AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AND COOPERATIVE EXTENSION: THE EARLY AGREEMENTS

Abstract

With many universities having merged or discussing merger of agricultural education and cooperative extension administrative units, it is time to examine the history of competition and collaboration between the two agencies. Historical research methods using both primary and secondary sources were used to accomplish the objectives of this study. The major objectives were to examine the common historical factors of the two agencies, examine the controversies of the two agencies, and examine the memoranda of understanding established for them. Both have common clientele groups with youth and adults and a common subject matter area of agriculture. After passage of the Smith-Lever and Smith-Hughes Acts, a federal memorandum of understanding was established by members of the Federal Board for Vocational Education and USDA. Over a period of 20 years, the original memorandum was revised a few times, but basically it stayed intact. Today's agricultural educator and cooperative extension leader need to look at the historical memoranda of understanding to find precedent-setting points of agreement and points of controversy in order to best facilitate collaboration.