GREENVILLE — Bill Klein, 86, of near New Madison, Ohio, believes folks should understand agriculture.
“I watch agriculture grow, and right now we are talking about producing, per person, a tremendous amount that we never dreamed of,” Klein said. “The notion that we are going to eat ourselves out of existence is nonsense, because we keep increasing the amount of production per acre, per person. We have two million farmers to feed 325 million Americans, plus export a significant amount, and we can still do better with what we have with our agricultural knowledge today. That keeps improving. We thought 100 bushels of corn per acre was great, now 300 bushels are fairly easy attainable and some people are talking about 500 bushels per acre. The possibilities in terms of food production in an advanced agricultural economy like ours – we haven’t anywhere near reached a maximum possibility.”
“Why would you want to come across the United States in a covered wagon to get a piece of land?” he asked. “Farming has tremendous difficulty, but there is that yearning for something of your own. I have a 22-year-old grandson who is just starting into agriculture – boot strapping it, and doing fairly well. I am building cattle gates for him. He is working 40 to 50 hours a week, just finished his two-year degree in Ag Business, and is starting a livestock business. He also spends time on his computer, evaluating food rations and such. There was a period of time when we wondered; who is going to do the farming? I encourage my grandson, but there is an awful lot built into him, as is into my son. I’ve always been a frustrated farmer. There are people like them, who work really work hard and love the work. With all of its hardships, there is a love of it. There are more and more of these young people instead of less and less. Praise the Lord that it is going on, because we will still be eating less expensively than any other people in the world.”
Klein said he has spent some time learning about agriculture. Among other merits, he has earned a Master’s in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor’s in Animal Husbandry. He has been involved in agriculture for over 60 years, including agricultural projects in Kenya, Egypt and Brazil, he said. Years ago he raised sheep, and he grew up in dairy, learning to pasteurize bottle and deliver milk.
“That is when we had milk in bottles and we would put it on your porch,” he said. “People should be less concerned about shortages, and more concerned about balancing it all out. There is a difference between what farmers can absolutely produce and what they should be producing and to understand the demand. Right now, there are oversupplies in poultry and dairy. It is hard to balance all of that out. That is what the farmers are tasked with.”
For those who want to take Klein’s advice and learn more about agriculture, or for those who already well-informed, the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will sponsor the Farm Science Review (FSR) September 19-21. The Molly Caren Agricultural Center (MCAC) near London, Ohio, is home to the FSR, and attracts upwards of 140,000 visitors that visit to peruse 4,000 product lines from 600 commercial exhibitors, and learn the latest in agricultural production. The educational programs feature Ohio State and Purdue specialists and are second to none in the agricultural exhibition world, according to the website. Ohio State University Extension Educator of Agriculture and Natural Resources Sam Custer said anyone who has any interest in agriculture should attend the Farm Science Review.
“If you have any interest, from: my family did this when i was a kid – to I want to know where my food is coming from, you want to be there,” he said.
The 80-acre exhibit area allows visitors and exhibitors to experience all aspects of agriculture production. Inside the exhibit area are the static displays, but the FSR dedicates over 600 acres of land for field demonstrations such as corn and soybean combines, tillage, nutrient and lime applications and drainage installations. Some other exhibits include wildflowers; the Master Gardeners’ large flower garden; drone demonstrations and usage and the newest farm equipment, including cars and trucks.
“It is probably one of the top five farm shows in the country, due to the volume of exhibitors and the attendance, Custer said. “They have an “Ask the Expert” area, and every 20 minutes they cover a new topic. My topic, “Getting your Business Plans in Order”, will take place Thursday afternoon. In addition, we will take our manure sidedress toolbar attachment that we have here in the county, and place it in corn that is getting planted this week. You will also see some late-season nitrogen equipment sitting in corn that is going to be tasseling. It should be a really nice display with a lot of us working that area to answer questions.”
The Farm Science Review takes place at Ohio State’s 2,100-acre Molly Caren Agricultural Center, located two miles north of London, on U.S. Route 40. For more information, visit https://fsr.osu.edu
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
