Family Education On this day in agriculture history | Tuesday, April 6, 2021 Here are a handful of notable events that shaped agriculture on April 6 over the years. By Natalina Sents Bausch Natalina Sents Bausch Natalina Sents Bausch is the Digital Director for Successful Farming and Agriculture.com. She manages the daily newsroom-style digital content creation and distribution strategy for Agriculture.com. She has covered stories ranging from infrastructure and young farmers to new machinery introductions and USDA programs. Natalina joined the Successful Farming team in 2017 to cover new farm machinery and news coverage for Agriculture.com. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 6, 2021 Close Photo: USDA 3 years ago As part of his third "Back to our Roots" tour, then Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and his wife toured Keenland Race Track in Lexington, Kentucky. Perdue also visited Sorghum Farm and Mill in Jeffersonville, Kentucky, and met with owner Danny Townsend to discuss opportunities and challenges for veterans in agriculture. USDA "Our 'Back to our Roots' RV tour is an opportunity to get out of Washington, D.C., to hear directly from the American people in the agriculture community," Perdue said. 17 years ago U.S. Drought Monitor Many western Corn Belt states were struggling with drought 17 years ago. The April 6, 2004, drought monitor reported extreme drought across western parts of Nebraska and Kansas. Severe drought was present in the Dakotas and Minnesota. 39 years ago Very cold weather on the heels of a snowstorm the previous day brought the temperature down to -9°F. in Manchester, Iowa, which is the coldest reading ever recorded in the state in the month of April. Several other subzero temperature readings were reported around the state including lows of -4°F. at Waterloo, -2°F. at Fayette and Indianola, and -1°F. at Boone, Cresco, and Independence. 84 years ago Award-winning country music singer and songwriter Merle Haggard was born in Oildale, California, on this date in 1937. He was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994. He died on his birthday in 2016 at the age of 79. 93 years ago Molecular biologist and geneticist James Watson was born on April 6, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois. Along with Francis Crick, he discovered the structure of DNA. 104 years ago President Woodrow Wilson's request of Congress to declare war on Germany was granted and the U.S. formally entered World War I. The war took several million young men away from their family farms and changed the economy dramatically. 180 years ago John Tyler was sworn in as the 10th president of the United States 180 years ago, on April 6, 1841. His presidency began suddenly after William Harrison died one month into office. His four years in office were contentious, though he is credited with settling Canadian border disputes with Britain and beginning the annexation of Texas. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit