The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
100 years of Cornell Cooperative Extension
It seems like a century ago ... and it was!
In 1917, the citizens of Madison County made the decision to join a relatively new “cooperative extension” program to extend Cornell University research and services to Madison County. With that decision, a relationship was formed that has shaped - and continues to shape – the landscape of Madison County by applying Cornell University knowledge and resources to address community need.
Cooperative Extension programs are present all across our nation with a history that dates to 1862. That was the year the United States Department of Agriculture was formed and just weeks later President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act (also known as the Land Grant Act) which provided for the donation of land in order to establish “at least one college in each state where the leading objective shall be, without excluding other scientific or classical studies, to teach branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanical arts [engineering].”.
That legislation opened the path for Ezra Cornell to found Cornell in 1865 as New York’s Land Grant institution. It is quite remarkable that among the many challenges of the time – including the Civil War and Emancipation – President Lincoln recognized the importance of agriculture to building a strong and sustainable society. Past Cornell President David Skoton remarked in 2011 that the act was a “hopeful, optimistic piece of legislation, premised on the belief that through the education of people from all backgrounds in an expanded range of field – from agriculture and mechanical arts to liberal studies – we could become a better, more prosperous nation in a changing world.”
Moving forward to 1914, the Smith Lever Act provided a funding mechanism to extend landgrant research and teaching to the general public by providing for instruction and practical demonstration in the areas of agriculture and home economics. So formed the three arm mission of Land Grant Institutions – Teaching, Research, and Extension. Just three years later, Madison County embraced the mission of Cooperative Extension and, in 1917, formally established the Madison County office of Cooperative Extension. With funding sources that include federal, state, and county dollars, Cornell Cooperative Extension leads the way with outreach by ensuring that programs and offerings are designed to best fit the needs of each county they serve. The one requirement mandated of all Cooperative Extension offerings is the promotion and oversight of 4-H as a mechanism to develop future leaders by empowering youths to work and learn under the guidance of dedicated caring adult volunteers.
Madison County is truly an agricultural county blessed with a scenic “green space” landscape. We have close to 45 percent of the county land devoted to some form of agriculture and are home to approximately 850 farms, as of the 2012 Census. Within the farming community, the dairy, livestock and field crop industry is valued at more than $100 million in farm gate receipts each year. Coupled with this are strong and growing industries in equine, breweries, craft beverages, and emerging small farm “niche” areas ranging from soap from goats to worm farming for vermicompost. And the demographics of farmers are changing with more women and “late bloomers” entering the rewarding professions and “side businesses” available in agriculture.
Throughout the year a range of free and lowcost programs are offered in a wide range of subject. In addition, “drop in service” is available Monday through Friday for questions ranging from plant pests to small business planning. True to the Madison County mission begun in 1917 – we are here for you as we apply trusted university research to help our county address problems and create new plans for agricultural economic growth and development.
CCE of Madison
County has been serving the community since 1917. We are proud to be part of the Cornell Land Grant mission of build- ing strong and vibrant communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work. Please visit us at our office in Morrisville (100 Eaton Street) or on the web at madisoncountycce.org.