Food, Agriculture and the Land-Food, Agriculture and the Land-Grant College in a Changing WorldGrant College in a Changing World

Robert A. Easter, Ph.D.Robert A. Easter, Ph.D.Professor of Swine NutritionProfessor of Swine NutritionDean, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Dean, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental SciencesEnvironmental SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignJune 16, 2004June 16, 2004

Jonathan Baldwin Turner’s Great Jonathan Baldwin Turner’s Great VisionVision

‘We need a University for the Industrial classes in each state, with their consequent subordinate institutes, lyceums and high schools in each of the counties and towns”

“The objective of these institutes should be to apply existing knowledge directly and efficiently to all practical pursuits and professions in life and to extent the boundaries of our present knowledge in all possible practical directions”Farmers Convention, Granville, Illinois

Nov. 18, 1851.

The Agricultural College is a Unique The Agricultural College is a Unique American Success StoryAmerican Success Story

• Application of science to the solution of Application of science to the solution of real-world problems.real-world problems.

• Supported by taxpayers.Supported by taxpayers.• Effective integration of research, Effective integration of research,

education and extension.education and extension.

The College of Agricultural, The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sciences at the University of

Illinois ----- ACESIllinois ----- ACES

The World of ACESThe World of ACES

Food, Fiber Food, Fiber and Fueland Fuel

AgricultureAgriculture

Urban andUrban andAmenity Amenity

AgricultureAgriculture

Individuals, Families and Communities

UndergraduatesUndergraduates

CurriculaCurricula Fall 2004Fall 2004

Agricultural and Consumer Economics 545

Agricultural and Biological Engineering 128

Animal Sciences 468

Crop Sciences 81

Food Science and Human Nutrition 333

Human and Community Development 323

Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences 286

Total 2164

ACES Enrollment by County, 02-03ACES Enrollment by County, 02-03CookCook 550 550 25% 25%DuPageDuPage 213 213 10%10%LakeLake 167 167 7% 7%Champaign 153Champaign 153 7% 7%WillWill 85 85 4% 4%McLeanMcLean 6161 3% 3%SangamonSangamon 41 41 2% 2%KaneKane 37 37 2% 2%PeoriaPeoria 3737 2% 2%McHenry 35McHenry 35 2% 2%

Graduate Enrollment

CurriculaCurricula Fall 2004Fall 2004

Agricultural and Consumer EconomicsAgricultural and Consumer Economics 8585

Agricultural and Biological EngineeringAgricultural and Biological Engineering 4646

Animal SciencesAnimal Sciences 103103

Crop SciencesCrop Sciences 6464

Food Science and Human NutritionFood Science and Human Nutrition 5858

Human and Community DevelopmentHuman and Community Development 3333

Natural Resources and Environmental Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesSciences

139139

TotalTotal 528528

ResearchResearch

ResearchResearch

• Science Watch, Science Watch, a publication of the a publication of the

Philadelphia-based Institute for Philadelphia-based Institute for

Scientific Information, ranks the U of I Scientific Information, ranks the U of I

fifth in the nation for its impact on fifth in the nation for its impact on

agricultural science.agricultural science.

U of I ExtensionU of I Extension

““Times are changing”Times are changing”

“…and nowhere is that moreevident than in agriculture…”

Consumer Expectations Consumer Expectations

• Commodity FoodCommodity Food– Abundant Abundant – CheapCheap– Safe Safe – Easily preparedEasily prepared

Consumer ExpectationsConsumer Expectations

• Attribute FoodAttribute Food– OrganicOrganic– Not GMONot GMO– No antibioticsNo antibiotics– Welfare friendlyWelfare friendly– Health traitsHealth traits

Defining Issues- SustainabilityDefining Issues- Sustainability

Wastes Wastes ProductsProducts

Crops Crops and Soilsand Soils UtilizationUtilization

CornCornSoybeansSoybeans

ConsumersConsumersCorn/SoybeansCorn/SoybeansPork ProductionPork Production

Pork and Poultry Pork and Poultry ProducersProducers

Defining IssuesDefining Issues

UrbanizationUrbanization

How to move incredible masses of How to move incredible masses of

foodstuffs from production center to foodstuffs from production center to

consumersconsumers

Global Food Supply ChainsGlobal Food Supply Chains

• Systems designed to move massive Systems designed to move massive amounts of food from production amounts of food from production centers to world population centers centers to world population centers with with great economic efficiencygreat economic efficiency

Smithfield FoodsSmithfield Foods

• Process 27 million hogs per yearProcess 27 million hogs per year

• Produce 15 million hogs per yearProduce 15 million hogs per year

• InternationallyInternationally11

– Process 1.5 million hogs per yearProcess 1.5 million hogs per year– Produce 900,000 hogs per yearProduce 900,000 hogs per year

1”Outside the United States, Smithfield owns subsidiaries in France,Poland and the United Kingdom and operates join ventures in Brazil, Mexico and China.”

www.smithfieldfoods.com

Critical Questions

• Who is going to produce the fruits of agriculture?

• What production technologies will be employed?

• Where will it be done?

• Who will do the research and education

Food and Agricultural Food and Agricultural Research and EducationResearch and Education

• There are today, perhaps, 30 There are today, perhaps, 30 centers in the world that are centers in the world that are defining the future – Illinois is one defining the future – Illinois is one on those centers.on those centers.

• In 15 years that number could be In 15 years that number could be reduced by halfreduced by half

Universities in the WorldUniversities in the World

44 55 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313 1414 151511 22 33

Universities in the World: Universities in the World: AsiaAsia

44 55 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313 1414 151511 22 33

Universities in the World: Universities in the World: AustraliaAustralia

44 55 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313 1414 151511 22 33

Universities in the World:Universities in the World:AfricaAfrica

44 55 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313 1414 151511 22 33

Universities in the World: Universities in the World: EuropeEurope

44 55 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313 1414 151511 22 33

Universities in the World:Universities in the World:South AmericaSouth America

44 55 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313 1414 151511 22 33

Universities in the World:Universities in the World:North AmericaNorth America

44 55 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313 1414 151511 22 33

Universities in the World:Universities in the World:Midwest USAMidwest USA

44 55 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313 1414 151511 22 33

““Agricultural” Colleges Agricultural” Colleges at the Crossroadat the Crossroad

• Public support for higher Public support for higher education is weakeningeducation is weakening

• Many states may no longer have Many states may no longer have the capacity to support a the capacity to support a comprehensive Land-Grant comprehensive Land-Grant UniversityUniversity

““Agricultural” Colleges Agricultural” Colleges at the Crossroadat the Crossroad

• The agricultural population is in The agricultural population is in declinedecline

• With modern communication With modern communication systems there is little justification systems there is little justification for redundant programsfor redundant programs

• High impact research is complex, High impact research is complex, integrative and expensiveintegrative and expensive

HOW?HOW?

• Plan strategicallyPlan strategically

• Embrace a shared passion for Embrace a shared passion for global preeminenceglobal preeminence

• Hire, support and retain the most Hire, support and retain the most creative scholars availablecreative scholars available

• Recruit the best students possible Recruit the best students possible and provide them with and provide them with superb educationsuperb education

Landscape….. an integrating concept

It is not about cows, pigs, corn, soybeans OR natural areas, golf courses and wind turbines….

It is about the integrated utilization ofa rural or urban landscape to create sustainable economic opportunity for individuals, families and communities