FARM BUREAU DEFINED 



. 331 



The Farm Bureau, as denned in this manner, is the usual form 

 of organization through which the County Agent functions. The 

 Farm Bureau is composed of the representative farmers of the 

 county, and contains, under favorable conditions, from 50 to 100 

 per cent of the farmers of the county in its membership. Member- 

 ship dues are paid annually, ranging from one dollar to ten dollars 

 per member. It is to be hoped that this local support will steadily 

 increase in volume. The Farm Bureau adopts a definite community 

 program and appoints necessary committees to effectuate the plans. 

 The Farm Bureau is, therefore, a local institution, organized by 



FIG. 67. County agent and a farmer in conference in the field. Shows tractor attached to 

 spring-tooth harrows in the background, Montgomery County, Md. (U. S. D. A.) 



the people of the county. The Farm Bureau plan enables the com- 

 munity to carry out a wider program of community-effort than 

 did the organized demonstration work in the South. The Board 

 of Directors of the Farm Bureau chooses and appoints the County 

 Agent and fixes his salary. The County Agent thus chosen must 

 be approved by the State College of Agriculture (i.e., State Director 

 of County Agents), if the Farm Bureau wishes to receive a share 

 of the State and federal moneys for this form of extension work. 

 A wide-spread popular error concerning the County Agent was 

 that his job was to give advice to the farmer. And since the 

 County Agent is frequently more youthful than the farmer, this 

 view of his functions was discouraging. The State Director of 



