Henry A. Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture

Henry A. Wallace

Henry A. Wallace was born in 1888 on a farm near Orient, Iowa. His early years as a farm boy shaped his love for agriculture, and in 1910 he graduated from Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now Iowa State University. His work as a scientist and public servant dramatically changed agriculture and the life of the farmer.

Pioneering Corn Breeder

In 1926, Wallace formed the Hi-Bred Corn Company, later to become Pioneer Hi-Bred, International, a leading producer of hybrid seed. His work in developing corn cultivars resistant to disease, stress, and drought led to a revolution in farming. Corn yields averaged about 30 bushels per acre in the early 1900's; today's average yields often top 175 bushels. The work begun by Wallace launched these advances.

Sustainability Advocate

Wallace was recruited by President Franklin Roosevelt to join his administration as the Secretary of Agriculture. Never forgetting his Iowa roots, Wallace implemented measures to improve economic opportunities for farmers. He also started programs for soil conservation, erosion control, and land-use planning and was instrumental in the rural-electrification and food stamp programs. He served as Vice-President from 1941-1945 in the Roosevelt administration and as Secretary of Commerce under Harry S. Truman. Orville Freeman, Secretary of Agriculture, 1961-1969, wrote of Wallace, "He was one of the giants of our times. He never feared controversy, for his constant purpose was to do things which make life worthwhile...As a public servant, he will be remembered as the father of modern agricultural policy."

Additional Reading

Culver, John C. and John Hyde. American Dreamer: A life of Henry A. Wallace, W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.

The Winrock Foundation, Henry A. Wallace

Wallace Centers

Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center

Henry A. Wallace Center for Agricultural and Environmental Policy at Winrock International

The Wallace Genetic Foundation

The Wallace Global Fund

The Wallace House Foundation

The Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development (WFRRD)

The Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center

Food Systems and Rural Development, Winrock International

 

"I recommend to all of you that you become gardeners. Then you will never die, because you have to live to see what happens next year."
--H. A. Wallace