volunteers, social capital and agricultural leadership. The chapter will conclude with a

 summary of the information provided.

 History of Farm Bureau and Agricultural Organizations

 Rural America had two features, which historically contributed most to its

 distinctive forms of organization, the dominance of the family farm as the initial rural

 industry and the prevalence of geographically separated small settlements. The

 interdependence of the farm and town also fostered, and reinforced, agrarianism as a

 dominant, pervasive, and persistent rural value (Mooney & Majka, 1995).

 An agricultural industry composed largely of small family farms dispersed

 geographically among small settlements were two of the most pertinent features of the

 organizational foundation of rural America. Agriculture as an industry became identified

 with agrarianism, and the dispersed settlements were the foundation for communitarian

 values. The combination contributes to institutionalizing of family farms and rural

 communities themselves, which then inspired many associated forms of organization

 (Hobbs, 1995).

 Farmers in rural areas were soon aided with several pieces of legislation that

provided the dissemination of research and information being conducted at the

universities in their states. The Hatch Act of 1867 established the land grant university

system and agricultural experiment stations. The Cooperative Extension Service soon

provided agricultural agents in each county, and "county demonstrators" had spread

across the south and into the north.