Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “rural America”
Markets are closed today, of course, for the Juneteenth holiday, giving us an opportunity to share a poem I wrote many years ago honoring my dad, but all dads in rural America. This is the bottom-line report. He could fix a tractor when it wouldn’t run, work past dark till the chores were done. He’d wipe his sweat and dust …
President Donald Trump has appointed John Rich as Special Envoy for American Landowners. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “As Special Envoy, Rich will serve as a leading advocate for America’s farmers, ranchers, and private landowners, helping ensure their concerns are heard and their rights are protected. He will engage directly with landowners across the country and work to …
The Evolution of Corn Planting in Early American Agriculture American agriculture has undergone remarkable changes since the nation’s earliest farming days. One of the most significant advancements came in the way farmers planted corn, a staple crop that helped fuel the growth of the United States. According to agricultural historian Mark Oppold, corn planting methods in the late 1700s and …
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 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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune …
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 …
