoping to enable them to find appropriate solutions for community and economic development.
This is done in hopes of creating jobs and improving retention, providing effective and coordinated emergency response, solid waste disposal, tourism development, workforce education, and land use planning.ng improved