Mahaska County ISU Extension celebrates 100 years
Attendee’s watched a video presentation talking about the history of ISU Extension.
by Charlie Comfort
Oskaloosa,Iowa- As a part of the Morrill Act of 1862, Iowa State University was established as the first land grant-university in the United States. By 1906, the Iowa Legislature had enacted legislature to create an extension system. According to Nathan Crane, of Iowa State University, the purpose of the extension program was to give information to Iowans.
“The goal of that was to take the research from the university out to all citizens throughout the state and improve their lives,” Crane said.
Some of the first programs created as a part of the ISU Extension were agriculture programs for farmers to better understand how to improve their yields and livestock production. Programs were also there for women to learn homemaking activities to improve their families’ lives. Today, ISU extensions throughout the state offer some of the same types of programs, but crafted in more modern ways. According to crane, programs for agriculture, human sciences, youth development, and community/economic development make up the vast majority of the programs you will find at an extension office.
“We’re very proud of the… accomplishments of the past and how many people have been through the programs and how that improved their lives and learning life skills and being able to give back to their community and be productive citizens,” Crane said of extension office programs. “We’re just pleased with the amount of participation we have in all the different program areas,” he also said.
Crane said that a big change for extensions has been how residents get their information, specifically on topics the ISU extension can provide information on.
“It’s just amazing how much more of the information that we are able to get them through the internet. We still have the publications that are researched based so that people know that we are providing unbiased information that they can look at and not feel that someone is trying to sell them something,” Crane said.
Looking to the future, Crane foresees the ISU Extension as a way for residents to continue to get information on agriculture and human sciences.
“I don’t know how science and technology will change but I know that we always will be a partner with people communities in helping them access the information they are looking for. That’s the part that won’t change,” Crane said.
