As the Super Bowl approaches us, an interesting topic of discussion is the appearance of agriculture related commercials during this big event. With prices for airtime being upwards of $4 million dollars for 30 seconds, I am appreciative of the air time that our nation's most fundamental industry has been given these past few years.
Farms.com has a great overview of this topic in the link listed below.
I look forward to this year's Super Bowl and am hopeful I will catch another glimpse of agricultural greatness.
http://www.farms.com/ag-industry-news/super-bowl-ads-highlight-agriculture-158.aspx
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Components of Harvested Crop Dry Weight
This week in my Crop and Weed Sciences capstone class, Cropping Systems: An Integrated Approach, we were asked the question, what actually compromises the finished dry weight of the crops we harvest?
This led our class to venture guesses on what would contribute to that final weight.
Some groups guessed the initial seed, water and nutrients from the soil, photosynthesis, etcetera.
What our instructor told us at the end is that the elemental components of dry weight by percentage are about 45% carbon, 45% oxygen, 5% hydrogen, 2-3% nitrogen, and less than one percent phosphorus.
Looking closer at those yield components, 45% of grain dry weight is carbon. Plants get their carbon from the atmosphere in the form of CO2. They have the same access to carbon dioxide that we do as humans from the atmosphere and yet, plants being the amazing factories they are, are able to break down that carbon dioxide and compress it into 45% of its seeds' dry weight. That's amazing if you ask me.
This led our class to venture guesses on what would contribute to that final weight.
Some groups guessed the initial seed, water and nutrients from the soil, photosynthesis, etcetera.
What our instructor told us at the end is that the elemental components of dry weight by percentage are about 45% carbon, 45% oxygen, 5% hydrogen, 2-3% nitrogen, and less than one percent phosphorus.
Looking closer at those yield components, 45% of grain dry weight is carbon. Plants get their carbon from the atmosphere in the form of CO2. They have the same access to carbon dioxide that we do as humans from the atmosphere and yet, plants being the amazing factories they are, are able to break down that carbon dioxide and compress it into 45% of its seeds' dry weight. That's amazing if you ask me.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Pushing Boundaries in Agriculture
This morning I came across the best TED Talk I have ever seen.
Rob Saik, CEO of The Agri-Trend Group, asks the question, "Will agriculture be allowed to feed 9 billion people?"
As consumers move farther away from trusting science and truth, the risk of this question having "no" for an answer increases uncomfortably.
Saik explains the risks we run if we decide not to listen to science or allow safe technological advances to proceed in the agriculture industry.
This TED Talk right here? Worth every minute of your time. Watch now to learn more.
Rob Saik, CEO of The Agri-Trend Group, asks the question, "Will agriculture be allowed to feed 9 billion people?"
As consumers move farther away from trusting science and truth, the risk of this question having "no" for an answer increases uncomfortably.
Saik explains the risks we run if we decide not to listen to science or allow safe technological advances to proceed in the agriculture industry.
This TED Talk right here? Worth every minute of your time. Watch now to learn more.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Better Decisions in Agriculture
While browsing the internet yesterday I came across an article from IBM about work they are doing on precision agriculture.
Like a lot of articles concerning agriculture these days, it began with the reminder that the global population will soar to 9.2 billion people by the year 2050 and that we need to produce more food with what we already have.
Enter IBM's Deep Thunder.
Deep Thunder is a supercomputer system utilized for weather modeling. Equipped with past weather data and current conditions, the system can "predict" weather 48 hours in advance, allowing farmers to make better decisions about field operations which include planting, applying pesticides, and harvesting.
Kinda neat right?
IBM's Deep Thunder is being tested and utilized in Brazil's IBM Research center and India's as well. Other agriculture companies in the United States are working to help farmers make better decisions as well.
Climate Corporation claims to provide radar predictions of storms for up to four hours in the future. This will give farmers insight on whether or not they can keep planting or harvesting in current weather conditions. Some of their other services allow farmers to obtain exact weather conditions for multiple fields on a single platform.
Encirca offers a platform that allows growers to see current crop conditions for each field as well and offers Encirca subscribers data that will help them better manage nitrogen and irrigation timing.
There are other services available to growers along these same lines currently available for purchase in the United States that I haven't mentioned. All of these platforms however allow growers to make more informed decisions about their farming operations. Making smarter decisions allows for better utilization of inputs and higher profitability and sustainability.
I am excited to see what other technologies become available to growers in my lifetime. I am also confident that, with progressing technology, the agriculture industry will be able to feed the projected 9.2 billion people that will inhabit the earth in 2050.
Like a lot of articles concerning agriculture these days, it began with the reminder that the global population will soar to 9.2 billion people by the year 2050 and that we need to produce more food with what we already have.
Enter IBM's Deep Thunder.
Deep Thunder is a supercomputer system utilized for weather modeling. Equipped with past weather data and current conditions, the system can "predict" weather 48 hours in advance, allowing farmers to make better decisions about field operations which include planting, applying pesticides, and harvesting.
Kinda neat right?
IBM's Deep Thunder is being tested and utilized in Brazil's IBM Research center and India's as well. Other agriculture companies in the United States are working to help farmers make better decisions as well.
Climate Corporation claims to provide radar predictions of storms for up to four hours in the future. This will give farmers insight on whether or not they can keep planting or harvesting in current weather conditions. Some of their other services allow farmers to obtain exact weather conditions for multiple fields on a single platform.
Encirca offers a platform that allows growers to see current crop conditions for each field as well and offers Encirca subscribers data that will help them better manage nitrogen and irrigation timing.
There are other services available to growers along these same lines currently available for purchase in the United States that I haven't mentioned. All of these platforms however allow growers to make more informed decisions about their farming operations. Making smarter decisions allows for better utilization of inputs and higher profitability and sustainability.
I am excited to see what other technologies become available to growers in my lifetime. I am also confident that, with progressing technology, the agriculture industry will be able to feed the projected 9.2 billion people that will inhabit the earth in 2050.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Potatoes!
While browsing my Facebook homepage today, I couldn't help but notice that "French Fries with former MythBuster" was a trending topic. I mean, how cool is that, a potato product and a member of my favorite childhood show, all in one and garnering the attention of Facebookers nationwide.
The video, shown below, goes through the steps McDonald's takes to turn a potato from the field into the golden french fries that consumers around the nation have grown to love.
This attempt by McDonald's to tell the story of how their food is made comes in response to the ever increasing demand of consumers wanting to know where their food is made, how it's grown, and how it's processed into its end product. As more people move from farms that are directly involved in food production to urban areas, the disconnect between consumers and their food becomes greater and greater. It is therefore no surprise that more consumers have the desire to learn about their food.
Idaho may be the only state thought of to grow potatoes in the United States (thanks to their incredible marketing and large portion of U.S. potato production), but, they are not alone. Our humble state, North Dakota, is the fourth largest potato producing state behind Idaho, Washington, and Wisconsin, according to the USDA's most recent Potato Summary.
Luckily for me, I have two amazing friends who contribute to North Dakota's potato production. This past August I had the opportunity to tour their farm and get a feel for an operation that grows processing potatoes, like the ones used by McDonald's for their french fries.
Potato production is highly specialized meaning that unique equipment is required to plant, maintain and harvest the tubers. A lot of potatoes are grown under irrigation to mitigate risk of quality loss due to variance in weather, to meet potatoes' high water demand and for the opportunity to distribute nutrients through irrigation.
In conclusion, potatoes are delicious, beautiful, and a part of North Dakota's agriculture output.
The video, shown below, goes through the steps McDonald's takes to turn a potato from the field into the golden french fries that consumers around the nation have grown to love.
Post by McDonald's.
This attempt by McDonald's to tell the story of how their food is made comes in response to the ever increasing demand of consumers wanting to know where their food is made, how it's grown, and how it's processed into its end product. As more people move from farms that are directly involved in food production to urban areas, the disconnect between consumers and their food becomes greater and greater. It is therefore no surprise that more consumers have the desire to learn about their food.
Idaho may be the only state thought of to grow potatoes in the United States (thanks to their incredible marketing and large portion of U.S. potato production), but, they are not alone. Our humble state, North Dakota, is the fourth largest potato producing state behind Idaho, Washington, and Wisconsin, according to the USDA's most recent Potato Summary.
Luckily for me, I have two amazing friends who contribute to North Dakota's potato production. This past August I had the opportunity to tour their farm and get a feel for an operation that grows processing potatoes, like the ones used by McDonald's for their french fries.
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| Processing potatoes are bigger and longer than potatoes consumers can find at the grocery store (termed fresh pack potatoes) |
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| Potato flower. |
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Back at the Blog
Well, it looks like I am back at it folks! I am taking a class called Business and Professional Writing this semester and I have been tasked to write three blog posts a week related to my major or future career.
To get a taste of what my posts will be about for the rest of the semester I will give a brief background on myself and outline some of the things I passionately care for.
I am a senior at North Dakota State University majoring in Crop and Weed Sciences and Agricultural Economics with a minor in Soil Science. I grew up on a small farm in western North Dakota and through agricultural youth programs like 4-H and the National FFA Organization, I grew a voracious passion for plants and agriculture. I love spending time out in fields and identifying plants, weeds, insects, etc. Since coming to college I have completed three internships related to agronomy in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota and will be moving to Illinois this summer for a fourth summer internship. My passion lies with helping growers achieve more with sound agronomic advice and proven research.
While growing up I viewed living in the middle of nowhere as a huge hindrance. Living thirty miles from town meant not being able to see friends or do all of the cool things that my peers were doing, like watching the latest movie or playing the funnest new video game. Since then I have developed a deep appreciation for home and the place that molded me into who I am today. The biggest difference I notice going from Fargo to back home is the sound, or lack thereof. It is one of the most wonderful sensations to sit still and appreciate the absence of sound. I haven't been able to replicate that experience in the hustle and bustle of Fargo but silence is a rare phenomena and I am thankful when I get to experience it at home.
Some of my passions outside of agriculture include photography, education, travel, history, people, and books. A lot of these other passions tie into agriculture in some way, shape or form. I hope to use this blog to tie all of my passions together for the common goal of sharing great stories in agriculture.
To get a taste of what my posts will be about for the rest of the semester I will give a brief background on myself and outline some of the things I passionately care for.
I am a senior at North Dakota State University majoring in Crop and Weed Sciences and Agricultural Economics with a minor in Soil Science. I grew up on a small farm in western North Dakota and through agricultural youth programs like 4-H and the National FFA Organization, I grew a voracious passion for plants and agriculture. I love spending time out in fields and identifying plants, weeds, insects, etc. Since coming to college I have completed three internships related to agronomy in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota and will be moving to Illinois this summer for a fourth summer internship. My passion lies with helping growers achieve more with sound agronomic advice and proven research.
While growing up I viewed living in the middle of nowhere as a huge hindrance. Living thirty miles from town meant not being able to see friends or do all of the cool things that my peers were doing, like watching the latest movie or playing the funnest new video game. Since then I have developed a deep appreciation for home and the place that molded me into who I am today. The biggest difference I notice going from Fargo to back home is the sound, or lack thereof. It is one of the most wonderful sensations to sit still and appreciate the absence of sound. I haven't been able to replicate that experience in the hustle and bustle of Fargo but silence is a rare phenomena and I am thankful when I get to experience it at home.
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| An evening at home. |
Until next time,
Jodi
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