wagons

From Wagons to Pickups: The Evolution of Farm Transportation

Early Transportation on the Farm Machinery, livestock, and crops have always needed to be moved around farms or transported to market. In the earliest days of American agriculture, two-wheel carts were sufficient for settlers managing small plots of land. These simple carts allowed farmers to carry essential supplies and harvests with minimal effort. The Rise of the Four-Wheel Wagon As …

senate

Senate Approves Extension of Funding for Grain Inspection and Farm Bill Programs

Senate Passes USDA Funding and Farm Bill Extension in Measure to Reopen Government As part of efforts to reopen the federal government, the U.S. Senate has passed a funding measure that provides USDA appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and includes an extension of farm bill programs set to expire at the end of the year. The measure also extends federal …

railroads

How Railroads Transformed American Agriculture

The Iron Tracks That Changed Rural America I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Railroads dramatically changed the face of agriculture and rural America as the nation expanded westward. The idea of a “rail highway” was first envisioned by Colonel John Stevens in 1812, marking the beginning of a transportation revolution that would reshape how goods—and people—moved across …

Smith-Lever Act

How the Smith-Lever Act Created 4-H and Transformed Rural America

A Turning Point in Agricultural Education In 1914, the United States Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act, establishing the Cooperative Extension Service—a transformative program that reshaped how Americans learned about farming, livestock, and home economics. The law created a system that connected land-grant universities with communities across the nation, ensuring that agricultural innovation and scientific research reached producers and their families …

USDA Provides Help for Rural People Recovering From Opioid Misuse

Anne Hazlett, the USDA Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, announced that the agency has formalized an agreement to aid rural Americans in fighting the opioid epidemic. A nonprofit organization will purchase homes from the Department and convert them to transitional housing for people recovering from opioid misuse. “From the quality of life to workforce and economic opportunity, the …

Putnam on Importance of Rural Florida

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam, has been on the campaign trail across the state in his bid for Governor. While at a stop in Pensacola Friday morning, Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman talked with him about the importance of rural Florida. Adam Putnam on Importance of Rural Florida Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril …

Trump’s EO on Reducing Poverty Promotes Economic Independence

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order (EO), titled “Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility,” which calls for lifting American citizens from welfare to work, from dependence to independence, and from poverty to prosperity. Perdue issued the following statement: “I commend President Trump for his leadership on moving Americans back …

Secretary Perdue Applauds Trump Infrastructure Agenda, Benefits to Rural America

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue praised the infrastructure agenda laid out by President Donald J. Trump, specifically its emphasis on investment in rural America. The plan calls for 25 percent of new federal funds to be dedicated to rural infrastructure needs, as prioritized by state and local leaders. Perdue issued the following statement: “President Trump has made it a …

Agri View: Rural America Computing

Everett Griner talks about reasons why rural America computing is lagging behind in today’s Agri View.       Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement …