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Smithsonian exhibit on agriculture opens July 1

U.S. agriculture will be part of a new exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

The United Soybean Board was approached four years ago about being a partner in the exhibit and USB Chairman Bob Haselwood, a soybean farmer in Kansas, says the timing was just right. He tells Brownfield Ag News, “With our concern of consumers’ thoughts on U.S. modern agriculture we needed to play a role in how this exhibit was put together so we could have a positive face on modern agriculture.” The museum will trace American agriculture from its beginnings.

The Museum’s Curator Peter Liebhold tells Brownfield he was schooled about agriculture from reading books but he didn’t get the big picture until he got onto farms throughout the country.

Liebhold tells Brownfield Ag News, “It’s a lot different reading a book that riding in a John Deere tractor or in a combine harvesting soybeans. So, that chance to go out to talk to people, call them up and get some economic statistics and help like that is really key. And I think it’s one of the things that’s going to make this exhibition much more real, much more honest and much more informative.”

The American Enterprise exhibit opens July first.