The Origins of Iowa State University: A Landmark in Agricultural Education AI image generated by ChatGPT In a recent American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold highlighted one of the most…
Inside California’s Organic Farming Boom: Technology, Labor, and the Fight for Farmland
…for Farmland Organic Before “Organic” Had a Name Jacobs’ path to organic farming started long before organic certification existed. As an 18-year-old running a wholesale tree nursery, he experienced firsthand…
Land O’Lakes: Minnesota Creameries to Iconic Butter Brand
…drawing from its nickname, the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” and the product was named Land O’Lakes. From Product Name to Brand Identity Although the Land O’Lakes name became popular, consumers…
America’s Biggest Farm Boom: 1860–1910
…demographic expansion. Farmland value skyrocketed as agriculture became a pillar of the national economy. In 1860, American farmland was valued at $8 billion. By 1906, that number jumped to $30…
Fourth-Generation Farming in the South Valley: An Interview with Jason Giannelli
…we are now, our area has changed a lot,” Giannelli explains. Urban expansion, shifts in land use, and technological advances have reshaped the farming landscape in the South Valley. Despite…
Jason Gianelli: Water, Labor, and the Future of Farming in the South Valley
…up,” he joked. “I farmer down.” But the challenges facing today’s farmers aren’t funny. Gianelli described how quickly the landscape has changed, especially with towns expanding into farmland and new…
Early 19th Century Farming Shaped America’s Economy
…the land, increasing both productivity and value. Sell the land for more than they paid. Move further west and repeat the process on new acreage. This cycle allowed families to…
Semios Advances Smart Farming with Automation & Precision
…bringing together hardware, software, and field support to help growers navigate an increasingly complex farming landscape. Driving Innovation Through Automation and Reliability As the conversation with Stephen Pistoresi continued, the…
Southern Agriculture: The Rise of Plantations and Cotton’s Global Impact
…regions focused on diversified farming, smaller plots, and self-sustaining communities, the South evolved around a plantation-based system that defined its economy, society, and land use for generations. Land Ownership and…
How Railroads Transformed American Agriculture in the 1860s
…catalysts. Many rail companies owned vast swaths of land granted by the federal government and sold it at low interest rates to attract settlers. To fill these lands, railroads launched…
Early American Farmers and the Lost Art of Soil Stewardship
…rapidly, leaving behind exhausted soil and eroded landscapes across the expanding frontier. The early farmers’ lack of knowledge about soil health wasn’t just shortsighted—it had long-lasting consequences for the land…
How Settlers Transformed the Heart of American Agriculture
…the meeting point of the great eastern forests and the vast western prairies. This was no sharp dividing line, but a gradual shift in the landscape. In Iowa, however, trees…
Homestead Act and America’s Westward Expansion
…Land Policy As Americans pushed westward, one idea united the country: the need to settle new lands quickly. But the question of how to do it sparked fierce political and…
The Rise of Plantation Agriculture in Early America
…into Maryland, where the same model of intensive labor and large landholdings took root. The success of these plantations laid the groundwork for the southern agricultural economy, setting a precedent…