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The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture presented its 13th “Book of the Year” award to Peggy Thomas for “Full of Beans: Henry Ford Grows a Car.” The book describes Henry Ford’s drive to incorporate soybeans into every part of his life.
After the Great Depression, the famous carmaker and businessman wanted to support ailing farmers. Researching ways to use farmers’ crops at his Ford Motor Company, Ford and his team discovered that the soybean was the perfect answer. Soon, Ford’s cars contained many soybean plastic parts. His commitment to soybean farmers didn’t stop there though. Ford not only ate soybeans, he wore clothes made of soybean fabric as well.
Thomas lives with her husband and two children in Middleport, New York. She is the award-winning author of several non-fiction and fiction books for children, including “Thomas Jefferson Grows a Nation” and “Farmer George Plants a Nation.”
Thomas said, “It’s a great honor to have ‘Full of Beans’ recognized by the Foundation. This book has come full circle from an idea shared with me at an agricultural conference five years ago to this award. Writing about our agricultural history has truly been a privilege. It is an important part of American history, and without the Foundation’s continued advocacy in children’s literature, publishers would not be aware of the need for these stories, and children would not read them. For that I am forever grateful.”
The “Book of the Year” award springs from the Foundation’s effort to identify “Accurate Ag Books,” a collection of nearly 500 books for children, teenagers and adults that accurately cover agricultural topics. Book of the Year selections are educational, help to create positive public perceptions about agriculture, inspire readers to learn more and touch their readers’ lives as well as tell the farmer’s story. The Accurate Ag Books database is available online.
To accompany “Full of Beans,” the Foundation has created an educator’s guide.
In honor of Thomas’ award and Austin, the host city of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 101st Annual Convention, the Foundation will donate 100 books and a $1,000 ag literacy grant to the Austin Public Library.
Photo credit: American Farm Bureau Federation
Photo caption: Book of the Year author Peggy Thomas at a book signing during the 101st AFBF Annual Convention
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Student magazine on the topic of soybeans
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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