American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-06-10
COUNTY AGRICULTURIsT MOVEMENT

(By H. II. Hochbaum, Director County Agricultur-
lists, Idaho)
Employment of county agriculturists is the new
est movement in this country for the Improvement
of farming and rural conditions. However, the
results obtained SO far have been 80 great, that to-
day there are 1000 agriculturists employed In var
ious sections Of the United States. More are being
employed as fast as men suited for the work can
be found.
What these men are doing is making a great
impression upon all interested in the Improvement
of farming; IN making our agriculture moro prof
liable. In line with this, Hoard's Dairyman, which
has done much for improving dairy farming, re-
Gently printed this statement:
The county farm agent or adviser. Is today the
most powerful educational influence that can be
employed. Scores OF counties have gone ahead
and made more progress with such an agent than
they would in twenty-five years II left alone"
The success won by the county agriculturists,
the great progress made by counties in which an
agriculturfst Ii employed, is largely due to the
fact that these men work with the farmers in a
practical way. The county Agricultural carries to
the farmer right on his own farm, the best from
the farms Of the county, from the experiment sta
tons and from the federal department OF agricul-
ture, and not only puts this knowledge In such
form that the farmer can understand 1t but dem
o~nstrates In a practical way how II should be APP
piled. He depends less upon talking and writing
than In working with each farmer on the ground.
He is practical above all, farm born and farm
trained, is not q white collar farmer" but a man
who shows as well as knows. He demonstrates In
u pfacCcdi pull OF my coat anu SHOW you why,
that convinces the farmer. convinces the entire
community, because the good results which follow
the adoption of the method ne may be advocating
are shown right in the fields. in the barns and
pens.
These men work in the fields. get out on the
farms and In the pen and yards. BY fighting hog
cholera, diseases OF plants and animals, by helping
solve soil problems; the care and feeding OF all
classes of livestock; the building Of barns and
silos; by helping with the problems of marketing
and distribution OF farm %products; by demonstrate
ing In a practical way more profitable methods OF
farming; county agriculturists all over the country
help is appreciated too by the farmers. and after .
few months In q county, the agrfculturist In kept
more than busy by the farmers.
These men are also rural leaders Of a big type.
Not only do they serve individual farmers az out
lined above, but they bring rural people together.
get these to talk, work and pull together for better
farming and better rural conditions. They organ
lie farmers clubs, exchanges. cooperative associa-
tons crop improvement Leagues, boys and girls
agricultural clubs, rural social ~centers, marketing
associations and the like. II is the organized COM
munity that progresses most rapidly, but the lack
OF organization, social and business contact, the is
olation OF rural people has hiDdered rural progress
One Of the agents at work In Idaho organized over
eighty boys' and girls clubs. eleven farmers clubs
and ten marketing associations.
The county agriculturists In the United States
are putting tie counties In which they are at work
on the agricultural map. They are doing more for
improved, more profitable farming than any other
agency. They open the path to progress and are
worth thousands of dollars to a county.
The passage Of the Smith-Lever act last May
makes It easier for counties to start the work,
to employ an agriculturist, for by the terms Of
this measure federal aid for the work may b So
cured by counties that wish to employ a man. The
county agrfculturfst ia paid In part by government
funds provided by the Smith-Lever act, part by
the county where the work has been carried on.
Thus far three counties in Idaho. Franklin, Cam
yon and Lewis have taken advantage Of this new
law while In the 1uVwnr stofo~ ~ th$ Nnv<h~>~t
Oregon and Washington. greater progress has been
made.
The question Of efficiency which IL much dis
cussed In every line of business Ia resulting In .
new profession, that Of efficiency expert. In pro-
fessions and In every line Of business the eff
cheney specialist ID finding . field for activity. The
county agrculturfst IL the farmers efficiency ex-
pert and while there will be Encouragement here
and there. taken ~ . whole the movement will
grow until you will expect to find these workers
in almost every county.