DaleDon'tWorry



**The Problem:**

Since crops were domesticated 10,000 years ago, we have relied on annual grains[i] Annual grains include wheat, corn, rye, oats, barley, rice, soybeans, and so on. This was due to the fact that annual grains were better suited for disturbances in the soil as well as sowing seeds. [i] Crops became easily changeable in response to changing demand or if a disease epidemic was occurring.

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) has stated that agriculture is the “largest threat to biodiversity and ecosystem function of any single human activity[ii] As humans we depend on grains for our nutrition and sustenance. This comes at a price as over 75 percent of our calories worldwide come from annual grains.[iii] Under this agricultural system, this practice will not remain sustainable as the world population approaches near 10 billion people in the next fifty years.[iv]

**Implications:**

As our population increases, we will simply not have enough land to accommodate for the demand of grains which is expected to double by 2050.[i] There isn’t too much suitable land left for annual crops especially since the bio-fuel industry has sprung up as a major competitor for land. Currently, we are using half our usable land for agricultural related uses.[v] Soil best suited for annual grains make up 12.6% of our global land area[vi] Making things worse, 33.5% of our land area is being used to meet 50% of world population’s food needs.[vi] This land area is at a high risk for irreversible damage under the annual grain system.

Up to 40 percent of the world’s crop lands are plagued by overgrazing, erosion of soil, and overall decline in fertility.[ii] The Corn Belt in the United States provides a perfect example of how annual grains have had a toll on our environment. The region was largely a tall grass prairie before annual grain systems were developed about 150 years ago.[iv] This in turn has created soil devastation and contamination of surface waters and nutrients throughout the Corn Belt and the Gulf of Mexico. Another important issue with accommodating for the increase of annual grain demand is the increasing use of pesticides.

The National Water Quality Assessment program discovered at least one pesticide in 50% of the samples it collected in agricultural areas in the spring of 2001 in Des Moines.[iv] “Between 1960 and 1995, global use of nitrogen fertilizer increased sevenfold, and phosphorus use increased 3.5-fold; both are expected to increase another threefold by 2050 unless there is a substantial increase in fertilizer efficiency.”[v] The amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus being pumped into the environment from pesticides will triple if the population doubles.[v] This not only impacts the environment, but it also impacts human health. Some examples of these impacts include soil degradation, increase of energy use to meet food demands, toxins leaking into ground water, decreasing land value for recreational purposes, and decreasing fishery.[v]

As demand continues to increase for food, more and more erosion, overgrazing, and decline in fertility will take place on our crop lands further reducing the amount of land that can meet our grain demands. As stakeholders (the environment, consumers, farmers, and governments), we will all be affected. The farmers will have to find new ways to change agricultural practices, we as consumers will have to buy different food, and governments will have to help with the change in technology and practices through subsidies and direct investment.

**Solutions:**

1. Perennial grains- Perennial grains do not need to be replanted every year like annuals. This saves money, fossil fuel usage, and many labor costs. Perennials have promising characteristics such as large roots which go down up to 12 feet in the ground.[vii] This aids in lowering the effects of erosion, building up soil, and in capturing carbon.[vii] This in turn means that these plants do not need as much fertilizer, pesticides, or use of equipment. Annual grains hold 35 times more nitrate, and lose water at a rate of five times as much.[vii] Perennials can’t be the end all solution since selecting genes and traits of annual plants to produce perennial counterparts will take time. Estimates point to 25 to 50 years of more research/work before they are fully viable.[iv]

2. Farmer incentives- Farmer incentives from governments can help cover the increase in production and landscape change costs. This has worked in Europe. “In 1999, member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development provided US$283 billion in subsidies to support agricultural production (of which US$74 billion was for grains.”[v]

3. Taxing fertilizer- This would help with reducing the use of them.

4. Government investment- Large amount of investment in technology would be needed to continue to make agriculture more sustainable for the long term.

**Links:**

Emerging Explorer Jerry Glover on the Need for Perennial Food Crops: [|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d9MMlU573k&feature=player_embedded#] - Explains why we need perennials

New Paper Released About Perennial Wheat**:** [] -Shows that perennial wheat is succeeded due to research

The Land Institute: [] -An organization dedicated to solving the annual grain issues by research perennial grains

Perennial grains could transform agriculture, save soils: []

-Summarizes Jerry Glover’s efforts along with the Land Institute Wikipedia Entry: [] -In depth information on perennials

**Images:**

Barley: [] Pesticides: [] Faucet: [] Crowded Street in England: [] Money: [] Soil Erosion with Roots:

**Endnotes:** [i] Glover, Jerry, and John Reganold. “Perennial Grains Food Security for the Future.” //Issues in Science and Technology// (Dec. 2009): n. pag. Web. 9 Sept. 2010. . [ii] Jackson, Wes. “The 50-Year Farm Bill.” Editorial. //The Green Dump//. N.p., 18 July 2010. Web. 11 Sept. 2010. . [iii] “About Us.” Editorial. //The Land Institute//. N.p., 2010. Web. 9 Sept. 2010. . [iv] Glover, Jerry. “Characteristics of Annual vs Perennial Systems.” University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Quincy, Florida. 20 Feb. 2003. PDF file. [v] Tilman, David, et al. "Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices." //Nature// 418.6898 (2002): 671. //Academic Search Premier//. EBSCO. Web. 09 Sept. 2010. [vi] Glover, Jerry, et al. “Increased Food and Ecosystem Security via Perennial Grains.” //Science Magazine// 25 June 2010: 1638 -1639. Web. 10 Sept. 2010. . [vii] “Perennial Grains are Set to Transform Farming but Need Resources Equal to Biofuel Effort to Accelerate Development and Global Depolyment.” Editorial. //Next Big Future//. N.p., 25 June 2010. Web. 10 Sept. 2010. .