The Deep History of a Modern Phenomenon: An Archaeological Perspective on Corporate Agriculture in Northwest Ohio

Author(s): Maura Johnson; Robert Chidester

Year: 2016

Summary

Yard signs proclaiming, "Family Farms Not Factory Farms!" are a common site along rural highways in the Midwest. These signs are a direct response to the tremendous growth of corporate agriculture during the second half of the 20th century and the concomitant decline of the traditional farming model in which a single family owns and operates a productive, commercial farm. While most lay people likely assume that "factory farms" are a fairly recent economic phenomenon, in reality land consolidation and corporate approaches to agricultural production have a long history that stretches back to the late 19th century in the Midwest. A recent cultural resources survey of the Howard Farms property in Lucas County, Ohio documented an early example of corporate agriculture in this region. This survey provides a starting point for the development of a research design focused on the transition from family-owned farms to corporate agricultural enterprises.

Cite this Record

The Deep History of a Modern Phenomenon: An Archaeological Perspective on Corporate Agriculture in Northwest Ohio. Maura Johnson, Robert Chidester. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434361)

Keywords

Temporal Keywords
20th Century

Spatial Coverage

min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 749