We raise Corn, Soybeans and Wheat on a rotational basis meaning – 95 % of the acres we farm will have one year corn followed by one-year of soybeans and so forth.
- The other 5% will be planted to a continuous corn crop due to extreme deer populations in certain areas.
- We only raise about 300 acres of winter wheat annually and those acres are planted near the home farm usually.
GMO stands for“genetically modified organism.” GMOs are created by intentionally making a copy of a gene for a desired trait from one plant or organism and using it in another plant. Farmers have been using selective breeding to alter crops for taste, yield and disease resistance for hundreds of years. GMOs simply speed up that process.
Which crops are genetically modified?
- Sugar Beets
- Corn
- Alfalfa
- Papaya
- Soybeans
- Cotton
- Squash
The USDA has approved several additional GMO crops that are in the process of being commercialized.
Protecting Our Environment
- GMO crops allow farmers to apply pesticides in a more targeted way, reducing their overall use.
- Herbicide-tolerant crops allow farmers to plow less often, which means fewer trips across the field and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
- GMOs have been bred to resist drought, and new varieties are in development that will use nitrogen and other resources more efficiently.
Keeping Food Costs Down
- Corn and soybeans are ingredients in many food products, and are also used to feed the animals that produce our meat, milk and eggs.
- GMO’s boost yields and protect crops from tough conditions like droughts. That means more food is available at lower prices for consumers.
Improving Nutrition
- In the future, GMOs could help reduce allergies and improve nutrition in common crops. For example:
- Golden Rice that helps deliver vitamin A to children in developing nations.
- Pineapple with lycopene, which may help prevent certain types of cancers.
- Peanuts with very low allergen levels that could eliminate life-threatening allergies.