Food, Land & People in a
Changing America
The story of American Agriculture
1877-2009
What is agriculture?
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
1881 - Hybridized corn produced.
1887- The hatch Experiment Station Act
was passed, providing federal
grants to states for agricultural
experimentation.
1888 - The first long haul shipment of a
refrigerated freight car was made
from California to New York.
1892 - The gasoline tractor was built by
John Froelich.
1870- Farmers make up 53 % of the population.
1890- Farmers make up 43 % of the population.
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
1900 – George Washington Carver,
conducts important research
on peanuts, sweet potatoes,
soybeans, and cotton.
1902 - The Reclamation Act was
passed, leading to water
projects for irrigation.
1906 - The Pure food and Drug Law
was enacted.
1914 - Establishment of the federalstate Extension Service to direct
the education for farmers.
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
1920 - Agriculture prices collapse.
1932 - Dust Bowl conditions develop.
1933 - The Farm Credit Administration
was established, creating
specialized credit for agriculture.
1938 - The Agricultural Adjustment Act
of 1938 was enacted, authorizing
farm price supports and
adjustment programs.
1921 – 1940 The Great Depression
1930- Farmers make up 21 % of the population.
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
1945 - Frozen foods become popular.
1949 - Agricultural Act of 1949 passed,
incorporating the principle of
flexible price support and giving
surplus food to the needy.
1950 - Farm Surpluses
1954 - More tractors than work horses on
the farm.
1940- Farmers make up 18% of the population.
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
1955 - Nine labor hours to produce 125
bushels of wheat on 5 acres
(1830 – 275 labor hours to produce 100
bushels of wheat on 5 acres.).
1955 - Sterile flies used for screwworm control.
1964 - Nation Food Stamp Act passed.
(bushel = 60 pounds of wheat)
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
1965 – Five labor hours to produce 100 bushels of
wheat on 3.3 acres.
2000
1930 - One farmer supplies 10 persons in the U.S. and abroad.
1940 - One farmer supplies 11 persons in the U.S. and abroad.
1950 - One farmer supplies 16 persons in the U.S. and abroad.
1960 - One farmer supplies 26 persons in the U.S. and abroad.
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
1972 - Russian wheat sales bring
higher farm prices.
1985 - Passage of 1985 Food Security
Act shifts U.S. farm policy
toward market orientation. Antismoking campaigns cut U.S.
tobacco production.
1986 - Worst drought ever to hit
Midwest farmers.
1980 - One farmer supplies 76 persons in the U.S. and abroad.
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
1989 - The number of U.S. farm acres
retired through the Conservation
Reserve Program reaches 30 million.
1992 - The use of conservation tillage
methods, which leave crop residues in
the field to combat erosion continues
to rise.
1993 - Passage of North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Advances
in biotechnology reach the agricultural
producer and consumer level.
1990- Farmers make up 3% of the population.
Transformed America,
the Food, Land and People
Concentric ring patterns were
due to worn or plugged nozzles.
Pie-shaped purple area
indicated a pivot stall that
caused over-watering. The
higher-elevated South half of
field shows crop stress due to
poorly performing pressure
regulators.
1995 - Farmers begin using satellite
technology to track and plan their
farming practices.
1995 - USDA meat inspection
modernized for safer food.
1999 - Farm Families make up less
than 10% of rural population but
rural areas experience strong
growth.
2000- Farmers make up 1.5% of the population,
or 5 million of 304 million.
2009- One farmer supplies 144 persons in the U.S. and abroad.
Food, Land and People = Agriculture
• How do you define agriculture now?
• What do you think Ben Franklin
George Washington, and Thomas
Jefferson would say about
agriculture today?
• How has agriculture changed?
• Have the uses of agricultural goods
changed?
• Does America need agriculture?