‘American Enterprise’ to help tell farmers’ stories to millions of consumers
Now open to the public, the much anticipated American Enterprise exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has a strong agricultural flavor, thanks to some dedicated soybean farmers. Nearly a decade in the making, the exhibition focuses on the growth and transformation of five economic sectors, including agriculture.
The exhibition’s curator, Peter Liebhold says soybean farmer-leaders Sharon Covert, Phil Bradshaw and Roy Bardole were instrumental in helping him get a true flavor of farming. The farmers met with Smithsonian staff and brought Liebhold to the Midwest for tours of farms and other agriculture facilities, immersing them in modern agriculture. The group also served as advisors along the way.
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“At its most basic level, the exhibition gives agriculture the respect and honor it deserves,” Liebhold says. “But perhaps even more importantly, the exhibition gives a glimpse into a world most Americans no longer know.”
The soy checkoff committed financial support for the exhibit because of the opportunity it presented to reach a broad audience with the true story behind modern agriculture.
“People are so far removed from agriculture itself that we need to keep sharing the message with them about the agronomic practices we use and why we use them,” says Covert, a farmer-leader from Tiskilwa, Illinois. “This exhibit can help do that.”
The mammoth 8,000-square-foot exhibit will trace how the United States moved from a dependent nation to one of the world’s most vibrant economies. It includes stories and artifacts submitted by farmers and offers an authentic view of agriculture and its development throughout our nation’s history.
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“We were astounded by the fact that the story of agriculture is exactly the same as the story of American industry,” Liebhold added. “Ag is not just growing corn and soybeans; it is finance, manufacturing, information technology, retail and services and users.”
The exhibition tackles challenging subjects like biotechnology, animal agriculture and water consumption. Liebhold says the Smithsonian doesn’t tell visitors what is right or wrong but attempts to provide a “village green” to explore challenging ideas. It also places agriculture in the same light as other transformational industries.
“American business in general and agriculture specifically have seen near constant change,” Liebhold says. “Americans have always been willing to abandon traditional approaches in order to raise productivity and efficiency.
“Some people say that farmers and ranchers are conservative and leery of change, but nothing could be further from the truth,” he adds. “Agriculture has been at the front of innovation for over 200 years and the rise of agricultural productivity proves this to be true.”
More than 4.5 million people visit the museum every year, offering a high-profile opportunity to tell U.S. farmers’ stories, says Nancy Kavazanjian, a checkoff farmer-leader from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
“As farmers, we have to tell our stories to assure people that we care — deeply — about the crops we grow, the animals we raise, the environment we farm in, the communities in which we live,” she says. “Our farming stories can elicit an emotional response that facts and data don’t always deliver, and that’s why it’s so important that we continue to tell agriculture’s story using every means available to us.”
More information on the American Enterprise exhibition can be found at www.americanhistory.si.edu/american-enterprise.