In the 20th century a remarkable partnership between the federal government and the states and localities transformed American farming by teaching farmers about new crops, methods, and technologies. Imagine what something like cooperative extension could do in the 21st century for people living in cities and suburbs. Here’s why this government program worked so well in the past, and why it might be a model for our times.
Higher education
State Colleges and Universities
If you attended a state college or university, you benefited from one of America’s greatest investments in its people, the creation and expansion of affordable higher education. How did we get this network of 1,600 state colleges? Through a remarkable collaboration of the states and the federal government that began in the Civil War. It shows us federalism at its best.