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Centennial

The Way We Worked: Beagle Brigade

The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), part of the Department of Agriculture, began training beagles to sniff out prohibited agricultural products in 1984.

The Way We Worked: Advancing Agriculture in America

In 1914, Congress created USDA’s Cooperative Extension Service to partner with land-grant universities for agriculture research and education. At that time, 30 percent of the U.S. workforce was engaged in farming. 

The Way We Worked: USDA’s Outreach Efforts

In the early 20th century, the Department of Agriculture began using home extension agents to provide outreach on developments in agriculture, home economics, public policy, leadership, economic development and other subjects.