By Sarah Lovas
My Name is Sarah and I’m a farmer and an agronomist. What is an agronomist? It is someone who monitors crops for farmers throughout the growing season and also helps farmers in the off-season with their farm planning. Agronomists help farmers make decisions about which seeds, fertilizers, and crop protection products to use, and farming practices like tillage and planting depth.
We are sort of like doctors. The crop and the field are my patients. We look at crops and soils and evaluate them and help farmers come up with management solutions to raise a healthy crop and preserve natural resources. To do this job well, I have spent a lot of time at school and in the field learning about different pests, weeds, crop protection products, and technology. I make it a priority to keep learning as my career moves forward. No two growing seasons are the same and there are always new pests, weeds, and technologies to learn about and manage.
About 6 months ago, I added another job title to the list. I became a mother. Taking care of natural resources and producing food sustainably was always important to me. However, this took on a whole new meaning after the birth of my son.
I have always thought providing food for a hungry world was an important calling. I take pride in providing the safest, most nutritious, most affordable, and most abundant food in the world, for the world. However, now I take that job just a little more seriously.
Managing crops with regard to preserving natural resources has always been important. The next generation will need soil and water to raise their crops and produce food. Now, all of sudden, I’m talking about my son. Every time I make crop protection or fertilizer recommendations or visit with a farmer about a new farming practices, I’m constantly thinking about how my recommendation will affect the crop for the year and into the future and how it will affect the quality of the food produced from that crop.