William M. Adams (1893-1973) began farming in Eden Township, Fayette County, Iowa, in 1918. He served as township clerk for Eden Township for many years, and in 1934 was township chair for the Corn-Hog Program, a federal program designed to limit production. Adams was a charter member of the Northeast Iowa Farm Business Association, formed in 1936.

Northeast Iowa Farm Business Association

The Northeast Iowa Farm Business Association was organized in 1936 by the assistance of the USDA and the Iowa State College (University) Extension Service. A farm management specialist from the Extension Service staff served as a coordinator of the Association. (Three reports on the Northeast Iowa Farm Business Association are included in the collection. Further reports on the Association can be found in the University Archives Cooperative Extension Service files, FM Series, Records Series Number 16/3/0/62).

As a member of a farm business association, a cooperating farmer agreed:

• 1. To keep accurate financial and production records and other supplementary information as deemed necessary.
• 2. To cooperate in closing records on a group of basis.
• 3. To cooperate in Extension farm management educational programs.

In return, the farm business association and Iowa State College (University) agreed :

• 1. To summarize records and prepare and publish data to determine efficient methods, combinations of resources and enterprises.
• 2. To provide a fieldman who will:
  • a. Visit the individual cooperator on his farm.
  • b. Be responsible for the collection of completed records.
  • c. Return the results of the record analysis to each member.
  • d. Assist cooperators in farm management problems individually and through tours and meetings.
• 3. To conduct tours and hold meetings in countries with sufficient interest.
• 4. To furnish price outlook information through the Economic Information Section of the Extension Service.

The collection (1927-1995) contains Adams' farm records (1927-1958), annual reports of the Northeast Iowa Farm Business Association (1936-1938), and records Adams kept as township chair for the Corn-Hog Program (1934).

The bulk of the collection consists of farm records kept by William Adams both for his own benefit and after 1936 as a member of the Northeast Iowa Farm Business Association. (For copies of cooperator agreements with the Association, see file 2/12). The records were kept in an account book produced by the Iowa State College (University) Extension Service called the "Farm Business Record," and later the "Farm Account Book." These account books cover the years 1927-1958. There are also two "Home Account Books" kept by William Adams' wife, Maude, which cover the years1926-1929.

The collection also contains records Adams kept as Township Chairman for the Corn-Hog Program, a 1934 federal program designed to limit production (see file 3/7). Participating farmers were limited to 75% of the number of hogs they produced in 1932-1933 and were required to take at least 20% of their corn acreage out of production.

Adams served as Township Clerk for Eden Township for many years, and a copy of Powers and Duties of Township Trustees and Clerks, which he used in this capacity, is included in the collection.