Javascript is required to use this website.

A new age of ag: Celebrating 50 years of progress

Chad Smith
Mar 28, 2019
Mar 28, 2019 Updated Jun 25, 2020

Messenger 50th old timey photo — From horses to GPS-led tractors, the ag industry has advanced tremendously throughout the past 50 years.
Midwest Messenger file photo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Midwest Messenger has officially hit half a century of covering agriculture. One thing you figure out when covering agriculture is that it’s always changing. The range of topics under the umbrella of “agriculture” is quite large and keeping track of all the changes is a big job. We went straight to folks who’ve been involved in agriculture for a long time in order to find a few of the many ways things have changed.

kAm~3G:@FD=J[ E96 H2J H6 8C@H @FC 4C@AD 92D 492?865 5C2>2E:42==J @G6C E96 =2DE d_ J62CD] q@3 z=6:?[ =@?8E:>6 (6DE6C? }63C2D<2 4C@A DA64:2=:DE 7@C E96 tIE6?D:@? $6CG:46 92D D66? :E 7:CDE92?5 @G6C E96 4@FCD6 @7 9:D dg\J62C 42C66C] w6 8C6H FA @? 2 72>:=J 72C> E92E FD65 9@CD6D 2?5 EH@\C@H A=2?E6CD E@ A=2?E 4C@AD] }665=6DD E@ D2J[ E9:?8D 2C6 5C2DE:42==J 5:776C6?E E96D6 52JD]k^Am

kAm“(2J 324< E96?[ H6 5:5?’E 92G6 96C3:4:56D E@ 4@?EC@= H665D =:<6 H6 5@ E@52J[ D@ H6 925 E@ FD6 E:==286 @C 4F=E:G2E:@? :? AC6A2C:?8 E96 D665365[” z=6:? C642==65] “~G6C E96 4@FCD6 @7 >2?J J62CD :? }63C2D<2[ E96 D@:= H@F=5 5CJ @FE] %92E >62?E 72C>6CD 925 E@ FD6 2 =:DE6C E@ 86E E96 >@:DEFC6 5@H? E@ E96 D665] (6 2=H2JD H2?E65 E@ A=2?E E96 D665 :?E@ 7:C> 2?5 >@:DE D@:=]k^Am

kAm“p7E6C E92E[ H6 7@==@H65 H:E9 v@\s:8D E@ 96=A 4@?EC@= H665D 4=@D6 E@ E96 D665D H:E9@FE 244:56?E2==J 56DEC@J:?8 E96 A=2?E] p7E6C E92E[ 72C>6CD 7@==@H65 H:E9 EH@ @C E9C66 4F=E:G2E:@?D] (665 4@?EC@= 324< E96? H2D 2 C62= 492==6?86]”k^Am

kAmz=6:? D2:5 E96 7:CDE H665 4@?EC@= @AE:@?D :?4=F565 a[ c\s 2?5 5:42>32] (96? 2EC2K:?6 42>6 @FE[ :E H2D “2=>@DE 2 >:C24=6]” %96 H665D 42>6 FA 3FE H@F=5 5CJ @FE 2?5 5:6 3642FD6 E96J 4@F=5?’E >2?F724EFC6 49=@C@A9J==]k^Am

kAm(6 2=D@ <?@H 2 =@E >@C6 23@FE E96 D@:= H6 AFE @FC 4C@AD :?E@ E92? 6G6C 367@C6] #646?E=J C6E:C65 6IE6?D:@? 76CE:=:EJ DA64:2=:DE r92C=6D $92A:C@ 42==D :E “2 ?6H 7C@?E:6C]” p8C:4F=EFC6 92D >256 2 >F49 3:886C 677@CE E@ F?56CDE2?5 E96 D@:=]k^Am

kAm“x H@F=5 9@?6DE=J D2J H6 5@?’E <?@H 6G6CJE9:?8 E96C6 :D E@ <?@H 23@FE :E J6E[” $92A:C@ D2:5] “qFE A6@A=6 2C6 4@?46C?65 23@FE :E[ H9:49 :D H9J H6 >@?:E@C D@:= 962=E9[ 92G6 4@G6C 4C@AD[ 2?5 ECJ E@ F?56CDE2?5 E9@D6 AC@46DD6D :? E96 D@:=]k^Am

kAm“u:7EJ J62CD 28@[ H6 D2H E96 D@:= 2D ;FDE 2 >2EC:I E@ 9@=5 C@@ED 2?5 H2E6C] (6 >@G65 2H2J 7C@> C@E2E:@?D 3642FD6 H6 E9@F89E H6 4@F=5 C6A=246 H92E6G6C 36?67:ED E96 C@E2E:@? 82G6 FD H:E9 76CE:=:K6CD] (6 7:8FC65 @FE :E’D 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 4@>A=:42E65 E92? ;FDE 255:?8 >:DD:?8 496>:42=D]”k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 28C:4F=EFC6 D66>D E@ 36 4@>:?8 7F==\4:C4=6 :? D@>6 @7 :ED AC@5F4E:@? >6E9@5D] p8C:4F=EFC6 :D >2<:?8 2 4@?D:56C23=6 677@CE E@ :>AC@G6 D@:= 962=E9] ~?6 H2J E@ 5@ E92E :D FD6 4@G6C 4C@AD] $92A:C@ D2:5 72C>6CD 2C6 2=>@DE >2<:?8 2 C6EFC? E@ E96 EJA6 @7 AC@5F4E:@? DJDE6>D E92E 3682? :? E96 `hb_D 2?5 ‘c_D]k^Am

kAm“p C65F4E:@? :? E:==286 :D 2 9F86 E9:?8[” 96 D2:5[ “:? E6C>D @7 =62G:?8 C6D:5F6 2?5 C65F4:?8 6C@D:@?[ 255:?8 42C3@?[ 2?5 E92E <:?5 @7 E9:?8]k^Am

People are also reading…

Missouri cowgirl bakes to fund her trick-riding ambitions
Finding her niche on family farm: Newman Grove farm wife builds pork business
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Variety of fencing meets needs on the farm
Berwald Red Angus 4th Annual Bull & Female Sale
Heart River Ranch Annual Production Sale
Eichacker Simmentals & JK Angus
Fast-Dohrmann-Strommen 55th Annual Production Sale
Short corn offers risk, timing alternative
Highmore cattleman elected to American Simmental board
Effertz Key Ranch 48th Annual Bull Sale
Sitz Angus 24th Annual Spring Bull Sale
Middle East situation a cause of concern for corn
Working cattle, then hitting the books
Helping wildfire victims, the Nebraska way

kAm“(6 2=D@ 92G6 >@C6 E649?@=@8J E@ 4@?EC@= E96 ?:EC@86? H6 AFE :?E@ E96 D@:=] x DA6?E >J H9@=6 42C66C @? ?:EC@86? >2?286>6?E] (6 925 :?9:3:E@CD ;FDE 4@>:?8 @? E96 D46?6 :? E96 `he_D] (6 ?@H 92G6 D6G6C2= 49@:46D H6 5:5?’E 92G6 324< E96?[ :?4=F5:?8 D=@H\C6=62D6 76CE:=:K6CD 2?5 36EE6C H2JD @7 2AA=J:?8 E96>] (6 2=D@ 92G6 >@C6 4@?EC@= @G6C :CC:82E:@?] uC@> 2 DFDE2:?23:=:EJ A@:?E @7 G:6H[ 4@?EC@==:?8 :CC:82E:@? 96=AD E96 6?G:C@?>6?E 2?5 >2<6D ?:EC@86? FD6 >@C6 677:4:6?E]”k^Am

kAm~? E96 28C@?@>J D:56 @7 E9:?8D[ 7@C>6C tIE6?D:@? t5F42E@C s2G6 $E6?36C8 D2:5 E9:?8D 92G6 8@EE6? >F49 3:886C] ~A6C2E:@?D 2C6 3:886C] tBF:A>6?E :D >F49 =2C86C] (6 2=D@ 42? 8C@H 2 =@E >@C6 4C@AD @? E96 D2>6 2>@F?E @7 =2?5 E92? :? E96 A2DE]k^Am

kAm“r@>A2?:6D 92G6 >256 6IE6?D:G6 492?86D :? E96 86?6E:4D @7 4C@AD[” $E6?36C8 D2:5] “q24< :? `heg[ :7 J@F 3C@<6 E96 d_\3FD96= 32CC:6C @? D@J362?D[ J@F’5 36 E96 9:E @7 E96 4@7766 D9@A 5FC:?8 E96 H:?E6C] }@H252JD[ :7 J@F 5@?’E 2E =62DE 86E :?E@ E96 e_D @C f_D[ J@F D@>6E:>6D H2?E E@ 4C2H= :?E@ E96 4=@D6E F?E:= DAC:?8] (6’G6 925 ?F>36CD :? E96 g_D 2?5 h_D C646?E=J[ H:E9 2 76H D=:AA:?8 @G6C `__ 3FD96=D 2? 24C6]k^Am

kAm“r@C? :D E96 D2>6 H2J] x7 J@F 6G6C 8@E E@ a__ 3FD96=D 324< E96?[ J@F’5 36 A@F?5:?8 J@FC 496DE] %9:D J62C[ x’5 D2J H6 925 2 =@E @7 72C>6CD 2G6C28:?8 ac_\ad_ 3FD96=D E@ E96 24C6] x 962C5 23@FE D@>6 J:6=5D 86EE:?8 :?E@ E96 FAA6C a__D] %96 J:6=5D 92G6 366? A96?@>6?2=] xE’D 2== 23@FE E96 86?6E:4D]”k^Am

kAm%649?@\28k^Am

kAmxE’D 366? H6==\5@4F>6?E65 E92E E649?@=@8J 92D E2<6? 2? 2>2K:?8 DE6A 7@CH2C5 :? 28C:4F=EFC6] !2F= w2J :D 2 C646?E=J\C6E:C65 tIE6?D:@? t5F42E@C H9@ @776C65 2? :?E6C6DE:?8 6I2>A=6 @7 ;FDE 9@H 72C H6’G6 4@>6]k^Am

kAm“(6’C6 :? 2? 286 H96C6 E649?@=@8J :D 2>2K:?8[” w2J D2:5] “p 72C>6C :? r@CE=2?5[ }63][ H2D H@C<:?8 @? 7:I:?8 9:D EC24E@C] w6 H2D ECJ:?8 E@ >2<6 2? 25;FDE>6?E E@ D6E E96 7F6= C2E:@ @? 9:D ?6H EC24E@C] %96J 4@F=5?’E 7:8FC6 @FE 9@H E@ 86E E96 4@>AFE6C DJDE6> E@ E2<6 E96 6?EC:6D]k^Am

kAm“%96?[ 9:D A9@?6 C:?8D 2?5 y@9? s66C6 :D @? E96 @E96C 6?5 @7 E96 =:?6] %96 s66C6 6>A=@J66 2D<65 E96 72C>6C :7 96 H2D 25;FDE:?8 D@>6E9:?8 @? E96 EC24E@C] %96 72C>6C D2:5[ ‘2C6 J@F >@?:E@C:?8 E9:Dn’ %96 A6CD@? @? E96 =:?6 D2:5[ ‘x ;FDE 92AA6?65 E@ ?@E:46 H92E J@F H6C6 5@:?8]’ $@[ 96 EFC?D E96 6?8:?6 @G6C 2?5 E96J >256 D@>6 25;FDE>6?ED] %96J E@=5 E96 72C>6C E96 4@>A2?J H@F=5 ‘AFE E92E @? 2 =@4<’ 2?5 H@F=5 42== 9:> 27E6C 96’5 5@?6 D@>6 H@C< @? :E 2?5 D66 :7 E92E H@F=5 36 >@C6 677:4:6?E]’”k^Am

kAm$E6?36C8 D2:5 E96 C2E6 @7 492?86 :? 28C:4F=EFC2= E649?@=@8J C62==J A:4<65 FA :? E96 =2DE `_\`d J62CD] w6 ;@<:?8=J E@=5 7C:6?5D 27E6C 96 C6E:C65 E92E 96 925 E@ DE6A 2H2J 3642FD6 “x H2D?’E <66A:?8 FA H:E9 2== E96 ?6H E649?@=@8J]” %96 492?86D 42>6 D@ 72DE[ 96 D2:5 :E H2D 2=>@DE 92C5 E@ 5@ tIE6?D:@? H@C< ;FDE 3642FD6 65F42E@CD 925 E@ DE2J @? E@A @7 2== E96 492?86D]k^Am

kAm!C64:D:@? 28C:4F=EFC6 :D @?6 @7 E96 3:886DE 492?86D 6G6C E@ 9:E E96 :?5FDECJ] wJA@E96E:42==J DA62<:?8[ H92E :7 D@>6@?6 H@F=5 92G6 E@=5 9:> 324< :? E96 `he_D E92E H6 H@F=5 D@>652J 92G6 D6=7\5C:G:?8 EC24E@CDnk^Am

kAm“x H@F=5 92G6 D2:5 :E D@F?565 =:<6 2 D4:6?46 7:4E:@? >@G:6[” 96 D2:5 H:E9 2 =2F89] “%92E H9@=6 E649?@=@8J E9:?8 :D ;FDE 2>2K:?8]”k^Am

kAmk6>mr925 $>:E9 42? 36 C624965 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i4925]D>:E9o>:5H6DE>6DD6?86C]4@>Qm4925]D>:E9o>:5H6DE>6DD6?86C]4@>k^2m]k^6>mk^Am