In the 1870s, there were about 1,700 farms in the territory that became North Dakota, with farms averaging 176 acres in size. By 1910, that number had grown to over 7,000 farms, averaging 382 acres. Wheat emerged as a major crop, and the future looked rosy for farmers.
On this date in 1925, reports based on international events bolstered optimistic predictions of North Dakota becoming a major wheat producer. European farmers were still trying to get back on their feet following World War I. They were not yet able to meet the food needs of people who were still in the early stages of recovery, and North Dakota farmers benefited from increased foreign markets. A report that black rust had ravaged the Argentine wheat crop resulted in an immediate increase of five cents per bushel for North Dakota wheat. Corn and oats also saw a surge in prices.
The rosy future predicted for wheat production did not last long. In 1925, the president of North Dakota Agricultural College warned that state farmers could not compete with foreign wheat producers without major changes. Dr. John Coulter said North Dakota’s average wheat yield per acre was slightly over ten bushels per acre, while the average for other producers was more than fifteen bushels, and some countries were even higher. Canada produced eighteen bushels per acre.
He urged farmers to adopt a program of crop rotation to increase yields. He said North Dakota had been farmed for over fifty years and the land “is no longer in the new, rich, cheap, clean period.” Farmers would have to make changes if they wanted to remain profitable.
Coulter pointed out that European farmers were recovering from the war and embracing mechanization and new farming techniques. They were beginning to produce at pre-war levels. North Dakota farmers, he warned, would fall behind if they resisted modernization.
As the world slid into the Great Depression, conditions for farmers deteriorated. A disastrous economic period, combined with a disastrous drought, forced many off the land. North Dakota farmers did not begin to recover until the late 1930s, thanks to government programs, improved methods of farming, and an increased demand for agricultural products during World War II.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Tribune. “Damage in Argentina.” Bismarck ND. 11/24/1925. Page 3.
- Bismarck Tribune. “North Dakota Must Be Organized to Save Wheat, Says Coulter.” Bismarck ND. 1/20/1925. Page 3.
- 1Library. “The international wheat market in the 1920s and 1930s.” https://1library.net/article/international-wheat-market-s-s.zxv799wyAccessed 10/12/2025.
- NDStudies. “Trouble on the Farm.” https://1library.net/article/international-wheat-market-s-s.zxv799wyAccessed 10/12/2025.
