Steglich Farm Facts

Interesting Farming Facts

In investment circles, farming is known as the "Ultimate Speculation". When you gamble with Mother Nature you are betting with the most ruthless opponent in existence.

Farmers comprise less than 1% of the population of the U.S., yet that 1% feeds the other 99% and has exports to feed the other countries of the would. American framers produce 16% of the world's food on just 7% of the world's land. Modern fertilizer and crop protection techniques allow us too produce today's food supply with 2.4 million farm workers In the 1930's our current food supply would have required 31 million farm worker to get the job done.

Since 1977, the soviet Union Lost 13% of it's grain acreage to erosion. In a 19-year Australian study, a conventionally tilled area was compared to a conservation tillage area. The high tillage fields lost soil to erosion at a rate 31 times of the conservation tillage area. More farmers using reduced tillage and leave at least 30% of the crop residue in the field after planting. Residue reduces soil erosion and the amount of fertilizer required to produce the next crop.Today, farmers are practicing reduce tillage on 100 million acres to improve soil quality and reduce erosion. In addition, 26 million acres are farmed in strips to further prevent erosion. A reduced-tillage or no-till field will save six-tenths of an inch of water per acre per year. BIG DEAL, HUH! Well, that's a 16,000 gallons reduction in water requirements for each acre. It only takes 20,00 gallons of water to produce 1 bushel of wheat and that can make 73 one pound loaves of bread. a loaf of bread contains about 1250 calories which is about one half of the average American's diet for one day.

Without the help of crop protection produces, food prices would be about 40% higher than they are to day. A basket of food worth $47.10 in Washington ,D.C., coast $54.91 in London. $73.32 in Paris and $158.09 in Tokyo.