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The United States has the safest, most affordable, and most abundant food supply in the world! That’s thanks in part to the great work the American farmer does each day, but it’s also thanks to all those who support agriculture, including scientists, plant breeders, agronomists, and more.
The best part, though, is that we’re not done. I firmly believe yields will continue to go up, and at the same time, we will continue to make our land and the environment better.
Despite suffering from drought over the last three years on our farm, yields in our region have remained relatively high. We farm in southeast South Dakota, where we typically only get 24 inches of total annual precipitation, including snow, so when I talk to farmers in other areas, they often ask how we can raise the crops we do on that little amount of moisture. My answer usually involves the three things I want to focus on today: plant genetics, fertility application, and education.
Plant breeding has come a long way. For example, the genome of corn is completely mapped out. Plant breeders can run genetics tests on a corn seed and figure out immediately what type of structure and traits it will carry with it. Because of that and other technologies, plant breeders are able to churn out new varieties faster than ever before. Today’s plants can withstand the elements and disease issues much better than what we had just a few years ago.
Next is fertilizer. Years ago, I traveled to a foreign country where tens of thousands of acres were treated exactly the same, regardless of how any field produced. I still think about that, because imagine the inefficiency. Today on our farm, and on thousands of farms across the United States, fertilizer is applied at varying levels through even the smallest of fields. We can take soil tests that allow precise applications to be made. We can also use past yield data to apply only the plant nutrients that have been removed by a previous crop, raising and lowering rates of different fertility products in each area of a field. These practices allow us to be environmentally conscious and economically sound, placing the right plant food in the right places at the right times.
Finally, education is what makes a lot of this go. We are blessed to have some of the best people in the world who are striving to improve agriculture every single day. Plus, information access has never been better, providing us with everything from yield trials and the means to listen to farmers all over discuss what has worked and what hasn’t to solve almost any crop challenge. Even at my age and being a lifelong farmer and agronomist, I learn something new every day thanks to the availability of and accessibility to information.
As technology and education continue to allow us to achieve greater yields, it is also important that we continue to expand our grain markets as well. To sustain profitability and strengthen our rural economies, it’s essential that the demand for our commodities remains high. This combination will provide growth and prosperity for generations to come.
Even though yields have reached their highest point in history, I see no end in sight. The world will continue to need more food, more low-carbon fuel, and more ag-based products, and I believe the American farmer and everyone involved in agriculture will step up to meet that demand.
