Figure 1.--America by the turn of the 20th century ws already bthe most productive agricultural country in the world. In addition to other steps like the Land Grant Universities and rural electrification. Henry Ford's Tin Lizzie ad then the tractors that family farmes could afford turned America into an gricultura as well as industrial powerhouse. Hwere we see a ractor on a family farm in 1938.

The Agricultural or Neolithic Revolution involved technological advances that created modern crops, especially grains like wheat, rice, and corn. The first actual farming took place in river valleys, places where farming was possible with the most basic technology. Another basic step was expanding human power with animals. And for millennia, the basic power available to man was horse power. Some farmers might have more than one horse, but few had very many. This limited the productivity of any farmer. For millennia agriculture dominated human society and economies. The limited productivity of farmers also set limits on human populations and the growth of cities where civilization generates technology. Early farmers were doing well to harvest crops that could feed one or two urban dwellers. Over time that increased, but not by much. And the primary limitation was the power available to farmers. Basically they were limited to 1 or 2 horse power. Horses were so important that when mechanical power appeared (19th century), engines were calibrated in horsepower. While industrialists in cities benefited by powerful steam engines and then the development of electrical power. Farmers did not at first benefit as they did not have electricity or access to more than a few horse power. This did not change until the 20th century. It was America that unlocked the farm power problem. The process began with Henry Ford and internal-combustion engine. The first product was the Model-T Tin Lizzie. This Model-T by itself was a huge aid to farmers, especially when truck variants were developed. And Ford from an early point had an interest in tractors for farmers, putting real power in the hand of farmers. The tractor was perfect for the American family farm. It ws a low cost source of power that farmers could afford. Several countries competed for the farm market. The most important part of that market was tractors. Ford and the Fordson tractor was the First. International Harvester soon dominated, but Deare gradually became the dominant company. This meant significant increase in power so that even when rural populations fell, agricultural populations expanded. Tractors were the first step, much more sophisticate farm machinery followed--machinery focused on specific crops. At the same time electricity began reaching rural areas. In America the New Deal established the Rural Electrification Administration which accelerated this process, expanding the power available to farmers. Today, rather than feeding 2-3 people, an American farmer feeds something like 170 people. While power is essential to agriculture, there are many other technologies involved. Because agriculture was invented in river valleys, new technologies were needed to expand beyond river valleys. The Western river valleys (Sumeria , Egypt, and Harapia) developed in arid regions with warm climates. Thus as agriculture expanded to Europe, new technologies were needed to farm in different climates and soil types. What was needed was a new more effective plow. It did not come until the medieval era and it came from China. As science developed in the West, we see more rapid and sophisticated range. The American Land Grant universities helped channel technological change to the farmer. And now modern farmers, especially in America can use data and technology to optimize their input use. This includes water, fertilizer, and pesticides. Farmers can targeting specific areas or as technology develops even even individual plants. They have access to technologies like GPS-guided equipment, drones, and satellite imaging. This enables farmers to collect needed data and analyze it for improved results.

Created: 6:05 PM 4/23/2025
Last updated: 6:06 PM 4/23/2025