518 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



to run a man's farm for him, nor to manage the farmers' busi- 

 ness transactions. 



There are money limitations to the work of Government. 

 The rural problem is so large that the work of Government even 

 within its field will have to be supplemented by voluntary aid 

 and financial support. 



There are some fields in which the people are not sufficiently 

 agreed as to methods and machinery so that Government can 

 safely undertake to carry on the collective enterprises of the 

 people. 



ORGANIZATION OF A COUNTY FOR EXTENSION 

 WORK THE FARM-BUREAU PLAN 1 



L. R. SIMONS 

 PURPOSES OF THE FARM BUREAU 



A COUNTY farm bureau is an association of people interested 

 in rural affairs, which has for its object the development in a 

 county of the most profitable and permanent system of agri- 

 culture, the establishment of community ideals, and the further- 

 ance of the well-being, prosperity, and happiness of the rural 

 people, through cooperation with local, State, and National 

 agencies in the development and execution of a program of ex- 

 tension work in agriculture and home economics. 



At the outset acknowledgment should be made of the excellent 

 work already accomplished by many farmers' organizations. 

 Thousands of cooperative agricultural associations, farmers ' clubs, 

 granges, equities, gleaners, and other secret and nonsecret organ- 

 izations are working together successfully for the betterment of 

 rural conditions. The county farm bureau aims to coordinate 

 and correlate the work of all these organizations, thereby unifying 

 and strengthening the work they are doing. It does not sup- 

 plant or compete with any existing organization, but establishes 

 a bureau through which all may increase their usefulness through 

 more direct contact with each other and with State and Na- 

 tional institutions without in any way surrendering their in- 



i Adapted from U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Department Circular 30, 

 Washington, May, 1919, pp. 4-21. 



