Some final words…

By Matt Reese

“As I travel around the state, I have the great pleasure of working with some of the best people in the world — the farmers of Ohio.”

These are first words of the first Country Crossroads published in September of 1999. Since then, there have been many memorable happenings.

Crop genetics, biotech, and biologicals

The drought of 2024 made it very clear that the seeds planted in the ground last spring were a combination of a long series of miracles and agricultural innovations. Despite very tough growing conditions last year, those seeds still managed to produce strong — even excellent — yields in some cases. Without exception, every farmer I talked to said the same conditions 20, 10 or even just 5 years earlier would have had very different yield results. Plant breeding, biotech, and biologicals paid off in 2024 and have changed the world of row-crop production.… Continue reading