Bedford County Cooperative Extension -

Facts about Bedford County

Bedford County Cooperative Extension Has A Rich Heritage . . . Pennsylvania has a rich history with cooperative extension. The board of trustees of the Pennsylvania State College, now Penn State University, created the Department of Agricultural Extension on January 23, 1908. Three years later in the spring of 1910, the U.S. Department of Agriculture appointed A.B. Ross as the nation's first county agent. He was located in Bedford County and served several counties in the area.

Bedford County Cooperative Extension Has A Vital Role In Education . . . The goal of Penn State Cooperative Cooperative Extension educational programs in Bedford County is to help people improve the quality of their lives. This goal is achieved through the following objectives:

Strengthen families, enhance the development of children and youth, and build caring, safe, and healthy communities.
Foster the development and maintenance of productive, profitable and competitive businesses and a sustainable food system in Pennsylvania's changing economic climate.
Ensure the long-term vitality and sustainability of Pennsylvania's natural resources and local environments.
Enable people to make informed decisions that will enhance their quality of life.

Bedford County Cooperative Extension is shaping the future . . . Agriculture programs in Bedford County cover four areas: dairy, livestock, agronomy and horticulture. Dairy, livestock and agronomy programs are offered through the fall and winter and early spring. Horticulture programs run through the spring and summer months. A variety of newsletters are offered to the public including dairy, crops, livestock, and home gardening. Bedford County also supports programs which offer credits toward pesticide applicator's licenses and credits for nutrient management certification.

Family Living programs cover all the areas of Home Economics including: parenting, child development, nutrition, family financial management, housing, and food safety. Cooperative Extension provides PA state certification training for registered child care providers. Newsletters available to families: Toddler Topics, Family Network and Today's Working Family. Learn-at-home educational programs are also available: Eat Five, Your Wellness Roadmap, Women Taking Control, and Off To A Good Start to just name a few.

4-H and Youth Development programs teach youth life skills. Bedford County supports a wide variety of youth programs such as: horse and pony, clothing, dairy, beef, sheep, swine, goats, engineering sciences, leadership, natural resources, and plant sciences. Other youth programs supported by the extension office are the 4-H Summer Club, Regional 4-H Camp, Tobacco Free Youth Coalition, and Public Speaking. Youth development programs take place in individual clubs, schools, and community centers offering all youth enrolled the opportunity to participate in county, regional and state events.

Volunteer leadership is the backbone of Cooperative Extension programs. The 4-H program alone encompasses 130 volunteer leaders. The overall extension program is supported by community representatives who serve on advisory committees for each program area with the purpose of providing valued input for program planning and community outreach.

For more information about Bedford County check out these two websites:

Bedford County Visitors Bureau

Bedford County Chamber of Commerce

Penn State Cooperative Extension in Bedford County is more than you think!
Stop by, email, or call 814-623-4800! We're anxious to hear from you.

County Statistics

Need some stats for your county? Check out these resources.

Government information site on demographics, economics, and educational information:
http://govinfo.library.orst.edu/

US Census Bureau
United States Department of Commerce

To find timely, relevant, and quality data about the people and economy of the United States, click here:
http://www.census.gov/

USDA Home Page:
http://www.usda.gov/
http://www.nass.usda.gov/pa/

Central for Rural Pennsylvania -- http://www.ruralpa.org/

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania is a bipartisan, bicameral legislative agency that serves as a resource for rural policy within the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The Center works with executive agencies and federal, regional and community organizations to maximize resources and strategies that can better serve the needs of Pennsylvania's 3.7 million rural residents.