Climate change an opportunity for Iowa farmers
Last month, Iowa celebrated the legacy of one of agriculture's greatest innovators and humanitarians: Norman Borlaug.
Like Borlaug, Iowa farm kids have often delivered important innovations to meet the demands of a growing world. Henry Wallace's work on high-yield hybrid corn is one example. Those Iowans who develop and produce renewable energy from biofuels and wind are also doing their part to tackle today's tough issues.
However, when it comes to the problem of global climate change, Iowa agriculture is taking a pass. The consequences of climate change are real, they are here and promise to get much worse. But much of American agriculture in general, and we Iowa farmers in particular, appear to be tone deaf to its demands.
The fight against global climate change is not merely an environmental problem. It's a human problem. Life on the planet will continue, but human life is going to become progressively more difficult. Climate change promises to exacerbate huge problems of income inequality, health outcomes, resource allocation and conflict.
I believe the human spirit is capable of solving our problems, and those who develop the solutions will reap the benefits. Iowa farmers have led the world in solving similar human problems. We are best positioned to lead the world in solving this one. Unlike other industries, the working lands of agriculture can be used to generate carbon-negative energy sources and to pull carbon from the atmosphere to put back in the ground.
Unfortunately, the culture of Iowa agriculture is encouraging farmers to deny the human causes of climate change despite the overwhelming scientific evidence. Our reluctance to embrace the opportunities for innovation offered by this crisis means others will reap the benefits. Our farms will adapt technologies developed by farmers in other parts of the world.
While previous generations of Iowa farmers started seed companies, equipment manufacturers and entire livestock industries that continue to drive Iowa's economy, my own generation appears ready to sit back and watch Brazilian, Chinese and European farmers race ahead to solve the human problem of climate change.
We farmers need to stop denying the human causes of this crisis. We need to call out the hypocrisy of leaders who champion STEM for our youth but then deny the overwhelming scientific evidence linking climate change to human activity.
Our commodity organizations and farm groups need to embrace the potential in this battle. We need to integrate water quality, soil health and carbon farming innovations. We need to unleash the power of our universities.
As Iowans, we need to roll up our sleeves, embrace the battle, compete for innovative bragging rights, cash the checks from delivering what the world needs, and pat ourselves on the back for helping save humanity. This is what Iowa agriculture has always done.
THE AUTHOR:
MATTHEW RUSSELL is a fifth-generation farmer from Lacona and the state food policy project coordinator for the Drake University Agricultural Law Center. Contact: matt.russell@drake.edu.