Until the late 1800s, agriculture was our largest industry, employing a majority of American workers. While the Department of Agriculture was born in an age of hand-harvested fields, it has grown and evolved to address high-tech agricultural issues like genetically modified crops, toxic pesticides, and animal growth hormones. This illuminating book charts the history of this department, outlines its current responsibilities and programs, profiles the department's most accomplished secretaries, and examines the issues it will face in the future.