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Cooperative Extension centennial is also a milestone for CALS

The hiring of E.L. Luther as Wisconsin’s first county agent (who made farm visits via motorcycle) a century ago marked the beginning of the UW-Extension Cooperative Extension program, and it was also  a big milestone for CALS. Luther was employed jointly by Oneida County and what was then known as the University of Wisconsin College of Agriculture—now CALS. UW ag scientists had always done a lot of education statewide, but this created a mechanism for doing it more systematically and on a larger scale. Cooperative Extension was part of CALS for many years, and while the two were administratively separated in the 1960s, Extension work is still a major part of the college’s mission. Roughly 100 people in the college are funded in part by Cooperative Extension, either as Extension specialists or providing program support. To learn more, go to the CES Centennial Website.