America: A land of amazing farms

A long trip across this amazing country has dispersed the miasma of doom I have been suffused with during this dreadful election season, during which many have been doing their best to make us feel really bad about the future.

First of all, there really aren't very many Trump or Clinton yard signs, which I choose to take as a sign of rebellious ambivalence.

But this is not about them; this is about a sign of progress! Yes, America has a lot of greatness! And one wonderful barometer of that is agriculture.

We have heard for decades about the declining family farm. And we all know families who have worked their hearts out and their fingers to the bone but still lost the farm. This is especially visible in the Midwest, but it's true across the country. The Agriculture Department says the number of farmers declined 4.3 percent from 2007 to 2012; 3.2 million farmers now work 2.1 million farms.

That sounds grim. But nowhere is the legendary American ingenuity more evident than on the farm. The truth is that farmers now are using the fruits of technology in ways that are increasing their yields, feeding more people around the world, making crops less susceptible to the vagaries of weather and implementing the amazing research that is underway in our universities. Today's small farmers have college degrees and are constantly updating their methods, their business skills and their connectivity with each other and the world.

Drive across Iowa and see not only the behemoth agribusinesses, but really savvy family farmers who know exactly what they are doing. Oh yes, they still work long, tough hours, but they sow, water and fertilize with computers. They talk knowledgeably about genomes, and they are fully aware of changing tastes around the globe and the huge demand for better-tasting, more healthful food that does not wreak havoc on the environment.

You Texans may live for the fried beer at your state fair, but your cattle ranchers are producing beef for vast new markets around the world as consumers in rising new economies want to eat the same steak Americans crave.

The Economist, the incomparable news magazine that tracks major global social issues with dispassion and accuracy, reported that John Deere, the world's largest manufacturer of agricultural equipment, began equipping tractors with global positioning systems so farmers could greatly increase efficiency, reduce redundant seeding or missed sections, and cut fuel bills.

Sensors now monitor the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium needs of crops being sprayed. Farmers get computer software that routinely helps them with farm management issues that have plagued farmers for centuries. Farmers are using drones and satellites and small planes on a daily basis. There is amazing research underway on getting rid of weeds without harmful chemicals. And, yes, robots are coming to the farm, which will free millions of people to do other jobs.

While the most dramatic innovations in farming are taking place in the West, philanthropist Bill Gates notes that even in Africa, where millions of farmers still rely on primitive farm tools, there are innovations that will change the world, such as the mapping of Africa's soils, which will tell farmers what seeds to plant, how to fertilize and how to increase yields. Computer modeling has cut the breeding time of cassava plants in half and reduced the plant's susceptibility to viruses. Farmers are discussing best practices on YouTube videos. New jugs are available to help get milk to market without spoiling.

All over, fish farming of saltwater fish is being explored. New drought-tolerant corn will revolutionize life for many farmers. Researchers are exploring ways to improve the ways plants process carbon dioxide. They are looking at tweaking photosynthesis. Cattle sensors give producers early indication of disease or general health and whether cows are ready for insemination. Worried about animal rights issues, researchers are experimenting with growing meat muscle directly in labs, bypassing the need to slaughter animals. Synthetic eggs, which might not cause allergies, are in development.

While there are social and ethical implications in some of the research, overall, it is exciting. It should provide hope and proof that American greatness is alive and well.