Ohio farmer famous for ‘it’s honest work’ meme dead following Illinois crash

URBANA, ILLINOIS — An Ohio farmer who helped educate the agriculture community about farming and later became an Internet meme has died.

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Dave Brandt, 76, died Sunday after he was injured in a crash in Urbana, Illinois, according to the Associated Press.

He was a nationally known proponent of no-till farming and traveled the country talking about agriculture techniques and soil health.

Brandt became well-known for comments made in 2012 at a Natural Resources Conservation Service event held on his farm, the Associated Press said.

As he was discussing his occupation, he said, “it ain’t much but it’s honest work.”

The photo was posted online in 2014 and by 2018, it began to appear on websites like Reddit with the caption, “It ain’t much, but it’s honest work,” according to his obituary.

Brandt was drafted to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Vietnam War where he earned a Purple Heart. After returning to the U.S., he went back to farming.

He also touted cover crops and other sustainable farming practices, and ran a cover crop seed company and a seed-cleaning business on his 736-acre farm in Carroll, the Associated Press reported.

No funeral services have been set at this time.

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