Abigail Copenhaver, RDN, CDNIvy Lakes Dairy & Farmstead Nutrition Stanley, NY
@dairyfarmerRD
Modern Farming Tools & Techniques
Photo credit: Jennie Schmidt
Photo source: http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/
research/robotics/agricultural.shtml
Abigail Copenhaver, RDN, CDN
@dairyfarmerRD
Disclosures
• Owner of Farmstead Nutrition & Consulting, LLC and Ivy Lakes Dairy, LLC
• Honorarium • Presentation sponsor by National Dairy Council grant• Consulting for the American Dairy Association
Northeast
Session Objectives
1. Describe at least one modern farming tool or technique and how it is used to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
2. Identify the main differences and similarities of current farming practices.
3. Communicate 2-3 facts and recommend 2-3 credible resources about innovative farming tools and techniques to colleagues and the public.
Photo credit: Amy Myrdal Miller
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History of Farming in the U.S.1
Photo source: LivingHistoryFarm.org
Photo credit: Nebraska State Historical Society
A romanticized view of farming?
Photo source: www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
Farming 100 Years Ago2
According to the 1920 USDA Census of Agriculture:• US population = 105.7 million• 48.6% of people lived in rural areas• 6.45 million farms
Photo source: http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/agriculture/pics/14235_4_by_plow_1020.jpg
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1920 1935 1945 1970 1997 2012
Farms (millions)
Farms (millions)
The total number
of farms in the U.S.
peaked in 1935 at
6.8 million.
Source: USDA Census of Agriculture, www.agcensus.usda.gov
Farms in the U.S., 1920-20123,4
USDA Definition of a “Farm”4
Any place from which $1,000 or more of
agricultural products were produced and sold, or
normally would have been sold, during the census
year.
Artwork credit: Amy Myrdal Miller
Changes in Farms & Population5
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
1920 1935 1945 1969 1997 2012
As the U.S. population has grown, the number of farms has decreased.
Farms (1,000s) Population (millions)
In 1935 one farm fed
approximately 19 people.
Today one farm feeds
approximately 149 people.
Source: USDA Census of Agriculture, http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/censusParts.do?year=1935
Farms, Land & Acres6
Source: USDA Fact Book 2001-2002 http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter3.pdf
The Homestead Act of 18627
Photo source: www.archives.gov
Farmland & Railroads8
Source: Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum http://cprr.org/Museum/RR_Development.html
Farmland & Railroads
Photo source: www.enjoyart.com
Wheat, An Important Food Crop
Photo credit: Archives of Gus Lohse and Rosemarie Lohse Myrdal, used with permission.
How Wheat is Harvested Today
Photo credit: Harold Myrdal
Wheat & Food Security9,10
Photo credits: Archives of Gus Lohse and Rosemarie Lohse Myrdal, used with permission.
1957
1982 1994Photo credit: Naomi MyrdalPhoto credit: Naomi Myrdal
Photo credit: Rosemarie Myrdal
1937
Photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/old-tractor-1538988
A 54-row corn planter
Photo credit: https://www.deere.com/en_US/products/equipment/planting_and_seeding_equipment/planters/db_planter_series/db120/db120.page
U.S. Corn Yield, 1935 to 201611
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
1935 1945 1969 1997 2012 2016
Corn Yield (bushels/acre)
Yield (Bushels/Acre)
Source: USDA ERS, accessed online on October 10, 2016 at http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/521667/corndatatable.htm
1930s: Hybrid corn
becomes available
1996: Biotech corn seed
becomes available
Dairy Farming: Then & Now
Photo credit: permaculture.co.uk
Photo credit: Amy Myrdal Miller
Dairy Farming Today
Parallel Milking Parlors
Photo credit: http://www.siouxdairy.com/site/assets/galleries/11/roordaparlor2.jpg
Haying: Then & Now
Moving hay in North Dakota in1950
Moving hay in North Dakota in 2010
Photo credit: Naomi Myrdal
Photo credit: Rosemarie Myrdal
Current Farming Practices
Photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/farm-land-1395655
Let’s Talk Farming Systems4
Agriculture
CONVENTIONAL
Uses modern
technology
and mechanization.
Stems from
green revolution.
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Uses plant breeding
techniques to develop
or improve living
organisms.
“RoundUp/Bt/Stacked.”
ORGANIC
Ecological production
System minimizing
off farm inputs;
Uses only OMRI
approved materials.
Comparison of Practices12
Practice Conventional Biotech Organic
No-Till √ √ √
Crop Rotation √ √ √
Cover Crops √ √ √
Green Manure √ √ √
IPM √ √ √
Fertilizers √ √ √
Pesticides √ √ √ OMRI
Challenges13,14
• Global population growth: 8.3-10.9 billion by 2050.
• Most growth in developing countries.• Increased demand for food, water, energy,
employment.• Wasted food.• Global income growth: With affluence comes
increasing demand for meat.• Cropland loss.• Soil erosion.• Fertilizer costs.• Market speculation.• Aquifer depletion.• Water pollution.• And other climate change challenges…
World Bank World Development Indicators database
Increased Subsidy for Organic Ag15
Source: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=organic-agriculture.html
Enhanced Agricultural Tools
Source:https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/04/22/glp-infographic-how-crops-are-modified-are-gmos-more-dangerous/
16,17
Photo credit: Amy Myrdal Miller
• Soil Health• Water• Data
Farming Tools and Techniques18
Photo credit Dee Sandquist
“No-Till” (L) does not work up the ground before planting.
Soil Conservation19
Photo credit: Dee Sandquist Photo credit: Jennie Schmidt
Planting on No Till Ground
Photo credit: Jennie Schmidt
Key Soil Health Practices12
• No-till: Growing crops without tilling (e.g., plowing) the soil.
• Reduced-till/mulch-till: Tilling the soil in ways that minimize disturbance to the soil or maintain more residue cover than conventional tillage.
• Mulching: Adding plant residue (or other materials) to the surface of the soil.
• Cover cropping: Growing a crop, often over the winter, that will be left in place as residue or incorporated into the soil to increase organic matter.
• Conservation crop rotation: Choosing crop rotations to maximize crop diversity, build organic matter, and improve soil biodiversity.
• Nutrient management: Adjusting the type, location, rate, and timing of fertilizer or other nutrients to meet plant needs and minimize environmental impacts.
• Prescribed/rotational grazing: Managing where and when livestock graze in two or more pastures in order to prevent overgrazing and to optimize pasture growth.
Concern – Pesticides20-23
Application
Tolerances
Glyphosate
EFSA
Photo source: http://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/2000/nov/insect
T= Amount of Residue + Amount Consumed + Toxicity of Pesticide
EPA Formula for Toxicity24
Agbots25
Photo source: http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/research/robotics/agricultural.shtml
The Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force was established in 1997 to coordinate
activities to reduce the size, severity and duration of hypoxia in the Gulf.
https://vimeo.com/58382888
Innovations26
A bioreactor is a medium of good carbon sources, wood chips, through which tile water is passed and nitrates are released as nitrogen gas into the atmosphere.
Photo Source: Farm Futures, September 2016. Impact of agricultural practices in the Upper 9Mississippit River Basin at Farmfutures.com.
Practice Paper: Promoting Ecological Sustainability within
the Food System27
Miles from harvest to delivery/mpg = gallons fuel used × 19.5 lb. CO2 = lb. CO2 generated from transportation of
food
Innovations in agriculture technology help to use fewer resources, including fertilizer, pesticides, water, etc.
Examples:• Technology to maximize
crop space• Satellite imagery to survey
soil• Technology to increase
drought tolerance• Precision agriculture tools
to reduce inputs and improve efficiency
Examples of Ag Innovations
Photo credit: Jennie Schmidt
Photo credit:
Jennie Schmidt
Photo credit: Dee Sandquist
The New Farmer has Choices
Photo credit: Dee Sandquist
Photo credit: Dee Sandquist
Communicating Farming Facts
Farm Facts28
FARMERS• Less than 2% of the population are farmers,
and only 1% farm as principal occupation.• As of 2012, there are 3.2 million farmers in the
U.S.• Principal operators were on average 58.3 years
old and were predominantly male.• 11% of farmers are new farmers who have
farmed 10 years or less.
FARMS & FARMLAND• 2.1 million farms (14,093 are certified organic
farms)• 914.5 million acres of farmland across the U.S. • 97% of all farms in the U.S. are family farms• 474,028 farms covering 173.1 million acres were
farmed with conservation tillage or no-till practices
(USDA 2012 Census)
Photo credit: Amy Myrdal Miller
Farm Production Facts
Farmers may choose from four types of production methods:1. Conventional2. Organic3. Biotech4. Indoor, vertical (requires no sun and no soil)
A farmer or rancher may choose to use multiple production methods based on factors including soil type(s), climate, availability of seed or machinery, access to irrigation, growing region, crop prices, and market access and demand.
Photo credit: Amy Myrdal Miller
Farm Production Methods
ORGANIC CONVENTIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY PROTECTED CULTURE & INDOOR
VERTICAL
Crop Rotation X X X
Cover Crops X X X
No-Till X X X
Fertilizer Compost Natural or synthetic
Natural or synthetic
Natural or synthetic
Crop Protection
IPMHerbicidesPesticidesFungicides
IPMHerbicidesPesticidesFungicides
IPMHerbicidesPesticidesFungicides
Need depends on how protected the growing conditions
are.
Fallow Land X X X
Similarities & Differences
The Pace of Change29
https://www.cues.org/scripts/tiny_mce/plugins/imagemanager/files/CU_Management/2013/July_2013/BDspc_chart2.jpg
Resources
“The good thing about science
is that it's true whether or not
you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
American astrophysicist, cosmologist, author,
and science communicator
Frederick P. Rose Director,Hayden Planetarium
Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City
Communication Resources
• Center for Science in the Public InterestAgricultural Biotechnology Project https://cspinet.org/protecting-our-health/biotechnology
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Pesticides and Healthhttp://ephtracking.cdc.gov/showPesticidesHealth.action
• Genetic Literacy Project https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/
• National Academy of SciencesGenetically Engineered Crops Reporthttps://nas-sites.org/ge-crops/
• Alliance for Food & Farminghttp://www.foodandfarming.info/
Communication Resources• International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s
Understanding Our Food Communications Tool Kitwww.foodinsight.org/articles/understanding-our-food-communications-tool-kit
• IFIC Foundation’s Food Biotechnology: A Communicator’s Guide to Improving Understanding, 3rd editionwww.foodinsight.org/education/food-biotechnology-communicators-guide-improving-understanding
• USDA National Organic Programhttps://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/programs-offices/national-organic-programhttp://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5101542
• Hunger and Environmental Nutrition (HEN) Dietetic Practice Group Organic Talking Pointshttp://www.hendpg.org/docs/Resources%20-%20public/organictalkingpoints_final_withbleeds2.pdf
Please consider a gift to the Academy
Foundation’s Second Century Campaign
and make an investment in the future of
our profession!
Donate online at
www.eatrightfoundation.org
T H A N K Y O U!
QUESTIONS?
Speaker NameTitleAffiliation
EventLocationDate
Modern Farming Tools & Techniques
Photo credit: Amy Myrdal Miller
References 1. USDA Census of Agriculture Historical Archive.
http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/censusParts.do?year=1850. Accessed January 6, 2017.2. USDA 1920 Farms and Property.
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/AgCensusImages/1920//Farms_and_Property.pdf. Accessed January 6, 2017.
3. USDA Ag Census of Agriculture. www.agcensus.usda.gov. Accessed January 6, 2017.4. USDA Economic Research Service. Glossary. http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-
household-well-being/glossary.aspx. Accessed January 6, 2017. 5. USDA Census of Agriculture Historical Archive.
http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/censusParts.do?year=1935. Accessed January 6, 2017.6. USDA Fact Book 2001-2002. http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter3.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2016.7. OurDocuments.gov Website. https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=31. Accessed January 6, 2017.8. Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum. http://cprr.org/Museum/RR_Development.htm.
Accessed October 13, 2016.9. Farm Journal Ag Web. http://www.agweb.com/article/low-prices-could-clip-us-wheat-acres-naa-debra-
beachy/. Accessed October 27, 2016.10. Montgomery G. Wheat Price Policy in the United States.
http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/17204/1/ar530025.pdf. Accessed January 13, 2017.11. History of the U.S. Hybrid Corn Seed Industry.
http://imbgl.cropsci.illinois.edu/school/2014/11_THOMAS_HOEGEMEYER.pdf. Accessed October 11, 2016.12. USDA National Agriculture Library Glossary. https://agclass.nal.usda.gov/glossary.shtml. Accessed January
12, 2017.13. The World Bank. World Development Indicators. http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world-
development-indicators. Accessed January 6, 2017.
14. United Nations. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/un-report-world-population-
projected-to-reach-9-6-billion-by-2050.html. Accessed January 6, 2017.
References 15. USDA Organic Agriculture.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=organic-agriculture.html. Accessed January 6, 2017.
16. Genetic Literacy Project. Infographic. https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/04/22/glp-infographic-
how-crops-are-modified-are-gmos-more-dangerous/. Accessed January 6, 2017.
17. USDA Biotechnology FAQs.
https://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=BiotechnologyFAQs.xml&navid=AGRICULTU
RE. Accessed January 6, 2017.
18. Bowman M, Wallander S, Lynch L. Perspective on Soil Health. Drawn from Economics of Soil Health, Summary of ERS/Farm Foundation workshop and associated presentations on September 21 and 22, 2015, Farm Foundation, 2015.
19. Seufert V, Ramankutty N, Foley JA. Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture. Nature, 2012; DOI: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v485/n7397/full/nature11069.html. Accessed January 6, 2017.
20. Walton D. GMO Myth: Farmers “drown” crops in “dangerous” glyphosate. Fact: They use eye droppers. Genetic Literacy Project. https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/01/22/gmo-myth-farmers-drown-crops-in-dangerous-glyphosate-fact-they-use-eye-droppers/. Posted January 22, 2015. Accessed January 11, 2016.
21. Brookes G and Barfoot P. Environmental impacts of genetically modified (GM) crop use 1996-2013: Impacts on pesticide use and carbon emissions. GM Crops & Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain. 2015: 6 (2).
22. Weed Science Society of America. WSSA FACT SHEET: Dispelling Common Misconceptions about Superweeds. WSSA Website. http://wssa.net/wp-content/uploads/WSSA-Fact-Sheet-on-Superweeds_16-Sep-2014.pdf. Accessed February 5, 2016..
References 23. Environmental Protection Agency. Glyphosate Issue Paper: Evaluation of Carcinogenic Potential.
September 12, 2016. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-
09/documents/glyphosate_issue_paper_evaluation_of_carcincogenic_potential.pdf. Accessed January 13,
2017.
24. Environmental Protection Agency website. https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-tolerances/setting-tolerances-pesticide-residues-foods. Accessed January 10, 2017.
25. Agbot website. www.agbot.ag. Accessed January 10, 2017.26. Farm Futures, September 2016 Read about impact of agricultural practices in the Upper 9 Mississippi River
Basin at www.Farmfutures.com. 27. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Paper. Promoting Ecological Sustainability within the Food
System. March 2013. http://www.eatrightpro.org/~/media/eatrightpro%20files/practice/position%20and%20practice%20papers/practice%20papers/practice%20papers/sustainability_march_13.ashx. Accessed January 6, 2017.
28. USDA Census of Agriculture 2012. https://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/. Accessed January 6, 2017.
29. Cues.org Website. https://www.cues.org/scripts/tiny_mce/plugins/imagemanager/files/CU_Management/2013/July_2013/BDspc_chart2.jpg. Accessed January 10, 2017.