The State of Conservation

“An astute analysis of the interrelationship of the Soil Conservation Service, the agricultural machinery industry, and Congress. This is a solidly researched, well-written, and clearly argued book that merits consideration by all policy and agricultural historians.”—Western Historical Quarterly

“A substantial contribution to agricultural and environmental history. For historians interested in the steady erosion of small-scale farming in the twentieth century, the book provides weighty causation. It is also useful for students of the associational state since it details how the USDA and affiliated agencies exercised power through industry and wealthy farmers. . . . An excellent choice for graduate classes. Its relatively short length and clear prose make it accessible for undergraduates as well. It deserves a
broad audience.”—American Historical Review

“Pastoral myths, long a part of Americana and once the nation’s way of life, disappear in this account detailing the manner in which small farms from the 1920s onward have been displaced in the nation’s agricultural heartland. . . . In their place, contemporary agribusiness thrived. Nygren . . . offers a startling revelation of how this occurred. Recommended.”—CHOICE

“Nygren’s scholarship and research are impressive . . . [and he] makes important interventions in political, agricultural, and environmental histories. Most significantly, Nygren offers a powerful argument that ‘In trying to keep soil from washing to the sea, [the conservation-industrial complex] sold millions of people down the river.’”—Society for U.S. Intellectual History

“Nygren relies on a wide variety of sources, including government reports, industry publications, and oral histories, to make a compelling argument for the rise of a ‘conservation-industrial complex’ that developed as federal agencies, politicians, local elites, and agricultural corporations redefined conservation to preserve their power and investments. . . . [A]n important addition to the story of environmentalism in the US during the twentieth century . . . [that] illuminates broader patterns in the ways government land management policies intersected with democratic and capitalistic values.”—H-Sci-Med-Tech

“[A] well-researched, much-needed contribution. . . . [R]eaders are treated to a rendering of soil and water conservation from both a bird’s eye and a worm’s-eye view. . . . [Nygren’s] book is essential.”—Environmental History

“[A] superbly researched monograph that shows the dark side of conservation.”—Journal of Southern History

“A deep dive in conservation policies and politics in the United States . . . documenting the failure of voluntary conservation programs to achieve environmental outcomes.”—Agriculture and Human Values

“[A] sophisticated analysis. . . . The State of Conservation ought to serve as a model for fresh approaches to the subject.”—H-Environment

“Lucidly written and brimming with eye-popping detail, Nygren’s history delivers vital context for current debates around the US farm bill. A must-read for anyone interested in the troubled state of US agriculture.”—Tom Philpott, author of Perilous Bounty