VOA新闻杂志2022--美国敦促农民每年种植两种作物

US Urges Farmers to Plant Two Crops Yearly¹

The Russian invasion² of Ukraine six months ago led to worries that people worldwide would go hungry. Crops like wheat remained stuck in blockaded ports.

With only so much farmland in the United States, farmers could not do much to meet the new demand. But that may be changing.

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, started new policies to urge American farmers to grow two crops, one after another, on one piece of land. The practice is known as double cropping.

The USDA changed insurance rules to lessen³ the risk of growing two crops. By doing this, the USDA hopes to greatly increase the amount of wheat that U.S. farmers can grow every year. That will reduce dependence⁵ on big wheat producers like Ukraine and Russia and increase supplies.

The idea has not received widespread attention. As autumn arrives, it is unclear how many farmers plan to try double cropping. But some farmers who already grow two crops say it is something others should consider.

"I think it's a great idea," said Illinois farmer Jeff O'Connor. He has double cropped for years and recently appeared with U.S. President Joe Biden to support efforts to increase food production. "How successful it will be, I don't know," he added.

In 2020, the U.S. exported wheat valued at $6.3 billion. The U.S., Russia, Australia and Canada lead the world in wheat exports. In past years, Ukraine has usually come in fifth place.

Ukraine is a leading supplier of wheat to people in Africa and the Middle East. After Russia's invasion, wheat prices nearly doubled to over $12 a bushel. Since then, prices have dropped following agreements that have permitted the export of some Ukrainian wheat.

Double cropping in warmer areas

Double cropping is not a new idea in the southern parts of the United States. The warmer temperatures there let farmers plant winter wheat that can be harvested in late spring while adding a second crop of soybeans. The problem comes when cool weather delays the spring harvest of wheat, which in turn delays the planting of soybeans.

With the new rules, the USDA could ease⁴ the risk of a costly⁶ planting backup. The agency⁷ would simplify crop insurance approvals⁸ for farmers planting a second crop in areas where double cropping is possible. It also would work with crop insurers and farm groups to support coverage⁹ in other areas.

In announcing its effort, the USDA said it was aiming to "stabilize¹⁰ food prices and feed Americans and the world amidst continuing challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia."

The USDA did not note climate change in its announcement. But the agency and other experts have long said warming temperatures will make farmers rethink what they grow and how.

Mark Lehenbauer raises livestock¹¹ and grows crops near Palmyra, Missouri. He said he has double cropped for years. For him, it has been a good move financially. Still, he warns that farmers must learn how to plant one crop just as they need to harvest another.

Lehenbauer added that many farmers may not be willing to take on the added risks or the extra work. "There are a lot of extra steps in there," he said. "It adds some complexity¹²."

Words in This Story

blockade - v. to stop supplies or people from entering or leaving

practice - n. the activity of doing something again and again

insurance - n. protection from bad things that may happen in the future

bushel - n. a unit for measuring an amount of fruit or grain

stabilize - v. to make steady

challenge - n. a difficult task or problem

livestock -n. farm animals, such as cows or pigs, that are kept and used by people

1 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

2 invasion   

n.入侵，侵略，侵犯

参考例句：

• They are ready against the possible invasion.他们防备可能的入侵。
• It is our duty to shield our country from invasion.保卫祖国不受侵犯是我们的责任。

3 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

4 ease   

n. 安乐,安逸,悠闲; v. 使...安乐,使...安心,减轻,放松

参考例句：

• His mind was at ease and he felt confident in the future. 他心情舒畅,对前途很有信心。
• You should ease up on the child and stop scolding her. 你应该对那个孩子宽松些,不要再骂她了。

5 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

8 approvals   

n.赞许( approval的名词复数 )；批准；赞成；[复数][商业]包退换商品

参考例句：

• Biotechnology in Health Care another 11 approvals were granted for expanded uses of existing biotech medicines. 另外批准的 11项旨在扩大现有生物技术药物的用途。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术制药疫苗
• Still, the number of new drug approvals has fallen near historic lows. 但通过的新药数量还是逼近了历史的最低点。 来自互联网

9 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

10 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

11 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

12 complexity   

n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物

参考例句：

• Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。
• The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。