Recent data about the graying of agriculture shows exactly why this manner of thinking (or lack thereof) may be a thing of the past in the very near future.  Demographic information indicates that, should trends continue, increased productivity not only per acre, but also per farmer, will be necessary to keep the harvest coming.

Farmers are getting older and subsequent generations are not entering the fields in equal numbers, according to data from the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management Association.

What will this mean for the average suburban mom at the local Safeway?  It means that she is depending on a smaller number of farmers to grow the crops used for food and feed to ensure that she has the same options, at affordable prices, that her mother had only years earlier.

The population continues to grow.  The numbers of young people entering farming do not.  The math on this one is pretty simple.

What can we as a society do to help reverse this trend?  Actually, a few things that could be easily accomplished if the collective will existed could have a positive impact in a relatively short period.

• As a society, we must learn to value the people who grow our food.  Think about it.  How many people want to enter a profession that they grow up hearing either negative perceptions of or forecasts for an overregulated, under-appreciated tomorrow? Farmers’ children, those most likely to continue the tradition, already understand that they have to sacrifice easy access to some of the more urban amenities we take for granted.  They hear about the problems facing the industry every night at dinner.  Add in sensationalized pseudo-journalist’s exposes, and it becomes difficult to fault them for failing to return after college.

• Think very carefully about the implications of legislation before throwing our backing behind it.  When it comes down to it, although many often forget, our representatives in Washington are just that- our representatives.  As a class totally reliant upon public support to survive, public discourse around issues that impact farming is vital.  Next time someone begins randomly spouting off supposed facts about the farm bill, ethanol, environmental regulations, and so on, ask for proof.  Ask how this affects the people who you depend upon to grow your dinner.  There is a bigger picture. The 98.5 percent of people who have the ability to live off of the farm depend upon the 1.5 percent to sustain them.  Thus, it only follows that the majority should recognize how unfair and punitive legislation impacting farmers impacts everyone in the end.

• Support the people, institutions and industry that, day in and day out, ensure Americans continue to have the safest, most stable food supply in history.  Farmers use incredible, innovative technology and methods to grow food as well as their ability to produce.  Instead of overlooking the miraculous accomplishments of the past decades, during which U.S. farmers increased yields at a break-neck pace while decreasing the inputs used to do so, appreciate the modern marvels in ag.

Farmers, and their work, benefit the country as a whole.  If they age without replacement, the country loses not only a wealth of knowledge, but also the individuals with the skillset and determination to keep our farms up, running and on course to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

With many corporate players caving in to environmental whackos and misinformed consumer groups it is refreshing to see a major player in the restaurant industry like Dominos Pizza tell The Humane Society of the United States to “hold that thought” when they asked them to require pork suppliers to stop housing sows in gestation stalls.

When HSUS asked stockholders to bow down before their warm fuzzy image and the millions in lobbying and PR dollars they wield, Dominos shareholders rejected the resolution.  A Domino’s spokesperson explained that the company relies on animal experts to determine the best way to raise an animal that’s used for food.

Ok, now it is time for full disclosure on my personal bias. Unlike HSUS – that hides behind their false image as the savior of puppies and kitties, while giving a pittance to actual animal shelters.  When I was in college I have to admit to having a real gastronomic romance with Domino’s Pizza. The food was inexpensive which is critical to a student on a budget and they delivered faster than any other food establishment. Also, an important factor for those who get a random hunger for pizza late at night.

I still have that pizza problem today…love it, eat it weekly and still a fan of Dominos. I can openly live with this “pizza problem.”

One has to wonder how HSUS employees sleep at night knowing full well that they are spending their vast resources to drive a vegetarian agenda and hides a lifestyle choice as a moral cause. And they do so while constantly misrepresenting themselves to the general public.

Thankfully many people are taking note of the online “Farmers Paying It Forward with Pizza” campaign that was the brainchild of Clarence, Missouri pork producer and Ag blogger Chris Chinn.

The Brownfield Network became the most recent public entity to take note of Dominos act of corporate heroism. A logical decision really, but heroic none-the-less given the lack of spine and sense of right that seems to have invaded much of corporate America.

So, thanks to Chris, Brownfield and many others for bringing this into the light of day and challenging us all to show support of Dominos. And for the record I like my activism with parmesan sprinkled on top.

Clinging to worn-out rhetoric shrouded in a mindless, trendy façade, these protesters stand against a fundamental principle upon which the nation is based.  The ownership of private property has been held as a fundamental value of American society since the revolution.  The nation’s forefathers enshrined it in the Constitution, and, in doing so, created a country to which many have fled in order to gain this protection.  Placing their judgment above that of the university governing board, state government and of the people which those legislators represent, this fringe group forcibly chose to repurpose land to suit its own agenda.

What did the people who support this university lose?

They lost a valuable asset that provided the university with an outdoor laboratory.  Agricultural research often culminates in necessary field trials that allow scientists to test how new varieties or products will react in circumstances similar to those in which they may ultimately grow.  This land was not a common area without a stated purpose.  These protestors stole a valuable resource.

They lost the valuable time.  Right now, the future food security of the world depends upon agricultural research.   In next 40 years, farmers will need to produce more food than was produced in the last 10,000 years combined to ensure the food supply keeps up with population growth.  In light of this challenge, taking fields used for research into the products which will make this possible is tantamount to taking food from the mouths of those who will need it within our lifetime.

Actions have real consequences.  The “Occupy the Farm” movement has shown how disregard for the basic ground rules governing our society, no matter how supposedly well-intentioned, results in real harm.  Their lack of foresight and careful scrutiny of the possibly consequences of their actions shows the irresponsibility inherent in policies they espouse.

And yet, in their inconsistent little world, it’s perfectly OK for EWG to lobby. An article in The Hill, a prominent Washington newspaper and website, talks about how EWG has hired “top K Street lobbyists” to do battle on the farm bill. On Twitter, EWG President Ken Cook even bragged about it.

The Hill puts it rather succinctly: “EWG is no slouch when it comes to lobbying.” We don’t begrudge them their right to lobby, or even to contract with a powerful millionaire lobbyist firm for that matter. But we do think they should think twice before attacking someone else as a lobbyist. There’s got to be another word, and the English language provides so many other options.

The sign of real fuel freedom.

When we needed to buy new cars last year, my wife and I settled on two late-model used cars – she, a 2009 minivan and me, a 2008 sedan.  One thing we noticed right away were the headrests. They were leaning forward in a way that the older cars did not, and they leaned forward in a way that was a little more uncomfortable than before. Just Google the problem and you will see we are not alone in our complaint.

The headrests come to mind whenever ethanol opponents of a more conservative or libertarian persuasion tell me we need to get rid of ethanol “mandates” like the Renewable Fuel Standard. The fact is, so much in the car you drive is a mandate of one sort or another – sometimes for auto safety, sometimes for energy efficiency, sometimes for cleaner air.  Sometimes, government bureacrats mandate things just because they can.

So, here’s the thing. Take away the RFS and there is still “mandated” fuel at the pumps. Gas station owners can’t just put whatever they want in their pumps, just as consumers are prevented by federal law from mixing alternative fuels themselves. Opposing the RFS because it may be a mandate is pointless.

But there is one ethanol approach that should have libertarians rejoicing. With its E15 waiver, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is allowing gas stations to offer more choice. It’s not a “mandate,” as ethanol opponents wrongly charge – it’s an option.

Taken to its next logical level, the idea of blender pumps allow even more fuel freedom for those who want a greater say in what goes into their car. We’re not forcing a fuel on consumers, we’re liberating the pumps.

Now, if we could just get the headrest problem fixed.

Image courtesy Tricia Braid

Jasmine Dillon, a Texas A&M University graduate student in Animal Breeding, stars in the video which was part of the “Farmers Fight Agvocacy Day” effort by TAMU on April 12.

Among those that Jasmine calls on to “Stand Up” are geneticists, agricultural engineers, food scientists, nutritionists, meat scientists, microbiologists, agronomists, educators and researchers. The TAMU student advocates say they are striving to teach everyone how to care for animals, the land and the importance of producing safe, nutritious food for the world.

“For too long we’ve let others tell our story, and they haven’t told it very truthfully. It’s time for us, as students and advocates of agriculture, to step up and let the world know what great people farmers and ranchers are!”

The video already has nearly 14,000 views on YouTube since last week and has been shared all over the social media networks. Watch it, share it, and Stand Up for agriculture!

Contact farmersfight2012@yahoo.com for more information.

Follow on Twitter and Facebook.

What will this mean?  Possibly nothing, but, then again, it could indicate a variety of outcomes for the 2012 crop.

Higher-than-normal soil temperatures and favorable soil moisture across the Midwest, which weather forecasts suggest will persist, could provide an early window for rapid progress and germination.

For two years now, farmers in many areas have seen lower-than-expected yields due to weather difficulties.  While early, the possibility that 2012 will usher in more favorable conditions and a more bountiful crop is certainly welcome.

Coupling the optimistic outlook early planting demonstrates with estimates that more acres will be planted to corn than since 1937, it becomes possible to envision an abundant harvest this fall.

As any veteran agriculturalist understands, fall remains far in the distance and many troubles could still impede progress.  Just for a moment though, many feel a warm sun beating on their backs as, like every year, they toil in their fields in the hopes that this year will prove better than the last.

Action takes an investment of time, energy and emotion.  With so many tasks requiring daily, immediate attention, who has the time?

Right now, hopefully, many carnivores do.  The New York Times issued a call for essays explaining the ethical case for eating meat this week.  As the winning essay or essays will be published in the news industry heavyweight, a lot is on the line.

For decades, vegetarians and vegans have claimed the ethical high ground in the dietary debate.  Issuing carefully constructed diatribes on the fundamental question of if it is right to eat meat, this minority group has dominated the more bookish discussions underpinning something as fundamental as what people should or should not eat.

While the anti-meat minority has not parlayed its philosophical success into popular adoption of the tenets it espouses, a halo hangs over the heads of those willing to eschew their carnivorous cravings in many American minds.

Instead of blithely dismissing actual vegetarians as too malnourished to win a cultural war, carnivores need to take a stand.  Surely, many meat-eaters consider their consumption ethical.  It is time to climb the ivory tower and issue a proclamation of our own.

Entries are due by April 18 for consideration in the NYT contest.  So, take a moment to ponder while enjoying a pork chop.  Then, put pen to paper.

Silence is oft construed as an admission of the opposing side’s superiority.  Send a message that meat-eaters make ethical dietary decisions.  It just so happens that they are delicious too.

While the New York Times will run only the essays it judges to be “the best”, Corn Commentary also welcomes your submission.  Click here to send a copy of your submission directly to our bloggers.  Then, check back the week of April 23 to view a collection of the best submissions.

Today, National Corn Growers Association staff selflessly participated in just such an experiment for Director of Biofuels Pam Keck.  An accomplished baker, Keck decided to combine her interest in Distillers Dried Grains, an ethanol co-product popularly used in animal feed, with her culinary craftsmanship whipping up a batch of oatmeal cookies.  Splitting the ingredients into two distinct portions, Keck then added a fiber and protein packed punch to one set by mixing DDGs into the dough.

This morning, Keck placed her handiwork in a prime location- directly across from the office coffee service.  As coworkers sauntered in to prepare their caffeine fix, they caught site of the treat.  As anyone who has worked in a similar environment knows, home-baked goods never last long when craftily situated so close to the java.  So, the test began.

As DDGs are not yet widely used in foods produced for human consumption, Keck clearly labeled each batch, knowing that her peers clearly understood the safety and dietary benefits of her addition.  By mid-morning, the piles both dwindled rapidly and, while some voiced a preference for the traditional batch, many found that they preferred the new concoction.

Both varieties of the oatmeal and craisin cookies offered a moist, mildly sweet background punctuated by tart berry bursts, but the version containing DDGs also left a wholesome-tasting nutty flavor with a pleasant chewy texture.  Keck’s culinary acumen certainly played a large role in determining the quality of the cookies, but, without additional alteration to the recipe, the power-packed batch baked to a fantastic finish as well.

The real message of the taste test came across loud and clear to the corn-conscious crowd.  In an era of false food-versus-fuel debate and fever-pitched skirmishes over almost every aspect of nutrition, simple answers still await those willing to explore the possibilities.  An ethanol co-product that packs a nutritional punch into crave-worthy craisin cookies? It is time to wake up and open our eyes to the possibilities just waiting for us, sometimes right next to the coffee.

Now, through simple, concise facts, the National Corn Growers Association is helping sweep aside the clutter and show that corn is, and always has been, a quintessentially American crop, fueling innovation and national growth.

A new NCGA-developed timeline, available both online and as a supplement to the 2012 World of Corn, shows how corn played an integral role in the development of the Model T, the clean air movement and feeding our forefathers as they established the country.  With additional information on production trends that increase yields and sustainability simultaneously and fun facts about corn, this poster-sized infographic makes finding the facts about corn both easy and enjoyable.

Take a minute to stroll through the history of corn in America by clicking here and gaze out at the golden fields that fed and inspired history.