Technology

October 25, 2006

October 25, 2006

When I as driving our corn combine a couple of weeks ago, I could not help but marvel at how straight and strong the corn stood -- like trees just daring the wind to bring it down. Ithasn't always been like that. Thirty years ago, the corn bore damaged stalks were difficult for the combine header to scoop up. The yield suffered because of root worm infestation. The grass and weeds could be a problem even tough we used herbicides.

But this industry hasn't been standing still. There is a dramatic improvement in chemical weed and pest control. For the last 10 years, biotechnology has been leading the way to higher yields.

Corn yields have been surging upward year after year. The credit goes to the creative science for which the Ag industry is so well recognized. I have traveled the world and can say without reservation -- American agriculture is the envy of the world.

We have our critics as we have always had. It took 20 years for hybrid seed corn to be accepted. It has been 10 years, and now genetically engineered crops are just beginning to gain global acceptance. After fighting the technology at first, Brazil is aboard. Although the European Union scientists have ruled that biotech foods are safe. many of the governments still have their heads in the sand.

The Ag biotech revolution is just beginning. New, dramatic scientific breakthroughs are just around the corner. Now that farmers are being asked to not only feed the people, we must fuel the cars and heat the homes. Scientists are already working on biotech corn, which will boost efficiency in producing ethanol. We can expect plant made pharmaceuticals to improve our health.

Itis as simple as this -- we either adopt new technology or we stand by and watch the poor of the world starve. We can't begin to produce enough food otherwise.

Any thoughts you have, I can be reached at jblock@ofwlaw.com. Have a great week!