Brewers, sensors, and more Fresh from the Field

Brewers, bakers, and safe local grains

As more consumers enjoy visits to local breweries, distilleries, and bakeries, the need for safely sourced local grains arises as well. The University of Vermont Extension’s (UVM) Northwest Crops and Soils Program created the Cereal Grain Quality Testing Laboratory in 2010 in response to this growing demand. The lab conducts quality and safety testing services for growers and processors; analyzes grain samples; and helps growers determine the quality and safety of their products before they reach the marketplace. UVM has tested more than 2,200 samples from commercial operations; and 2,000 samples from other universities. Farmers from 23 other states have submitted grain for analysis to the UVM laboratory.

In 2016, more than 700 commercial samples were requested. As a result of the research, participating farmers have seen an average $7,000 in economic gain, and some Vermont commercial bakers are able to feature 100 percent local grain breads.

Read more at the UVM’s page. Image provided by UVM Cereal Lab.

Teachers use summer break to learn about ag tech

How do you engage students in agricultural sciences?  First, reach the teachers. This summer, Ohio State University’s Western Agricultural Research Station gathered 14 teachers for a field tour to introduce them to new concepts, practices, and career opportunities in agriculture for students.

Teachers learned about STEM-themed modules and hands-on activities that they could take back to the classroom. In plots at the research station, they practiced using GreenSeeker, a handheld device with optical sensors that can prescribe appropriate amounts of fertilizer to individual plants to provide maximum yield. They also learned about some of the important research projects at the research station – more than 230 projects taking place on more than 300 acres. All aspects of agronomic production are being tested at the station, mostly corn and soybean.

Read more at Grow Next Gen. Image provided by Sally Ewan-Education Projects.

Clemson precision ag research means savings for South Carolina farmers

Most sandy soils in South Carolina have a compacted zone, called a hardpan that roots can’t penetrate. If the hardpan isn’t tilled, plant roots can’t reach the water and nutrients in the deeper soil. The hardpan costs a great deal of fuel to till, and it can also reduce crop yields by as much as 50 percent.

Clemson University researchers are developing a real-time, variable-rate tillage system that uses sensor technologies to pinpoint the depth and thickness of the soil hardpan. The technology communicates with the tillage equipment to automatically adjust the blade depth. As a result, farmers don’t till soil and don’t till deeper than needed.

The research project resulted in fuel savings of up to 45 percent for participating farmers.

NIFA supports the research through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).

Learn more at the Newstand. Image provided by Scott Miller-Clemson University.

 4-H mapping all over the world

The ancient art of cartography is getting a new twist with tech-savvy 4-H youth, who are learning to create informative printed and online maps using geographic information systems (GIS) tools.  

During the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) GIS Conference last July, representatives of the National 4-H GIS/GPS Leadership Team from Unicoi County, Tennessee, shared 4-H GIS programs to 16,000 GIS professionals and educators from over 100 countries attending the conference. 

The 4-H team, composed of youth-adult teams from New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee, completed a mapping project looking at correlations of health conditions that contribute to obesity, such as diabetes, children in poverty, and food insecurity. They found the strongest correlation with diabetes, followed by children in poverty.

Watch the Esri video. Image provided by National 4-H GIS GPS Leadership Team.