July 2020 - 4

EDITOR'S LETTER
You've got this
Will farming in America ever look the same again?
In light of the novel coronavirus pandemic that has impacted virtually
every aspect of our lives in recent months, it is a risky business to project the
performance of any economic sector going forward.
The most expedient method of looking
ahead requires a look into the past. The
industry's track record certainly paints an
optimistic picture amid a foreboding present.
The fact is farm production nearly tripled
between 1948 and 2017. Even as land and labor
used in farming declined, innovations in animal
and crop genetics, chemicals, equipment and
farm organization have enabled continuing
growth in farm output. USDA's Economic
Research Service's Agricultural Productivity in
the U.S. data product released earlier this year
provides estimates of the growth and relative
levels of U.S. agricultural productivity.
Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth is a measure of the rate of growth
of total output relative to the rate of growth of total inputs. Total output
comprises the aggregate of farm production including crops, livestock and
livestock products, and associated services, whereas total inputs comprise land,
labor, physical capital and intermediate inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides,
energy and custom services.
Gary Pullano
Managing Editor
From 1948 to 2017, TFP increased at an annual rate of 1.47%. This growth
was made possible by a surge in total output at a growth rate of 1.53% per
year while holding total inputs nearly constant; inputs increased at just 0.07%
per year, even after accounting for changes in their quality. Agriculture stands
out among U.S. industries, both because TFP growth is much higher than the
average for all U.S. industries, and because input growth accounts for almost
none of output growth.
The substantial increase in total agricultural production can be attributed to
the advent of new technologies, innovations and process improvements in the
farm sector. These range from improved seed varieties, genetic enhancement
in livestock, advanced machinery that comes equipped with global positioning
systems and robotics, among other innovations.
This has enabled a production system that requires considerably less of
traditional inputs such as land and labor. Between 1948 and 2017, labor and
land inputs declined by 76 and 28%, respectively, while intermediate goods,
such as energy, agricultural chemicals, purchased services, and other materials
grew by 133%.
TFP estimates may fluctuate from year-to-year - reflecting transitive events,
such as bad weather or oil shocks (or dare we say a global health pandemic) -
but usually return to long-term trend growth as has happened in recent years.
High growth in agricultural TFP has allowed us to continue producing more
food to feed a growing population, while shifting land and labor to other
sectors of the economy.
ERS research has found that TFP growth has been driven by a continuing
series of biological, chemical, mechanical, and organizational innovations,
which have themselves been the result of investments in public and private
agricultural research. Successful innovations have spread rapidly across the farm
sector, aided by a system of public Extension and private service providers who
deliver information and expertise to farmers.
Vegetable Growers News continues to inform on this topic, via our extensive
daily online reporting and social media, weekly and monthly e-newsletters and
our go-to monthly print publications.
In this issue, we report not only on the ongoing issues impacting specialty
crop operations (disease and pest management, financial protections, plant
breeding, water conservation and vegetable production techniques, including
controlled environment approaches), we also provide focused accounts
regarding the pandemic's impact on various aspects of the industry.
You will learn more about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on crop
production and marketing, workplace safety and measures to remain resilient
despite unprecedented challenges.
Let us know what information is important to you in this turbulent
environment. Drop me an email at gpullano@greatamericanpublish.com.
facebook.com/
VegGrowersNews
THEY SAID IT
I believe growers are beginning to question market volatility
and whether or not they will be able to sell the crops they are
now planting. "
- MARILYN BAY DRAKE, COLORADO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS ASSOCIATION
P. 6
4 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
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Demand for seasonal workers met by AG&P
launch of workforce solutions
Houston-based AG&P Americas has
launched a new service line offering
workforce solutions for the U.S. agriculture
sector amid shortages in seasonal farm
labor.
Leafy greens group has Adjacent Lands
Subcommittee to make romaine safer
A special new subcommittee has been
appointed by the California Leafy Greens
Marketing Agreement to focus on how
land adjacent to leafy greens farms may
be contributing to foodborne illness
outbreaks associated with romaine
lettuce.
PMA shares pandemic self-check tool for
grower-packer-shippers
A new self-check preparedness resource was
created by the Produce Marketing
Association to help fresh produce growers,
shippers, packers and handlers evaluate their
organization's preparedness in mitigating
the spread of and preventing COVID-19 in
their facilities and workforces.
Flexibility set regarding criteria for
exemption under Produce Safety Rule
The FDA announced it will provide
flexibility regarding eligibility criteria
for the qualified exemption under
the Produce Safety Rule during the
COVID-19 public health emergency.
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July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2020
