John Block Reports from Washington

Earth Day -- farmers celebrate Earth Day every day. Every day we set foot on our land we think about the valuable, life sustaining resources that God gave us. Rich soil, clean water, trees, "amber waves of grain." I was at USDA last week attending a reception in honor of Secretary Glickman, honoring him for serving five years as Secretary of Agriculture. In his remarks, he noted that if he can make two more months, he will surpass my tenure of service. I told him to "Hang in there, Baby." On that day I walked past a beautiful blue spruce tree that I planted on the USDA grounds when I was Secretary.

With Earth Day upon us and spring planting season at hand, this is a good time to review the great job that we have done to protect the environment. How many people realize that there are more trees in the country than there was at the turn of the century? How many people realize that farmers use a system of conservation tillage on most of our land, saving our topsoil? How many realized that we have set aside 36 million acres in a conservation reserve? Did you know that 98% of the farms in this country are family operated?

I get so furious when some uninformed critic says something about farmers mining the soil. We are feeding our own citizens and exporting 1/3 of our production. The only way you can do that is if you take care of your soil. Never abuse it, nurture it, care for it and feed it. Our soil would never respond with the abundance it does, year after year, if it were being abused. Using modern technology, we produce this huge abundance on the same number of acres we farmed 50 years ago.

When I look at that beautiful blue spruce tree, I say, "Congratulations, America."