David William Brandt (November 16, 1946 – May 21, 2023)[1] was an American farmer known for working on sustainable agriculture techniques, specifically no-till farming and cover crops.

[3] Brandt grew up in Carroll, Ohio,[4] in a family of farmers, and he worked on his grandfather's farm from a young age.

[7] He and his family started a farm on land in Carroll, Ohio, which had originally been his grandmother's, where Brandt would work for the rest of his life.

[7][8] As a result of these cover crops, Brandt was able to cut back on commercial nitrogen additives, which also saved money.

[8] Additionally, Brandt saw less mold and blight and fewer insects among his crops, to the point that he was able to reduce or stop using fungicide, herbicide, and insecticide on parts of the farm.

[4] From 2017 until 2021 Brandt served as president of the Soil Health Academy, a nonprofit organization focused on regenerative agriculture, which he helped found.

[5][7][15] In addition to working on the farm, he also traveled and spoke at various engagements, including a NATO conference, about sustainable agriculture.

[6][20] The image shows Brandt standing in a field, with the tagline "It ain't much, but it's honest work".

[6] Brandt said he enjoyed being a meme, and he did frequently use the catchphrase, although he did say that his high school English teacher would not have approved of his usage of "ain't".