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Thank you Marjorie



     In support of Marjorie Rayburn's 9-17 message;
     
     As an Ag and Natural Resource Extension Agent, I try to promote 
     sustainable efforts wherever I can.  But there is a heavy red line 
     between reality and theory.  The producers I work with do not like 
     using the expensive chemistry.  They are caught in the economics of 
     international competition for their products.  The American farmer is 
     the best in the world.  He has no trouble feeding his nation with 
     surplus left over for others.  If American markets were closed then 
     American farmers could go to organic clean methods and reduced 
     pesticide use.  Competition from other countries, where the pesticide 
     use is often unchecked, drives the need for higher yields to keep our 
     farmers economically viable.   
     
     What happens then if we drive the American farmer out of business 
     because we expect more from him while being unwilling to pay for a 
     better product?  I think we end up eating Wonder bread made from 
     chemically saturated Argentine wheat.
     
     We are constantly looking for better ways to irrigate and avoid both 
     point and non-point source pollution.  We are looking for biologic 
     controls of pests, both insects and weeds.  Better nitrogen 
     management, better livestock management, better management of all our 
     precious resources.  But what drives it all is what the consumers are 
     willing to pay for the products they demand.  If "cheap" is more 
     important than quality, and a no matter what it takes attitude is 
     prevalent, then how do our farmers stay competitive?  The answer 
     always seems to get back to volume of production.  Produce a great 
     deal of product on a small margin just to stay in business.  If the 
     American farmer goes out of business, then we are back to imported 
     products with little or no quality control. 
     
     I don't feel it is any longer a question of "on farm ethics", but a 
     bigger question of how we adjust our social values.  Often times the 
     things that need adjusting are controlled by conglomerates and 
     politicians.  I know this is just the beginning of this discussion 
     and I don't have the whole answer.  Lets keep trying and learning and 
     someday we may find a balance.
     
     This is a personal comment and should not been seen as representative 
     of the University of Wyoming.  
     
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C. Kirk Faught, Ag and Natural Resource Agent
Ocean Lake Field Office, University of Wyoming
P.O. Box 158
Pavillion, WY  82523
307-857-3918
Kirk_Faught@agmail.uwyo.edu

INDECISION IS THE KEY TO FLEXIBILITY
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!