Today, May 8, 2014, Cooperative Extension officially celebrates the signing of the Smith-Lever Act on this date in 1914. This founding legislation began 100 years of service to Americans in every county.
While the Cooperative Extension Centennial Celebration will last throughout 2014, many Extension colleagues will be heading to Washington, DC for the Extension Centennial Convocation being held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The convocation will feature a parade of states and speakers and panels throughout the day addressing Cooperative Extension’s role in changing lives and looking toward the future with speakers from CES leadership, APLU leadership, USDA, and private industry.
If you are not in DC, the convocation can be viewed live and via recording for three months at http://www.windrosemedia.com/windstream/ext100years/.
A Centennial Task Force has worked tirelessly to make these events and activities during 2014 a success: Doug Steele, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and Frankie Gould, Louisiana State University AgCenter, co-chairs; Chrystal Checketts, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky; Judy Rude and Bill Hoffman, USDA-NIFA; Bill Woodrum, contractor, and Sandy Ruble and Jane Schuchardt, ECOP National Office.
Celebrate Cooperative Extension!!!