Edward E. Kennedy was an active figure in agricultural legislation in the 1920s-1940s. He began working as secretary for the Illinois Farmers Union and the National Farmers Union and eventually became their legislative representative in Washington, D.C. There he worked with the National Farmers' Processing Tax Recovery Association to prevent the charge of unnecessary or illegal taxes to farmers by processors and to help farmers prepare their claims under the legislation. He traveled quite extensively with this job to the Midwest making speeches to farmers. Kennedy was offered a position at the United States Department of Agriculture, which he refused. He often referred to the Department of Agriculture as "the other side" since they did not seem to help farmers. For much of the 1930s, Kennedy hosted the National Farm and Home Hour radio show, where he would invite politicians to discuss agricultural legislation. He was also heavily involved in the 1936 presidential campaign of William Frederick Lemke, a candidate for the Union Party, which was a short-lived third party.

Kennedy had a very charismatic personality and often rigged auctions by instigating "penny sales" to keep farmers in his community from going bankrupt and having their farm equipment and livestock sold. Kennedy also developed the Cost of Production program which replied to several agricultural bills that were being passed at the time that would hurt family farms.

This collection (1932-1989, n.d.) contains the writings of Edward E. Kennedy, as well as congressional testimony, resolutions, articles, and an interview transcription. His writings include two papers: Cost-of-Production, S-570 and Identical House Bills (of which there are two copies) and The Cooperative Marketing Act. Neither of these papers is dated. The transcription of an in-depth interview of Kennedy by Jean Choate from 1989 is also included. The interview details Kennedy's years working in Washington as the legislative representative for the National Farmers Union and about the National Farmers' Processing Tax Recovery Association, including his organization of penny sales.

Also included is testimony from a hearing on a hog processing tax. In addition, there is material from two organizations in this collection which includes resolutions made by the National Farmers' Holiday Association and an article by the Ohio Marketing Quota Protect Association entitled The Wheat Penalty Tax Issue.

For a related collection, see the National Farmer's Processing Tax Recovery Association Records (MS-44).