More with Less - We All Want It
Farmers need it, and Monsanto’s goal is to provide it. More yield with less resources—that was the message during Monsanto’s Asgrow and DeKalb Performance Partner Reception and Dinner held on Sept. 15, for farmers and media attending the 2009 Husker Harvest Days Show.
Husker Harvest runs Sept. 15-17, in Grand Island, Nebraska. It is the largest working farm show, completely dedicated to irrigation.
“We have challenges ahead of us, but this is an exciting time for agriculture,” Matt Kirkpatrick, Monsanto corn traits marketing manager, said during the event. “These are really revolutionary times.”
By the year 2050, the world population is expected to increase to 9 billion people. Kirkpatrick said that is equivalent to adding about three Chinas. He said as the population increases, so will the demand for food.
“If you think about just the past decade alone, corn consumption is up 34 percent, and soybean production is up 52 percent,” Kirkpatrick said. “That puts some incredible constraints on our resources. Fifty-five percent of the habitable land is in agriculture and nearly two-thirds of the fresh water used is used for irrigation. So we have some challenges ahead to help feed, fuel and clothe the world’s population, and that’s why we’re here today, to discuss the yields of tomorrow.”
In Nebraska, agriculture is the No. 1 industry. According to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska’s farms and ranches utilize 45.5 million acres (18,413,270 hectares) – 92 percent of the state’s total land area. The state has 91,919 registered, active irrigation wells supplying water to more than 8.5 million acres (3,439,842 hectares) of harvested cropland and pasture. Of the total cropland harvested during 2007, 46 percent was irrigated.
“Agriculture is the economic driver of our state,” Ginger Langemeier, assistant director for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, said during the event. “And I think Nebraska is leading the country in innovation and research and biotechnology, and we certainly do that along with our partners at Monsanto, and many others across the state, that are investing in Nebraska.”
In 2007, Monsanto invested $155 million to double corn seed production operations in Nebraska. This included constructing an entirely new DeKalb seed conditioning facility located near Waco in York County and expanding the company’s existing operation in Kearney. This past June, Monsanto also opened a water utilization facility in Gothenburg.
Following the dinner, Dusty Post, Monsanto global corn technology lead, led the Yields of Tomorrow Tour, showing attendees the one-third of an acre plot containing Genuity™ SmartStax™ corn, Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans, vegetables and other specialty crops.
“This is some of the most outstanding technology that Monsanto has been able to put together so far,” Post said. “We expect to see the doubling of the planet’s population by 2050. We have to produce food for all those people. That means we have to produce more food than we have ever produced in the history of mankind, cumulatively. But we can do it.”
Nebraska farmer Delwayne Epp hopes we can. Epp manages corn and soybeans on close to 1,800 acres. He said on his farm, insects, weeds and fungal diseases are the biggest problems.
“The tour was very interesting and very educational,” Epp said. “The new traits that are coming out with the drought tolerance and the Genuity™ SmartStax [traits] will help us with our dryland, so we can get better, more consistent yield—and in the future, with less water. I think soybeans is one of the areas where we need it most.”
“Monsanto has shown us so much here today,” said Decatur, Nebraska farmer Larry Mussack, who also took the tour and grows corn and soybeans. “If we can produce more corn consistently with less water, whether it’s God-given water or whether it’s pumped out of the ground, that’s a benefit. We spend less money if we’re not pumping.”
Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.
IMPORTANT: Grain Marketing and Seed Availability: Genuity™ SmartStax™ has received the necessary approvals in the United States, however, as of 9/16/2009 approvals have not been received in certain major corn export markets. Genuity™ SmartStax™ will not be launched and seed will not be available until after import approvals are received in appropriate major corn export markets. B.t. products, including Genuity™ SmartStax™ may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Genuity™, Genuity and Design™, Genuity Icons, Roundup®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, SmartStax™, and SmartStax and Design™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design® is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience AG. Herculex is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2009 Monsanto Company.
