What happened in the 1870's that made land on the plains better suited to farming?

In the 1870s, advancements in agricultural technology, such as the steel plow and mechanical reaper, improved farming efficiency on the Great Plains. Additionally, the introduction of dry farming techniques and the development of drought-resistant crops allowed farmers to cultivate previously challenging land. The Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged settlement by offering land to those willing to farm it, further promoting agricultural development in the region. These factors combined made the plains increasingly viable for farming during this period.