Since the dawn of agriculture some 10,000 years ago, farmers have been steadily getting better at what they do. But never like now.
The evidence is all around us, and partly in your soybeans.
A few years ago, Field to Market, an alliance of companies in the agricultural supply chain, published a report on U.S. soybean production between 1980 and 2011. During that period, the report showed total production rocketed up 96 percent, as yields (bushels per planted acre) climbed 55 percent and the number of total planted acres rose 24 percent. Meanwhile:
- Soil erosion, in tons per bushel, fell 66 percent
- Irrigation water (volume per bushel) dropped 42 percent
- Energy use declined 48 percent
- Greenhouse gas emissions, measured as pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents per bushel, fell 49 percent
- Soybean yields achieved a record 48.3 bushels per acre in 2015, the USDA reporte
These are terrific numbers, because they point to agriculture in which farmers are producing and conserving more while using less. That’s what farmers are going to need to keep doing if we’re going to meet the challenge of feeding a rapidly growing world population – about 2.5 billion more people by just 2050 – while preserving our environment for future generations.
Behind these numbers are a host of different improvements – in agronomic practices, in equipment, and more. Farmers like you know that better than anybody. But on anybody’s list of key innovations, one that certainly needs to stand out is better seeds.
These have been developed through both traditional breeding techniques and what is commonly called biotechnology, or genetic engineering (GE) or genetic modification (GM) – a technique that allows for precise alteration of the seed’s DNA to introduce a desirable trait like herbicide or insect resistance.
First introduced commercially in 1996 in the United States, GM has become the fastest-adopted new technology in the history of agriculture. In 2014, 18 millions farmers grew GM crops in 28 countries.
And American soybean farmers have been in the lead. Today, it’s estimated that more than nine of every 10 acres in the United States are planted in GM soybeans. This strong adoption has helped increase productivity and facilitated the adoption of no-till and conservation tillage systems, which in turn have unlocked environmental and ecological benefits for farmers and everyone else.
Companies like mine have worked with farmers like you to create these seeds. We employ a lot of great scientists, but we can’t do it without you. You’re the ones who literally bring to life what we offer.
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