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.

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.

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.

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.

Processing potatoes are bigger and longer
than potatoes consumers can find at the
 grocery store (termed fresh pack potatoes)

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.

Potato flower.

In conclusion, potatoes are delicious, beautiful, and a part of North Dakota's agriculture output.

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.

An evening 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. 

Until next time,

Jodi

China Excitement

Hello again readers!

It seems like yesterday I posted about returning from my trip to Argentina in January. However, that was almost four months ago and so many things have happened since. For instance, I've gone through the last semester of my sophomore year of university at North Dakota State University, traveled through/to 14 different states, been chosen to represent NDSU as a campus ambassador for Ag Future of America, and made a ton of memories I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Getting acquainted with a Suguaro in Arizona

Enjoying a sunrise on the coast of South Carolina

I have been especially blessed this past semester with opportunities to travel and be involved, two things I love doing. It should come as no surprise then when I say that I showed little hesitation when signing up for two upcoming trips to China and Italy/Germany/Austria to study and experience different facets of agriculture this summer. The trip to China is through the NDSU Department of Animal Sciences and will focus on many different aspects of China's agriculture including production, processing, business, consumer, and consuming (yummy Chinese food!). Our group will be in China for a total of seventeen days and will depart the 14th of May.

I'm excited. I'm really excited, and I want to use this blog post to list the things I'm most excited to see and experience in China.

1. The Great Wall of China
This is a given. Who wouldn't be excited to see one of the New 7 Wonders of the World?

2. Chinese Agriculture
One of my passions is agriculture and it's always a wonder to me how different agriculture is across the United States and even in my home state of North Dakota. Now take that difference and increase it exponentially and you have the agriculture of China. I look forward to finding out what they grow, how they grow it, the laws and policies set forth by their government regarding ag, the Chinese perception of genetically modified crops, and how American agriculture plays a role in China, and vice versa. There's so much to learn!

3. City Life
We are traveling to different cities in China including Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing, and Shanghai. Beijing has a population of over 20 million and Shanghai a population of over 23 million. Coming from a state where the population barely reaches 700,000, I am in absolute awe of the sheer possibility that that many people can live in one area at one time. I'm scared... But I look forward to the experience.

4. An Ancient Culture
The Chinese culture has been around for thousands of years and the traditions that are still practiced today have evolved from these ancient beginnings. It's hard to fathom how old this culture actually is when you're used to the 200 year old one you've grown up in. No matter, China's culture and history is one that demands respect and I hope to do just that, along with learning more about it.

As I've said before, I'm excited. We have the opportunity to see and learn so much while we're in China and I hope to make the most out of the experience. Although I'll be thirteen hours ahead, I hope to keep my blog updated about what our group does each day and what we learn, Internet permitting. I will be posting my "China Bucket List" soon. Check back!

Happy summer,

Jodi

Our Final Day

Friday, January 11 came way too soon. It was to be our sixth and last day in Argentina and I don't think any one of us were ready to leave. Despite our best wishes, our final day had to happen. 

We woke up bright and early (which was a feat, considering we had finished supper the night before at 1:30 a.m.) to begin our tour of Buenos Aires. Since Argentina is inhabited by a wide variety of cultures, the architecture varies from one block to the next. One moment we could see architecture that was textbook French and the next we awed at a building that was obviously Italian influenced. 

The Obelisk, so affectionately named

Our tour took us around different parts of Buenos Aires; the rich, the poor; the clean, the dirty. We stopped at the Plaza de Mayo, where many a protest takes place. This is also where the Casa Rosada (Argentine version of the White House) sits.

Casa Rosada with political protest signs in front

After Plaza de Mayo, we ventured down to La Boca to check out the shopping and unique culture of the area. This is one of the poorer neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, but has a lot of culture. 

Some of the colorful buildings and shops of La Boca

In stark contrast to La Boca, we went to a different part of the city which boasted clean, fenced parks, huge exquisite buildings, and the technologically advanced flower statue, whose petals open and close in response to light. (I didn't capture a picture, but I so would have if I could.

We left the city after our tour and left for our lunch venue. Our lunch would take place at a replica estancia (or ranch) where gauchos (Argentine cowboys) greet the guests and women in old-time estancia garb serve the food. We were treated to grass fed beef steaks and wonderful Argentinian bread. After our meal, one of the gauchos got out his accordion while another plucked the guitar. Not soon after, two dancers started to tango and pretty soon the whole place was filled with people dancing. 

The next experience we were treated to was a gaucho show. The gauchos herded horses and caught rings hanging from an arch while riding top speed on their ponies. Soon after the show, our group had the privilege of riding some of the horses. 

One of the gauchos, posing

Me, on horseback!

After our estancia experience, we ventured back to the city and went to one of the more fashionable malls.Way too expensive for my tastes. The airport was our next stop and after three hours waiting in line to get our tickets and to exit the country, we hopped on our plane to get back to the States. After more than twenty four hours in planes/airports, I stepped out onto the jet bridge to Hector International here in Fargo. I was welcomed by a true North Dakota sight: snow in the jet bridge. 

Typical ND. 

I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to travel to Argentina with FFA. I gained so much insight to agriculture in another country and I am inspired to learn more about it. I have been blessed with new friends from across the country and cannot wait to see them again and to see what they accomplish in the future. I want to thank the North Dakota FFA Foundation and the North Dakota FFA Association for helping to support me financially on this trip. Also, thank you to the many family members that have supported me in the same way. I encourage anyone who is presented with the opportunity to go abroad to take it. You might have to forgo other things back home, but what you learn abroad will make up for it in a different way. 

I want to also thank anyone who has been following along with my blog posts. I truly appreciate it and I hope that you learned a thing or two along with me as I traveled to Argentina. I love sharing my story and I hope to inspire others to share their own. 

Thank you and Happy Monday.

Jodi 

Iguazu Falls

Now that I'm back here in the states, I finally have some reliable WiFi and will use this time to recap what happened our last two days in Argentina.

On Thursday, January 10th, our group visited the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls. The falls are formed by the Iguazu River and its tumble over the Parana Plateau. Words cannot describe how gorgeous and awe-inspiring the falls really are. I will post pictures, but the pictures won't even come close to the real life experience of viewing the falls.

Our first view of the falls came after we took a 0.8 mile walk across the top of the Parana Plateau. First we trekked through the subtropical rain forest and then crossed shallow river water that allowed trees to grow out of seemingly nowhere.One of the reason the trees seemed to grow out of seemingly nowhere was because there had been a considerable amount of rainfall in recent days, causing the river height to be higher than normal. (This also caused the water to look a  brown color). When we reached the top, this is what we saw.

This picture just doesn't do justice. 

After our first walk, we continued our journey around Iguazu. Along the way, we saw many different plants, animals and insects. I am very thankful for the different fauna because they sure do make some great stories. For instance, around the park there are cute little coatis, animals that resemble the raccoon. 

A coati scaling the railing with no fear of humans

They look cute and adorable, right? Wrong. As we were walking to another part of the park, we entered a path canopied by trees and shrubs. Besides just the group, there were some other park visitors mixed among us. One of these other park visitors had a bag of chips in a plastic bag she was carrying on her back. Out of nowhere came one of these coatis and with sharp claws and teeth, broke through the plastic bag and swiped the chips. Not soon after, twenty other coatis came out of the trees and a feeding frenzy began over the chips. The look that they had in their eyes when they grabbed their prized chips? Evil. Pure. Evil.

Besides coatis, we saw an alligator, napping monkeys, large birds, and many different reptiles. 

We continued our trek through the park and witnessed so many gorgeous views of the falls. 

After we ventured around the park for a few more hours, it was time for our boat ride. This wasn't just any boat ride, however. It was a boat ride around the bottom of the falls. I can honestly tell you it was one of the funnest things I have ever done in my life. We boarded the river with life jackets and dry bags and held on for dear life. The churning river, along with the maneuvering of the boat by our captain, caused torrents of water to crash into the boat. At times, when we got extremely close to the crashing falls, it was so misty that one could not see what was going on. All one could do was enjoy the cooling relief of water in the hot humid jungle air. 

Our boat took is down the river away from the falls. On either side of the boat was a different country. To the south was Argentina and the north, Brazil. Cliffs with bright green flora towered over the river as we floated down to our next destination. Best boat ride ever.

We climbed up the cliffs and boarded a jungle buggy (it probably has a different name, but I feel my term is fitting as well) to take us through the jungle back to our bus. I felt like Indiana Jones. As soon as we got to our bus, we drove straight to the airport so we could board our flight back to Buenos Aires. The Falls and jungle were amazing, and I hope to come back another time in my life. 

If you are ever in Brazil or Argentina, go to Iguazu Falls.

Jodi