A well-knowledged, experienced man, Ed Kee’s’guest lecture was rich with interesting facts about the Delaware foodshed, dating from George Washington’s presidency to the present.  Once the State Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Kee had loads of information to share with us about just how heavy in agriculture Delaware truly is. He shared with us some staggering statistics, such as 41% of Delaware’s land mass is strictly farmland, and that 25% of it is permanently preserved for farmland.  He also informed us that agriculture always has been and continues to be extremely prevalent in the state’s economy, totalling to a whopping $7.9 billion in economic activity. He walked us through the evolution of Delaware agriculture, which started as a strong vegetable producer, then became a large participant in the fruit and canning industries, and eventually became the poultry powerhouse it is today, producing astronomical numbers in poultry and corn, which helps feed the millions of chickens present today.  He informed us of the various challenges agriculture faces today as population continues to grow exponentially, emphasizing that agricultural production must grown by 70-100% before 2050 in order to feed the planet. But with these challenges comes an exciting time to be in agriculture, and he is confident in the upcoming generation and its abilities.