In the early 1970s, Penn State Cooperative Extension was unable to fill a number of county positions because of decreasing federal and state funding. Cooperative Extension leaders throughout the state felt that extension educators and advocates could become more active in reversing this trend.

In November of 1975, a group of county extension directors and regional directors met and named an ad hoc committee chaired by Harrison Fair, an extension board member from Adams County. The committee met and outlined plans for forming a state lay leader organization. The plans called for each extension administrative region to organize a regional board and select from its membership two representatives to serve on a state organization (PCCEA). Over the years, the number of regional delegates on the state board was increased from two to three.

Want to know more about the history of Cooperative Extension and PCCEA? Click on the photos! (you will need Windows Media Player to hear! - see link at bottom of this page)

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