Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,
As a farmer raising corn and soybeans in Winnebago County, nothing is more important to me than taking care of the land and protecting our precious resources for the next generation of farmers. I have spent my entire life on the farm, and it’s clear that farming is much different today than when our parents and grandparents farmed.
With new technology, today’s farmers can grow more with less. In fact, innovations like genetically modified grain have helped farmers like me reduce tillage on my farm ground, which not only protects the soil and keeps it out of our nearby streams, but helps reduce carbon emissions. Conservation tillage in Iowa has helped reduce phosphorous loads in our water by 22 percent since the 1980s.
On my farm, I have begaun the usage of cover crops that help to control water flow through my fields and prevent erosion. When the cover crop begins to decay, nutrients are incorporated back  into the soil, which improves soil quality and decreases fertilizer usage.
Even though farming is progressing every year, we want to aim higher. We can always push to do more–whether you farm or live in an  urban setting, and it will take all of us to see change. I’m going to find ways to use practices that are effective on my farm ground.
During National Ag Week, let’s all celebrate the advances that our farmers have made—and continue to make, to keep feeding the world.
Sincerely,
Scott Anderson
Winnebago County Farm Bureau