Sustainability in Agriculture Jennifer Elwell Kentucky Corn Growers/Kentucky Small Grain Growers Farm PR Network

Field to Market  Continuous improvements:  Productivity  Environmental Quality  Human Well-Being  Creating sustainable outcomes for agriculture

What is Sustainability?  Sustainable agriculture means meeting the needs of the present while improving the ability of future generations to meet their own needs by:  Increasing productivity to meet future food, fuel and fiber demands  Improving the environment  Improving human health  Improving the social and economic well-being of agricultural communities

Communicating Sustainability Farmers Food Industry Conservation Groups

Continuous Improvement

Production & Yield  Total Production  Corn 101%  Cotton 55%  Potatoes 30%  Rice 53%  Soybeans 98%  Wheat -16%  Yield per Planted Acre  Corn 64%  Cotton 43%  Potatoes 58%  Rice 53%  Soybeans 55%  Wheat 25%

Land Use  Per Unit of Production  Corn -30%  Cotton -30%  Potatoes -37%  Rice -35%  Soybeans -35%  Wheat -18%

Soil Erosion  Per Unit of Production  Corn -67%  Cotton -68%  Potatoes -60%  Rice -34%  Soybeans -66%  Wheat -47%  Per Acre  Corn -43%  Cotton -50%  Potatoes -60%  Rice – low/constant  Soybeans -41%  Wheat -34%

Irrigation Water Applied  Per Unit of Production  Corn -53%  Cotton -75%  Potatoes -38%  Rice -53%  Soybeans -42%  Wheat -12%  Per Acre  Corn -28%  Cotton -46%  Rice -25%  Soybeans -9%  Potatoes -2%  Wheat +6% Only 2% of Kentucky’s corn acres are irrigated.

Energy Use  Per Unit of Production  Corn -44%  Cotton -31%  Potatoes -15%  Rice -38%  Soybeans -48%  Wheat -12%

Greenhouse Gas Emissions  Per Unit of Production  Corn -36%  Cotton -22%  Potatoes -22%  Rice -38%  Soybeans -49%  Wheat -2%

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