by Chas Bonner
The
RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER by Samuel Taylor
Coleridge in 1797:
"Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink."
We in agriculture are increasingly aware of the importance of water, especially in areas requiring irrigation. According to an in-depth 2009 study undertaken by several major private sector corporations, and reported on by McKinsey & Co., world usage of water by 2030 will be 160% of availability, assuming no changes in supply or usage, and agriculture uses an estimated 71% of that water. Without major changes, it is evident that a crisis is looming. Maybe the Ancient Mariner will be proven right.
However, many changes are now being studied and implemented, especially in the developed world, and especially in the U.S. For instance, genetically modified seeds have been a large contributor to increased yields of corn, yields that have grown an average of 2% per year over the past 10 years in the U.S. By contrast, in Europe where genetically modified corn is not allowed, yields have stagnated over that same period. GMO will become a necessity, as will new forms of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.
Further, new methods of irrigation can dramatically reduce water use. Many state and federal programs are available that incentivize irrigation improvements via tax credits. In the past, water has been relatively “free,” which invariably leads to increased usage. Today, with water, pumping, and delivery costs increasing, water usage is diminishing.
Because Scythe & Spade operates in the Intermountain West, water law, water accounting, water trades, and water usage have become part of our core competencies. Prior to managing or acquiring a farm, we not only investigate water rights and history, we check out the entire distribution system including turn outs, wells, pumps, panels, pipelines, ditches, sprinklers, etc., implement and/or suggest necessary remediation, and track improvements.
Water management and usage is fast becoming one of the largest operating cost of any farm in the West, and as a result, in-depth knowledge of the subject is a prerequisite to cost efficient farming.
Our goal is to render the Ancient Mariner wrong.
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