The Extension Division was created as part of the University of Minnesota by the state legislature in 1909. By 1913, 17 Minnesota counties had county agents (called Extension educators today). Now there are about 300 Extension educators throughout Minnesota's 87 counties.

A Farm Bureau/Extension meeting at the Steele County fair in 1924. County Farm Bureaus (devoted to the development of agriculture) were the local sponsoring organization for Extension in its formative years. The first county Farm Bureau was formed in Kandiyohi County in 1913. By 1919, the Minnesota legislature required a county to have 100 Farm Bureau members before a county agent could be appointed.