Harold D. Guither

Harold D. Guither, professor emeritus of agricultural economics at the University of Illinois, is an agricultural economist, public policy educator and author. He grew up on a farm near Walnut, Illinois, attended a one-room country school, participated in 4-H and FFA organizations, and was graduated in a class of 30 from Walnut Community High School. Following 14 months in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II, he enrolled in the University of Illinois College of Agriculture and earning a B.S. degree in general agriculture with a special interest in journalism. Later he earned an M.S. degree in agricultural economics.

He joined the Doane Agricultural Service in St. Louis, Missouri, during 1950 and served on the editorial staff of the Doane Agricultural Digest as an agricultural economist. He also wrote newsletters for various agribusiness clients.

In 1956 he joined the extension editorial staff at the University of Illinois, writing news releases and feature stories and advising in agricultural communications for the county extension staff. He completed a Ph.D. in agricultural economics with minors in economics and communications.

From 1964-1966 he served in Jordan as chief of party and adviser in agricultural communications under a University of Illinois/U.S. Agency for International Development contract.

In 1966 he was asked to join the Department of Agricultural Economics to work on a special research program studying university involvement in overseas agricultural assistance projects. After completing this program his work in the Department involved teaching, research and extension in agricultural economics and public policy. As part of his extension work he served as secretary-treasurer of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers for 10 years. For three years he was academic vice president for the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Apprais.

Professor Guither retired from the University in December 1995 and has continued to write on agricultural issues and historical events.

He has written seven books, plus many journal and popular articles, and received numerous awards for his work in public policy education and service to his profession. Among his significant publications:

• Mission Overseas (with W. N. Thompson), University of Illinois Press, 1969
• The Food Lobbyists, Lexington Books, 1980
• Animal Rights: History and Scope of a Radical Social Movement, Southern Illinois University Press, 1998
• Professional Services for Agriculture: 75 Years of Farm Management, Rural Appraising and Consulting, The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, 2004.

Users of the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center benefit from his contributions in subject areas such as the following:

• animal rights and agricultural writing
• attitudes toward agricultural and food policy issues
• interest groups
• lobbying
• social movements

The Guither Collection includes these documents written by Harold D. Guither.