DALE CHILCOTE introduced our PROGRAM and our speakers. Ken Blight and Dr. Stephanie Mercier are both involved with the FARM JOURNAL FOUNDATION. Ken farms with his family in Albion, MI. He graduated from MSU in 1983 with an Animal Science degree. He and his family own a 3000-acre farm that produces beef, pork, corn, soybeans and wheat. Ken is the LEAD FARMER in Michigan for the FARM JOURNAL FOUNDATION. There are about 17 states involved with this FOUNDATION and each has a LEAD FARMER. Feeding hungry people throughout the world and meeting the future food needs of future generations is a priority for this FOUNDATION. The big question for farmers is will they be able to meet the challenge of feeding the projected 9.7 billion world population by 2050?
Research and development done through the USDA have been pivotal in reducing world hunger numbers from 1 billion in 1990 to 795 million in 2015, despite the fact that the world's population has increased by 1.7 billion over the same period. Mr. Blight feels it's critical that we continue to increase agricultural research funding so we can maximize the world's growing needs.
Dr. Stephanie Mercier is the FARM JOURNAL FOUNDATION'S Senior Policy Advisor. She's an Iowa native with a degree in economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Iowa State University. She spent several years working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dr. Mercier discussed how the U.S. has always been the leader helping to alleviate world hunger. After WWII most of the war-torn countries in Europe and elsewhere were desperately short on food. The U.S. supplied much of the needed food and technology to get farmers back on their feet again. It's the same way today. The U.S. is trying to help farmers in developing countries, like Africa. We must provide funding for agricultural research with the hopes of reducing the need for direct food aid and give people in developing countries the dignity of being able to grow much of their own food supply and earn more money to take care of their families. The goal is to help farmers become better farmers.
As our illustrious leader PRES. JOHN said at the conclusion of today's program, it sure provides plenty of "food for thought".
