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Show SPECIAL SECTION, Qreei Robert R. Jensen Instructor Bear River High Vo. Ag. " 17. 1977. Page 1 A fermr by reel esme of American property US iB - edwimymk TIMES. February LEADER-GARLAN- "" Well, if I can't be anything else, I can always be a farmer. This statement has been echoed many times down through the ages as . young men mature and search for an occupation to fulfill their livelihood needs. The farmer is also pictured by many of our urban neighbors in the same context as the horse, plow and sickle; to many his image is that of a man wearing a slouch hat', a patch on his overalls, and a torn, sweaty shirt on his back. A man with calloused hands, rough speech and an eighth grade education. A . man who can't make it in the business world and has to resort to hard physical labor to survive. Sadly enough, this is the picture many Americans still hold of the farmer. But consider these facts; In 1920, 82 percent of the population of America farmed for a living. In 1976, less than 3 percent of our population produced the food and fibre which supported America' and still had ample left over to export abroad. The American farmer can now feed himself ' and 57 specialists to assist the duce higher quality food and fibre with fewer man hours, but it has motivated ingenuity, automation, mass production, and farm mechanization to an enviable position in the agricultural picture throughout the world.. The past has been preparatory for this generation, and America has now arrived at the present highly specialized era. Farming is no longer just a way of life. It is big business. It constitutes the biggest enterprise in the world... an industry bigger than oil, bigger than the other people. In this country a family of four persons spend just over 16 percent of their disposable income on food. Canada spends 20 percent. Western Europe families spend close to 33 percent, Soviet Union families 55 percent. In India 60 percent, and in some African countries 70 percent of the income of a family is spent on food. While Americans-enjoa tremendous food bargain, a greater percentage of our income can be spent on other pursuits, such as recreation and entertainment. . Did the great productivity the American Farmer . of - happen just by : chance? Certainly not! Several factors are involved. First, a system of free enterprise is suitable for production. Second, a climate which allows the production of a wide variety of products. And third, an educational system which can stimulate increased technology. Education is the dynamic power in agriculture! Edu-- . cation is a giant that can work wonders. It has not only helped the farmer pro-- farmer with his needs. Young Farmer and Adult Farmer programs offer additional training in cooperation with the agricultural program of the high school. Many industrial and busi- Continuing education is a hazards. For a number of years safflower trials were run, since there was interest in needs? Vocational Agriculture classes in high school offer training to young men and women who are preparing for farming and its related occupations. Specialized safflower oil. "Our snow removal program, using furnace ash to absorb the sun' energy and melt the snow early enough to avoid snow mold killing the winter wheat, is best research at the farm basic- kof&xss. rffi It ctnstihrits Hit tnttrpriu in Hit wttU Hun Robert Jensen bitr tn Mushy ; JL" FOR SALE ..AKC registered St. Bernard male pup. To The great advances made by the farmer in America can truly be termed "The Real Cause of American be weaned by Feb. 17, picl of the litter, perfect markings. All shots given and dew claws removed. Contact Don Pewtress - Service Cen- ter 257-775- 3. Prosperity." courses during the senior year in Animal Science, Horticulture, Mechanics, Agricultural Business, Conservation and Forestry allow students to receive training in a selected occupational area preparatory to job entry in agriculture. Partic- ifLrinir ApplKHICCS Sales ipation in activities of the of America and Clubs can provide ally oriented to cereal production because that's what the land was provided for," Nielsen acknowledged. "I'm optimistic,- -I think the research there is going well," he said. Ray Cartee is the man who works spending much of his time at the farm. of fa. way Hit H Those who still picture the farmer as an uneducated laborer are themselves uneducated. Farming has truly gained the stature of a profession requiring the highest degree of skill and technology. It commands 40 percent of the working force in America in the production, processing and distribution of food and fibre. & Service Electrical Contractors 4-- ar i just assistance. must in order for the farmer to keep up with the ever changing agricultural picture. Where does the farmer turn to meet his educational Future Farmers known," Nelsen explained. Currently, a genetic study is being conducted by Kay Asay of ARS oh crested wheat grass. He is evaluating a world collection of crested wheat grass for adaptability and production. "We continue to hold an open door for suggestions," Nelsen said. "We encourage farmers to bring their problems to us with the hopes that they may be solvable." "We've been collecting a mass of climatic and weather data related to soil moisture and crop production," Nielsen added. "As we get sufficient reservoirs of data, we will start to analyze and interpret it as it applies to farming practices," he said. "We plan to evaluate some range type alfalfas in the area," he explained. "We've tried to keep the n bitter ness companies connected with agriculture offer specialized training in the use of new agricultural products which are continually coming on the market. The list of agencies connected with the farmer for the purpose of providing educational assistance go on and on. Nowhere else in the world can a farmer enjoy a wider range of technological automobile industry, and bigger than steel. Experimental Cont'd from Page 19 tillage studies and these data have been published." Farmers also wanted to know something about fertilizers. So the farm has been working with fertilizers and still is to continue to update information as new materials become available. Another major program has been the breeding and evaluating of winter wheats. One program has been oriented largely to smut resistant varieties, yield and quality. In addition, the program has evaluated on a trial basis the genetic material that has been working on spring grain varieties, primarily barley and wheat. "We've had programs of different interest for different times," Nielsen pointed out. For instance, a four-yealfalfa trial showed the plant just couldn't make it because of frost and drought hmn h leadership training and stimulate project work as part of the training. Following graduation . . from high school, several options remain open for post high school training.-Lan- d grant colleges and universities offer baccalaureate programs in many agricultural pursuits. Utah State University and Brigham Young University offer extensive agricultural degree seeking programs in production and agricultural business areas. For the student who is not interested in a four-yedegree program, certificate programs of one and two years offer concise training. Utah State University offers one year courses in Meat Cutting and Dairy Herd Management, as well as Ornamental Horticulture. A two-yecourse is offered in - 1 Jjwmhr-- J J , ar 1 1 o Lfixrljutr UPRIGHT educational assistance. County Extension Agents are available in each county to provide help in a wide variety of agricultural areas. Offices of the SCS and ASCS as well as the FHA provide assistance in conservation and financial needs, not to mention the numerous banks with agricultural E Model FH20 FAMILY-SIZ- E FOOD FREEZER HOLDS 14.8 CU. FT. CAPACITY! SAVE$ioojM35000 Model FV15 Agricultural Technology. The placement of students in jobs is 100 percent in each of these specialized courses. For the established farmer, several agencies offer FREEZER CHEST WITH 20.3 CU. FT. CAPACITY! FAMILY-SIZ- SAVE just $2B750 CUSTOMER CARE . . . EVERYWHERE See Us For Your Complete Electrical Needs & 40 North Tremont j nnncrac Tremonton, Utah Phone 257-5S9- 0 |