National Ag Week

"What I keep finding in case after case, if you follow the food back to the farm — if you follow the nutrients, if you follow the carbon — you end up in a corn field in Iowa, over and over and over again." -Michael Pollan

Today is National Ag Day, and this is National Ag Week.  It is a good time to point out, as Pollan’s quote unintentionally draws attention to, the spectacular fact that we can feed so many people in so many ways with just corn (and a few other commodities).  With modern agriculture, using green technologies brought to market by companies like Monsanto and efficient supply chains created by companies like Cargill and ADM, family farmers  can do this  sustainably using  fewer toxic chemicals, less water, less energy, and with a lower carbon footprint,  at an affordable price.

Today, have your coke and fries, steak and beer, or soy milk and salad, or whatever, but keep in mind the local producer and the modern sustaianable agricultural infrastructure that made it possible. And don't forget, agriculture makes up almost 20% of our national work force!