Genetically modified crops increase yields and resistance to pests and adverse weather conditions.

February 24, 2010 column from the Star Beacon and Gazette
by John Parker

When we look around northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, we may not recognize the amount and kinds of agriculture technology used on local farms.  Much more than many of us realize and use of that technology is essential to keeping food on our table.

Dan Keep, Agronomist for Western Reserve Farm Cooperative, keeps his eye on what is happening in our area with spring planting coming up in a few weeks.  He says most farmers have ordered their corn and soybean seed for spring planting.  And many of them also have their fertilizer ordered.

February 10, 2010 column from the Star Beacon and Gazette
by John Parker

Out-of-state animal activists seem to think they are more intelligent than people in Ohio.  That is what the largest animal rights activist group is saying.

According to a release from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, lobbyists from Washington, D.C.-based Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) are saying they know better than Ohio voters the kind of care Ohio livestock needs.  HSUS has announced plans to put a measure on the Ohio ballot through which they would dictate decisions made by the newly created Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board.

Representatives on this Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board will include consumers, veterinarians, farmers, an Agriculture College, Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Ohio legislature.  This board was approved by nearly two-thirds of Ohio voters last November.  It is expected to be operating by this spring, following passing of required legislation and board appointments.

Modern dairy farming includes consultations with nutritionists, regular herd checks, regulations and high technology.

January 13, 2010 column from the Star Beacon and Gazette
by John Parker

Family dairy farms come in all sizes, large, small and everything in between. That idea was clear as Dorset dairy farmer Jim Comp talked about his dairy farm operation at the Ashtabula Profiles breakfast last week.

Jim and his son Jerry own and manage a dairy farm of about 925 cows and an equal number of young cattle at two different farms. Using a Powerpoint presentation, he gave the audience both an overview and a specific look at what it takes to operate a farm of his size.

His Dorset farmstead covers about five acres. One of his challenges is to control the water runoff from those five acres, running it into a lagoon. The farm has gradually expanded over time to the size it is today.

Dr. Noel Vietmeyer and John Parker met to discuss Vietmeyer's biography of Dr. Norman Borlaug, a prominent plant scientist who helped saved billions of lives by developing drought and disease resistant varieties of wheat and rice.

January 6, 2010 column from the Star Beacon and Gazette
by John Parker

Have you ever gone to the supermarket, looked around, and wondered where all those full shelves of food came from? Or how we have all that abundance in this country?

Probably not. Most of us take for granted that our stores will be full of food. All kinds, shapes and sizes that we demand. We have never experienced what it would be like to not have enough to buy or to be hungry.

Let me share an example of why we have the abundance we enjoy in our country. About a month ago I wrote about a prominent plant scientist named Norman Borlaug, who developed drought and disease resistant varieties of wheat and rice. He is given credit for saving billions of human lives by increasing yields of these crops all over the world.

Somehow my article was picked up by another plant scientist named Noel Vietmeyer, who lives in Lorton, Virginia. Dr. Vietmeyer had worked for many years with Dr. Borlaug, both doing similar work but with different crops in different parts of the world. He had made many notes of conversations with Norm Borlaug over the years.