The phrase “sustainability” is more and more getting used to describe and consider agricultural operations, however the definition of the phrase can range.
For many individuals in agriculture, regardless of which explicit sector it’s, the overuse of the phrase can go away them feeling slightly insecure about their stewardship and administration practices, and even insecure about themselves.
A pair of leaders within the grain sorghum trade not too long ago informed a bunch of producers to not let what others say harm your vanity, as a result of in case you are nonetheless in operation, you might be an instance of a minimum of one definition of sustainable agriculture.
“Sustainability is a type of phrases the place I don’t know if I can outline it, however I acknowledge it after I see it,” Kent Winter, president of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Affiliation, mentioned in the course of the Sorghum U – Wheat U occasion, hosted by the Excessive Plains Journal and held August 9 in Wichita, Kansas.
Winter spoke of a framed map of the township the place he farms, and that map is dated 1905. It lists the names related to the possession of parcels of land proven on the map.
“Most of these (final) names on that map are nonetheless in operation in the present day. Whenever you get to fascinated with it, these generations went by some powerful instances. They went by the ‘30s and people household names are nonetheless round. I feel that’s a recognition of sustainability,” Winter mentioned.
Craig Meeker, chairman of Nationwide Sorghum Producers, shared comparable ideas, which included an emotional recollection of being a scholar rising up in the course of the Eighties farm disaster.
“I made it by the ’80s on farms due to the grit and willpower of the individuals who got here earlier than me,” Meeker mentioned.
“It wasn’t very enjoyable to get to go to high school typically after I didn’t have the identical issues the youngsters on the town had, however you’re sustainable. Don’t let anyone inform you you’re not sustainable. What we’re doing in the present day is passing this land and this lifestyle onto the following technology. You’re sustainable, and there’s ways in which we’re going to study and alter and be extra sustainable, however you’re dadgum positive sustainable. Don’t let that be a grimy phrase, since you are the epitome of sustainability.”
