What Goes Into Ensuring Holidays Meals?

As you prepare to break bread this holiday season, how often do American consumers think about the farmers that make that meal possible?  And how many consumers think about the tools in the farmer’s toolbox to keep that food affordable?

Jessica Christiansen, Head of Bayer’s Crop Science Communications, said most consumers don’t appreciate how challenging food production is.  And one of the keys to success she notes is innovation, allowing farmers to produce more on per acre while using fewer inputs and ideally being profitable.

“If those things don't happen, then food prices will continue to be pressured at the end of the chain in the grocery store. Innovation is super critical to that. I mean, farming's hard, as I said. So, they, a farmer has to deal with weeds and diseases, bugs, changing weather patterns. So, we have to, as Bayer, companies like Bayer, that's what we do. We have innovation at our heart and we have to provide a continuous toolbox for our farmers to really be able to combat all these problems and pressures they have.”

Innovation Helps Farmers Address A Host Of Problems

Christiansen added innovation plays a key role allowing farmers to stay ahead of the many curveballs Mother Nature tries to throw each and every year.  And that means inputs need to evolve as well.

“If we don't keep that funnel open, you know, just in that crop protection example, if we didn't have crop protection tools, it could cost American families like up to $10 billion more a year, $10 billion more a year in food cost. That's how important innovation is.”

How Does Science Impact Your Everyday Life?

Christiansen says this holiday season, while enjoying all of that great food, she asks everyone visit their Website and think about the role science, technology and innovation plays in your every day life.  And she asks that everyone thanks farmers for all the hard work they do.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com