Mark Lynas makes a good argument for the benefits of GMO’s and I thoroughly agree with him. The backlash directed towards GMOs is lead by the elite few who have the privilege of being able to choose between “Natural” and genetically modified. Unfortunately, the general public still has a lack of knowledge regarding GMOs and their benefits. Most people are scared of GMOs, and have the right to be, because they are uneducated on their benefits and how genetically modified actually works. In the year 2050 there will be over 9 billion people to feed on less ground, new and innovative ways of growing crops to feed the hungry will have to implemented and GMOs will lead the way, so long as the rest of the world accepts them.
Lynas could have explained his reason for switching his opinion a little better though. He was very focused on explaining the benefits of higher yields and what other countries think of GMOs, which is a good argument, however he should have described how genetic modification works more thoroughly. He also should have explained his reasoning for beginning his research rather than his explanation being that someone commented saying that he should.
The first field trip for Understanding Delaware Agriculture this Fall semester was to Georgie Cartanza’s organic chicken farm. Ms. Cartanza owns and operates four organic chicken houses raising 156,000 birds for Perdue Foods. Upon arriving at the farm, we put on Tyvek suits and plastic boot covers to maintain bio-security in the houses. As we entered the houses, we also had to step in chlorine powder to ensure there were no contaminants entering the houses. These bio-security measures were taken to prevent the chickens from being harmed by any outside pathogens. Each of Ms. Cartanza’s houses were up to date with automated feeders and waterers and tunnel ventilation, all controlled by control boxes located in each house. All 4 houses have alarm systems in them that directly alert Georgie when there is a malfunction with the climate control of the houses, or if there is any other immediate dangers. The temperature and climate inside the houses is regulated using tunnel ventilation and cooling pads. Tunnel ventilation is the process of pulling air through the house from one end to the other usinf large fans. Cooling pads are large corrugated pads that hang at one end of the house and circulate water through them. Using the tunnel ventilation, the air that is pulled through the pads is able to cool the entire chicken house by 20 degrees.
Being an organic grower means that Ms. Cartanza has to provide certain amenities to the chickens that are not required for conventional production. The houses must have windows and natural light as well as doors and access to the outside if the chickens choose to go out. Bully boxes are added to give chickens an escape if they are being attacked by other chickens and ramps for enrichment. These amenities plus the organic feed which comes from Argentina and Turkey are the main differences between organic and conventional chickens.
The second trip of the fall semester for PLSC167 was to Fifer’s Orchard in Camden Wyoming Delaware. Fifer’s Orchard is a family run farm that grows a variety of crops with their biggest money-makers being sweet corn and pumpkins. During the trip Bobby Fifer explained to us the entire process the operation goes through from growing, to harvest, to packing, and finally their different forms of retail. Planting, harvesting, and packing are the most labor intensive practices for Fifers. At peak, Fifers hires over 100 H-2A workers to man the tasks. H-2A is a program that allows employers to bring in foreign workers to America for seasonal work. The farm also has its own packing line for apples and other products it grows. Fifers market their products by supplying Walmart and giant with produce while also maintaining their own retail store. They also manage an 18 week Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program called the Delaware Box. Patrons of the Delaware Box pay for a share of the harvest at the beginning of the year return for a box full of what crops are being harvested every other week. The boxes are filled at the farm and shipped to one of 8 pick up points determined by Fifers.
The third field trip of the fall semester for Understanding Delaware Agriculture was to Hoober Inc. in Middletown Delaware. Hoobers is a Case IH Agricultural Equipment Dealer that is invested in new technology. On the tour, we were taken through the shop and saw the complexity of tractors and how difficult they are to work on. We then toured the equipment yard and saw the comparison between 1980’s combine and tractor technology and brand new technology. We were then demonstrated on and allowed to drive a tractor equipped with GPS and auto-steer. The technician explained how to map a path for the tractor and then match it to the GPS and let the system take over. Along with the GPS guided tractor, a drone with GPS was also demonstrated. The drone is being marketed to farmers for scouting fields using high powered cameras. Drones can also be used to observe irrigation patterns and where crops are being starved of nutrients. There has been testing on using drones to scout for animals in heat that are kept in large herds. These drones are also being marketed to construction companies to map out sites, and take videos of resorts for the tourism industry.
James Adkins, from the UD Carvel Research center gave a lecture on the different types of irrigation used in Delaware, and some of the new technological advances associated with irrigation. The three main types of irrigation are center pivot, sub-surface drip, and traveling gun. A center pivot system is a long pipe line above the crop that pivots in a circle around a pump and pushes water through a series of nozzles, applying water in the most efficient way. Sub-surface drip irrigation is a system that is implemented below vegetable fields and pushes water through pipes in the ground that have pinholes in them and allow the water to percolate into the soil. A traveling gun system is a high pressure nozzle on the end of a pipe that is pulled by a tractor and arcs water onto a field. Center pivot irrigation is the most popular and most efficient, second is sub-surface drip, an third is traveling gun.
New technology in irrigation is zone control on center pivot systems. This allows the system to apply water heavier or lighter in areas where it is needed, cutting down on water use and maximizing application and efficiency. Nozzles are also being developed for more even application of water. Drones are also being used to observe where plants are being over or under watered using NVDI, or Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, a graphical indicator of how the field is performing.
Dan Severson, the New Castle County livestock extension agent, gave a lecture on livestock in Delaware. He noted that the number of farms and herds is decreasing however production is holding steady. Beef is the largest meat consumed per capita followed by pork and chicken. Severson also noted that sheep and goat production is on the rise for meat and dairy production. Goat and sheep milk can be used to drink, make cheese, and other items such as soaps and lotions. While goat dairy is on the rise, traditional dairy is not. Delaware currently has 36 dairy farms milking 4800 cows totaling $19 million. Most of the dairy farms are operated by the Amish population. He also mentioned the fact that some farmers are growing emu, bison and apiaries.
Mark Davis gave the class a lecture on the Harness Racing Industry in Delaware and how it affects the economy of the state. It was interesting to hear about how slot machines have revitalized the industry and how the purses are divided up among the owners, trainers, drivers and veterinarians. I have grown up around race horses, my farm bordering a horse farm in Maryland that has had several winners, the most famous being Cigar. Harness racing however, was new to me. I am used to thoroughbred and steeplechase horses. It was refreshing to hear that there is another aspect of horse racing that people still enjoy.
The final field trip for Plant Science 167 was to the University of Delaware’s research farm in Newark where we met with Farm Superintendent Scott Hopkins who gave us a tour of all the different factions of the research farm. First, we boarded the bus at Townsend hall and got an introduction on Scott and what it means to be a farm superintendent. We then drove past Fisher Greenhouse and Allen lab which is a bio-security level 3 and is where researchers perform experiments on poultry diseases and other viruses. After the lab was the wetlands that weave through the entire farm and provide a study area for students in the wildlife ecology and resource management programs. Mr. Hopkins explained that maintaining the wetlands is a constant battle because the stream drains all the runoff from Newark and brings invasive species of weeds into the marsh. After the wetlands is the apiary containing anywhere from 800,000 to 1.2 million bees that raise honey to be sold in the creamery and help study colony collapse and pollination. There’s also a study on rice patties located near the apiary and the chicken houses. At the beef, sheep, and equine farm we were educated on the buildings used to study the horses, how compost is managed on the farm, how the sheep are used to educate students, and forages used to feed the animals. We then got back on the bus and went to the dairy farm where Scott showed us the milking parlor, forage study barn, and explained the different genetics of dairy cows and answered any questions we had.
The final guest speaker to visit Plant Science 167 was Dave Mayonado from Monsanto. Mr. Mayonado is responsible for developing products on the East Coast and marketing them to farmers while also directing research on the weeds in the Mid-Atlantic area. He talked about the new biotechnology that is being developed by Monsanto and their competitors. This includes GMOs and all the different types of seeds and chemicals that are being developed and marketed for different areas and applications. One of the newest and most exciting projects according to Mr. Mayonado is RNAi, or RNA interference. RNA interference cancels genes to help them fight disease compared to GMOs which add genes to the organism. RNAi is used in plants but is being researched on its benefits in the medical arena. Dave Mayonado’s take home message was always be flexible, his degree was in chemistry and had no knowledge of agriculture until he did a summer internship working with weeds on Virginia Tech’s research farm. He said the key to being successful in industry is being able to handle change and be responsible for your actions.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, was a secretive, national trade agreement between 12 Pacific Rim countries, not including China, that would have extended restrictive intellectual property laws across the world and rewrite the rules on its enforcement. Intellectual property is any invention or product that results from an individual’s design, the individual has the right to the design which allows them to apply for a patent, copyright, etc. The TPP was designed to ease trade between the countries that ratify it, in a perfect world it would reduce tariffs, support the creation and retention of jobs, and promote good governance. Many, however feel that the TPP will only protect large corporations who have a lot of power already, due to the fact that the trade committees are made up of large corporation representatives. The TPP has been met with a lot of opposition from both sides of the political arena. This is due mainly to how complicated the agreement is. The document itself is 5600 pages long and encompasses topics from tariff barriers to currency manipulation. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is another topic of hot debate that has far more grey area than it does hard facts. It takes due diligence to be able to form a well rounded opinion of the agreement.
A Class Journal for UDel CANR AGRI 130
