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Hi, I'm Amanda! My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm also a practicing attorney.

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Forbes: Agriculture is A Big Deal, Assaults Need to Stop

December 18, 2013

Had to share this excellent Op-Ed piece of Steve Forbes, President of Forbes Media (as it appeared in the Houston Chronicle):

American agriculture is a big deal. It is science-driven, profitable, more environmentally attuned than ever and in a real sense, feeding the world.

Yet unlike other key drivers of the economy in the U.S. or Texas, outside of this industry, no one appears to notice it – which is unfortunate because this vital piece of the economy is under assault in a way that will harm the ability of the world to feed itself.

The business of farming has undergone a total transformation over the past quarter-century – so much so, we now refer to it as “agribusiness.” The advent of everything from GPS receivers in farm equipment to track planting, fertilizing and harvesting; to microanalysis of cropland to closely calibrate seed types to soil conditions; to using the Internet to get the best prices for input purchases to when to sell crops and livestock, has created a system where in 2012, 2.2 million farms in the U.S. (roughly 250,000 in Texas) had cash receipts totaling $390 billion for both crops and livestock.

Of our exports, agriculture is one of the largest segments: according to a paper by the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress, in 2012 it made up fully 10 percent of all exports in 2012. In fiscal year 2013, agricultural exports ran a trade surplus of $38.5 billion. And a U.S. Department of Agriculture model shows each $1 billion of agricultural exports supports about 6,800 jobs.

A critical piece of the agricultural export puzzle is domestic infrastructure. The perishable nature of most agricultural products means a slight delay at a rail yard or truck terminal can yield a ruined shipment.

Plans to build new, major shipping terminals in the Pacific Northwest that would boost our ability to increase exports are under government scrutiny, not because anyone is opposed to providing new facilities for shipping agricultural goods to Pacific Rim nations, especially China, but because they will also move domestic coal to fuel Chinese power plants.

Environmentalists who oppose carbon-based energy, led by organizations like the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council, are fighting to a stalemate against unions, regional shippers and the broader business community. Agriculture and all other exporting industries are collateral damage.

But American farming’s prodigious output is possible because American biotechnology leads the world. The green revolution will rival and surpass the industrial revolution for its effect on the everyday quality of life of billions of people who live at or below subsistence levels.

In addition, biotechnology married to agriculture means we use less fertilizer and make fewer passes over fields with heavy equipment, and better soil conservation while producing bigger yields.

Yet American agriculture has become a magnet for negative attention from the professional, activist left. As a nation, if we are not careful, this underappreciated economic gem will cede its future to antibusiness activists who use a variety of political and regulatory ploys to substitute scare tactics for science in our food systems.

Over the past two decades, European activists have exported their Luddite views and implemented bans preventing the planting of bioengineered crops in all but four African nations: Sudan, Egypt, Burkina Faso and South Africa.

We are not immune to bad ideas. Dozens of states have considered affirmative labeling mandates in spite of a clear U.S. Food and Drug Administration standard for safety of all food products and a marketplace rich in information about our food including an Organic Standard.

America’s farmers are the linchpin meeting the increasing food demands of a rapidly growing middle class around the world. As population soars toward 9 billion people, we must understand what drives economic growth and where discovery is happening.

Agriculture is where an ecosystem of farmers and scientists provides the highest-quality products to Americans’ tables, employs millions of workers and is saving lives around the globe. It is time to take note.

(Source: AgriMarketing and USFRA)

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: celebrities, FDA, GMO, promoting ag, science, technology, truth

Hi, I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney and I'm passionate about agriculture!

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thefarmersdaughterusa

I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney by day, and "agvocate" at night.

Amanda Zaluckyj
Some of the #soybeans are starting to turn--finall Some of the #soybeans are starting to turn--finally!
Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. I took Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. 

I took this photo over the weekend. These beans should be turning yellow and drying for harvest. So why aren't they? Because...the spring drought.

Seeds need water to germinate. But after we planted we didn't have rain for weeks. So those seeds just sat in the dirt and never sprouted. Then, finally, it rained. And the tiny plants started popping up.

The problem? It was several weeks too late for planting. The question is whether they'll be ready to harvest before the snow flies. We have shorter seasons in Michigan, so it'll be close.
Sunsets on the #farm are the best. ๐Ÿ˜ Sunsets on the #farm are the best. ๐Ÿ˜
๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ
Don't let anyone make you feel bad about not purch Don't let anyone make you feel bad about not purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. It all counts.

#modernagriculture #foodproduction #usfarmers #usagriculture #usfarms #food #knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood #modernag #farms #sustainableagriclture #sustainablefarming
I visited one of my favorite local farm stands ove I visited one of my favorite local farm stands over the weekend. I thought I'd buy a couple zucchini and cantaloupe. But the zucchini looked more like clubs, and the cantaloupe was too ripe for my taste. So I passed on those and bought some tomatoes that maybe cost more than I would have preferred.

But you know what I didn't do? I didn't complain about the zucchinis' size. I didn't fuss about the melons' ripeness. I didn't criticize the tomatoes' price. Instead, I smiled at the lovely lady and made small talk as I paid and went about my day. 

Why? Because I remember what it was like being out by the side of the road hot day after hot day. I know that we all poured everything we had into that produce. I remember how defeating it felt when some criticized it. I know that the price is probably around market value, even if it's cheaper in the grocery store. And I know that the farm family behind that cash register is giving everything they have to chase a dream.

I won't be the one to rain on their parade. 

#Respect
Happy #nationaldogday from Mischa! #nationaldogda Happy #nationaldogday from Mischa!

#nationaldogday๐Ÿถ 
#pittiemix 
#blacklab 
#mischa
Mischa and I are home on the farm for the weekend. Mischa and I are home on the farm for the weekend. And we're loving it.
It isn't one or the other. Farmers care about all It isn't one or the other. Farmers care about all of it.

#agriculture #farming #sustainablefarming #sustainability
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