Mar. 21, 2011 3:32 AM ET
USDA funds research on crops and climate change
STEVE KARNOWSKI, Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The federal government is investing $60 million in three major studies on the effects of climate change on crops and forests to help ensure farmers and foresters can continue producing food and timber while trying to limit the impact of a changing environment.
Further on in the article, we find out who will be in charge of these studies.
The corn project will be led by a rural sociologist, Lois Wright Morton of Iowa State University.
Tim Martin, a professor of tree physiology at the University of Florida is the head of the forestry project.
The leader of the wheat project is Sanford Eigenbrode, an entomologist at the University of Idaho.
Of the three, the only one I see as remotely qualified to lead an agricultural research project is Mr. Martin. At least the forestry project is led by someone with a degree in a tree related science.
What, exactly, is a "rural sociologist', and how does this relate to growing corn? Fertility rites? The frequency of farmers "shuckin' them dirty ol' work clothes off"? Looks to me like she will be studying the study participants, not doing anything useful towards getting crops to grow.
Entomologists study insects. OK, I get it - insects affect crops. But the AP quote for him involves the amount of carbon that grain crops "sequester" and how much nitrous oxide is released by fertilizer use.
Leave it to our government to spend $60,000,000 of our money and choose people apparently unqualified to lead the projects. Also, to misstate the aims of many of the studies. If they are so concerned on getting crops to grow in changing climates, why the emphasis on "greenhouse gases" that may or may not be important?
No comments:
Post a Comment