U.S. Farmers Should Take a Bow on World Environment Day

June 5, 2019

U.S. Farmers Should Take a Bow on World Environment Day

Jun 5, 2019

Key Issues:Sustainability

Author: Mary Quigley

Today is World Environment Day and for U.S. farmers that makes it a great time to celebrate their success in modernizing agriculture and make it more environmentally sustainable. Improved soil management like no till and use of cover crops, precision farming tactics that better utilize nutrients and pesticides, and reducing trips across fields reduces fuel use and air pollution.

 

This list could go on, but suffice it to say, caring for the planet is vital to our survival. As caretakers of massive tracts of land farmers play a key role in improving our environment and they take this responsibility seriously.

 

From the Soil Health Partnership, which is building new soil for future generations; to the Take Action initiative that is constantly educating farmers on the latest and best ways to use crop products like herbicides and pesticides; to our efforts to save honey bees and Monarch butterflies, NCGA is working hard to keep farming profitable and assure environmental improvement.

 

World Environment Day is the United Nations' most important day of the year for promoting awareness and action to protect the environment. It began in 1974 and is a well-known global platform for positive change that is celebrated in over 100 countries.

 

As a farmer, take time today to tell your friends and neighbors about the positive improvements happening in agriculture and how you are making a difference. If you live in the city, you can help too by picking up trash that can end up in our ocean and fill up your car with cleaner burning ethanol fuel. We’re all in this together and enough small actions can lead to big change.