Kurt Lawton

April 15, 2016

21 Slides

In this second half of the 1970s snapshot of Soybean Digest, we find farmers concerned about soybean embargoes and weed control and learn their marketing and competition strategies, amonth other agronomic practices. Here are some key tidbits:

  • In 1975 it took 3.3 labor-hours to produce 100 bushels (1-1/8 acres) of corn with a tractor, 5-bottom plow, 20-ft tandem disk, planter, 20-ft. sprayer, 12-ft. combine and trucks.

  • In 1975, the American Soybean Association Market Development Foundation was created from the American Soybean Institute and a funding agency called the American Association Market Development Fund. The Fund’s purpose was to receive farmer checkoff funds, review market development programs and budgets, authorize ASA to conduct these activities and pay for services provided by ASA. And in 1978, ASA established its world headquarters in St. Louis.

  • By 1979, soybeans and soybean products had become America's export leader with 23% of total ag export earnings (ahead of feed grains at 21%, wheat and flour 15%, and livestock and livestock products 10%), and the second overall export earner behind aircraft.

  • Then in late 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded Afganistan, President Jimmy Carter halted shipments of farm products to the USSR, costing American farmers a crucial overseas market. It dropped farm net worth overnight.

About the Author(s)

Kurt Lawton

Kurt Lawton of Eden Prairie, Minn., is a writer and owner of Stellar Content LLC. He is the former editor of Corn+Soybean Digest, a Farm Progress publication.

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