Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1940-2014, undated (Creation)
Extent
17.42 linear feet (17 record boxes, 1 long-document case)
Name of creator
Biographical history
Sherwood O. Berg was born and raised near Hendrum, Minnesota, where he actively participated in 4-H and took on responsibilities managing the family farm after the death of his father. He began his post-secondary education at the University of Minnesota's School of Agriculture before transferring to South Dakota State College (SDSC) in 1940, drawn by the strength of its agricultural program. His education was interrupted by military service in World War II, during which he served in the U.S. Army as a field infantryman and later as a Military Government Food and Agricultural Officer.
Following the war, Berg completed his B.S. degree at SDSC in 1947, earned an M.S. from Cornell University in 1948, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1951. He served internationally as Agricultural Attaché to Yugoslavia, Norway, and Denmark (1951–1957) before returning to academia as Professor and Head of Agricultural Economics at the University of Minnesota. In 1963, he was appointed Dean of the Institute of Agriculture at the same institution and served as chair of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s National Advisory Commission on Food and Fiber.
From 1973 to 1975, Berg directed The Indonesia Project of the Midwest Universities Consortium and later returned to SDSU as its President on August 1, 1975, becoming the first alumnus to hold the role. His presidency was marked by institutional growth, international partnerships in Syria, Botswana, Senegal, and Mauritania, and increasing numbers of international students. He also facilitated the creation of SDSU’s first endowed faculty position—the Ethel Austin Martin-Edward Moss Martin Chair in Human Nutrition. He retired in 1984 as President Emeritus.
Berg married Elizabeth Ann Hall in 1952. They had two children.
Name of creator
Administrative history
On November 4, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the National Advisory Commission on Food and Fiber, appointing Sherwood O. Berg as chairperson while he was Dean of the Institute of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota. President Johnson tasked the Commission with evaluating U.S. agricultural and foreign trade policies, studying their effects on the economy and international relations, and preparing a report to guide future decision-making.
The Commission's work focused on key thematic areas including global production and consumption trends, policies for both commercial and non-commercial agriculture, development of forestry and natural resources, agricultural trade and foreign economic policy, and the broader role of agriculture in world economic development. Each focus area was overseen by a team of five commissioners supported by consultants and researchers.
The Commission operated with a small full-time staff composed of professional economists on leave from universities, the federal government, and business. These staff were assisted by experts and consultants from both public and private sectors. Research methods included surveys, analysis of existing data, preparation of position papers, and briefings from leading authorities. Public hearings were held across the country to gather testimony and insight.
Over the course of 18 months, the full Commission convened 13 times for two to three days per session. These meetings featured testimony from experts, in-depth discussions among commissioners, and the development of policy recommendations based on the research findings.
The 31-member Commission represented a broad spectrum of agriculture, labor, and economics across the United States. In addition to Sherwood O. Berg, members included Harry B. Caldwell, Willard W. Cochrane, C.W. Cook, George C. Cortright, Woodrow W. Diehl, Edmund H. Fallon, Carl C. Farrington, Frank Fernbach, Roscoe G. Haynie, Fred V. Heinkel, Roy Hendrickson, William A. Hewitt, George K. Hislop, J.G. Horsfall, Herbert J. Hughes, D. Gale Johnson, Herman S. Kohlmeyer, Robert Magowan, L.L. Males, Edward F. Mauldin, Paul Miller, W.B. Murphy, Ernest J. Nesius, Leon Schachter, Janice M. Smith, Lauren Soth, Jesse Tapp, Jay Taylor, Herman Wells, and John Wheeler.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This collection documents the professional career and public service of Sherwood O. Berg, with a substantial focus on his role as chairperson of the National Advisory Commission on Food and Fiber, established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. The collection includes comprehensive documentation of the Commission’s activities, such as collected research materials, correspondence, policy drafts, technical papers, transcripts from public hearings, meeting notes, and the final published reports. Topics span international agriculture, rural development, population pressures, agricultural economics, cotton and fiber policy, nutrition, and global hunger.
The papers also include records from Berg’s international consulting and leadership roles with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities (MUCIA), particularly in Indonesia, Morocco, Cameroon, and the Philippines, covering projects in agricultural education, institutional development, and economic policy.
Further materials document Berg’s service as President of South Dakota State University, including administrative notes, speeches, committee records, and press coverage. His involvement with numerous civic, professional, and international organizations—such as the Reserve Officers Association, Phi Kappa Phi, Nature Conservancy, Farm Foundation, and Rotary International—is also well represented. The collection includes biographical files, awards, military service records, photographs, and correspondence spanning from the 1940s through the early 2000s.
This collection is a record of Sherwood O. Berg’s influence on U.S. agricultural policy, international development, and higher education leadership. It provides insight into federal food and fiber policy during the 1960s, particularly through the Commission’s efforts to guide agricultural decision-making at the national level. The records also reflect the growing emphasis on global collaboration in agricultural education and the modernization of institutions in developing countries. Berg’s presidency at SDSU is further documented through his administrative leadership and campus initiatives, especially those related to internationalization and faculty governance.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
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Languages of the material
English
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Finding aids
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Copyright and Use Statement
In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.