The Great American Tractorcade

A Tribute

The Great American Tractorcade

"Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to it's liberty and interests by the most lasting bands." Thomas Jefferson once said.

When Congress passed another farm bill that insured four more years of prices paid to farmers below their cost of production, cultivators across the nation responded with a movement.

In 1979, the American Agricultural Movement (AAM) led 5,000 farmers and their tractors into Washington, D.C. to lobby for changes in US farm policies. “Parity Not Charity” was the battle cry as the farmers demanded that the government ensure that farmers were paid fairly for their crops

In a time of desperation on American farms, the melodic sound of a tractorcade was heard. From the dusty fields to the capitol steps at 15 mph, seeking equality and freedom to feed a growing nation. For too long their stories have been untold and their actions forgotten. But even today, 30 years after The Great American Tractorcade-- their determination and passion is still alive.