   Cooperative Extension History - June 14, 2000 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County I've wanted to write on this topic for some time. It's an interesting story that arose from the desire to improve production of food and fiber, was adapted to various environmental conditions, introduced technological advances, and continues to serve local populations according to critical needs. This column is about the story of Cooperative Extension. Early agricultural societies in the Europe and Eastern United States would gather locally to compare their agricultural successes and failures. These groups were organized at the county and state levels beginning in the late 1700's. The societies invited guest speakers from colleges, organized fairs and shows, and published journal to disseminate information among the society members. These meetings evolved into Farmer's Institutes lasting two to three days that covered information about farm and home subjects. In 1862, Abraham Lincoln established the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A few weeks later, the Morrill Act was passed. This legislation provided for Land-Grant Colleges. Up to this time, U.S. colleges taught mostly medicine, theology, and classical and cultural subjects. In the late 1850's several states had adopted the European concept of teaching applied science and agriculture. The Morrill Act provided for colleges to teach agriculture and technology. Many hurdles were in front of the Land-Grant Colleges. Curricula needed to be developed, textbooks were unavailable, professors needed to be hired, and, most importantly, funding needed to be appropriated. By the time professors were hired, most colleges had acquired a farm. In the absence of textbooks, classes were held at the farm and simple experiments were underway. College presidents and boards pressured congress and the Hatch Act of 1887 soon provided funding for the Land-Grant farms. Today, these farms are called Experiment Stations. As the research/teaching farms grew, they began to develop demonstration sites on private farms throughout their state. Demonstration farms were established in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and local farmers. Demonstration farm programs were in communities where other farmers saw the results of new crop varieties and cultural practices. The demonstration farms were operated by the farmer with the assistance of USDA Agents. The farm-demonstration model quickly gained popularity at the turn of the century and early 1900's. County Agents were a part of the demonstration farm program and were funded by the USDA and various private individuals and commercial organizations. Farm Bureaus were also organized to sponsor county agents in their locally based outreach programs. The Smith-Lever Act was passed in 1914 to provide funding for the county agents and the Extension Service was born. In the following years, county agents taught youth through 4-H Clubs, home-demonstration agents assisted with education in the home, while farmers continued learning through demonstrations and Extension outreach programs. In addition to agricultural programs, Extension agents contributed by assisting with various war efforts, droughts, depression, and economic development of rural communities. Today, Cooperative Extension (as it is now called) still serves the traditional roles of agriculture, home economics, and 4-H. In addition, Cooperative Extension has taken on new charges including youth at risk, natural resource conflicts, land use planning, and other locally relevant issues. Cooperative Extension is funded by federal, state, county, and other local sources. Arizona's land-grant university is the University of Arizona in Tucson. Construction began on what we now call "Old Main" in 1887. It was completed at a cost of $29,000 in 1889. Demonstration sites were established near Tucson, Phoenix, Tempe, Blaisdell (near Yuma), and Willcox. Prescott also had a substation, called the Prescott Dry Farm, near the junction of Highways 89 and 89A. Yavapai County's first county agent was George Scherer hired on May 1, 1919. Today, Yavapai County has two Cooperative Extension offices: Cottonwood and Prescott. We also have an Experiment Station: the V Bar V Ranch that extends from near Camp Verde to Happy Jack. I am the current county agent (now called a County Extension Director). In researching materials for this article, I reaffirmed my sense of place and mission in the communities of Yavapai County. Cooperative Extension brings the research base of the University of Arizona College of Agriculture to the people of Arizona. Finally, I give credit to two local historians: Mr. Danny Freeman and Mr. Carlton Camp. Mr. Freeman lives in Prescott and has lived, worked, and volunteered in Yavapai County for almost 60 years. Mr. Camp lives in Cottonwood and was the Yavapai County Agent and a Yavapai County Supervisor. Their written and verbal communications have recorded many details of Yavapai County history. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on horticulture, natural resources, animal science, family consumer science, and 4-H youth development. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 or E-mail us at mgardener@kachina.net and be sure to include your address and phone number. The Yavapai County Cooperative Extension web site can be accessed at http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/. |