John Deere: A Discussion of the History & Future of Agriculture

You have been invited to a private board meeting and celebration of John Deere & Co. The founder of the company is retiring and handing the plow to his son Charles. John Deere reflects on the history of his self-scouring plows, shares some of his personal struggles and then turns to the future and the great changes in agriculture that he foresees in the vision of his son who transforms the company and the future of farming. As John Deere, historian and author, Brian “Fox” Ellis, covers a hundred years of agricultural history and then leads a discussion on the future of farming. Raising issues like the pros and cons of agriculture versus agribusiness, the role of technology and mechanization, the small family farm, centennial farms, and community service agriculture, this program promises to engage the audience in a complex conversation on how we continue to feed the world. Turning the old Question and Answer session on its head, a large portion of the program is John Deere asking the audience questions about their family roots in agriculture and where they think the future will lead us.