The application of advanced technology to improve crop production is called precision agriculture, as is the field of nutrition, which consists of using science and data to fine-tune nutritional recommendations.
For more information on where and how the two areas overlap, a three-member panel of diverse agricultural experts spoke at the Oklahoma Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ annual meeting in Oklahoma City in mid-April. reviewed by. The Oklahoma Wheat Commission organized the panel in response to a survey from nutritionists who expressed interest in wheat production practices.
Kicking off a lively hour-long discussion, Brian Arnall, professor of crop precision management at Oklahoma State University, set out to demystify buzzwords like sustainability, conservation, and restoration that confuse many people. .
All of these terms refer to something more fundamental: using science to find ways to do things better, he said.
“There are new terms being used, like regenerative agriculture and soil health, but from our perspective, we have always tried to use new tools and techniques to improve,” he said. Told. “It’s not necessarily a nutritional issue. What we’re doing is increasing the reliability of our food supply.”
Wealth and health can and do coexist, he stressed.
For more than a century, OSU has been growing wheat organically alongside conventionally grown grains in its Stillwater research fields for comparative purposes.
“We can produce very nutritious bread from both lines,” he said.
However, as wheat yields increase, a dilution effect occurs.
“As yields increase, nutrients tend to be diluted,” he says. “That’s why we’re looking for ways to get more nutrients into grains.”
Protein, zinc, and iron are all the subject of ongoing research.
“We want to keep increasing yields, but if we can get more zinc into each wheat kernel at minimal cost, we’ll have better bread down the chain,” he said. Ta. “Maybe putting zinc into the soil or applying it directly to the plants. We’re looking at all avenues.”
Brady Sidwell is a farmer, brewer, grain merchant, and founder of Chisholm Trail Milling in Enid. He joined the panel two weeks after he attended the World Food Technology Conference in San Francisco.
The latest technologies are being introduced in everything from identifying biologically active food-enhancing compounds to exploring the mysteries of the microbiome.
“So many entrepreneurs are trying to crack this code,” he says.
As awareness of the relationship between food and health increases, the time has come to view agricultural products as ingredients rather than just products, he said.
As owner of Enterprise Grain, the Kremlin’s grain elevator facility, he invested $30,000 in a German-made protein testing machine as a step in that direction.
“How are farmers paid?” he asked. “It’s based on yield. There has to be an element of quality in how they pay. If the buyer is paying me a premium, I should share that premium with the farmer.”
balance the benefits
James Blom, a certified crop advisor with the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, who grew up in Enid and has been involved in farming since high school, brought up the need to balance quality and affordability.
“Quality is important, but we also need to be cognizant of the economic conditions that are going on right now, such as the 30% increase in grocery costs,” he said.
Arnall agreed that most people are keeping a closer eye on their grocery budgets these days.
Consistency is another area where existing supply chains excel, he added.
“Our food is very homogeneous, but it’s also very safe,” he said.
An emphasis on fact-based science to evaluate trade-offs is a common thread between panelists and conference attendees like Christie Howes, a clinical dietitian from Yukon who now works in a nursing home. became the source of
“I appreciated the scientific side of the discussion,” she said later. “All of us in that room are science-based. We understand concepts like chemistry and biology, even if we’re applying it to different areas.”
The conference agenda included sessions on artificial intelligence and the use of DNA testing to create customized meal plans for individual customers.
For Howze, the discussion around supply chain challenges was also a highlight. Fresh in her mind are the shortages caused by the coronavirus pandemic, some of which continue to this day.
For Tawni Holmes, a registered dietitian who teaches in the University of Central Oklahoma’s Department of Nutrition, hearing an insider’s perspective on agricultural production was eye-opening.
“Nutrition is our focus, but we don’t always think about their side and the process they have to go through to get from field to plate,” she said.
Several of Holmes’ students were also in attendance. Having agricultural experts nearby was a good way to expose her to information she might not have had with her limited free time for extracurricular studies, she said.
“We all tend to get stuck in our own silos,” she noted. “That’s why meetings like this are helpful, because it takes us out of our bubble.”
Crystal Dunham, who runs the Tulsa-based consulting firm The Mother Lode Dietitian, said the committee met all of her expectations and left her wanting more. Many said they felt the same way.
“I hope this conversation continues,” she said.
To accomplish this goal, the organization has adopted a five-year plan to increase exposure to agriculture through guest speakers, farm tours, and education led by agriculture advocate Sheri Glazier, also known as Dirt Road Nutritionist. We are running a campaign. A tour to southwest Oklahoma is currently underway this fall.
Agricultural support initiatives are very popular within the group.
Holly Kirby doesn’t come from a farming family, but she helps with the education campaign.
A Yukon-based primary care dietitian says nutrition professionals need the opportunity to look beyond questions of where food comes from to the inner workings of the food system and the challenges farmers face. .
Resilience research
As for panelist Brian Arnall, he didn’t grow up on a farm or set out to become one of the nation’s leading experts on precision crop nutrient management.
“The first time I rode a tractor was in graduate school,” he recalled after the event.
That was possible because his mother worked at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, an agriculturally oriented university in his hometown of Miami, which allowed him to attend tuition-free. He ruled out animal science and agricultural education before settling on agriculture.
An offer to work in OSU’s soil testing lab cemented his path. In 2008 he joined the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.
“My whole career has just been chasing opportunities,” he said. “I didn’t start out with a passion. I grew into a passion.”
As a member of OSU’s wheat improvement team, Arnall’s role is to ensure that the effects of soil conditions are considered during variety development and selection.
Historically, breeders pampered newborn plants by feeding them optimal inputs. In the first years of his academic career, Arnall challenged them to manage plants more in line with the adversities present in the field.
As a result, OSU has been at the forefront of innovative approaches under Director of Wheat Breeding Dr. Brett Carver.
“He was one of the first American breeders to think differently,” Arnall said. “Thanks to his willingness to manage the experimental plots differently, we are now releasing varieties. I’m finding wheat.”
One example is the OSU variety Green Hammer, released in 2018.
“It was because we were trying to grow wheat at sub-optimal nutritional levels,” Arnall said. “It turns out to be an amazing protein producer and very resilient in the way it does that.”
After the panel meeting, Arnall headed out to fertilize test fields as part of a producer education program called Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS). The program allows farmers to experiment with new technologies using a competitive game-like format.
A technologist at heart, Arnall believes new high-precision technologies, such as three-dimensional mapping of fields, will ultimately benefit not only farmers but also consumers.
“If you manage nutrients in a way that optimizes yield rather than maximizes yield, making sure you have all the right nutrients in the right places, you will produce more than if you did everything.” It’s much more likely to be nutritious. Based on averages,” he said.
