One of my friends commented how she wished she had the knack for throwing parties. She said she finds hosting people in her home intimidating because she’s not the world’s best cook and she doesn’t own any fancy serving dishes. So… her comment inspired this blog post!
Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to set a table that looks like it’s straight from the pages of Better Homes and Gardens or create meals that are Pinterest-worthy? When someone invites me over, I couldn’t care less if they serve me a frozen pizza or bake a calzone from scratch. I’m just thrilled with any invitation to get together with friends. Plus, it’s a bonus when I don’t have to fix a meal or do any dishes. What about you?
That’s why this Super Bowl I’m keeping the menu simple. I’m going to focus more on being a hostess rather than being a caterer. I hope “5 Fast Foods to Feed Football Fans” grabs your attention and inspires you, too.
Here are five recipes that can literally be made in minutes:
These recipes are all about minimizing your time in the kitchen and maximizing your time in front of the big screen with family or friends. Enjoy the game!
P.S. If you do enjoy taking the time to prepare a feast and set fancy table, check out our Pinterest page for ideas. The following #vintage posts also provide you with more menu options from appetizers and entrees to desserts.
As you know, there are about one thousand factors that determine the yield in any crop year. Continual crop improvement, including higher yield, is a common desire among farmers.
Many of the decisions you make that influence yield the most are made before any seed goes in the ground, so today I’m sharing with you the Top 10 factors I believe are most critical to increasing corn yields in the year ahead:
Hybrid Selection. Not all hybrids are created equal, so be sure to select the hybrids that are best suited to your need – and your ground. Some hybrids are better for suited for silage or grain. Some racehorse hybrids have different fertility requirements. Be sure to select the hybrid for each field in the correct maturity.
Crop Rotation. Crop rotation requires more planning today. It’s not enough to rotate between crops. Remember to also rotate traits and chemistries. Consider management practices that include weed control and residue management.
Planting Depth and Row Spacing. Planting depth should be between 1.5 and 2 inches but no shallower. Even planting depth with no seed bounce is imperative to a good stand and high yields. Uneven emergence can create uneven competition between plants that continues throughout the year. Plus, uneven tasseling can occur. The crop canopy should absorb about 95% of available sunlight so some hybrids with a more upright leaf angle may benefit from narrower rows.
Soil testing and fertility. Accurate soil samples are necessary, so you can be sure the plants are getting the food they need. There are 16 essential nutrients for plant development, and each one is important in various amounts. A proper balance of macro- and micro-nutrients is necessary for the optimum use of applied fertilizers.
Timely planting. Planting conditions greatly impact emergence and stand. Remember that early planting dates only have the potential to out-yield later plantings if conditions are right. Don’t “mud it in” just to be the first one in the field! Yield doesn’t significantly decline until later in the planting season, so practice patience. Plant when soil temps are consistently above 50° F and are expected to rise.
Weed Pressure and Herbicide Selections. Manage troublesome weeds through crop rotation and other tactics. Know what weeds you are targeting, so you can apply the correct herbicide and rate. Follow up on applications for missed weeds or respray conditions.
Fungicide applications. Some hybrids in some growing conditions will benefit from one or two applications of a fungicide to keep the plant growing and healthy. You’ll see in the Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ product guide that we recommend fungicide for certain hybrids. Remember, the application timing is key for maximum benefit.
Timely Harvest. Everyone would like to harvest dry corn but sometimes that’s not practical for maximum yield. Scout your fields often to prioritize fields for harvest. Check for stalk lodging potential. Determine stalk integrity with the pinch and push tests. Are the plants getting “rooty,” or leaning and lodging from the root? Conduct a shake test to make sure the ears are still hanging on with less chance of ear droppage and plant health to allow for delayed harvest if necessary.
Soil Prep for Next Year. Soil tillage or preparation for next year’s crop should help improve soil tilth. Avoid working wet soils to prevent compaction and to provide a consistent seed bed across the field to help achieve good seed-to-soil contact.
It feels like the 2016 presidential election has been underway for months because our mailboxes have been stuffed with campaign mailers, and our answering machines have been filled with messages from campaign camps. But in reality, this process is just beginning! National media are moving into Des Moines, Iowa’s capitol city, to set up for Friday night’s GOP debate. Then on Feb. 1, our state will host the renowned “first in the nation” Iowa Caucus.
As much as we’d like to tune out all of the noise, it’s vitally important to our livelihoods that we engage in the process. Whom we elect really does make a difference! Viewpoints of the U.S. president impact how he appoints members of the cabinet and influence rulings made by agency administrators. Did you know that many regulations are not passed by our elected officials but instead are made by “rulemakers,” or governmental agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)?
Once again the U.S. EPA is trying to slip Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) passed all of us. This new writing of an old law was sold as a clarification. Officials said they would clear up what bodies of water and how much land around those waters could be controlled by the EPA. The EPA makes any organization or individual who opposes WOTUS look like they are against clean water. The truth is, we all want clean water!
It’s important to understand the true agenda here… WOTUS isn’t about clean water – it’s about control!
A girl listens to a presidential candidate in December during a caucus campaign stop in Greenfield, Iowa. Photo by Joseph L. Murphy
A bill introduced by Iowa Senator Joni Ernst would repeal what the EPA was trying to do. This bill passed the House and Senate with by partisan backing, however, it was vetoed by President Obama. Last Saturday I attended a meeting in Allison, Iowa, where Sen. Ernst explained that WOTUS is now being held up by a court ruling. This regulation might be tied up for years in the court system.
My family and I drink the water from the well on our farm, so believe me, we’re concerned about clean water. Here are a few reasons why this clean water regulation is bad:
WOTUS would require farmers to have permits before implementing conservation practices, such as terraces, could be built. Permits would discourage conservation because permits cause delays and cost money. Farmers – voluntarily – have been making huge strides in conservation!
It’s possible that almost every house in town could need a permit to landscape, build a fence or make a playhouse for your kids! If water runs into your basement, it could be regulated by the EPA under WOTUS. In fact, 97% of land in Iowa and 99% of Missouri would fall under control of this regulation. Yes, the land on which buildings and factories have been built – in towns and cities – would fall under the jurisdiction of WOTUS.
Keep in mind what’s already happening all over this country in the name of endangered species, property rights, water rights or grazing rights. The rights we, as farmers and ranchers, think we have are being taken away. This regulation is just an extension of all those laws and it’s all a government effort to take control!
Next week is the beginning of the voting process with the Iowa caucus. Cast aside glamor and appeal, and cast your vote! It’s time to elect officials who will do right by this country and protect our freedom to operate. Freedom is not free, and neither are all the things being promised by some of the candidates. When someone promises to give something for free, remember it was first earned and then taken away from someone else!
Iowa has the most fertile soil and abundant land for agriculture, but Chris Freland says it’s the people who make it great! “I have been blessed to work with some of the industry’s greatest people who represent Iowa values. Working with many agriculture partners to make a bigger impact is what it is all about, and the dedicated staff at Iowa Beef Industry Council makes promoting beef every day a great experience.”
Right after the first of the year, headlines in major magazines and newspapers are filled with tips for losing weight and eating healthy. Truth is, many of those headlines are either vague or misleading.
The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest lean meat as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Did you know that beef is a small package with beef nutrition? One serving of beef, which is 3 ounces or about the size of an iPhone, provides our bodies with nearly half of its needed protein plus 10 essential nutrients including zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins.
Eating beef also can help stimulate muscle growth in older Americans, and that protein can play a key role in weight management. According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating four ounces of lean-beef protein each day can help enhance muscle development by 50 percent.
Evidence from a second study published in the Journal suggests that a moderate increase in dietary protein combined with physical activity can help a person manage weight by increasing heat produced in the body, which helps a person feel full longer, prolongs energy expenditure, helping maintain lean muscle mass and improves metabolism.
“Being able to educate consumers about agriculture and their food choices is vitally important. Iowa’s beef farmers are dedicated to raising safe and wholesome beef – and that is a promise from their families to yours,” says Chris Freland, who graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Kinesiology and Public Health. She has a nursing degree and experience in the health care community.
Before being selected recently as the executive director of the Iowa Beef Industry Council, Freland owned and operated a dairy for 20 years. She also served as Industry Relations Manager for the Midwest Dairy Association, as well as Associate Director for the Iowa State Dairy Association.
“Iowa’s beef farmers do an incredible job every day caring for their land and their animals. It is our job at the Iowa Beef Industry Council to be their eyes, ears and voice to market their great products,” adds Freland. “We want consumers to understand with confidence where their beef comes from, and we want to help Americans continue to choose lean beef more often as a part of their diet.”
Beef is the perfect partner to fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Today the beef industry council is sharing a recipe that pairs skillet steak with bright colored vegetables. It’s not yet officially grilling weather in the Midwest, so this quick and easy recipe will let you serve up a meal that will take your taste buds on Spring Break!
I’d like to share this week about how government bureaucrats have made laws and regulations that seem to have the opposite effect of what they intended. Here in Iowa, there have been many rules and regulations enacted to help the small farmer. Small farms are thought to be family farms.
Although many tend to associate small farms with family farmers, the USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service shows that 97% of farms are family farms. Many people equate the number of small farms to the number of people working locally, the number of kids enrolled in local schools, as well as the health of Main Street businesses in small town. Two problems come to mind with this reasoning: (1) Farms must be profitable to help the local economy, and (2) small farms normally have a tougher time with regulations.
Larger farms have staff and more scale to spread these costs over. On my small crop farm, it’s more difficult to use newer technology or to implement new conservation practices due to high costs. For example, if I am required to get permits for water discharge, I have fewer acres across which to spread such costs.
On a bigger scale, we can look out West to where federal government is battling ranchers over control of the ground for the sake of wildlife. Government agencies have kicked ranchers off their range and stopped timber harvest, yet the number of animals the government is trying to protect has actually declined. Forest fires have been bigger where timber harvest has stopped, and wildlife is doing better where the property was managed by private individuals who needed to make a profit to stay in business. I just read a story that says massive amounts of money is needed to trim the Sierra forests. Because these forests have become so overgrown under federal management, there massive forest fires are a real concern. It sounds like many federal policies are neither good for old growth trees, wildlife nor taxpayers!
There has been a movement – a strategy by environmental groups to sue government agencies – to make them take these actions. Basically law is being made by a court decree without due process or public debate. The government agency caves in to the lawsuit, and new policy is made.
Now we’re seeing the disastrous side-effects that can result from this type of action! A big debate is taking place as over whether the federal government can legally own this ground in the West. But the truth is, the government is buying more and more property every day. There are public employees that have this as their only job. The more property that is purchased, the more property is taken off the property tax roll. As a result, this land become a cost instead of a revenue generator for the U.S. government.
Our country treatment of land – and of farmers and ranchers – is largely dependent upon who holds the highest office. With the election season is upon us, there are many politicians saying what they think certain groups want to hear. It can be a lot to listen to, I know. But take the time to really listen and understand what the unintended results will be. It’s your civic duty!
Anne Hytrek, Ankeny Prairie Trail Hy-Vee Dietician
The number one New Year’s resolution made by Americans is “eat healthy.” What does this mean? Studies have shown the vast majority of resolutions are never met because they’re vague, so I asked a registered dietitian to help me develop a plan for success.
“The crucial part of healthy eating is having a balanced diet,” says Anne Hytrek, MSEd, RD, LD, CDE, who works at Ankeny Prairie Trails Hy-Vee and serves on the Iowa Food & Family Project’s Advisory Committee. “One food group doesn’t give all that your body needs for proper brain and muscle function. That’s why it’s so important to eat foods – in proper portion sizes – from all food groups.”
Portion control is another key to healthy eating. Our supersized, fast food society has led to the mind shift that 16 ounces of soda and 1-pound burgers are standard. The truth is that one portion of meat is 3 ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards.
“A ‘petite steak’ is usually 8 ounces and that’s more than twice the recommended serving of meat per meal,” explains Hytrek. “When people replace portions of meat with vegetables as the U.S. dietary guidelines suggest, they’re probably going to need to snack in between meals. Snacks are fine as long as they’re planned to balance your diet.”
While the guidelines encourage Americans to eat more nuts, Hytrek says that literally a handful of nuts constitutes one serving. Also keep in mind that not all nuts have the same caloric content. Almonds, walnuts and pistachios have lower calories than peanuts and pecans. Cashews and Macadamia nuts have the most calories. Be intentional in your meal and snack choices, so that you don’t unintentionally raise your caloric intake.
Another tip for eating healthier in the year ahead is getting the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Try to have at least one different colored vegetable and one different colored fruit at a meal, suggests Hytrek. This is a win-win because your plate will be more visually appealing, and you’re more apt to eat a colorful meal.
Also consider adding fruits and vegetables as “healthy snack options.” Two clementines, or cutie oranges, is one serving. One banana is two servings. You might be able to add two servings of fruit to your diet simply by enjoying a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack, which in turn, will help you stave off hunger until meal time.
This time of year, when we don’t have the gardens and fresh fruits in season, shop the frozen section. Frozen fruits and vegetables actually may have more nutrition than some out-of-season produce. For example, fresh strawberries aren’t in season. The boxes of strawberries in the fresh produce section now don’t contain as much vitamin C as the frozen ones, which were picked while they were ripe and frozen when these fruits were in season. Just be cautious that you’re choosing unsweetened berries or the added sugar will negate the added nutritional benefits.
Speaking of added sugar… don’t fool yourself into thinking that fruit smoothie is a guaranteed healthy choice! Hytrek says it really depends on how the smoothie is made. Some recipes call for Greek yogurt or unsweetened almond milk, which can provide nutritional benefits without all the added sugar. Most smoothies contain real fruit, which contains natural sugars, plus juice and added sugar. If this is the case, a recommended serving size for a fruit smoothie is actually be an 8-ounce cup or smaller!
In addition to smoothies, another food trend is roasted or caramelized vegetables. Today Ann Hytrek is sharing with us a recipe from Hy-Vee.com for a Healthy Caesar Salad. Bake a few kale chips to jazz up your salad and replace the calories from croutons. If you have any leftover kale, add it to a casserole or pasta.
New Dietary Guidelines Offer Small Victories for Farmers
I often talk about how laws and government regulation impact farmers. Today I’m going to revisit a topic that will interest of nearly every American, regardless of how you make your living… food!
Federal dietary guidelines are released every five years. On January 7, new guidelines were issued to shape American’s food choices. Perhaps more importantly, these guidelines shape purchases made by meals programs offered by public schools, hospitals, prisons and the military. Even the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) uses federal guidelines to suggest what people using this program purchase.
These guidelines impact the buying decisions of millions of Americans, so they have a huge impact on entire industries like the beef, pork and eggs. When preliminary dietary guidelines were issued late last winter, the advisory committee suggested that Americans should decrease their red meat consumption for sustainability reasons. A group of “advisors,” thinking they are saving the planet, falsely think that raising meat causes more harm to Mother Earth.
Recent studies have shown that when comparing food – calorie for calorie – meat is more efficient for our environment! Fortunately, the sustainability factors were removed from the final guidelines that were released last week.
The newest dietary guidelines call for Americans to choose lean meats and limit red meat consumption. This, too, is a partial win as studies show that lean beef and lean pork can have positive benefits in a diet. Beef naturally provides essential nutrients such as zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins. Pork chops, which are nearly as lean as chicken, provide iron, potassium and other essential nutrients.
Fat, or marbling, adds flavor to meat. It not only tastes good but some fat is good for you! Fat is a necessary part of a balanced diet. Fat provides your body with energy, as well as help move the vitamins A, D, E and K through your bloodstream. Essential fatty acids play a role in brain development, blood clotting and managing inflammation.
Ironically, Americans were told for years that fat was bad. The no-fat diet became a fad, but now the “experts” are reversing their recommendation. More recent research shows that what people ate in place of fat – carbohydrates from processed foods and sugary drinks – led to more obesity and disease.
The 2015-2020 U.S. Federal Dietary Guidelines urge Americans to reduce their overall sugar intake, while also adding “good fats found in salmon, avocados and nuts” to their diets. I know these guidelines can lead to food trends, but you can bet that I won’t be replacing my pork loin with grilled fish!
guest blog post by Aaron Putze, Director of Communications & External Relations, Iowa Soybean Association
The nation’s longest-serving governor has always been ready to take on a challenge.
And as another legislative session gavels in today (Jan. 11), Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad will propose the biggest and boldest initiative he’s put forth as the state’s chief executive.
Those are his words, not mine.
The legislative proposal, to be a signature piece of his State of the State Address tomorrow, would increase funding for education and water quality initiatives without raising taxes.
Flanked by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, several school superintendents, farmers and farm association leaders, Branstad outlined the details of the proposal during a news conference held at the Iowa Capitol Jan. 5. It’s a proposal that has already drawn strong support from farmers, school administrators and farm organizations, including the Iowa Soybean Association.
At the heart of the proposal is a 20-year extension of the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education program (SAVE). Enacted on July 1, 2008, SAVE dedicates one penny of the state’s six-cent sales tax for school infrastructure projects, or $3.2 billion since its inception. With SAVE to sunset in just 13 years, school officials are already finding it difficult to secure bonding for needed improvements to facilities and classrooms.
Branstad’s proposal would provide stable and long-term funding to schools by extending SAVE through Dec. 31, 2049. It would guarantee schools a minimum projected base of $458 million annually plus the first $10 million in anticipated annual growth beginning in fiscal year 2017. Combined, these revenues would total an estimated $20.7 billion.
Additional revenues generated by SAVE – estimated at nearly $5 billion – would fund nonpoint water quality efforts administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and point source water quality activities through the Iowa Finance Authority and Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
As you can see from the trend line, Branstad’s proposal solidifies the SAVE program through 2049, allowing schools to continue to plan for bonding school infrastructure (same steady increasing trend shown in orange) while avoiding any further implications on taxpayers. The blue portion indicates the part of pre-existing tax (GROWTH portion only) to be used to fund water quality initiatives in Iowa. Two very important issues in need of support from Iowans.
“This plan works for schools, farmers and Iowa,” Branstad said. “It funds school infrastructure improvements over the long term and spurs greater collaboration and implementation of the state’s nutrient reduction strategy.
“The challenges associated with water didn’t occur overnight and they won’t be solved overnight,” he added. “But we can make real and meaningful progress without raising taxes.”
It’s an intriguing concept. Schools and water quality are both priorities for Iowa and several prominent school administrators favor SAVE’s extension sooner rather than later.
Dr. Paul Gausman, superintendent of schools for the Sioux City Community School District, attended the Jan. 5 news conference at the statehouse and said SAVE’s extension is critical as educational facilities continue to age. The proposal, he said, would allow schools to move important infrastructure improvements forward. That’s critical in many communities, including Sioux City, were deteriorating facilities need attention and in Waukee, where new facilities are needed.
Waukee Superintendent of Schools David Wilkerson disagreed with reporters who, during the news conference, said Branstad’s proposal would divert funding from education to the environment.
“We’re not taking anything away from schools because, without enactment of this proposal, there’s no guarantee that the one-cent sales tax will be renewed when it expires in 2029,” Wilkerson said.
“It’s also important to note that our schools do not exist in isolation in our communities,” he added. “We depend on a strong farm economy and our farmers. We look forward to working with them on this important issue.”
Wilkersons points are extremely valid. After all, there’s no guarantee that schools will be capable of bonding as the clock ticks down to 2029. Nor is it a sure thing that Iowa’s governor and the state legislature will renew it in 2029, or before, for that matter.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said the Governor’s initiative was a far more productive solution to improving water quality than lawsuits and finger-pointing.
“I believe that what the governor has outlined will lead to better water quality and greater collaboration,” he said.
When asked by reporters to handicap the odds that the proposal would gain favor among lawmakers, Vilsack pushed back.
“You don’t want perfect to be the enemy of good. And if someone has a better proposal, than put it on the table,” he said.
Iowa’s former governor also summoned a spirit of collaboration – one that Iowans have long been known for.
“We’re all in this together,” Vilsack said. “This is an Iowa problem and the only way it gets solved is to work together in a collaborative way. If this doesn’t get solved, farmers won’t know what to do, lenders won’t know what to do and communities will suffer. It is about being big and bold and dealing with realities of today.”
Guests on the “Behind the Seeds” tour at Disney’s EPCOT center experience farming technologies – hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaculture – that can help lesser productive areas of the world raise more food.
Scientists also are researching how to grow gardens in space, which would allow astronauts to eat fresh food during long journeys. (SIDE BAR: I couldn’t help but think how cool it would be to incorporate the seed industry’s Tomatosphere™ program, which uses space exploration to teach students the processes of scientific experimentation and inquiry.)
9 lb. lemon tree at EPCOT
The Land Pavilion at EPCOT Center offers more than a glimpse of pie-in-the-sky science… It’s living proof that large-scale food production can be achieved in small spaces. Encompassing nearly 6 acres, The Land annually produces 27,000 pounds of vegetables and herbs for Walt Disney World restaurants.
The Spice Garden at EPCOT Behind the Seeds Tour
Last week my family had the pleasure of seeing where those Mickey-shaped cucumbers, specialty spices and other unusual fruits and vegetables are produced. We walked into a greenhouse where hydroponics allows plants to grow without soil. Those of us blessed with rich soils in the Midwest may find this production method disconcerting at first, but we must remember that good soil is limited worldwide. (Click here to see some amazing photos of the hydroponic gardens from The Photo Garden Bee blog.)
Aquaponics in action at EPCOT
In addition to hydrophonics, we saw aeroponics in action. Aeroponics remind me of “food towers” where fruits and vegetables grow vertically. One potted tomato tree, vining along a trellis system, can produce thousands of tomatoes. (Literally. This tomato tree that set the Guinness Book of World Records by producing 32,000 tomatoes in one year!) Fifty-pound Winter Melons and Cinderella pumpkins even grow on the trellis system. Who knew?
Easy Pick Tomatoes at EPCOT
The wonder continued as we stepped inside the Tropical Greenhouse, which is home to 30+ different edible crops. Some crops seen in U.S. ornamental gardens are actually used for food in other countries. Visitors can see how pineapples and bananas grow, too. (Did you know that bananas grow on a plant, not a tree? Banana plants are actually giant herbs of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms.)
There is just so much to see and learn on the “Behind the Seeds” tour! One of my family’s favorite was the Mimosa Pudica, a sensitive plant that immediately reacts to touch. Learn more about this plant as you watch a cool time-lapse video here.
So how did my kids feel about spending an hour in the class room during winter break? My 14-year-old son, without prompting, said this was one the best tour he’s taken. Like you’d expect from Disney, this tour is engaging. We got to touch plants, sample fruits grown in the greenhouses, and feed the fish.
Pumpkin Vines growing on a trellis at EPCOT
Disney even provides QR codes on signs along the tour route, so you can use your smartphone to learn more about the fruits and to download recipes. Today on TheFieldPosition, we’re sharing with you Disney’s recipe for Sweet & Sour Chicken. We hope you and your family enjoy a magical meal at home!
After cashing in years’ worth of Reward Points earned from purchases made using my Disney Visa card, I booked a one-day park hopper pass for “Latham Party of 5.” Two days after celebrating a White Christmas in Iowa we arrived in Orlando, eager to enjoy all the Sunshine State has to offer.
Our first stop was Animal Kingdom because our animal-loving daughter had her heart set on taking the Kilimanjaro Safari. One advantage of taking this tour in the morning is the animals are more active earlier in the day. We saw hippos out of the water, which our guide says is unusual. Giraffes were feeding. Elephants were playing, and lions were sunning themselves on the rocks. (TIP: If you aren’t at the park when it first opens, get a Fast Pass. You’ll want to experience this attraction, but you’ll enjoy it a lot more if you’re not waiting in line for an hour! Click here for more tips on how to make the most of your first hour at Disney.)
After surviving Expedition Everest, it was time to travel to EPCOT for our “Behind the Seeds Tour” of four greenhouses. (EPCOT stands for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, which helps explain some of the sustainable farming methods being implemented here.)
The tour began in the biotech lab where our college-aged intern explained how, through Integrated Pest Management (IPM), good bugs are used to take out the bad. We also learned how scientists used biotechnology to create Mickey’s Mini Gardens, or the dragon fruit souvenir.
Interestingly enough, dragon fruit was as close as our tour guide got to talking about GMO foods. This would be a great opportunity to educate Disney guests, who may have questions about GMOs simply due to misleading headlines and activist campaigns, but who would appreciate learning GMO facts like:
Pesticide applications have decreased largely due to the adoption of (biotech) insect-resistant crops. Herbicide-tolerant crops allow farmers to participate in no-till methods that preserve topsoil and prevent erosion.
Only nine GMO crops are commercially available: Alfalfa, Canola, Corn (field and sweet), Cotton, Papaya, Potatoes, Soybeans, Squash, and Sugar Beets. Artic Apples won’t be mass marketed before 2017. Because it won’t turn brown when sliced, the Artic Apple will potentially reduce food waste.
In the future, GMO crops could lead to more nutrient-dense foods and enhanced dining experiences for people with food allergies. Genetic modification can actually improve the nutritional content of some foods; Low linoleic acid canola oil, for example, can reduce transfat content. Golden Rice, a genetically modified rice, could help prevent vitamin deficiency in poor countries. Severe Vitamin A deficiency results in blindness, and nearly 50% of the half-million children who are blinded by it die within a year. Modified peanuts could reduce the risk of peanut-allergy reactions.
How cool it would be if Artic Apples and Golden Rice were added to the crops being grown in the 2.5 million square feet of greenhouses at EPCOT! are some really interesting crops being grown using innovative techniques here. Read more about them tomorrow in Part II of “Behind the Seeds at EPCOT”!
