Stories of the Land: Diverse Agricultural Histories in the U.S.

Environment

An image of a arid landscape that says Crisis, Soil, Weather.

Much of the world’s best farmland is now threatened because our species lacks commitment to a spiritual and ethical vision of our interconnectedness with the land. Farmland is primary human habitat, and black winds, dark rivers are carrying it away. Our good health, the smiles on the faces of our grandchildren are being carried to places beyond our reach.

—Soil and Survival: Land Stewardship and the Future of American Agriculture (1986) ¹⁷

The intimate connections between agriculture and the environment make sense at a glance, not only because the industry is firmly embedded in the natural world but also because of its scale. According to a 2012 report on land use from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, of the nearly 2.3 billion acres of national territory, 29 percent is used for grassland pasture and 17 percent for cropland, totaling 46 percent for these traditional industries alone. The impacts of agricultural choices about Land management—the use of pesticides, controlled burning for farm land, crop rotation, and topsoil depletion—have been a topic of conversation for both rural and urban dwellers as new technical and Industrial changes have developed over the last century. Public programming has responded to this conversation, unpacking the enduring (and sometimes fraught) connections between farming and nature.

But how does environmental impact vary by region? By state? What issues are centered in conversations about climate and the future? What ecological concepts gain symbolic and cultural resonance? The programs and Places featured in this anchor—from the cattle ranches of Wyoming to the hydroponic farms of Florida—tackle these questions and more by focusing on ideas of Crisis, Soil, and Weather.

Crisis is a concept often writ large in broadcast coverage of agricultural news. Disasters, extreme weather, dwindling Resources—it’s not difficult to see how these forces shape how we talk about farming. Some crises are framed as acts of God, from volcanic eruptions to sudden and devastating droughts. But some are acknowledged as man-made. The AAPB collection includes reports on the effects of air pollution and contamination on agricultural industry and practice. As scientists have reported for decades, climate change may lead to further crises on the farm: severe droughts and floods impacting production, carbon dioxide levels disturbing plant growth, and the growth of pests affecting both plants and livestock.¹⁸

Perhaps one of the most significant agricultural crises of the twentieth century—the Dust Bowl of the 1930s—has been discussed as both a weather and man-made disaster. But at its heart, it was an issue of Soil: a component of agriculture that is rich with symbolic and practical significance. In this section, the programs demonstrate how farmers and agriculturalists talk about soil conditions and conservation, often with a sustainable future in mind.

Those who work in farming, regardless of their location, know of the importance of paying attention to the Weather. Whether it’s a years-long drought or a seemingly light rain shower, the effects of changing weather conditions and patterns can have significant effects on day-to-day work. The programs featured in this section explore not only atmospheric conditions but also the seasonal rhythms of farm work.

Crisis

Farmers and scientists speculate about the next volcanic eruption in the Pacific Northwest in A Year of Ash: Mount St. Helen’s Impact on Agriculture (1981).

Hold Your Breath, “Agricultural Problems Caused by Air Pollution” (Michigan State University WKAR, East Lansing, October 9, 1963).

“Just hold your breath,” the narrator begins in this radio series. “Hold your breath as long as you can, and you’ll soon discover how vital this natural Resource is.” This particular episode considers the agricultural and economic costs of air pollution. The 1963 program is a part of Hold Your Breath, a series from Michigan State University that was devoted to discussions of the dangers of air pollution, which anticipated the major amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1970. As national concern about air quality heightened, local stations explored the multifaceted nature of this crisis. Here, for example, we learn more about how irradiated hydrocarbons (produced from vehicle exhaust) impact the Land, Harvest, and Soil conditions from a county supervisor from Orange County, California.

The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, “Forgotten Farms” (WNET/WETA, New York/Washington, April 10, 1980).

Not all environmental crises are natural. This episode of The MacNeil/Lehrer Report covers the 1973 contamination of cattle feed in Michigan, which resulted in human ingestion of polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) through the consumption of meat and dairy products, causing a statewide health crisis. The crisis and coverage demonstrate how rural, agricultural issues can have devastating impacts on Places beyond the farm through interconnected food networks.

A Year of Ash: Mount St. Helen's Impact on Agriculture (prod. Alison Hansel, Northwest Public Television, 1981).

This documentary explores how farmers, feed lot managers, and scientists responded in the wake of Mount St. Helen’s eruption in 1980. With the significant ash fall and changes to the mineral composition of the soil, concern rose from scientists and farmers about high-acidity dust, starving livestock, contaminated crops, and rusting equipment. Though some effects were mild, the discussion around the aftermath demonstrates how those working in the agricultural sector mitigate risk and attempt to anticipate future crises. As the narrator concludes, “There is no ending to this story. As long as the Cascade Mountains from Washington to northern California are dormant but not dead, the chance for another eruption is there.”

New Mexico in Focus, episode 323, “Gray Wolf Reintroduction” (KNME-TV, Albuquerque, NM, March 17, 2000).

Agricultural work is not only about responding to the aftereffects of disasters or crises; oftentimes it’s about anticipating them. This program considers the controversy surrounding the reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolf population into New Mexico. Environmentalists were eager to reintroduce this indigenous at-risk species and restore the natural ecosystem of the area, but local ranchers pushed back vehemently out of concerns about potential violence against livestock and families. Here, differing environmental priorities were debated between conservationists and cattle growers as they heatedly discussed wolf recovery and agriculture.

Soil

Featured Item

The host in this 1954 Science in Sight program discusses the erosion of farmland and the “good principles” of farming. Science in Sight, "Saving the Soil" (KETC-TV, 1954) (item below).

Science in Sight, “Saving the Soil” (KETC-TV, St. Louis, MO, 1954)

This early broadcast features a conversation between the series host, Bob Lemen, and a farmer from Eureka, Missouri, who promotes different farming Practices and principles that support soil conservation. Lemen has incorporated a terrace system on his farm near the waters of the Mississippi River, and through contour plowing he’s able to mitigate the loss of precious, rich topsoil. The program also includes demonstrations of runoff and erosion processes that likely appealed to a Youth audience.

Illustrated Daily, episode 5100, “Soil Conservation” (KNME-TV, Albuquerque, NM, March 21, 1985)

The environmental, cultural, and psychological impacts of the Dust Bowl Crisis gave rise to the soil conservation movement in the U.S. This program looks back on the formation and legacy of the Soil Conservation Service, specifically focusing on the state of New Mexico and its geographic history. Extension agents and government representatives discuss desertification (the formation of deserts), the state’s susceptibility to future soil crises, and what can be done to intervene.

Our Kansas Heritage (High Plains Public Radio, Garden City, KS, date unknown).

This broadcast tells the history of Kansas, called by some “the great American desert.” The host of Our Kansas Heritage, Leo Oliva, recounts the impact of cultivation and different agricultural Methods on the dichotomous character the state has taken on over time: “These were all reactions to the land which is now Kansas, and the controversy continues. Kansas is a desert. Kansas is a garden. Both images continue as themes in our history, literature, and folklore.” The broadcast also connects with cultural issues such as Storytelling and Placemaking practices, stories of Movement and migration, and broader questions about environmental legacies.

Weather

The hydroponic farm featured in Florida Matters helps locals deal with the ongoing drought conditions in 2009.

One More Harvest (PBS Utah, Salt Lake City, 1984).

This documentary follows Montana farmer Melvin Good during Harvest season as he cautiously watches the weather. Along with showing day-to-day tasks, the program situates the work of farming within networks of family, community, Culture, and Labor. Good practices an older approach to farming, and the narrator lingers on the idealized image of the farmer on his Land: “His tall, lanky frame strides about this Montana prairie with ease and comfort. You get a sense that he belongs here almost as much as the wheat does.” This iconic imagery and Rhetoric amplify a romantic conception of agrarian life.

Main Street, Wyoming, “A Wyoming Ranch Family” (Wyoming PBS, Riverton, November 22, 1994).

As we follow the Hampton family during their day-to-day work on the ranch in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, we see the impact of unexpected rain on cattle-market day and what support networks the family draws upon when the weather is against them. “We don’t battle with Mother Nature,” says Sam Hampton of Mahogany Butte Ranch. “We just try to get along with her.”

Florida Matters, episode 11, “Drought” (WUSF, Tampa, FL, May 1, 2009).

This news program considers how farmers, gardeners, and civilians responded to the three-year drought that the state experienced during this time. From a visit to a desalination plant to conversations with hydroponic farmers, broadcasters explore alternatives to traditional farming in light of the water Crisis. “We don't feel that we're adversely affected by the drought,” says Cathy Hume, co-owner of the hydroponic farm Urban Oasis. “I think we thought well enough in advance. This is the type of system that I think more farmers need to consider and look forward to in order to continue to conserve the water that is becoming less and less abundant for us.”