Abstract : This paper aims to analyse the role played by the American model in the transformation of the French agricultural extension system. I show how the network of international exchanges shaped by the Marshall
Plan is bringing into circulation not only new production techniques but also new ways of supporting farmers. In particular, I shed light on how the American County Agent model served as a common reference for representatives of the French administration and representatives of professional agricultural organizations throughout the process of creating the profession of agricultural adviser in the 1950s.