Farming feeds people and environment

As a local corn farmer, I was pleased recently to read about a new Stanford University study that stresses the importance of what I do on the farm.

According to this study, advances in high-yield farming have prevented massive amounts of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere - the equivalent of

590 billion metric tons

of carbon dioxide.

The study adds that, if not for increased yields, additional greenhouse gas emissions from clearing land for farming would have been equal to as much as a third of the world's total output of greenhouse gases since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in 1850.

Modern farming has been recognized as the best way to feed a growing world, but it's great to see that it is also important for our environment. I'm proud of what I do, and I hope that government at all levels, from City Hall to Capitol Hill, will continue to support American agriculture.

Al Schafbuch

Dysart