George Washington, first U.S. President, is inducted for his farming innovations that led this country to self-sufficiency.

While Washington is most famous as a soldier, commander, legislator, statesman and first president, he also demonstrated keen agricultural savvy. His ubiquitous perspective is expressed best in his statement: “It will not be doubted that with reference either to individual or national welfare, agriculture is of primary importance.”

Washington inherited a four-thousand-acre plantation as a young adult. His progressive practices and sound management increased his plantation to over twelve-thousand acres by the time he was forty.

Initially, the plantation’s primary cash crop was tobacco which was sold to England. Fateful political experiences prompted Washington to switch to grain and pork for local market. By 1770, his plantation was operating a water-powered mill to grind flour and was producing more than seven thousand bushels of wheat and ten thousand bushels of corn annually. The plantation also produced enough fruits and vegetables to feed the workers needed to operate it.

Washington’s writings note his concern for soil loss by erosion and his development of practices to reduce this loss. He conducted many fertilizing tests with manure and continually sought to improve plant varieties.

The success of Washington’s plantation, known as Mount Vernon, demonstrated that a Virginia farmer could be self-sufficient and independent of the English Market, beginning the journey of this country’s independence.