Page 10-Corn Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 17,1993
When energy is relatively
cheap, as it is now, systems will
use it liberally. If energy was
very expensive, we would like
ly see shifts towards technolo
gies such as no-tillage, low
temperature drying, shorter
season hybrids, and high mois
ture com storage systems.
The next consideration is
whether com production is
socially acceptable. This could
be a difficult question for some.
Possible socially unacceptable
aspects of com production
might include the need to spray
pesticides in suburban areas,
the need to apply manure, and
the need for growers to farm
large acreages to make a living.
Last year, I talked with one
com grower who told me that
he now farms eight farms that
each supported a family a gen
eration ago. I know he’s not
alone in this regard. Is this an
acceptable direction for us to be
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(Continued from Pago 8)
heading?
Another aspect of sustaina
bility is our dependence on off
farm resources. Most com pro
ducers rely heavily on off-farm
products pesticides, fertiliz
er, fuel, and seed to name a few.
Ideally it would be great to be
totally independent from any
one else but is it worth it
when others can produce these
items so efficiently and
inexpensively?
This aspect of the definition
of sustainability is the one
where com producers probably
have the most trouble. I main
tain that it probably should not
be part of the definition and
there are many other industries
that are far more dependent on
external resources than
agriculture.
Nevertheless, much Pen
nsylvania com is produced with
far less off-farm resources than
in some other areas. Rotations
* ‘Ultra-Wide’ Flotation Tires
• No-Grease Diagonal Slide
System
and manure supply us with
much of our nutrient require
ments. We harvest much of our -
com as high-moisture and ear
com without using external
cneigy for drying.
We are also not dependent on
irrigation like many corn
producing states. Consequent
ly, on a relative basis, we’re
more sustainable in this regard
than some other regions.
In summary, are we sustain
able? I think most will agree
that we are not there yet, but we
have made substantial progress
during the past two decades.
Economic considerations
still remain at the forefront for
many growers. Considerable
progress is being made on the
environmental front and many
are adapting to be more
“acceptable” to society.
Energy use is tied to eco
nomics but technologies to
reduce our dependence on ener
gy are available should condi
tions dictate their use. Use of
off-farm inputs is low com
pared to some regions and we
are continually working to
replace inputs with manage
ment. We may not be complete
ly sustainable yet, according to
this definition, but I think we
are on the right track.
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com growers who sign up for
three-year memberships with
the Pennsylvania Master Com
Growers Association
(PMCGA) will receive, as a
bonus, three free months of
Doane’s Agricultural Report,
including 24-hour access to
Doane’s Marketing Advice
VIA Teledoane - Doane’s
market hotline.
‘The National Com Grow
ers Association (NCGA) con
ducts programs in market
development, research, and
education,” said NCGA Field
Services Director Dave Dren
nan. “In cooperation with
Doane Agricultural Services
(of St. Louis, Mo.), we now
will have the opportunity to
educate our members more ful
ly. Weekly issues of Doane’s
Report will help our members
to get better prices for their
crops, make the right moves on
government programs, and
upgrade production and man
agement decisions to improve
their bottom line. It will keep
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Lii:
Newsletter
W Au<*r TufcfV -- IflWriKlOrtvf
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i A rsn
Suspension
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FACTORY WAREHOUSE
com growers on top of events
and primed to make profitable
decisions.”
The newsletter includes
short and long-range market
forecasts, ag legislation
updates, management tips, and
farm business strategies. The
newsletter is completely free to
corn growers who join or
renew for three-year member
ship terms during this limited
time offer.
Contact Greg Roth, execu
tive secretary, Pennsylvania
Master Com Growers Associa
tion, PO Box 304, State Col
lege, PA 16804, or H. Grant
Troop, PMCGA membership
director, 286 Furnace Rd.,
Quarryville, PA. 17566-9423,
(717) 786-8045.
The U.S. Feed Grains Coun
cil reports that it would take a
fleet of 20,000 Panamax ves
sels to ship 50- billion bushels
of com. In 1993 the United
States will export its 50-bil
lionth bushel of com.
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F " “ Automatic
Batch Or
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Flow Dryers