Smithsonian Exhibit to Honor Ag Past and Look to Future

Many of the public assume that agriculture hasn’t changed much over the years. As those of us involved in the industry know - nothing is further from the truth. And while today’s ag producers are proud of past generations’ contributions, they are always striving to improve their operations.

Well Smithsonian’s Museum of American History is planning a new exhibit set to open in 2015 which highlights agriculture is one of the main five economic sectors in the United States -- speaking both to innovation as well as heritage.

The Smithsonian Museum of American History curator Peter Liebhold discusses the new exhibit which will show the importance of agriculture as well as honoring its history.

Liebhold: “In the exhibition we were certainly have some materials on farmers -- but even at 8,000 square feet -- we can’t do it all. The recognition of that is one of the things that really driven us to create the Agriculture Innovation Heritage archive. That we really want to preserve, document and make available the story of American agriculture -- the people that actually do that work. By collecting those stories and by collecting those photographs linking it to our exhibition and our website and making it really easy to see. Then those stories of how technological changes mean to people as to how their lives have changed really becomes important.”

So the Smithsonian is asking for farmers and ranchers help in gather stories and photos. If interesting in sharing your family’s farming story submit it online by going to americanhistory.si.edu/agheritage.