How Agriculture Has Relied on Science and Technology to Be Better Stewards by Nate Smith, Top Dollar Angus General Manager We think of stewardship as supervising or providing care for something. The role of a steward is something we can all agree is the embodiment of what it means to be in agriculture. In today’s ag sector, we feel outside pressure from all sides, typically in the form of questioning our stewardship of not only livestock, but all the natural resources involved in our operations. With that in mind, I think it is worth taking a moment to take a 10,000-foot view to see what we have done to be better stewards and discuss how we have leveraged natural resources to make the cleanest and most efficient food for the world. Let us look at the dynamics of the industry in the U.S. from an efficiency perspective. The population of the United States is 328 million, of which only 2.7 million are involved in the agricultural industry. That is roughly 1% of the total population feeding the whole population. Furthermore, that 1% has produced food for the U.S. at a rate that allows the consumer to have the least amount of food costs at 6.5% of the average American’s budget. Comparatively, the citizens of Mexico spend roughly 23% of their income on food, with 25% of their total population working in agriculture. We look overseas, and Pakistani farmers make up 45% of the population but must budget a whopping 41% of their income on purchasing food.
it was the introduction of the combustion engine, allowing farmers to cover more acres effectively, in less time with less labor cost and helping livestock producers transport animals to population centers for marketing directly to the people en masse. As time moved on, the world of breeding and genetic selection began to take off. Think of corn being a common grass 4,000 years ago and, through selective breeding, a major grain-producing plant today. In short, a practice that humans have been performing in nature for years is now accelerated through the study of biology and planned breeding. From wheat for bread, to corn for livestock feed to beef for a growing population, breeding was one of the first tools used to improve efficiency. As science progressed, we brought other discoveries into the agriculture sector. Our understanding of plant and animal nutrition allowed us to grow plants and animals on fewer inputs, more rapidly, using fewer natural resources, such as land and water. Technology brought forth a plethora of changes for the betterment of the industry as well. For example, the
So, what has made the U.S. the world leader in agriculture? We can trace it back to U.S. farmers and ranchers accepting technology and science as the main driver in efficiency and performance. For the past century, producers have made the most out of their resources by integrating cutting-edge science in their operations. In the early years, 22
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computer has allowed producers to better manage finances and the marketing of agriculture commodities. The internet and RFID technology have allowed producers to give the U.S. consumer the safest food to date, while allowing the ability to track and manage products to specifications that would have been a nightmare to differentiate and manage in the past. Today, not only can the average U.S. consumer purchase affordable food in an easily accessed market, but they can also learn the story behind it. These industry improvements and signs of progress are something of which all agriculturalists should be proud. It shows that our industry is fulfilling the role of elite stewards to livestock and plants, as well as the people and natural resources of the U.S. The great thing about reviewing stewardship is to see where we have been and how far we have come. The most rewarding part to me is thinking and watching what is to come in the future. As an industry, we have done amazing things, and I look forward to what the future has in store. n
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Top Dollar Angus Team www.topdollarangus.com
Nate Smith, General Manager •(620) 546-4839 • nate@topdollarangus.com Kaytlin Hokanson • (307) 461-7687 • kaytlin@topdollarangus.com Jake Feddes • (406) 581-8157 • jake@topdollarangus.com Adam Menker • (419) 310-5344 • adam@topdollarangus.com Jason Gagnon • (559) 723-6362 • jason@topdollarangus.com Andy Albrecht • (402) 922-1000 • andy@topdollarangus.com
