Northwest Farm Managers Association Records

Collection

Identifier: Mss 122

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Northwest Farm Managers Association Records have been organized into nine series: Executive Committee, Correspondence, Annual meetings, Annual reports, Membership, Biographical, Publicity, Finance, and Subject files. The history file includes written material from two people that helped organize the Association, Charles R. Wright, the first president, and Ray C. Doneghue, the first executive secretary. The Executive Committee Series covers meetings minutes and correspondence from various years between 1925 and 1980. The committee organized the events of the association. The Correspondence Series includes letters to members, possible speakers, and other information about annual events. Answers from these people are also included. It covers nearly every year from 1926 through 1982. The Annual Meeting Series has the programs from various meetings. The material for the Winter Meeting starts at 1917 and stops at 1980. There is a division in the Summer Field Day records through 1960. The Summer Idea Hunting Tour covers 1926 through 1959. The Annual Reports Series covers 1958, and 1960 through 1967. These file reports cover information on all events of these years, including the annual meetings. The Membership Series consists of directories for 1952-53 and from 1966 to the present. There are also mailing lists from 1935-1974. The Biographical Series includes information on Cap. E. Miller, who was one of the greatest promoters of the association, and Ole A. Olson. Other files include Pioneer of the Year, association members, and some speakers. The Publicity Series includes radio promotions, newspaper advertisements, and some of the sponsors associated with the organization. The Finance Series includes financial reports from 1929 to present and income tax returns from various years. The Subject Files Series includes material that is not associated with other events. The farm management program is one example. The newspaper clippings cover material from 1927 through the 1970s. This collection shows the evolution of agriculture and its ideas from the early 1900s to present.

Dates

1917-1984.

Creator

Northwest Farm Managers Association (U.S.) (Organization)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection are held by the Institute for Regional Studies.

History

The Northwest Farm Managers Association was organized in 1909 to help solve problems confronting agriculture. Thomas Cooper of the Minnesota Agricultural College is credited with originating the farm management movement. Along with Charles R. Wright of Fergus Falls, he sent letters to farmers. The best response was from North Dakota, so they decided to organize in Fargo. The first meeting was held during the Tri-State Grain Growers Association at the Waldorf Hotel in Fargo. Mr. Wright was the first president, and R.C. Doneghue was the first executive secretary. There were twelve to fifteen original members, which included Walter Reed, Robert Reed and John Dalrymple. The original name was The Farm Managers Association, with Northwest being added later. Some of the more influential members of the association through the years include Cap E. Miller, John H. Sheppard and Hiram Drache. The association presently meets twice a year, with the annual Winter Conference being held in February. This is a two day meeting to discuss and introduce new ideas and technology to aid in farm management. The Pioneer of the Year Banquet, which honors an individual for service and achievement, is held in conjunction with this conference. The association meets in the summer for NDSU Field Day. Here they observe the university's experimental plots and other new ideas. This meeting combines the Idea Hunting Tour, previously held in June, and the NDAC Field Day, previously held in July. Today the Northwest Farm Managers Association has between three and four hundred members, mostly from the Red River Valley. It is one of the main groups promoting new ideas and developments in agriculture.

Extent

3.4 Linear Feet (3.4 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Association was organized in 1909 to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and farm practices. The collection consists of the the executive committee meeting minutes (1925-1980, incomplete); extensive correspondence; files for its annual winter meetings, field days and tours; annual reports (1958-1967); membership directories, biographical files on Cap E. Miller, its executve secretary (1926-1951), Ole Olson, Pioneer of the Year nominees, and other members; various financial reports; and publicity material.

Provenance

Donated by Northwest Farm Managers Association, 1983 (Acc. 2089).

Separation Record

The following non-manuscript items have been removed from the Northwest Farm Managers Association records and sent to the section indicated. Photographs and slides (Institute Photographs Collection: Photo 2046)

535 photographic prints - Topics featured: meetings, tours & demonstrations, and topical (harvesting, haying, plowing, hog, cattle, sheep raising, gadgets and machinery). 40 slides - Banquets and field demonstrations.

Bibliography

Drache, Hiram. Plowshares to Printouts : Farm Management as viewed through 75 years of the Northwest Farm Managers Association (Danville, Ill. : Interstate Printers & Publishers, 1985).