by Murrel Bland
Agriculture today is rapidly evolving, thanks to science and technology.
That was the message from John Floros, the dean of the College of Agriculture and the director of K-State Research and Extension. He was the featured speaker at a dinner meeting Wednesday, Oct. 19, at the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame. Business West and the Wyandotte County Farm Bureau sponsored the event.
Floros said that the challenge of agriculture will be to feed the world population. That population is about 7.3 billion today. By 2050, that number is estimated to be 11.5 billion. He said that population in the United States and Europe is fairly stable; However, there is rapid growth in places such as India, China and Africa. An emerging middle class in China is creating a market for meat.
It will be necessary to raise more efficient crops that yield more and use less water. Accurate data will be most important to the agricultural industry. Drone aircraft are being used to determine areas of cropland that need irrigation. Floros said K-State is cooperating with federal and state officials as they search for solutions of the diminishing aquafer that supplies water to Kansas farms.
Floros said as farming becomes more efficient, the number of farms in the United States is decreasing. In the 1930s, there were about 7 million farms; Today there are about 2.1 million. In Kansas, the average farm in Kansas in 1935 was about 155 acres. That average in 2012 was about 430 acres.
There are about 3,400 students studying agriculture today. Floros said that nearly all those with degrees in agriculture can find jobs. Salaries are similar to those that engineers earn.
Floros traced his educational training from Athens, Greece, to Athens, Ga. He received bachelor and master’s degrees from the Agricultural University, Athens, Greece, and a doctorate degree from the University of Georgia, Athens.
He came to K-State from Pennsylvania State University, University Park, where he was professor and head of the Department of Food Science. He also served as a professor at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
Floros has been a food consultant for more than 30 years. His efforts help perfect microwave popcorn and fresh vegetables bags.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.