Did farmers actually invent Daylight Saving Time?
Farmers were historically the strongest opponents of Daylight Saving Time, not its supporters.
Contrary to popular belief, farmers strongly opposed Daylight Saving Time because it disrupted their livestock's natural routines. Cows produce milk based on the sun's position, not human clocks. When the time changed, farmers faced an impossible choice: milk their cows in the dark or wait for morning dew to dry before harvesting, both of which made their workdays longer and more difficult.
Nerd Mode
Daylight Saving Time (DST) was first introduced in the United States in 1918 through the Standard Time Act. While many people believe the system was created to help farmers, the agricultural community was actually its most vocal critic. Farmers argued that the sun, not a clock, dictates their work schedule. For example, dairy cows are creatures of habit that expect to be milked at the same solar interval every day.When clocks shifted, farmers had to choose between milking cows an hour earlier in the dark or missing the morning train to market. Furthermore, dew on crops does not evaporate based on a clock. Farmers had to wait for the morning sun to dry the fields before harvesting, which meant they lost an hour of productivity in the morning while still having to stop at the same time in the evening to meet shipping deadlines.The agricultural lobby was so powerful that they successfully pressured Congress to repeal DST in 1919, just one year after its inception. President Woodrow Wilson originally vetoed the repeal, but Congress overrode his veto to satisfy the farming constituency. It wasn't until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 that DST became a standardized national practice, though states like Arizona still opt out partly due to agricultural and climate concerns.
Verified Fact
FP-0002600 · Feb 16, 2026