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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
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