Farmland: Will There Be Enough?

Excerpts from the report: The world, within the past two years, has entered a new era of food scarcity. While this is hardly new or news to much of the less developed world, it strikes hard at Americans who are accustomed to plenty, even surpluses. Since the 1930's, U.S. agricultural capacity has exceeded demands for agricultural products. Excess capacity was fueled by a combination of rich natural resources and rapid technological advance. We even legislated farm programs to restrict production as surpluses of various commodities drove farm prices and incomes down. Government programs in the 1960's diverted from 39 to 65 million acres from crop use. Since 1972, however, expanding foreign markets and adverse world climatic conditions accelerated food demand. Nearly all of the U.S. diverted acreage was subsequently released for crop use in time for 1974 plantings. In this new period of world food scarcity, Americans are forced to reconsider the potential of their agriculture industry. Fortunately, the U.S. land resource base appears ample for future domestic needs, at least beyond the year 2000. It also seems likely that U.S. farmers will have adequate land and technology to make sizeable commitments to the export market. But, it may not come easily, how well we do will depend on our chances for higher productivity per acre and our chances for more crop acres. Our record since 1950 sets the stage for the decisions we face in the future.