After his time at Iowa State, Henry joined the family business and began working for the Wallace’s Farmer as associate director. Henrys next twenty-three years as editor would make his publication one of the most renowned farm journals in the nation. Wallace is accredited with developing strains of hybrid corn, and founded what is now Pioneer Hi-bred International Inc. Pioneer Hi-bred International is a seed company that covers most nations across the world, with seeds that range from Alfalfa, Cotton, Sorghum and Wheat. Wallace later became the Secretary of Agriculture under Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933. 

            During his time as Secretary of Agriculture, Wallace had passed many agricultural based acts. One of his biggest acts include the Agricultural Adjustments Act. This act put into place a federal law designed to boost the price of many agricultural goods by reducing the amount of surplus goods. This means that the government would be able to purchase goods such as livestock from farmers, and in return paid them subsidies not to plant sections of their land. The money from the subsidies was used from taxes on companies who developed farm production tools. This act later founded the Agricultural Adjustments Agency. The Agricultural Adjustments Agency was tasked with the overseeing of the distribution of these subsidies. It is also to note that the time of these acts were during the great depression. It was during these times that farmers were hit the hardest, suffering the most severe economics and lowest price of all agricultural supplies since the 1890s. Most of this severe impact was due to the overproduction of agricultural products, which is why this act that was passed was a huge contributor on getting the nations agricultural industry back onto its feet. During the time before this act was passed, wheat, cotton, tobacco, and corn were all considered basic commodities that helped feed the nation. After the act basic commodities included rye, barley, sorghum, potatoes, and peanuts. The main reasons for changing the commodities are because of money. The new commodities were cheaper and had a strong effect on the prices of other commodities. It was also important because these were some of the surplus items, meaning if more people would have consumed these items, than there would be less surplus. 

            Wallace later ran for President in 1948, he lost to Harry Truman. Wallace then retired and moved to a town outside of Salem, New York. During this time, he worked and edited the New Republican. On November 18, 1965 Wallace had passed away in his home. Henry Agard Wallaces leadership style would be that of situational approach. I say this because he was responsible for passing an act that greatly benefited many people during times of hardship. He used the situation that the nation was in and found a way to better it and achieve a common goal. He also showed a lot of determination characteristics getting this bill passed in a time of economic unrest. He will always be known as a pivotal leader in the American agricultural industry. 

 

 

References

Agricultural Adjustment Act. (2018, October 11). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_Adjustment_Act

Ames, Iowa. (2018, October 31). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ames,_Iowa#Demographics

Henry A. Wallace Collection. (2011, January 7). Retrieved from http://findingaids.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/arch/rgrp/21-7-5.html

Henry A. Wallace | Department of Animal Science. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ans.iastate.edu/about/history/people/henry-wallace

Henry A. Wallace | Department of Animal Science. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ans.iastate.edu/about/history/people/henry-wallace

Https://henry A Wallace. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/henry-a-wallace-9522378

Products. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.pioneer.com/home/site/about/products/

 

Below is a video of Wallace during his time as Secretary of Agriculture