2021 Spring Farm

2021 Logan County Farm Outlook LINCOLN DAILY NEWS March 18, 2021 Page 37 Continue 4 Other agronomists say that higher levels of atmospheric CO2 fends off plant stress better during drought conditions. Greenhouse producers have long used the practice of injecting CO2 into their greenhouses to a level of about 1,000 ppm at night in order to produce better plants at a faster rate. This process is an inexpensive way to increase yields, speed production, and use less resources (water and fertilizer). Dr. Patrick Moore claims that in order to produce the volume of food necessary to feed the burgeoning population of 2050, we will have to use new and different farming techniques, including increasing the level of atmospheric CO2, not lowering it. The pervading atmosphere of debate in this country has produced what is currently being called “Cancel Culture,” which calls for censorship if anyone speaks anything other than the accepted narrative. The current pervading narrative in our scientific community is CLIMATE CHANGE. Any exploration of the validity of these crop production claims regarding the benefits of elevated CO2 are quickly quashed, the speakers labeled climate skeptics, defunded and blacklisted. Articles supporting views other than the current narrative are taken off the internet at greater and greater regularity. While there are some remaining issues with grain production under greater concentrations of CO2, such as the claim that the grain will contain less micronutrients, these issues may be resolved in other ways with technologies if the scientific community will allow the research. The challenging future is right around the corner. The best advances are often found when people work together with open minds. [Jim Youngquist] “Agriculture (Species: Maize) -- Summary,” CO2 Science: http://www.co2science.org/ subject/a/summaries/agriculturemaize.php “Climate Change History,” https://www. history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and- environment/history-of-climate-change “Crops play a major role in the annual CO2 cycle increase,” https://news.wisc.edu/crops- play-a-major-role-in-the-annual-co2-cycle- increase/