Headline : WEATHER OR NOT?

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Most of us have heard the old sayings regarding weather and farming including, “Don't plant until the barn swallows return,” and “Wait until the oak leaves are as big as a squirrel's ear.” These, and many other sayings, were tied to observations and farming in sync with what Mother Nature was telling us in terms of heat accumulation, insect activity, etc. They were used to provide guidance for crop establishment and crop growth prior to our increasing reliance on technology.  We have been sold on the promise that technology will “make your life easier.”

I think it's safe to say everything has consequences, or as we refer to it, compounding and cascading effects.  In the past few decades of production ag, we have been laser focused on high yields. It's all we can think about, and it’s what we brag about.  Our focus on ecosystem health and biodiversity has taken a backseat. Our natural systems are out of balance, and micro-climates have been significantly impacted.

The other day, while doing chores, Ag Talk was on the radio with the hosts discussing current markets and events. During the segment, they interviewed an analyst regarding the national corn yield average and how we were below trendline yields. He stated that by 2060, we were going to be completely farmed out of productive soil and pressured to feed a global population.  His elevated delivery was comparable to a teapot rising to a boil. After yields were discussed, the guest and host concluded that reduced yields were due to weather that didn't work in our favor.

The same week I heard that radio talk show, I received a weekly farm newspaper that frequently has Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) as a topic. The article provided updates on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loads, and indicated farmers were behind on this objective, attributing the lag to, you guessed it, weather.

Read more from the original article on here at understandingag.com.

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