Agriculture has been at the forefront of innovation for as long as this country has existed. In the past 80 years we’ve seen more changes in agriculture than ever before.
That statement has been crystalized in my mind in recent weeks with the death of my 85-year-old father, Gary Bergmeier, who was old enough to remember seeing the transition from horses to tractors. He could remember taking livestock to the Kansas City Stockyards, a story that was told by others of his era. One of my teachers at Kansas State University, Dell Allen, an animal science professor, who I later interviewed in a story at Beef Empire Days in Garden City, shared the same story.
As Dad and Allen told me the stockyards was a sight to see as it was one of the terminal outlets with its birth in the 19th century from the western trails that were driven to the Union Pacific. They both also told me that as innovation occurred, it meant the end of one era in order for a new one to begin.
Feedlots started to show up in the western High Plains and packing plants moved from the cities to be closer to where beef was produced. Those areas also were at the heart where irrigation from the Ogallala Aquifer lent itself to growing feed and forages.
What we have seen from those innovations was change and as dad often would say, trying to stop innovation only leads to frustration and counteracts opportunity. Farmers and ranchers, he often said, needed to have the right tools to decide.
Dad, who grew up on a farm in Clay County, Kansas, spent more than 20 years with his affiliation with John Deere, first as a territory manager and then as a co-owner in a dealership with Tuffy Taylor in Hoxie, Kansas, and as an owner in Phillipsburg, Kansas. He and his contemporaries watched the introduction of articulated four-wheel drive tractors and combines with 30-foot headers and 12-row headers. Those have continued to grow in size, which he was always amazed but not surprised. It was all part of the process.
Dad also recognized the importance of being a good steward—applying too much fertilizer, fungicides or pesticides often had consequences years later with the unintended consequences of lower production or polluted water. One of my brothers told the story of watching a center pivot he had sold in the 1970s—at a time when little restrictions were in place on the Ogallala Aquifer. My brother asked Dad if that vast underground reservoir would last forever and Dad said no that it had a limited life but if was used properly it could help to grow food but would need management to preserve it.
How Dad knew that long before many others was something my brother marveled at.
Dad liked to read about precision agriculture with an important caveat—technology is a tool that can help to make an informed decision but ultimately the farmer and rancher has to take that information and make the decision on his or her own and be accountable for it.
The message was a consistent one he had for myself and my three brothers.
Dad understood that innovation meant farmers had to use larger equipment and technology to be more efficient. While he supported the nobility of feeding the world, Dad always impressed upon us that a farmer had to be profitable first. Dad said only the individual farmer and rancher, like a businessman, knew his breakeven point.
In the difficult times of the 1980s Dad and Mom made the difficult decision to sell their dealership and start over. Dad never forgot those times either but also in one of my final conversations had no regrets about life’s experiences because they constantly opened new doors and he assured me that when people are grounded in their faith with God and were optimistic about their future anything was possible.
As his physical health declined over a four-week period, he amazed us with his memory and positive thoughts. Although he was confident he was going to see his savior soon he reminded each of his four sons that much good was ahead with the right frame of mind.
In one of my last conversations Dad said, “Take care of yourself.” Good advice to share.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
