Farm Bureau salutes farmers on Earth Day

As America prepares for the 34th annual Earth Day celebration on April 22, the president of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation says, “for farmes and ranchers, every day is Earth Day.” Because its survival depends on the condition of the land and water, agriculture has been a leader in the area, continuously adopting new procedures that preserve the land while producing safe and affordable food and fiber.

“Agriculture is more sustainable today than ever before,” said Flavius Barker, president of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. “Biotechnology is one of the new tools that hold great promise for even more environmentally sound practices in agriculture.”

Advances in biotechnology are already changing the face of modern farming processes. Biotech research has developed plants that can defend themselves from pests, dramatically reducing the need for pesticides.

Other technologies are aiding Tennessee farmers and ranchers, as well. With the implementation of global positioning satellites and infrared sensors, farmers can detect more precise areas of infestations in their crops, further limiting the need for chemical applications. Before these technologies were available, farmers were using integreted pest management or controlling crop-eating insects with their own natural enemies. Newer soil conservation techniques are keeping rivers and streams cleaner and conservation tillage keeps soil on the fields and out of waterways.

By early 2004, farmers, ranchers and other landowners had installed 1.54 million miles of conservation buffers under a USDA initiative. Agriculture producers who install buffers can improve the soil, air and water quality; enhance wildlife habitat, restore biodiversity and create scenic landscapes.