U.S. Farmers Feeding the World

U.S. farmers feeding the world

Do to the fact that I am a farmer that is trying to provide for the market, there could be a considerable bias when dealing with an issue like this. I feel that through my research and recent group presentations dealing with sections of this topic, that all my opinions are based on facts and other information. With that I am addressing the topic of whether or not farmers in the U.S. provide nutrition for the world.

I feel that not only do American farmers provide for the U.S. but for the world. Just look at the facts; Average cereal yields have more than doubled, according to a University of Essex study. The world's farmers produce 25 percent more food per person, even though population totals have nearly doubled. And the price of food has fallen 40 percent Nearly 4 million acres of irrigated land are lost each year to this salinization, costing some $11 billion in reduced productivity annually and more than 40 percent of the world's agricultural land exhibits moderately degraded soils. I also know that there are some negative affects from conventional farming. For example High-input agriculture not only fouls resources, it uses them up, especially water. Already, irrigation takes 70 percent of the fresh water the world uses each year. Unless it can be made more sustainable, irrigation will lead to increasing competition between farmers and urban dwellers.

Many people say that the farming age has seen its peaks in all areas, like between the 1950 and 1960; US farmers saw their average grain yields soar 45 percent. By 1990, a decade's worth of increase boosted yields only 10 percent. To me I do see some truth in this; I mean how far or ridiculous is our technology going to take us? Experts say that the possibilities are endless; with all these increasing yields and protection devices on crops how far can they actually carry the price of an acre of land. Heck yea we will be able to produce more than enough products to feed the world, but who says that farmers are going to have enough money to even own the land to produce the product? I feel that with all these big investment companies and expansion of urban areas we are going to need those record breaking yields to sustain the same amount of product on fewer acres.

Through my operation, Streff farms Inc. I feel that my family does its part to provide for the market. I know that my 1000 + head cattle operation feeds thousands and thousands of people each year, and we are only one moderate farm. I guess my bias with this whole this will come into affect right now. I feel so strong on the issue at had