UCCE turns 100 in 2013

UC Cooperative Extension will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013. Cooperative Extension was established by an act of Congress - the Smith-Lever Act of 1914. Lawmakers sought to boost agricultural productivity and enhance the lives of rural families by creating a service that channels research advances from college campuses to rural Americans.

Anticipating passage of the Smith-Lever Act, Thomas Forsyth Hunt, UC Berkeley’s ag college dean, brought B.H. Crocheron from Maryland in 1913 to organize California’s Cooperative Extension Service. Crocheron hired advisors in Humboldt, San Diego, San Joaquin and Yolo counties in 1913.

The centennial will give ANR an opportunity to highlight how it helped make California a leader in the past and how it will continue to assist Californians in solving problems in the future. ANR is now in the very early planning stages for celebrating the occasion and is soliciting thoughts and ideas from ANR members and its fans.

If you would like to participate in the planning or contribute ideas for the 100th anniversary celebration, please submit a note at http://ucanr.org/sites/100.

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