Tolland County (Conn.). Cooperative Extension Service.

The history and formation of the Cooperative Extension Service dates back to The Hatch Act of 1887 which established a cooperative bond between United States Department of Agriculture and the nation's land-grant colleges allocating annual federal funding for research. This was one of the ways to improve the productivity of the farms and by doing this, build up the economy and also help the communities. It was the driving force for the land-grant colleges to meet the agriculture's needs. The Smith-Lever Act in 1914 also helped to establish the Cooperative Extension Service by providing funds for cooperative administration of agricultural extension education by the United States Department of Agriculture and the state land grant colleges. The Cooperative Extension Service provides information to farmers and homemakers, and offers assistance in the production and marketing of farm products as well as home managment. The four main areas of Cooperative Extension Service involvement are agricultural production and farm management, homemaking and home economics, boys, and girls clubs, and finally marketing and cooperation. Today, the Cooperative Extension System strives to help Connecticut's diverse population manage their family resources and develop strong family units through increased employability, bettering their decision making abilities, and by promoting enhanced self esteem. Through programs focused on the topics of parenting, 4-H and youth development, nutrition and food safety, child care, money management, lead poisoning and health the CES serves to guide children, youth and adults in coping with the challenges of everyday living.