History Lesson 🗓️ Key Dates (1900-2000)

IMPORTANT DATES (in agriculture history #2)

Good morning. To follow up on Tuesday's lesson, here's a list of some key dates (1900-2000) that helped shape the agriculture industry. These events were responsible for developing an industry that impacts 914 million acres of farmland in the US.

1900's: George Washington Carver led research and innovation to find new uses for peanuts, sweet potatoes, and soybeans.

1902: Reclamation Act facilitated irrigation

1906: The Food and Drug Act passed to revolutionize food safety

1908: President Roosevelt's Country Life Commission established to focus attention on rural problems

1914: National extension service set up through the Smith-Lever Extension Act

1922: Cooperatives (COOPs) given legal standing through the Capper-Volstead Act

1932-36: Dust Bowl years where drought conditions developed

1933: Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) initiated crop and marketing controls

1936: Farm programs linked with conservation initiatives through the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act

1936: Rural Electrification Act (REA) passed to greatly improve rural quality of life

1945-70: Revolution in agricultural technology brought greatly increased yields and more specialized, capital intensive farms

1946: National School Lunch Act passed providing greater accessibility to demand markets

1947: Tariffs substantially reduced by established working procedures through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

1954: Exports and foreign aid facilitated by Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act

1956: Soil Bank Program begins

1964: Food Stamp Act and War on Poverty

1970: Environmental Quality Improvement Act

1985: Food Security Act lowered government farm supports, promoted exports, and set up the Conservation Reserve Program

1990: Legislation increased farmers' flexibility in planting under government programs

1993: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) lowered trade barriers

1996: HACCP implemented to target and reduce the presence of pathogens in meat and poultry

Late 1990's: Large agri-businesses promoted vertical integration to meet consumer demands for organic and specialty products

Source: USDA

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