Episode 85: Parity, Not Charity: The Forgotten Farmer Protests of the 1970s
In this episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims sits down with Lee Lancaster to uncover a largely forgotten chapter of agricultural history: the 1970s farmer protests that sent tractors rolling toward state capitals and Washington, D.C.
Lee shares how a passing reference to modern-day protests led him to research the American Agriculture Movement, a time when farmers organized through phone trees, rallied by the thousands, and demanded “parity, not charity” — simply a fair price for what they produced. Drawing from personal family connections and firsthand accounts, this conversation explores the grit, determination, and quiet resolve of farm families who fought to protect their livelihoods and why their story still matters today.
More about our guests:
Lee Lancaster, Author, Lee Lancaster Books
Email: julie.hdleelancasterbooks.com
For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com
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Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.
Upcoming Episodes Include:
• Hugh Aljoe, Director of Ranches Outreach and Partnerships, Noble Research Institute
• Lee Lancaster, Author, Lee Lancaster Books
