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SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2016 |
Sponsored Newspapers In Education Content
With the global population expected to increase by two
billion people in the next 35 years, today’s farmers
must find ways to grow more food while protecting the
environment and our natural resources. Washington
wheat farmers are using science, information and
technology to meet these challenges. It’s called precision
agriculture and it’s how Washington wheat farmers are
producing some of the best wheat in the world, using less
land and fewer resources.
Washington is the fourth largest wheat-producing state
in the nation. The Washington wheat industry supports
more than 11,000 jobs and contributes more than $2
billion to the state’s economy. Most Washington wheat
is grown in Eastern Washington where the warm sunny
days and cool nights are ideal for soft white wheat
production. Used mainly in bakery products such as
cookies, cakes and pastries, Washington’s soft white
wheat is recognized around the world for its exceptional
quality. Washington is the leading exporter of soft white
wheat, with 85-90 percent of the state’s crop going to
Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia
and Yemen. Washington also produces hard red winter
wheat, hard red spring wheat and hard white wheat.
Across the state, more than 2.3 million acres of wheat are
planted on family owned and operated farms. And while
many of those family farms have been passed down for
generations, the average wheat farmer today is highly
skilled, college-educated and connected to technology in
more ways than ever before.
Within a single wheat field, growing conditions can
vary greatly just a few yards apart. Precision agriculture
combines site-specific information and advanced
technologies that allow Washington farmers to produce
more wheat per acre than other states.
One of the most powerful advances in agriculture
technology is yield mapping. Yield mapping technology
allows farmers to analyze their crop yields, identify
differences in production rates, and make adjustments
to provide the optimal growing conditions for each
identified zone. To create a yield map, the farmer
collects information using crop yield monitors and a
global positioning system (GPS). The crop yield monitor
measures the amount of wheat harvested and the GPS
uses satellite signals to track the exact location where
the yield measurements were taken. The data is entered
into a computer program that creates a detailed map of
high-yield and low-yield zones. Specialized sensors can
also detect differences in moisture and mineral content
in the soil, the presence of weeds or insects, and even
differences in light reflection on the crop. The result
is a customized map that gives the farmer powerful
information and the ability to manage all the variables
in ways that increase crop yields and efficiencies while
decreasing costs and environmental impacts.
With that crop yield information in hand, wheat farmers
using GPS guidance systems can operate seeding and
spraying equipment with as little as one inch of overlap.
On-board computers allow them to instantly adjust
the amount of seed, fertilizer, herbicide or insecticide
applied in each zone, ensuring the right amount is
applied in the right location. This precision drastically
reduces waste and the unnecessary application of
chemicals.
Along with innovations in high-tech farm machinery and
equipment, farmers are using specialized apps on their
smartphones and tablets to monitor weather patterns,
calculate spray application rates, track costs and manage
equipment remotely.
Precision agriculture allows our state’s farmers to
produce the healthiest wheat crops in the world while
maintaining a healthy environment and ensuring the
Washington wheat industry continues to provide food,
jobs and economic growth for our future. To learn more
about high-tech farming in Washington state, visit
.
Washington Wheat Farmers use the
Best Technology to produce the Best Wheat
Photo credits: Washington Wheat Foundation
Answers to USE YOUR NOODLE, page 2:
1. Washington’s climate is well-suited to dairying. It rarely gets either too hot
or too cold for animal comfort, so cows keep eating (a challenge when it is
very hot) and do not require excess energy to stay warm (a challenge when
it is very cold), thus allowing them to make milk efficiently all year long.
2. There was a 41.8% increase in milk production between 1960 and 1970.
(data in last column).
3. The average WA cow produced 2734 gallons of milk a year in 2010.
