158 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



community, in a tactful, helpful way, the best things the com- 

 munity itself has worked out. This is a kind of extension work 

 that is particularly the field of the farm bureau. It is a field 

 that has not been occupied up to this time, and it contains probably 

 the greater part of agricultural information of value that we are 

 anxious to see extended. 



With the amplification thus given of this phase of the county 

 agent's work we may now consider the place of the farm bureau 

 in a broader way in extension work. The function of the farm 

 bureau, as we see the matter, includes these things : 



1. To act as a clearing house for local agricultural knowledge. 



2. To disseminate the agricultural knowledge of state and 

 national institutions of agriculture. 



3. To undertake cooperative and systematic plans for rural, 

 social and economic betterment. 



Defining the matter a little more in detail, a farm bureau 

 teaches its membership the facts of local agriculture; organizes 

 groups for particular purposes, such as cooperative marketing 

 and buying, livestock improvement, etc. ; puts into effect the 

 teachings of state and government relative to agriculture, in so 

 far as they apply locally; and cooperates in directing the state 

 and government agencies in their agricultural extension work 

 within the county, etc. All these things it does through organ- 

 ized study, demonstrations, field meetings, publications and the 

 like. 



Ideally the county farm bureau is an independent local agri- 

 cultural organization. It is desirable that it be formed and 

 directed by local initiative. It is desirable that its membership 

 be representative of all the agricultural interests of the county. 

 It is desirable that it cooperate with state and government in 

 the employment of a county agent. It is not essential that it 

 cooperate with state and government in the county agent. The 

 county may employ such an agent without cooperation with these 

 forces, and derive much benefit therefrom. This has occurred 

 in a few instances in the North. However, since state and gov- 

 ernment have greater opportunities to discover and collect agri- 

 cultural knowledge than the county, it is, in the long run, to the 

 great advantage of the farm bureau to cooperate with these 

 agencies. 



