Farmers and Conservation

Corn growers want to tell folks how conservation is important to farmers.

NCGA Video Tells Conservation from Viewpoint of Growers (9-19-07)

The connection between the nation’s corn growers and the land they farm is the subject of a new video from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

Titled “Growing for the Future,” the story includes reminiscences from corn growers about the farming practices they grew up with, and how they’ve been able to take advantage of new technology to protect soil from the continuing threat of water and wind erosion, reduce agricultural inputs and improve the long-term health of their fields.

“This is an important step to communicate with people who may not have any first-hand knowledge about agriculture,” says NCGA President Ken McCauley. “With all the concern about the impact of agriculture on the environment, it’s vital for people to know the role agriculture has in protecting our environment.”

Corn growers from Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri speak from the heart about the challenges they faced in their environmental efforts. “We’re changing fertility, we’re changing the amount of water that we apply, we’re changing the tillage, we’re using variable rate technology for both insect control, disease control and also nutrient management,” noted agronomist Mike Petersen. “That’s huge!”

The video also brings out the link between growers and the land, making it clear that environmental responsibility is a part of their lives. “The soil has given back to us over the years,” concluded Byron Weathers, of Yuma, Colo. “If we take care of it, it will take care of us.”

The new video is part of a broader campaign by NCGA to provide factual information to the public about corn and the environment. The video is available for download on the NCGA Web site. The video runs approximately 10 minutes, and is viewable and in three sections. An NCGA “white paper” on sustainable agriculture and smaller topic briefs are also available on the site.

It is important that consumers understand the connection between farmers and the land for which they are stewards. It is a story that bears repeating.