Question

What were the factors that contributed to the expansion of wheat production in the USA from the late $19th$ century?

Answer 1

Several factors contributed to the expansion of wheat production in the USA:
(i) The urban population in the USA was growing and the export market was becoming ever bigger.
(ii) As the demand increased, wheat prices rose, encouraging farmers to produce wheat. The spread of the railways made it easy to transport the grain from the wheat-growing regions to the eastern coast for export.
(iii) By the early $20th$ century the demand became even higher, and during the First World War the world market boomed. Russian supplies of wheat were cut off and the USA had to feed Europe. US President Wilson called upon farmers to respond to the need of the time. Hence, farmers began to grow more and more wheat.