Carlsons speak on climate at Kiwanis

Claudia Holm introduced Sue and Robert Carlson, who spoke on the International Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the March 1 Kiwanis noon luncheon meeting at the Lantern Room.

Sue Carlson is a student at Jamestown College and also heads the women’s organization of the International Federation of Agriculture Producers. Her husband, Robert Carlson, is president of the North Dakota Farmers Union. She said that 75 to 80 percent of the world’s farmers are women who are very interested in the distribution of food and prefer growing their own food for their families rather than getting a hand-out. They don’t want to rely on others.

Robert made several presentations to various groups at the conference that was held Dec. 7-17. He said that by 2050 the world’s population will increase one-half, from 6 billion to 9 billion. Other countries want information and technology to have water access and to eliminate hunger and poverty. He said 1 billion people go to bed hungry and suffer from malnutrition. He is happy IFAP was included in this conference for the first time so it could reach out to the farmers of the world. He said about 1,400 people were at the conference and security was high. He talked about changing manure and burning wheat straw bales to power electricity for entire cities, precision nitrogen distribution, tree planting, composting and no-till farming to keep carbon from being released from the soil into the air. He said it is interesting what the Danes are doing, and the future is bright for North Dakota. Future meetings will be held in Denmark in June and in Mexico in November.

Guests at the meeting included Dolores and Bill Klaudt, a retired professor from Jamestown College, and Bob Murrell, pastor at the Free Methodist Church.

The next meeting will be a Round Table meeting at the Depot Monday, March 15 instead of the regular Kiwanis meeting. Members have been invited by the Chamber of Commerce to be a part of the National Agriculture Week luncheon at noon March 17 at Shady’s in the Gladstone Inn & Suites.

Tags: community, clubs, carlson, climate, kiwanis