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About Us
County Impact Statements - Lafayette County
What is now Cooperative Extension work in the United States came into
existence prior to 1850 when agricultural societies in many Eastern states were
instrumental in providing public lectures on agricultural topics. Dr. Seaman A.
Knapp had the founding idea, that of teaching by demonstration. This idea was
not a sudden inspiration; it was developed by trial and error over a period of
years.
The Farmers’ Cooperative Demonstrative Work of the United States Department
of Agriculture under Dr. Knapp’s direction was begun in Arkansas in 1905 with
the appointment of J. A. Evans as state agent and A. V. Swatty as district
agent. By 1907, four district agents and seven county agents had been appointed.
4-H Club work was started in 1909 and home demonstration (canning clubs) work
was begun in 1911. The first Black county agent was appointed in 1914.
When the Smith-Lever Act went into effect, the personnel of the state
organizations (Farmers’ Cooperative Demonstration Work) consisted of a state
agent in charge, a state home demonstration agent, a state 4-H club agent, three
district agents, several specialist, fifty-two county agents, fifteen home
demonstration agents, and the necessary clerical force. Today, Extension has
three District Directors overseeing agents in each county of Arkansas. Our goal
is the same now as it was almost 100 years ago..."increase the earning capacity
and the incomes of farm families–not as an end in itself, but as a means."
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