The Rural Voice, 1998-02, Page 28Ducks usually appear
calm and serene, but
under the water they're
paddling like the
dickens. That's how I feel
most of the time. You're
either ducking to get out of
the way, or dodging so you
won't get run over.
Run over by what? New
technology, that's what!
The only consoling fact is
that I don't feel that I'm alone.
I've had the opportunity to
talk to a lot of growers lately.
Perth County Soil & Crop
meeting back in December;
Michigan Ag Conference,
January 5 - 7; Ridgetown Ag
Conference, January 7 - 8;
Ontario Coloured Bean
Growers, January 12; and the
Huron Soil & Crop meeting
evening of January 12. The
common question on
everyone's mind was "What's
working, what's not working
and where's this danged thing
headed?"
Now, that's the same
question that Keith Roulston
asked me and that's why I'm
writing this. Why is everybody
pickin' on me? I'm not even sure
that I know, I just spend most of my
time trying to get outta the way! I
can tell you one thing though, I fully
expect to say "I don't know" as many
times in the next two or three years
as I have in the past 10.
That's a pretty sobering thought,
now that I see those very words
If you're not
confused you
don't know
what's really
going on!!!!
Thoughts on the rapid
changes in cropping
By Mervyn Erb
typed on my screen by my own two
fingers. But let's review a couple of
things before we get totally
discouraged. Besides, it ain't all that
bad.
This rapidity of change will cause
huge logistical problems for the
entire agricultural industry. The
technology we use will be changing
almost daily, taxing our minds in our
effort to remain current.
The most profound change
well might be the evolution of
the North American farmer. I
recently read an article
regarding precision
agriculture: 10 per cent of
American farmers are
enthusiastically embracing this
technology; 40 per cent are
taking a "wait 'n see" attitude;
the other 50 per cent are
hoping they can retire before
they have to deal with it!
Technology is moving so fast
we are starting to see a
division in management
philosophies (grower classes)
much like social classes.
Those last two paragraphs
are not new or original. I
wrote them last year for this
same article, but they are still
true and quite correct and will
be so for the next several years
as we attempt to get our heads
around all this new stuff.
Helping growers implement
new technology was the
springboard that got me into
business and year-round
management programs back in
1988. The new post -
emergence herbicides that entered the
markets in the 1990s were a major
key in the success of many
consultants. Allowing us to replace
soil -applied "insurance -type"
treatments with more intensive
management, utilizing scouting
programs to spot treat and better
Rapidity of change poses huge
logistical problems for agriculture.
24 THE RURAL VOICE