…the 19th century, more than 100 milking devices were patented in the United States, each attempting to refine or improve upon earlier designs. Many of these later inventions addressed shortcomings…
Why California Agriculture Is Losing Ground Despite Feeding the World
…particularly from China, has transformed South American agriculture, erasing the competitive advantage the United States once held. Losing Ground in Global Food Production Mason challenged the long-standing belief that U.S….
How Soybeans Became America’s Leading Crop
…to Mark Oppold, host of American Agriculture History Minute, soybeans were not widely grown in the United States until the early 1930s. World War II and the Soybean Boom The…
Joseph Dart and the Invention That Revolutionized Grain Shipping
…York. Dart is best remembered for his groundbreaking invention that revolutionized the storage and transportation of grain in the United States. The First Machine-Powered Grain Elevator In 1842, Dart introduced…
California Farmers in Focus at Farm Bureau Convention
California Agriculture Takes Center Stage at the American Farm Bureau Convention Shannon Douglas with “the Ag Meter” at the AFBF Convention California agriculture took the national spotlight at the American…
Harriet Strong: Visionary Behind Hoover Dam and Water Conservation
…supports millions of people and countless acres of farmland in the western United States. Her story is a testament to how innovation and foresight can solve pressing resource challenges, making…
Bonanza Farms: How Railroads Transformed Wheat Production in America
AI image created by ChatGPT Railroads Spark a Wheat Boom In the late 19th century, wheat production in the United States expanded rapidly as new railroad lines connected farms to…
Brooke Rollins Warns California Agriculture Faces an Existential Threat
Secretary of Agriculture Addresses Farm Bureau, Water, Labor, and State Overreach U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins Photo by Nick Papagni, “the Ag Meter” at the 2026 AFBF Convention Speaking at…
The National Road: America’s First Appalachian Highway
…the Appalachian Mountains, linking Ohio and the growing western frontier with the Eastern seaboard. Overcoming Natural Barriers Prior to the National Road, settlers who crossed the Appalachians often had little…
Ohio: America’s First Agricultural Capital
AI image created by ChatGPT Ohio’s Early Role in American Agriculture In the early 1800s, Ohio was widely considered the agricultural capital of the United States. As westward expansion pushed…
Colonists’ Livestock and the Transformation of Early American Land
…reshaped the land. While colonists had greater access to land in the United States than in Europe, this opportunity came with complex environmental challenges. European Practices Reshape the Landscape European…
The Cooper Barn: A Kansas Landmark of American Agricultural History
…significance: the Cooper Barn in Colby, Kansas. Barns as the Backbone of Family Farms Throughout American history, barns were—and remain—a defining feature of family farms. As settlers continued across the…
Milk Is Back: Health Benefits, Kids, and California Dairy
…dairy industry is largely family-run and a national leader in climate-smart practices and sustainability. California dairies focus on energy efficiency, innovation, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship while producing high-quality milk….
National Corn Husking Association: Preserving the Tradition of Hand-Harvested Corn
…the United States. Before modern machinery, families relied on hand-harvesting techniques to gather one of the nation’s most important crops. This labor-intensive process required not only endurance and speed but…
