Historical Brief

100 Years of Cooperative Extension: The Smith-Lever Act Centennial

May 2014 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act, legislation that created Cooperative Extension, a nationwide system of community-based education, established as part of each state’s land grant university. Cooperative Extension was started to help farmers, homemakers, and youth use the latest university research to improve their lives.  At first geared towards strengthening rural areas, Cooperative Extension became integral to urban and suburban communities as well.  A century later, Cooperative Extension continues to provide a vital link between public universities and communities.