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The United States Environmental Protection Agency notes that runoff poses a significant threat to the envi ronment. When runoff occurs, fertil izer, bacteria and other pollutants find their way into streams, rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Sustainable Brands notes that nanotechnology is an effi cient way to deliver nutrients to crops that can improve both the efficacy of the nutrients and reduce runoff.
Modeling technologies can be utilized to make more efficient use of land. According to Sustainable Brands, a global community of brand innovators, modeling technologies can be employed in a host of ways, including to identify tillage practices and the status of tile drainage. Cer tain agricultural technologies have been designed to predict the perfor mance of cropland, which can allow farmers to more effectively and effi ciently use their land. Farmers also can employ modeling technologies to determine soil health and water needs and usage, which can benefit the land and ensure resources aren’t wasted. Utilization of such technologies en sures farmers can meet the needs of modern consumers without affecting future farmers’ ability to do the same.
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Sustainable Brands notes that agri cultural biologicals are inputs derived from natural materials that have low toxicity. That low toxicity reduces their environmental impact. Agricul tural biologicals utilize the properties of such things as bacteria, fungi and even insects to support healthy crops, potentially improving yield without adversely affecting the environment. Sustainable agriculture technolo gies can help modern farmers and their successors meet the needs of a rapidly growing global population.
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is an ap proach to farming that will allow modern farmers to meet the
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growing population while enhanc ing environmental quality. That can
Sustainable agriculture needs of a benefit both current future technology play a vital role realizing goals Sustain able Agriculture Coalition, sustainable agriculture is designed to meet the needs of the present without compro mising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs. That’s a worthy goal, especially in the face of a grow ing global population that the United Nations estimates will increase by two billion persons by 2050. There are numerous benefits to utilizing sustainable agriculture tech nology, which can be especially ad vantageous to modern farmers.
PROTECT CROPS
EFFICIENT LAND MANAGEMENT
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How agricultural technology can help improve sustainability
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How farmers and growers can adapt to meet emerging demand
Baby Boomers may no longer be the largest living adult generation, a distinction that the U.S. Census Bu reau reports now belongs to Millen nials. However, there are still more than 71 million Baby Boomers in the United States, and Statistics Canada reports that this influential demo graphic, which includes individuals born between 1946 and 1965, makes up nearly 30 percent of the Canadian population.Suchfigures underscore how lucra tive it can be for farmers and growers to cater to the Baby Boomer demo graphic. Many Baby Boomers have reached an age where their doctors have recommended certain foods to reduce their risk for problems associ ated with aging, such as heart disease. The Mayo Clinic reports that whole grains are great sources of fiber that can help regulate blood pressure and heart health. Many seniors are urged to eat more fruits and vegetables as they grow older, ideally increasing their intake of these nutrient-rich foods while simultaneously cutting back on high-calorie foods like meat and cheese.
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The world is ever-changing, and those changes include consumer pref erences. Identifying what consumers want is a challenge for any business, and farmers and growers are no ex ception. Food trends come and go, but identifying key segments of the population and catering to their needs and interests can help farmers and growers meet consumer demand and increase profits.
GENERATION X Generation X is the generation be tween Baby Boomers and Millennials. Gen Xers include individuals born be tween 1966 and 1980, though some metrics suggest Generation X extends into the early 1980s. Older Gen Xers are nearing re tirement age, and that means they likely have more disposable income than Baby Boomers, many of whom are now retired, and Millennials, who are just beginning their careers or still raising families. A report on consumer trends from the consultant firm Technomic Inc. found that Gen Xers are willing to pay extra for fresh foods and prefer foods that benefit their overall health by promoting bet ter sleep and providing more energy. Such foods may include blueberries, kale, quinoa, and watermelon.
MILLENNIALS
The size of this generation can make it hard to define its needs and wants, as it includes a diverse array of people born between 1981 and 1996. However, Millennials can be an espe cially valuable market for small farm ers and growers, as research indicates individuals in this demographic pre fer small and midsized manufacturers over larger producers. Research from Wells Fargo found that, as millenni als matured and gained more buying power between the years of 2012 and 2017, small and mid-sized manufac turers accounted for 46 percent of overall industry grains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that millennial households buy more unprocessed foods, includ ing fruits and vegetables, than the gen erations that came before them. Recognition of consumer demands is important, especially for small farm ers and growers trying to increase profits and serve the needs of an evolving consumer base.
BABY BOOMERS
4 -TimesThe •CommunityYourDelivering 202227,AugustSaturday, | FARMFALL Lilja Tiling & Excavating, LLC 2000 Welland Rd., Mendota, IL 61342 Office: 815.539. 3485 • Email: liljatilingllc@gmail.com Now DualInstallingMachineWallTile Representing AGRICULTURE and our member families through information and legislation to improve financial stability and quality of life. ( 815 ) 4 33 - 0371 | www.lcfb.org 4201 N. Columbus Drive Ottawa, IL 61350 Farms often inspire awe thanks to their beauty and the serenity of the areas that surround them. Though no farms may inspire such feelings as strongly as those in the heart of the countryside, another type of farm can induce a sense of awe as well.
Vertical farms vary in size, but the largest ones mimic the appearance of skyscrapers if the skyscrapers were made from plants. According to the U.S. Department of Agricul ture, increasing production of fresh greens and vegetables near urban populations will be a necessity in the decades to come. That’s because estimates from the United Nations indicate the global population will ex ceed nine billion persons by 2050, by which time two-thirds of the world’s people will live in urban settings. Ver tical farming could be vital to meet ing the demands for healthy foods by 2050, making it worth anyone’s while to gain a basic understanding of this unique way to grow fresh fruits and vegetables.Whatisvertical
farming? Vertical farming is a type of con trolled environment agriculture (CEA). According to the New York State Energy Research and Devel opment Authority, CEA combines engineering, plant science and com puter-managed greenhouse control technologies to optimize plant grow ing systems. CEA systems enable sta ble control of the plant environment, making it possible for growers to control temperature, light and CO2 during the growing process. Vertical farms grow foods in stacked layers, which gives large verti cal farms their skyscraper-like appear ance. Some vertical farms employ techniques similar to greenhouses, utilizing natural light when it’s avail able and augmenting that with artifi cial lighting to ensure the plants grow regardless of the conditions outside. What are some advantages to verti calPerhapsfarming?the biggest advantage to vertical farming is the potential for the practice to meet future food de mands in a way that the USDA deems environmentally responsible and sus tainable. Vertical farming operations in urban areas can offer lower emis sions because fresh fruits and vegeta bles will not need to be transported from rural areas to urban locales. The USDA also notes that vertical farming operations reduce water run off by a considerable margin, helping to conserve water. The Vertical Har vest farm in Jackson, Wyoming, pro duces 100,000 pounds of vegetables per year and uses a fraction of the water of traditional farms with similar outputs. Utilizing hydroponics and moving carousels, Vertical Harvest consumes 90 percent less water than traditional farms. Access to nutrient-rich foods is another benefit to vertical farms. As urban populations grow and climate change affects crop yields, city dwell ers may struggle to procure healthy, nutrient-rich foods like fruits and veg etables. Vertical farming operations that are not vulnerable to climate change can eliminate that concern, ensuring urban populations access to healthy, nutritious foods. Vertical farms can be awe-inspiring and figure to play a vital role in the future of agriculture.
The basics of vertical farming
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• Biochemist: Biochemists study the chemical and physical principles of living things and biological pro cesses. Within the agricultural sector, biochemists will contribute to the de velopment of agricultural products, including those that will serve a me dicinal function. Biochemistry, chem istry, biology, calculus, and physics will be part of students’ courseload as they pursue degrees that prepare them for a career as a biochemist.
Career paths in agriculture
• Plant pathologist: Plant pathol ogists specialize in analyzing issues related to plant diseases. Research features prominently in plant patholo gists’ work, and many work in univer sity settings. Some plant pathologists work for companies attempting to de velop pest-resistant plants. Advanced degrees are necessary to work as a plant pathologist, and students will study mycology, bacteriology, virol ogy, and physiology, among other subjects, as they pursue their degrees. The agricultural sector employs mil lions of people across the globe. Many of those people do interesting work as they attempt to address issues facing the agricultural sector.
• Climatologist: Climatologists will figure prominently in the agricultural sector as the effects of climate change manifest themselves more readily over the next several decades. Climatolo gists study climate change, variability and the biosphere. Climatologists offer insight about the effects of climate change on the growth and develop ment of agricultural products, includ ing fruits, grains and vegetables. The natural sciences feature prominently in climatologists’ educations, and stu dents also will study meteorology as part of their coursework.
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• Food scientist: Food scientists study chemistry, biochemistry, micro biology, and engineering so they can assist in the development of new food products. Food scientists may manage processing plants and some serve as researchers in an effort to solve prob lems related to food production.
• Agronomist: Agronomists work with crops and soil management and may work as analysts, environmental ists or forecasters. Agronomists may be tasked with analyzing soil struc ture and chemistry and study how water is moving within soil. Students will study agriculture, biology, chem istry, and physics en route to earning a degree that will help them become an agronomist. Mathematics also will be part of their studies, and statistics courses will be part of those studies.
• Agricultural engineer: Agricul tural engineers employ engineering principles to solve issues related to agricultural production. An agricul tural engineer may design facilities or machinery or develop solutions to address problems related to irrigation and soil conservation, among other projects. Students interested in a ca reer as an agricultural engineer can expect to study mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer engineering, and, of course, engineering analysis and de sign as they pursue their degrees.
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Modern, large-scale agriculture op erations utilize various machines and technologies to provide products to consumers. Greenhouses are among the resources used to help plants thrive.Greenhouses are not a new phe nomenon, even if today’s incarnations have technological upgrades over their ancestors. The first attempts to grow plants in greenhouse-like structures likely date back to ancient Egypt, but there are writings from the Romans as early as 14 BCE ex plaining greenhouse operations. The Roman emperor Tiberius wanted to eat cucumbers all year long. Roman winters would not allow for cucum bers to thrive when temperatures dropped below freezing. Rolling cu cumber growing carts into sheds only did so much. Someone came up with the concept of making sheds with sheets of elenite, a transparent rock, to let the sun in and help keep cucum bers growing indoors warm. The idea took off from Greenhousesthere.arecomprised of walls and roofing materials primarily made of a transparent material. The interior of a greenhouse exposed to sunlight becomes significantly warmer than the external temperature, helping to protect plants inside from extreme conditions and enabling plants to thrive even when weather conditions are not optimal. Through the years, greenhouses also may have incorpo rated some form of additional heating. Keeping plants thriving for com mercial production now gets addi tional help from computers, as relying on sunlight alone may result in fluc tuations in optimal conditions. Mod ern, smart greenhouses, according to the cultivation technology company Growlink, employ smart technology for heating, cooling and lighting. This tech is connected to a computer to optimize plant growth conditions. Computers can adjust conditions accordingly for the particular plant being produced, such as for tropical fruits that require more moisture and heat.Anyone who desires a greenhouse for personal plant growth can build one in his or her backyard with various plans available for free or purchase. Companies also sell prefab ricated greenhouse kits that can be erected with relative ease. Handy homeowners also can con struct basic greenhouses with materi als found at many home improvement retailers. A wood frame greenhouse can be built in any size and covered with plastic sheeting. One can pur chase a prefabricated greenhouse door or simply use a sheet of weighted plastic that can be tied out of the way for the door. To allow for ventilation in hot weather, a wood-frame vent that can be propped open can be in corporated into the roof rafter design. Those who want a more permanent structure may want to look into using greenhouse plastic paneling in lieu of plastic sheeting. Either way, home greenhouses can be as elaborate or as simple as individuals desire. Greenhouses are effective ways to extend growing seasons for both commercial and home gardeners.
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Greenhouses effectively extend growing seasons
How to involve more young people in agriculture
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• Highlight the challenges ahead and how agricultural professionals can help overcome them. UN projections indi cate the global population will grow by more than two billion people by 2050. Finding a way to feed all of those people in the face of climate change will be no small task, but it’s a task that will require dedicated agricultural professionals. Ed ucators and parents can emphasize these challenges when speaking to young peo ple about a career in the agricultural sec tor, noting that such careers will present real opportunities to make a difference. Young people looking for rewarding careers in an exciting, ever-evolving field can be encouraged to consider the agri cultural sector. AG223788
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The agricultural industry will undergo exciting changes as it looks to overcome developing challenges in the decades ahead. Technology will continue to play a pivotal role in the agricultural sector, making agriculture an evolving and ex citing career path for young profession als.Much has been made of projections that suggest the world population is in creasingly looking to urban areas to call home. Though data from the United Na tions indicates urban areas could grow by 2.5 billion people by 2050, more re cent UN data indicates that 90 percent of that increase will take place in Asia and Africa. All told, estimates indicate that rural areas will remain home to 3.1 billion people by 2050. A sizable rural population and the challenges climate change and popu lation growth will present underscores how important the agricultural sector will be in the coming decades. That means there should be plenty of oppor tunities for young people to make an im pact, especially if more efforts are made to encourage them to consider careers in •agriculture.Encourage agriculture-based curric ulum. After recognizing that the major ity of Kenyan students had no access to farming training and education, the organization Farm Africa initiated a program to make agriculture more ac cessible to students. Students who par ticipated learned about everything from keeping livestock to marketing produce for global markets. Similar programs can be encouraged in developed coun tries where opportunities in the field of agriculture figure to increase in the years to •come.Emphasize technological advance ments in the field. Modern young peo ple are growing up with technology all around them, but few may be aware of the vital role technology plays in the agricultural sector. Young people’s ears may perk up upon hearing terms like “robotics” technologies are now a big part of life on the farm. Recognition of that may compel more young people to pursue careers in agriculture.
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Farmers and growers face a signif icant threat in the years to come as industrial agriculture operations con tinue to expand. According to the National Resources Defense Council, industrial agriculture is the large-scale, intensive production of crops and an imals. Such operations make it more difficult for small farmers and growers to turn a profit, and they often involve the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The use of such products poses an additional threat to small farmers and growers, as the Union of Concerned Scientists notes that the heavy application of fertilizers and pesticides accelerates soil erosion and increases pest problems. Consumers concerned by the effects of industrial agriculture on the environment and on small farmers’ and growers’ ability to earn a good living can support ef forts such as regenerative farming and organic farms. AG223786
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STRT WITH PERIPHERAL TECH Farmers can begin implementing technology that does not directly re late to farming operations. Examples include switching to efficient and in tuitive accounting and payroll systems to save time. If a farm also includes a retail enterprise, such as a farmers market, upgrading point-of-sale tech nology, like credit card readers or e-commerce websites for new revenue potential, can be good a good starting point.
ASSESS OPERATION WEAKNESSES Figure out where the business is lacking and could use some help. Per haps you’re having difficulty main taining adequate irrigation or plant nutrition is compromised due to soil deficits? Precision automation farm ing advancements that employ remote sensors can assess conditions and fine tune adjustments to alleviate these is sues.
How to incorporate tech into a farming business
The Food and Agriculture Organi zation of the United Nations says agri culture and food production accounts for 28 percent of the entire global workforce. There are more than 570 million smallholder farms world wide. Technology can be utilized by agricultural businesses to zero in on intelligent and qualified employees who can take operations to the next level. Websites like Glassdoor, Indeed and ZipRecruiter remain helpful tools when looking for qualified job can didates. The internet is an essential employment resource, and farms can utilize it to acquire new hires. Agricultural businesses can explore various ways to gradually and seam lessly make technology part of their operations.
The agricultural industry long has been a vital part of society, providing foods for billions of people across the globe. Farming can be a challenging profession, and farmers routinely find creative solutions to overcome obsta cles to effective production. Thanks to technology, finding solutions has become that much easier. Yet not every farmer who is set in his or her ways is ready to welcome changes that incorporate technology right away. In fact, reluctance to turn over operations in some part to artifi cial intelligence or smart technologies could be due in part to farming being such a nuanced skill and the role intu ition plays in the growth of crops. The following are some ways for seasoned and novice farmers to seamlessly in corporate technology into their oper ations.
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GET TRAINING Novel technologies can increase crop yield and make for more effi cient use of limited resources. How ever, people who may never have employed drones, IoT devices or soil sensors can expect a learning curve. Visiting a nearby farm operation to learn how they have implemented technology and gaining hands-on experience can be invaluable. In ad dition, request that a tech vendor pro vide thorough instruction on products to make it easier to seamlessly inte grate new technology into an agricul ture business.
