The county agent project comprises the larger part of our extension work. It is the foundation upon which all the work is built.
A county agent is a man well trained both in the science and practice of agriculture and one who has many sources of information at his disposal. He is not placed in a county as a farmer’s or stockman’s adviser, but as an agricultural leader and organizer. He is a collector and distributor of valuable information along agricultural lines. He is a carrier of the best farm and ranch practices from one farmer and ranchman to another. He is willing at all times to furnish or secure for his constituents information on any agricultural problems which may arise. He works solely for the best interests of the farmers and stockmen in his county and it might be said that he is the link in the chain that connects the farmer and stockman up with their agricultural college and the United States Department of Agriculture...
County agent work in New Mexico began October 3, 1914 with the appointment of P. D. Southworth as county agent in Luna county, followed on October 20 by the appointment of M. R. Gonzalez in San Miguel county, and V. L. Martineau in Colfax county, and on October 22 of J. W. Rigney in Chaves county, giving us in 1914 a nucleus of four men. Three additional counties, Dona Ana, Eddy and Torrance, were organized in 1915 and two, Bernalillo and Union counties in 1916. A very healthy public sentiment exists thruout [sic] the state in favor of the work and from the many requests for information as to how counties may organize for it indicates a very bright future for the work.
