In Agri 130 on September 19th, Ed Kee gave a guest lecture on the profitability of agriculture and how Delaware can play a major role in providing food for American citizens. One reason why Delaware is such a powerhouse, when it comes to supplying agriculture to the eastern United States, is because 1/3 of the of the entire population is within 8 hours of Delaware. This number is essential in understanding why Delaware has been so successful in the agricultural industry, because of the easy access to buyers and markets. In Delaware the total agricultural economic activity is 7.9 billion dollars, all of that money goes back to the farmers and back into the community. Another thing that Ed Kee informed our class about is the abundance of tomatoes in the agricultural community in the 1920’s. Additionally, Ed talked about vegetable processors, and how in 1919 there were 103 in Delaware and currently there are only two, J.G. Townsends in Georgetown, and PictSweet in Bridgeville.

Agriculture has developed rapidly since the early 1900’s when it began to be an industry in Delaware. Some of those things include improvements in irrigation, changes in the genetic makeup of crops, and a better understanding of soil fertility, weed control, and pest management. All of these things have led to Delawares ability to be a leading producer of many products including but not limited to poultry, sweet corn, and lima beans. Ed Kee’s lecture brought insight into many of the reasons why Delaware should be looked at as a FoodShed for the American people.