The CountryMark/Indiana Prairie Farmer adult essay contest topic for 2016 required looking into the future to see what ag education at all levels might look like in the years ahead. Most people start with the concept that ag curriculum of the future must be about advances in technology.

The second-place winner in the essay contest took a different tact. This farmer believes the future for agriculture and ag education must involve more than technology. John Garrett, Franklin, received 250 gallons of diesel fuel for submitting his views.

Agree or disagree, his thoughts should provoke further discussion. Here is Garrett's essay:

FARMER WITH A DIFFERENT VIEW: Shelby County Co-op sales rep Bruce Carlton (left) delivers 250 gallons of CountryMark Premium Dieselex-4 fuel to John Garrett for his second-place essay.

“As we look forward to the next few years of agricultural education, perhaps we should pause before we continue down the path of the dominance of technology in agriculture. A computer has yet to feed anyone.

That being said, agricultural politics as a weapon both offensively and defensively should be studied.

“Looking at ag political history, the purpose and future should be addressed, from the prehistoric to the present.

“Production for a global market should be taught. By training and developing niche markets, one can prevent imports by expanding our agricultural production base while improving our trade deficit.

The U.S. produces only 3% of the seafood consumed. This [industry] must be developed through training and education for growing fish on a commercial scale. This could also be developed into a semi-contained loop farm by growing the feed for the fish on the same farm and recycling waste nutrients from the fish through irrigation.

“Production students should travel to investigate new crops and rotations. Studies should be done on the infrastructure needed to support new crops. Emphasis should be placed on increasing protein density yield per acre.

“With the renewed interest in cover crops, perhaps we should investigate using double crops as cover crops. No-till barley and soybeans provide full-season coverage [of the soil] while still making two cash crops and improving soil structure. Companion varieties should be studied and developed.

“In the gene-splicing area, students should work to create perennial corn. This could be done, for example, by slicing [genes from] corn with johnsongrass. The new hybrid would only have to be replanted every few years, would reduce cost, have a drastically smaller carbon footprint and use less fuel. It would also reduce equipment cost, prevent soil erosion by having a cover [on the soil] and have less soil disturbance.

“May the future of agriculture be bright, and the nation well-fed.”