Watch for cornfields to get shorter, but better

So much for the saying “knee-high by the fourth of July.” That’s an expression farmers traditionally used as a folksy measure of their corn crops’ progress. If it wasn’t up to their knees by American Independence Day, it was lagging behind. Maybe the spring was too wet and cold, resulting in late planting. In that case, the short-ish July 4 crop might be a signal that it wouldn’t produce as much … although weather conditions could still prevail that would help it catch up.

On the flipside, if spring planting was warm and dry, followed immediately by timely rain, the crop could be more than kneehigh by the fourth of July. That usually meant yield would be higher than normal, come harvest.

Over the years, some of the armchair accuracy of the expression has been lost. Corn loves heat, so plant breeders developed varieties that shot out of the ground and matured more quickly, to take advantage of warm summer temperatures. Some of those varieties get taller faster, compromising that July 4 measuring stick.

But generally speaking, a crop that’s closer to the ground is easier for farmers to grow and harvest than one towering above them. Tall varieties of certain crops can be prone to wind and rain damage. And if their stalks are bred to be tougher to counter such damage, they can have a harder time breaking down in the soil between growing seasons.

Consumers don’t always notice a production change in farmers’ fields – most changes are pretty subtle. But they may wonder what’s going around them if something called short-stature corn catches on.

It’s still a few years away. But at an outlook conference I participated in earlier this week dedicated to new agricultural developments, Bob Reiter, a Canadian who is now global head of research and development for Bayer Crop Science, turned heads when he talked about his company’s progress on short-stature corn.

Its traits, he says, are more resistance to wind and rain damage, more harvestable yield because of greater density in the field, and the trait most obvious to people – its reduced height. Short is relative – it will likely be about two feet shorter than current varieties. But that’s still significantly shorter than what’s become the norm.

Reiter is challenging his marketing team to come up with a better name for it; “short stature” doesn’t have much of a wow factor. Surely, the team will respond. I’m certain ideas are welcome.

Part of what’s driving this change is farmers’ need to conserve land. To remain profitable, they need to get as much production as they can from their crops and livestock.

And here’s the key: that enhanced production also helps them do their part to keep the cost of food in check, even though the portion farmers receive on food is typically just a few cents on the dollar, depending on the commodity.

But whatever the saving is, it’s important to consumers. They say the rising cost of food is one of their biggest concerns.

Consumers need to know what measures farmers and companies like Bayer are taking to help manage factors that contribute to rising food costs – measures like short-stature corn. Connecting with consumers in this way requires more than slogans. It’s about a commitment to consumer education, helping them understand what goes on behind the scenes.

You’ll hear it called transparency. And you’ll see an increasing emphasis on it. At that same outlook conference, research was presented that showed Generation Z, the new generation of consumers following millennials, are more open to farmers’ use of technology. It’s more a part of their everyday life. Get ready to get educated.