On National Agriculture Day, March 19, 2013 , the museum is unveiling a new website where the public can upload stories about technologies and innovation that have changed their work lives in agriculture—stories about precision farming, food-borne illness tracking, environmental concerns, government practices, irrigation, biotechnology and hybrid seeds.
There will be a demonstration of the website and a display of new artifacts, including a GPS tractor guidance system, a saddle and branding iron from a Hawaiian cowboy, dairy implements, one of the first computerized crop traceability systems and signs related to no-till production and organic farming. Gems from the collection will be on view, including Eli Whitney’s cotton gin model.
American agriculture has gone through a tremendous transformation, and this project is an effort by the museum to reach out to farmers, ranchers and American agri-business to preserve the stories of America’s agricultural heritage and to add objects that reflect modern agricultural practices. The new website is part of the “American Enterprise” exhibition planning. The exhibition, scheduled to open in 2015, will focus on agriculture, finance, manufacturing, retail and information technology.