OWGA Initiatives


The Hand That Feeds U.S.

The Hand that Feeds U.S. (THTFU) is a project of Farm Policy Facts that exists to counter the media’s misperceptions about U.S. agriculture, farm policy and renewable fuels on the heels of the 2008 farm bill and in preparation for the next farm bill.

The Ohio Wheat Growers Association and the Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program have recently joined this effort to help promote understanding of wheat growers and farmers in Ohio and around the nation.

This project focuses on reaching out to the media - an audience we all agree can use a farm education.

At the end of May some members of The Hand That Feeds U.S. gathered in New York City for face-to-face meetings with journalists, including reporters from the New York Times, CNN, FOX News and Marketplace (public) radio.

“We met with media outlets that have not always been favorable to production agriculture or farm policy, but that’s the whole point of this campaign,” said former House Agriculture Committee Chairman and THTFU Spokesman Larry Combest.

“These meetings went a long way in building a lasting relationship with key reporters and ensuring they have accurate information about America’s farmers at their fingertips.”

New York City is the first stop in a series of urban media tours—other stops will include Chicago, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles. The HTFTU is online at www.thehandthatfeedsus.org

Biotech

Farmers around the world utilizing biotechnology are growing more crops in a more environmentally sustainable
manner, according to a report issued this week from the United Kingdom-based PG Economics.

The PG Economics annual Global Impact Study quantifies the impact of agricultural biotechnology on the environment and on farmer incomes since biotech’s commercialization in 1996.

A record 13.3 million farmers in 25 countries are now using agricultural biotechnology. According to the 128-page study, the use of biotech crops has contributed significantly to environmental sustainability by reducing the release of greenhouse gas emissions from less fuel use and additional soil carbon storage from reduced tillage. In 2007, this reduction was equivalent to removing nearly 6.3 million cars from the road for one year.

The study also showed reduction in the need for pesticide spraying, indicating that for the years 1996-2007, global pesticide applications were reduced by 8.8 percent. The use of biotech crops has provided substantial net economic benefits at the farm level amounting to $10.1 billion in 2007 and $44.1 billion for the 12-year period. Of the total farm income benefit, 46.5 percent has been due to yield gains, with the balance arising from reductions in the cost of production.

The study also provided further evidence that the use of biotech crops has helped to increase productivity and crop yields. It showed corn production saw a 7.6 percent gain, cotton production saw a 19.8 percent gain and canola saw a 8.5 percent gain.

There is currently no commercial production of biotech wheat in the world.

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OSGMP Initiatives

OSGMP is currently working on expanding wheat markets in Ohio by helping integrate more whole wheat products in schools. The OSGMP board of directors is also looking into funding research programs for wheat improvement, to stop wheat diseases and increase yields.