[tyu1000]

The U.S. feeds not only itself but a huge chunk of the world. Agricultural innovations primarily coming from the United States (but also Canada and other industrialized countries) throughout this century and last saved the planet from the Malthusian famines that were widely predicted in the 1970s due to expanding human populations.

No doubt there can be lots of improvements in all agricultural sectors around the globe but having too much food is much better than having too little.

[_Codemonkeyism]

"Agricultural innovations primarily coming from the United States [...]"

Love this "everything is invented in the US" syndrome.

"Justus von Liebig was a German chemist who [...] has been described as the "father of the fertilizer industry" for his emphasis on nitrogen and trace minerals as essential plant nutrients, and his formulation of the law of the minimum, which described how plant growth relied on the scarcest nutrient resource, rather than the total amount of resources available. He also developed a manufacturing process for beef extracts [...]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justus_von_Liebig

[Nasrudith]

The fact you have to head back to the 19th century isn't a very good refutation. I mean I would be happy to hear of recent unsung international science and innovations.

[_Codemonkeyism]

I think - as a non-expert - there are two innovations in agriculture with huge impact: Fertilizer and machines, with a myriad of smaller innovations.

So I do think "father of the fertilizer industry" is therefor a good point, but ymmv.

[jessaustin]

GP was bending over backwards not to mention Fritz Haber, whose work was early 20th C, at least...