Changing times: The new face of modern agriculture
"Over thirty percent of the entire population was engaged in farming, and the major horsepower that tilled, planted and harvested the land was just that – horses. With farming so prevalent, most people had a first hand or very good understanding of where the food came from and how it was grown. As time passed, advances in technology appeared in agriculture; the tractor was introduced quickly followed by new tillage and harvesting equipment, irrigation and air seeding technology, all leading to higher yields and improved quality of the food and fiber that was grown. We also saw the advent of the “green revolution” led by Dr. Norman Borlaug with new seed technologies, ultimately saving an estimated one billion people from starvation.
"My great-grandfather followed by my grandfather didn’t know it by the term we use today but they were engaged in sustainable farming – using integrated solutions that help them protect their crops, realize economical returns and preserve the quality of their land for the long-term."
"As we fast forward nearly one-hundred years, so much has changed. Today, less than two percent of the population are on farms, and fewer and fewer people really understand how our food and fiber are actually grown. Having a farming family, I was lucky enough to grow up in such an environment, raising a small herd of sheep and growing a commercial garden where my siblings and I sold our produce at a local farmers market."
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