When I grew up in Eastern Arkansas, the average corn yield was approximately 60 bushels per acre. Now, the average production for the U.S. is about 170 bushels per acre. One of the biggest reasons for this tremendous improvement in yield is biotechnology, known to you as GMOs.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recently published a report proving that genetically engineered crops used by today's farmers are safe for people, animals and the environment. With GMOs introduced 20 years ago and now planted on more than 90 percent of corn, soybean and cotton acres, they help our crops increase productivity, withstand drought and fight disease.
As a former chairman for U.S. Poultry and Egg Association and board member of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, I am proud to support biotechnology because it allows farmers to grow the most desirable crops in the most environmentally and sustainable manners possible.
Whether grown conventionally or organically, all farming methods are viable options to meet consumer demand for a variety of products. Yet activist groups try to polarize farmers who have differing production practices, which shouldn't be the case because we share a common goal to feed people and provide nourishment across the globe.
GMOs have been a big win for sustainability as farmers not only use less land per bushel, they require less water and utilize pesticides and herbicides more precisely. With arable land continuing to dwindle and the world population continually increasing, GMOs can help farmers grow more crops with less land. Our crops that are genetically engineered now fight diseases to protect the foods we love and the industries that grow them.
Also, farmers are able to use no-till practices with GMO seeds which tolerate specific herbicides, making weed control simpler and more efficient. This method of growing crops without tilling the soil reduces nutrient runoff and soil erosion, which helps our rivers. No-till additionally requires less irrigation because our fields retain soil moisture better, all while maintaining the crops' yield, safety and nutritional value.
I've been in the poultry business for many years and, to paint a picture of the industry, per capita consumption of poultry in 1960 was 34.3 pounds per person. In 2015, it more than tripled to 108 pounds per person in the United States.
Both chickens and turkeys eat a lot of corn and soybean meal, and without GMOs, it likely wouldn't have been possible to feed this country and the world's growing appetite for poultry, especially at a cost where it's affordable for all consumers.
Likewise, as small-business owners, using this technology helps farmers and ranchers make our business more profitable through sustainable methods. It protects the family farms that produce a majority of today's food supply.
Preserving air, water, soil and habitat is a priority for our farms, and GMOs allow agriculture to remain sustainable in everything we do. We strive to improve the environment around our farms and ensure our practices have a limiting impact on our surroundings to maintain a vibrant and healthy community.
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Monty Henderson of Fayetteville is past chairman of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, board member of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, and poultry industry executive formerly at George's Inc., Pilgrim's Pride, Tyson Foods and Campbell Soup.
Editorial on 07/02/2016