Some thoughts from the article include:

“Unfortunately, weeds are also not stupid. History shows that plants have adapted for centuries to all manners of weed control practices, and developed resistance for survival. As a natural biological process, weeds can develop resistance to herbicides. While “superweeds” may be the current catchy moniker for these plants, there is nothing particularly super about these weeds. Resistance of a weed species to an herbicide has arisen multiple times in the past several decades. When resistance of a weed species to an herbicide occurs, the grower chooses the best management practice.

So how do farmers treat these weeds? Like many things in agriculture, it is not a simple issue, because farming is not simple. When they have access to all of the available tools, whether it is precision agriculture, controlled release fertilizers, seed treatments, organic pesticides, biotech crops, or synthetic pest control products, they can fully achieve sustainable agriculture on their farm. They can reduce their tillage, water consumption, and avoid encroaching upon additional land and wildlife habitats.

Farmers are using best management practices (BMPs) such as planting weed-free crop seed, scouting for weeds routinely, ensuring that all equipment is clean to minimize carrying weed seeds, and using a compliment of herbicides that are effective against the weeds.”

Click through to read the full article, share on Facebook or Twitter, and leave your own comments below. Let’s keep a discussion going on this issue!

The American Heart Association suggests eating at least 4-5 servings of fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables every day. They recommend that consumers “stock up on raw vegetables for snacks such as carrot and celery sticks, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and cauliflower.” Similarly, the American Cancer Society supports a diet rich in fruits and produce. They also say, “vegetables, fruits, and whole grains should form the central part of a person’s diet, regardless of whether they are grown conventionally or organically.” Thanks to modern agriculture, consumers have access to more fruits and vegetables, and at a lower cost.

Consider carrot sticks, a popular healthy snack:

• Carrot weevils are insects which can damage up to 80% of the carrots in a field, and processors will not accept carrots with more than 1% damage by carrot weevil.
• Without the use of insecticides, it is estimated that carrot yields would decline by 30-50%.

Want to add tomatoes to your salad?

• Tomato fruitworm larvae bore deeply into the fruit and will destroy about 20% of the tomatoes in a field.
• Thanks to the precise application of insecticides, farmers can reduce those losses to 2%.

With some help from modern farming tools, farmers are able to help provide the fruit and produce that groups such as the American Cancer Society recommend. Don’t forget to thank a grower for their important job: not just providing us with food, but helping us make healthy choices.

Sources:

http://croplifefoundation.org/Insecticide_Benefits/Crop_Studies/Combined_Document_Carrots.pdf

http://croplifefoundation.org/Insecticide_Benefits/Crop_Studies/Combined_Document_Tomato.pdf

Answer:
It was a fun day in second grade – hands-on science experiments always get the kids excited. As the students were working with “harvesting” soybeans and cutting them up to look at the plants’ parts, the teacher made a comment. “Since these beans are organic, you won’t have to wash them like other beans.” Klaine Friend’s hand shot up. “Excuse me Mr. X, but I don’t think that is right about organic beans, and you are going to get an e-mail from my Mom.”

Yes, Klaine Friend is my daughter, and yes, the teacher DID get an e-mail from her mom. How do we help educators who are strapped for time and resources understand modern agriculture? I appreciate the many industry programs that are reaching out to teachers to provide curriculum and hands-on events, and we should not underestimate the power of personal interaction.

I did indeed send the teacher an e-mail, after really thinking about my tone. The last thing I wanted to do was lambast this hard-working teacher for “not knowing the facts.” Instead, the approach I took focused on the positive. I wanted this teacher to know I appreciated the fact that the kids were exploring science. Many of these Indianapolis school kids had never even seen a soybean before, so touching one was a good thing! I then went into some key sound bites about Modern Agriculture. I started with the fact that organic farmers use pesticides, too. They apply non-synthetic crop protection products, such as sulfur and copper, to protect crops from pests and increase yields. (So washing all fruits and veggies is a good idea.) I then elevated to the big picture – the huge advances that have been made by agriculture, and the many more that are needed which are enabled by crop protection products. The world population is over several billion, making technology essential to the future.

Because the teacher knew I worked at Dow AgroSciences, I also pointed out that companies like mine have made tremendous advances in modern-day crop protection products. Our products are extensively tested and continue to focus on the target weed or pest. I also sent a few links for information.

His response? Appreciation. As a busy educator, having resources and facts shared from an informed parent makes his life easier, not harder. This lesson reinforced for me the importance of dialogue – and of talking at home with our own families so they know what our industry is about. You can be assured we continue talking about modern agriculture around the Friend dinner table so Klaine will continue raising her hand and speaking out.

Kenda
Indianapolis, Indiana

- 72 percent of consumers know nothing or very little about farming or ranching;

- 42 percent or two-in-five Americans say the way that food is grown and raised has improved in the last 10 years, while a slightly smaller group say it has worsened (37 percent);

- Of all the aspects of how food is grown and raised, Americans are most satisfied with the availability of healthy foods (73 percent) and food safety standards (66 percent);

- One in five consumers who say food production has worsened in the last 10 years cite environmental impact as the top area of demise;

The topics that consumers want to learn more about?

1.)    How chemicals are used in farming/ranching
2.)    How pesticides are used in farming/ranching
3.)    Food safety standards
4.)    Effect of government regulations on farming/ranching

Whether you are a farmer or rancher, work in the crop protection industry, or something other component of modern agriculture, you are a key part in helping to bridge the divide. If everyone feels confident talking about modern agriculture and its accomplishments, we can all help to address the top consumer concerns!

As part of the MMA program, readers can submit their own stories for review and publication on the Tell Me More blog. Email Mary Emma Young with a short 2-3 paragraph “essay” on one of the following questions:

• How does your job support modern agriculture in America?

• What do you think is the biggest public misconception about agriculture? How would you help to fix it?

• Imagine your favorite dish at dinner with your family on a Sunday night. What is it? How do modern growing practices help to ensure it makes it all the way to your plate?

• A lot has changed since Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was first published 50 years ago in 1962. How have crop protection products changed, and how are they used differently?

• When have you spoken up on behalf of agriculture, or helped to correct someone’s misconception? What was their reaction?

Make sure to include your first name, occupation, and city, and Mary Emma will post your story to the blog after review. Good luck!