Technology That Will Change Agriculture in 2017?

The above image says on top left "Robotic Ultra-Precise Weed Control" technology; this is from the YouTube link that accompanies Jim Shaw's article titled "Technology that Will Change Agriculture in 2017" in the FFDL website (22 March 2017, Food & Farm Discussion Lab, fafdl.org). Among other things, they are saying if you can't defeat the weeds, the robots will.

The technologies that Jim Shaw writes about are: (a) remote sensing for monitoring crops and crop damage, (b) genetic engineering for creating superior trains of crops with superior yields, (c) robots in agriculture for planting, harvesting and processing grains, (d) drones for planting, crop spraying and finding out which parts of a large field needs more water, and (e) vertical farming in the city where there is limited space for agriculture.

After affirming all that for science and technology, Jim Shaw ends his article of faith mentioning that "Many are waiting for the coming nuclear or ecological apocalypse." And then he says, rather weakly:

Technological advancements which can improve agriculture should offset this pessimism, at least a little, since it shows that although technology can cause problems, it can also solve problems. Science and technology which can be used to solve problems in agriculture, medicine, and other important fields should give us hope.

"Technological advancements which can improve agriculture should offset this pessimism, at least a little" – at least a little! Why don't we practice agriculture that does not lead to what he calls an "ecological apocalypse"? Why do we insist on technology that we have seen cause problems? Hope is not enough. We have to secure our future; if that means rejecting technology, we should reject technology.

And so I urge the world to practice agriculture that obeys the laws of nature and not subvert them!

Probably not the same, but there is a Jim Shaw who Mike Agresta talks about in "Pay Dirt" (Winter 2017, Colgate Scene, news.colgate.edu) thus:

Jim Shaw '83 has gone from a self-described bookworm at Colgate to a worm farmer in south-central Pennsylvania. With lessons learned from late nights studying in the Delta Upsilon fraternity house and sweat equity earned through long days of turning soil, Shaw has built a successful business. Uncle Jim's Worm Farm has become "one of the most recognizable brands in American vermiculture," the Washington Post noted recently.

He is practicing vermiculture and selling vermicasts. That to me points to the necessity for one to study late nights and paying sweat equity turning soil, which I see is the cradle of life. (More on this topic when I write my essay on "Rotavator Agriculture" and publish in this blog named after that concept.)

This must be the same Jim Shaw who lives in Pennsylvania and along with his wife Patricia raises earthworms for a living JC Derrick has written about (15 October 2016, "Loving God, Raising Worms," World Magazine, world.wng.org). They raise worms in half-drums within a building that is quiet and temperature-controlled; they sell worm castings, which Jim calls "black gold," as well as worms. Jim also sells the Christian life – he preaches the gospel and pays some $100,000 a year to have them aired on 20 radio stations in the area, the budget coming from their worm business.

Au naturale. You can't use chemical agriculture in raising the worms to produce the organic fertilizer that gardeners use to raise their organic produce.

A Jim Shaw who prescribes science that subverts nature and a Jim Shaw who prescribes science that obeys nature. I love Jim Shaw!

There is another Jim Shaw who is an artist who has an exhibition titled "Entertaining Doubts" at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, covering comic books, pulp novels, album covers, advertisements, movie posters, and noise rock, characters including himself and friends, superheroes, politicians and film stars (massmoca.org). "Shaw's works consistently illustrate purposely bad puns, while twisting politics, religion and belief into one long dream sequence." This is "the show of the summer," says the Boston Globe. "Rich and funny," says artnet news. "Expertly executed," says the Albany Times Union.

"Twisting politics, religion and belief into one long dream sequence" – this Jim Shaw probably does not believe in God. I like artists, but I will leave this one alone.

There is still another Jim Shaw who is a member of the Executive Committee of Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, AONB, which is one of England's finest landscapes, according to ANN  (author not named, no date, AONB, arnsidesilverdaleaonb.org.uk). A team of 5 members runs the AONB, 4 ladies and 1 gentleman: Manager Lucy Barron, Officer Sue Hunter, Countryside Officer Tony Biden, and part-time Communications & Funding Officers Barbara Henneberry and Ruth Ainsworth. To quote the AONB website:

This extraordinary place is famous for its amazing wildlife, stunning scenery, and superb walks. From the simple beauty of the lady's-slipper orchid to the shining sands of Morecambe Bay, the area is simply awe-inspiring. The AONB Partnership aims to conserve and enhance this special place now and for the future.

This Jim Shaw is for ecological conservation, unlike the first Jim Shaw we met who is for ecological subversion, because of his love for technology.

There is still another Jim Shaw who is a former WDAY-TV reporter and former KVRR-TV news Director. He says he interviewed the songwriter and singer Don McLean who advised him before the recording of the actual interview not to ask him about "American Pie," which was his biggest hit (inforum.com). Jim asked Don anyway. I'm glad he did.

According to Wikipedia, the overall theme of "American Pie" is "the loss of innocence of the early rock & roll generation as symbolized by the plane crash (that) claimed the lives of three of its heroes" – Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. And now I'm saying when genetic engineering was discovered, it was the loss of innocence of scientists all over the world.

I also like this other Jim Shaw, Emeritus Professor at the Oklahoma Department of Natural Resource Ecology & Management, who himself says (nrem.okstate.edu):

Most of my research has been on the behavior, ecology, and conservation of large mammals. The subjects of my field studies have ranged from red wolves in Texas to giant anteaters in Brazil. Since 1981, though, the American bison has been the (principal) focus of my research. My students and I have participated in projects addressing bison from ancient archaeological sites, analysis of historical accounts of bison numbers, movements, and distribution, bison genetics, social behavior, ecology, and conservation. I have also had various students conduct research on captive mammals, mainly primates, at the Tulsa and Oklahoma City Zoos. Another area of research involves the analysis of media (coverage) of environmental issues.

The words I like are "the behavior, ecology and conservation of large mammals." And his area of research that "involves the analysis of media coverage of environmental issues." As in the Philippines, I am sure the US media coverage of environmental issues is meager. Even coverage of innocent-sounding "agriculture" is inadequate. That's why I have my other blog, iAlternative Journalism and this one, Rotavator Agriculture, or Rotavag. From hereon, I will in Rotavag discuss agriculture as it relates to Mother Nature. Till my next essay, when I begin to discuss why and how agriculture should change technology and not the other way around! @

17 April 2017. Total word count, excluding this line: 122