July 12, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E1265 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THE PRECISION AGRICULTURE RE- field histories that may also help increase land Members of the Committee on Agriculture SEARCH, EDUCATION, AND IN- values. Collectively, these and other emerging have a very important question to consider in FORMATION DISSEMINATION ACT technologies are being used in a holistic, site- the near future: Is this country's traditional ag- OF 1996 specific systems approach called precision ag- ricultural research system prepared for the riculture. Progressive-minded farmers are al- challenges the next century will bring? Let's HON. RON LEWIS ready using these technologies. In a decade be honestÐwith budget constraints, overlap- OF KENTUCKY they may be as common on the farm as air- ping authorities and competition between IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES conditioned tractor cabs and cellular phones. ARS, extension and competitive grant recipi- Of course, this is not the first technological ents, we must very carefully address that Thursday, July 11, 1996 advancement to revolutionize American agri- question. Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise culture. Farming has evolved from horsepower I look forward to this legislation becoming today to introduce legislation, with my good to mechanized power, from chemical tools in part of the reforms and reauthorization of the friend and colleague from Idaho [Mr. CRAPO] the 1950's to these new electronic tools in the research title of the farm bill. I'm a strong sup- and other members of the House Agriculture 1990's. American farmers in the next century porter of our research and extension pro- Committee, a bill entitled ``The Precision Agri- will need these new technologies and all the grams, and believe they must remain an im- culture Research, Education, and Information other available tools at their disposal to com- portant source of information for farmers and Dissemination Act of 1996.'' pete in tomorrow's global marketplace. Amer- ranchers. Our precision agriculture research Mr. Speaker, there is a revolution happening ican farmers will, without hesitation, step up to bill will help the research and extension com- in farm country which many Members of Con- the challenge to feed and serve the growing munities take American food and fiber produc- gress may not be aware of. This technological number of consumers whose very lives de- ers into the next century. revolution taking place on farms across the pend on our Nation's tremendous agricultural WORLD HUNGER AND ENVIRONMENTS Nation is already improving the environment, machine. Modern agriculture has demonstrated its and changing the way our farmers and ranch- PRECISION AGRICULTURE RESEARCH BILL unique value as mankind's most powerful ers produce food and fiber. I'm speaking of This legislation my colleagues and I are in- weapon against human hunger. Since 1950, precision agriculture. troducing today is critical to production agri- modern agriculture has helped triple the output Today is an exciting time to be in production culture, to feed the world's growing population of the world's best croplands, sharply reduce agriculture. This bill will compliment our re- and to protect local and global environments. soil erosion per ton of food, forestall severe cently passed farm bill and the new direction This legislation will renew our commitment shortages of agricultural water, and preserve our Nations agricultural policy is taking. Farm- to further increase the amount of food and millions of square miles of wildlife habitat that ers will be able to profit from expanding world fiber which can safely be produced per acre of would otherwise have been converted to food markets and our country will reap the rewards farmlandÐnot as an end in itself, but as a way production. So modern agriculture has played of this increased trade. Mr. Speaker, my farm- of minimizing the economic and environmental and will continue to play an important role in ers are excited about what the 21st century costs of meeting global food and fiber needs. environmental preservation. holds for them. But it's vital that we help pro- This legislation emphasizes research and The world has virtually no other strategy as vide for research in areas like precision agri- education efforts that promote the adoption of cost effective as modern agriculture for pro- culture so that our farmers will continue to be precision agriculture technologies, systems tecting human lives from famine, and wild- the world's most efficient producers of food and electronic tools. These tools will enhance lands from the expansion of low-yield, environ- and fiber. human health and environmental protection, mentally hazardous farming systems. In short, WHAT IS PRECISION AGRICULTURE? and are designed to increase long term, site politically correct agriculture will not feed the Emerging technologies in production agri- specific and whole farm production efficiency, vast majority of the world's population. Or- culture are changing and improving the way productivity and profitability. ganic farming and 1950's style so-called low farmers product food and fiber in this country. This legislation was crafted in consultation input agriculture, will not feed the next cen- New technologies such as global positioning with a broad array of interested parties that tury's growing population. satellites, digital field mapping, georeference support the legislation and the philosophy be- The overwhelming majority of American and information systems, grid soil sampling, vari- hind it. These groups include the Fertilizer In- world consumers are fed by conventional able rate seeding and input applications, port- stitute, Lockheed Martin, Experiment Station farmers and livestock producers. These farm- able electronic pest scouting, on-the-go yield and Extension Service Directors, the National ers employ the latest technologies to improve monitoring, and computerized field history and Center for Resources Innovations, and the production efficiencies. At the same time, they recordkeeping are just a few of the next gen- Open Geographic Information Systems Con- strive for maximum crop yields and livestock eration of tools that make up precision agri- sortium. production in the daily struggle to produce culture. But this legislation is written with the pro- more food for more people with fewer natural These technologies allow farmers to ad- ducer in mind. One of the biggest problems and financial resources. Increased production dress hundreds of variables in the fieldÐlike with any new technology is the education and new products must be the hallmarks soil PH, nutrient levels, and crop yieldsÐon a process, and gathering the information to im- words of American agriculture in the 21st cen- 3- to 5-meter grid that used to cost far too plement the technology on their farms. One of tury. much to calculate for each field. Today, these my goals with this legislation is to assure that We don't have to look far to understand that technologies can map these variables and producers of all sizes are able to take advan- new technologies and advances in production data instantly as an applicator or combine tage of precision agriculture technologies. agriculture will play a critical role in the next drives across the field. In short, each farm USDA RESEARCH REFORM centuryÐand that production agricultural re- field using precision technology becomes a re- The agriculture research process has con- search will have to keep pace. The increasing search plot. And in the down-months or winter tinued to reward investments in science and human population throughout the world, as season, a farmer can use the data from the technology. Recent research breakthroughs in- well as the rising wealth and improving diets previous growing season and adjust dozens of clude conservation tillage, hybrid rice, twinning of persons in developing countries, are driving important agronomic variables to maximize the in cattle, pest-resistant soybeans, precision a major surge in world food requirements. efficient use of time, fuel, commercial inputs, farming, and biotechnology. These findings The United Nations estimates the world's water, seed rate, irrigationÐthe list goes on. are providing new ways to increase agricul- population could climb from 5.6 billion people These precision farming tools are helping tural production efficiency, productivity and last year to more than 9.8 billion people by the farmers increase field productivity, improve profitability, control pests, increase our agricul- year 2050. The planet's population is pro- input efficiency, protect the environment, maxi- tural exports, and feed the world's growing jected to grow by about 85 million people a mize profitability, and create computerized population. year for two or three decades. Ninety percent · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. E1266 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks July 12, 1996 of that will occur in the Third world, doubling ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR Award at the All Saints Episcopal Church in demand for food there by the 2025. OZALEE PAYNE AND ROSALEE Western Springs, IL on Sunday, June 23, GEE High-yield agriculture has already proven to 1996 in the presence of his fellow troop mem- ber, his parents, family and friends. be an environmental success by increasing The Eagle Scout Award stands for honor food production from the safest, most produc- HON. DONALD M. PAYNE which is the foundation of all character. It tive, most environmentally sound crop lands. OF NEW JERSEY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES stands for loyalty and without loyalty, all char- The first and foremost issue of long-term agri- Thursday, July 11, 1996 acter lacks direction. Finally, the award dis- cultural stainability is preventing the plow- plays courage, which gives character force down of the world's remaining wildlands for Mr.