Iowa History Daily: On February 1, 1910, Raymond W. Hagie was born on a farm in Wright County. Founder of Hagie Manufacturing, Hagie invented agricultural equipment including the world’s first commercially produced high-clearance self-propelled sprayer.
Raised outside of Clarion, Hagie attended country schools before arriving at Clarion High School. A standout athlete in football, wrestling, and track, Hagie went on to study animal husbandry at Iowa State. Hagie returned to the family farm where he expanded the operation to include shorthorn cattle and hybrid seed corn.
Hagie’s interest in hybrid corn developed from a hobby into the establishment of a company called Hagie’s Adapted Hybrids. In the early 1940s, Hagie built a self-propelled machine to help detassel corn. Later in the decade he developed the first commercially produced high-clearance self-propelled sprayer and founded Hagie Manufacturing.
The company expanded over time, quickly becoming an industry leader by providing the market with new solutions for evolving farming needs and leading the way with many “firsts.” Hagie also served as a key founding member of Living History Farms. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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