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USDA Motion Picture Film Collection
Scope and Content Note
The USDA Motion Picture Film Collection contains approximately 830 unique film titles on 8, 16, and 35mm film that were produced by or for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The films are in both black and white and color; some are silent. Duplicate copies of some titles exist, and a number of films span multiple reels.
These films were produced across several decades, from the mid-20th century into the 1980s, documenting USDA's activities, research, and educational outreach efforts. The content covers diverse topics related to agriculture, natural resources, rural life, conservation, public health, and government services. Subjects include: crop and livestock management, pest control, forestry, soil and water conservation, food preparation and nutrition, agricultural economics, rural development, public safety, and environmental issues. The collection also features films on specific USDA programs, historical events, and public service announcements.
Films to inform or to instruct cover scientific discoveries, as well as program activities beginning in the very early twentieth century. A few examples include: "Back the Attack on Brucellosis," a nationwide program to eradicate brucellosis; "Fire Ant on Trial," the continuing fight against plant pests; "The REA Story," the effort to modernize rural America; "The Forest," the multiple use of forest resources; "Waters of Coweeta," watershed management; "Compass for Agriculture," agricultural economics; and "The Dust is Dying," conservation in the Great Plains.
The USDA Motion Picture Film Collection at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) is not an exhaustive collection of USDA-produced films. Many unique titles have been transferred to the National Archives in keeping with federal records requirements.
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1925 - 1986
Conditions Governing Access
Please be aware that viewing a movie from this collection in the Special Collections reading room cannot be guaranteed. Access depends on the physical condition of the film. Due to the age and fragility of the materials, preservation treatment and digitization may be required even for previewing a title to prevent damage. Researchers are encouraged to inquire about the condition and access options for specific films. Contact Special Collections for access.
The film collection is not digitized in full; a few titles are available as digital copies. NAL digitizes the motion pictures as funding is available. For inquiries regarding specific titles or to request digitization, please check with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA may have certain titles already digitized, or you can request digitization services from their approved vendors for a fee. For detailed information on NARA's film holdings and contact specifics for their film section, please visit their official website at Archives.gov. You can navigate to their "Research Our Collections" or "Contact Us" sections and look for departments related to motion pictures, audiovisual records, or film archives for the most direct contact.
History of Motion Pictures at USDA
The USDA began producing agricultural films in the early 1900s. The development of motion picture film had a tough start, for under then-Secretary of Agriculture, James "Tama Jim" Wilson (1891-1913), films were not looked upon favorably. Wilson opposed use of them in the Department until he saw himself speaking with 4-H clubs in a film and became a convert to the medium of motion pictures.
The USDA became the first departmental agency to install its own filmmaking branch. In 1912, the Section of Illustrations established a small film lab. The project was so successful that, by the following year, the Division of Publications sanctioned an official Motion Picture Laboratory. This centralized unit produced educational films for all 17 of the agency bureaus that existed at the time. Though the USDA preferred to produce its own films to maintain control over content and tone, it did collaborate with other organizations and commercial enterprises, and it contacted Universal, Paramount, Fox, and Edison, among others, to distribute its films.
In the 1930s, the Motion Picture Service (MPS), Office of Information, USDA had grown to 25 permanent employees, and it moved away from silent films in favor of sound pictures. The division began creating Spanish-language films, and though some of its resources were diverted to the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, it continued to create motion pictures for the USDA and other government agencies until the late 1950s, when television and radio overtook the medium in popular media.
To adapt, the USDA operated a Television Film Library "as a service to television stations and in the interest of promoting a better agriculture in the United States" (1963). Most films were distributed from a single office in Washington, D.C., though field offices circulated films that related to their functions. The MPS also offered a stock scene library service to land-grant colleges and other groups who wanted to use agricultural footage in their own productions.
Total Size of Collection
approx. 1,400 Reels
200 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Spanish; Castilian
French
German
Arrangement
Alphabetically, by title
Provenance
The films were originally stored in basement vaults of the USDA's South Building in Washington, D.C. The National Archives had previously reviewed the reels and selected originals for their own collection. A transfer agreement was signed in 1986, and the films were subsequently transferred to NAL in February 1989 from the Video and Teleconference Division of the USDA's Office of Governmental and Public Affairs.
Bibliography
- Motion Picture Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nov. 1961. "Television Film Catalog of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture." Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Motion Picture Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. June 1963. "USDA Films for Television." Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Perkins, Fred W. 1926. "Use of Motion Pictures in Agricultural Extension Work." Miscellaneous Circular 78. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Winn, J. Emmett. 2012. “A Brief History of the USDA Motion Picture Service to 1943.” In Documenting Racism: African Americans in U.S. Department of Agriculture Documentaries, 1921-42, 1–12. New York: Continuum.
Genres
video recordings, motion picture films
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Mandi Ray, Sara Lee, Jesse Padron
- Date
- 2026-05-15
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Agricultural Library Special Collections Repository
National Agricultural Library
10301 Baltimore Avenue
Room 309
Beltsville Maryland 20705 USA
301-504-5876