Oklahoma State university Cooperative Extension Service

Press Release
Feb. 16, 2009
Brian Pugh, Haskell County Extension Educator, Ag/4-H & CED

The year was 1860, and a rapidly expanding America had a need to educate young people in agriculture and mechanics to become the leader in world industry.  Congress also saw the need for this and in 1862 the Morrill Act was passed.  This Act granted each state 30,000 acres per congressman to be used for the teaching of agriculture and mechanics at a professional level.  This initial Act was only extended to states in the Union, but another Act passed in 1890 granted the same rights to confederate states.  And so, the A&M colleges were born (also known as land-grant universities).  Although, Texas A&M may be the first you think of, what is now Oklahoma State University was once Oklahoma A&M, founded in 1890.  

Congress later recognized the need to disseminate the knowledge gained at the land-grant colleges to farmers and homemakers. Families raised most of what they needed in more rural parts of the United States, which was much of the nation at that time.  Most families had row crops, gardens, milk cows, beef cows, chickens, and hogs in order to survive.  Housewives took upon themselves the task of preserving these foods for later consumption by their families. However, few were able to attend Universities where formal education would shed light on the efficient production and preservation of these commodities.  Therefore, the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 started federal funding of “cooperative extension”, with the land-grant universities' agents being sent to virtually every county of every state.

So the name was coined the Cooperative Extension Service, a cooperation of professors, researchers, county agents, and producers who worked together to increase common knowledge.  The “County Agents” and their cooperating producers act as the “extension” of the universities research work.  From the beginning it was important that the County Agent lived in the county he or she worked, was liked and respected in the community, and was knowledgeable on county needs in order for information to flow freely and accurately. 

Cooperative Extension is also responsible for the maintenance of its youth organization, 4-H.  Originally developed to educate parents on “ag” and “home ec.” topics through their children, 4-H has become the largest youth organization in the world promoting the development of tomorrow’s leaders.

Since the 1910’s, Haskell County has maintained agriculture and home economics or home demonstration County Agents.  Many of you probably have memories of past Agents, and the things they tried to accomplish for the betterment of the county.  These agents have disseminated information relating to ag, home economics, youth programs, and likely any other topic you can think of.   

Jump forward almost 100 years, and Cooperative Extension is still present in Haskell County.  Our official titles are no longer County Agents, but we still answer to that!  Our new titles of County Extension Educators in Agriculture, Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS), Rural Development, and 4-H Youth Development reflect our purpose as well as the various “hats” we now wear.  In the past, one-on-one teaching was the preferred method Agents used to distribute information.  We still try to make time for farm and home visits, however, by utilizing workshops, seminars, programs, research studies, farm and home demonstrations and an open door policy to our clientele we are better able to reach more of you in the county. 

Agriculture programming areas include:

soil, water, and forage samples, livestock production (cattle, horses, goats, sheep, hogs, poultry), forage production, home horticulture (gardening, trees, ornamentals, turf), weed control, farm pond management, forestry, row crops, and numerous other related topics.

Family & Consumer Science programming includes:

child development, family resiliency, economics, nutrition, as well as others.

4-H programming includes:

Not just livestock and sewing projects, although those are popular areas.  We also offer photography, environmental science, rocketry, public speaking, fitness & health, woodworking, entomology, shooting sports, geology, plant sciences, soil sciences, political science, computer science, robotics, global information systems (GPS), and roughly 35 other project areas!

Maybe the Extension Service is something you’ve been familiar with since childhood, maybe you didn’t know it existed until now.  Either way, our purpose is to provide you with research-based information, state specialist contacts, and assistance regarding your interests.  Please give us a call or come by the office in the Courthouse Annex and we would be glad to get to know you and lend a hand.

“A strong nation is built upon the foundation of its’ agricultural and home system.”

Contact the OSU Cooperative Extension Office if you are interested in learning more about what we can offer you at 918-967-4330.

Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and local Governments Cooperating.  The Oklahoma Cooperative extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.

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