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Agritourism

Building a Sustainable Agriculture

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I was able to attend a seminar held by the College of Agriculture at UD where Bill Couser and Bill Northey spoke about creating sustainable agriculture.

Sustainable agriculture can be defined as sustaining, resources, and communities by promoting farming practices and methods that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities.

Bill Couser is a 4th generation Iowa farmer. Bill Cowser produces corn, beef, soybeans, and ethanol in Nevada Iowa. He is the owner of Couser Cattle Company. The farm has grown from accommodating 50 beef cattle in the early 1900s to accommodating a couple thousand beef cattle.  Couser, just like many farmers, stated he tries to farm in a renewable, sustainable, environmentally friendly, but yet profitable way. He promotes sustainable farming because he wants to give the generations to follow nutrient rich, well managed, profitable land. To be sustainable Bill Couser has implemented various systems to control runoff and nutrient leaching from his feedlot, uses more cover crop coverage, practices no-till methods, and produces multiple commodities from a single crop. Bill Couser stated that the biggest challenges he is facing as a farmer are social media/ the media attacking agriculture without the truth behind the actual practices being used to grow and produce crops and animals. Overall it was great listening to Couser speak about sustainable agriculture.

Equine/Horse, Livestock

University of Delaware Newark Research Farm

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Dairy Cattle – Newark DE

Farm Superintendent, Scott Hopkins gave a tour of the UD farm as our last field trip. The farm consists of a portion of land dedicated to organic farming, horses, sheep, 25 beef cattle, and 85 dairy cattle.

The UD organic farm where the Fresh 2 You gardens and high tunnels are.  This garden provides produce to restaurants and the University. We then moved to see the milking parlor. This was an interesting time because I know very little about dairy operations, I was amazed at how much technology goes into the process. The machines are capable of testing different qualities of the milk to ensure that the product is of good quality. In the dairy barn, we learned about how UD professors can conduct research on dairy nutrition and how diets can impact milk production. At the Webb farm, we learned of the equine production, sheep barn, and beef cattle.  He explained some research projects going on at the farm. To me, the most interesting was the rice plots – arsenic trials.

Ag Business, Guest Lecture, History, technology

Industry and Academia in Agriculture with David Mayonado

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Dave Mayonado gave a guest lecture on Industry and Academia in Agriculture. He began with the history of technology in Agriculture. The glory days of technology in agriculture was when farmers used animal labor and relied heavily on family involvement. Most farms were small intimate farms that fed the immediate family tending to the farms. Food production was limited in the late 1800s because the technology was not there. The Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 established raising funds by granting federally controlled lands to the states to establish land-grant colleges. The purpose was to focus on the teaching of practical agriculture, science, military science, and engineering. Science-based research and development by government, academia, and private industry over the past 100 years have aided the increase in US crop production via improved agronomic practices and the adoption of new tools. By applying rigorous scientific principles to the development of agricultural technologies and techniques has allowed Mid-Atlantic farmers to grow larger crops while improving soil quality and fostering an environment for wildlife. Some examples of biological tools are CRISPR, GMOs, and GWS. CRISPR is a gene editing tool that allows us to change the genes of a crop plant to be more drought or pest resistant. This allows for the crop to have a higher yield when faced with a drought since it can tolerate less rainfall.

David has an incredible background in the industry as he has worked for Monsanto. Monsanto was founded in 1901. Then cell biology research began in 1972. Monsanto has been a leader in putting out genetically modified plants commercially.

Ag Business, Agriculture Careers, Field Trips-Tours

Hoober Inc. Field Trip

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On Saturday, October 20th we visited the Hoober Inc. shop in Middletown, DE. It was an eye-opening day, full of learning and first-hand experience. First, the company’s history and services were explained. After receiving an explanation of the services provided, we took a tour of the facilities and the shop. We got the chance to see tractors and spreaders being worked on and complete models of combines and harvesters. It was intriguing to see how much work goes into precision agriculture. We learned that their store, the auto-steer is the most popular precision ag equipment sold. Precision ag is a field that offers many jobs, looking for applicants that are tech savvy and can work under pressure. A new and emerging precision ag technology being used are drones for filed scouting and spray applications. 

** precision ag – managing crop production inputs (seed, fertilizer, lime, pesticides, etc.) on a site-specific basis to increase profits, reduce waste and maintain environmental quality.

Ag Business, Agriculture Careers, Equine/Horse, History

Horse Racing Industry

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On October 24th, we had guest speaker Mark Davis give us a lecture on the horse racing industry in Delaware. 

The modern horse racing began in the 12th century when English knights returned from the Crusades with swift Arabian horses. It was not until the mid-1600’s when British settlers brought horse racing to the new world, with the first track made in Long Island. American horse breeders and racers established the Jockey Club, that still defines standards and regulations for racing, racecourses, and breeding. Harness racing is a prevalent part of the Delaware horse industry. In 1940, the opening of the Roosevelt Raceway set the stage for the current era of harness racing, which took off after WWII. In 1945, the Delaware Harness racing Commission was established. Delaware has two tracks used annually, Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway. Over time, the popularity of harness and thoroughbred races went down. The decrease in public interest and aim to regain the interest of the industry the Delaware government passed a law allowing casinos to be established in the state. Casinos could only be established alongside a racetrack. With the law in place, the industry has been able to gain a steady income. Annually, the DE Harness Racing Commission issues 2,000 licenses to owners, trainers, drivers, groomers, vendors, and track employees. In 2014, the horse racing industry total contribution to Delaware economy was nearly $182 million dollars and 1500 jobs. Currently, in the U.S. there are 9.2 million horses which are used for show, racing, recreation, employees, and volunteers. The horse industry has a direct economic effect on the U.S. of $39 billion dollars annually. 

Ag Business

Livestock Industries in Delaware

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Dan Severson shared data on beef, hogs, sheep, goats, and dairy cows. Severson gave information on each species different kinds of productions. He also explained and emphasized what it means to be defined as a farm. A farm is a production that sells at least $1,000 of farm products a year. Severson explained the big hit that the dairy industry has faced causing dairy farmers to sell their farms and animals. Surprisingly, Delaware has 28 dairy farms. That’s a large number for such a small state. Severson’s lecture on livestock was definitely insightful and I enjoyed listening to him come in and speak about the other livestock industries that Delaware has to offer. 

Issues and Controversies, Topics for Discussion

Identify GMO Crops

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Most people don’t know but there are only 10 genetically modified crops. The 10 genetically modified crops available today are alfalfa, apples, canola, corn, cotton, papaya, potatoes, soybeans, squash and sugar beets. The efforts to genetically modify these crops focus on expressing positive traits that support the quality of the crop and improving resistance to pests and weather conditions.

The list below shows the year the GMO crop was launched

  • Squash, 1995
  • Cotton, 1996
  • Soybean, 1995
  • Corn, 1996
  • Papaya, 1997
  • Alfalfa, 2006
  • Sugar beets, 2006
  • Canola, 1999
  • Potato, 2016
  • Apples, 2017

So the next time you are in a grocery store and are distraught over which pasta to purchase because the labels are overwhelming remember there isn’t a GMO wheat crop.

Ag Business, Agriculture Careers, Horticulture Industry, Production Agriculture, Topics for Discussion

Delaware’s Green Industry

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What is the Green Industry?

The green industry 2014 Horticulture Product sales were $21,774,000 alone in DE cash receipts of greenhouse/nurseries. Sales are very dependent on consumers wants and needs. Although that isn’t a major difference from other industries the difference lies in the time needed to grow and produce plants that can take years. This is important for the horticulture industry to stay on top of current and future trends. The people that make up the industry are producers, retailers, landscapers, land managers, golf courses, and other suppliers. Retailers help bridge the gap between people and horticulture plants with the displays of plants and shrubs placed together at stores. Consumers then have a visual of how to place the plants within their own homes and are more intrigued to purchase the plants. Landscapers have deep knowledge of plants and their needs and of land maintenance and design.
Nursery production is categorized into six main production types, which include containerized, B&B, bare root, field grow bag, balled and potted, and in-ground containers. The nurseries are producing two types of crop groups. One of the crop groups is Floriculture crops. These are your bedding and garden plants. The other is Nursery crops, such as broadleaf evergreens and deciduous shrubs.

To be able to contribute to the green industry our land has to be healthy. To ensure that, Delaware Livable Lawns, is a  voluntary certification program,  that certifies homeowners and lawn care companies that follow environmentally friendly fertilizer application practices and teach homeowners on the best practices to use.

Agriculture in the News, Issues and Controversies, Topics for Discussion

GMO

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Mark Lynas helped find an anti-GMO campaign back in 1995. He felt that GMO’s would act as pollution and led to too much technological power because we were “mixing species.” There was also a stigma of ‘mad scientist’ when referring to scientists interested in gene splicing was also being used towards science interested in GMO crops. Lynas is known for a dramatic change in beliefs. Know for a strong stance against GMOs to actively promoting and educating the public about GMOs and their benefits. Lynas helped lead a anti-GMO campaign that was led nations in Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world to ban GMOs. He later then admitted that this was a major mistake. He did not understand the science behind creating GMOs and its effects on crops and humans. His campaign was ran off of fears not backed by science. Lynas now believes that GMOs is the answer to feed a estimated population of 9.5 billion in 2050 on the same amount of land we used today. GMO crops benefit farmers, consumers, and the ecosystem. GMO crops are effective and can produce higher yields of produce on less land that is typically needed for high yields. GMOs can reduce or eliminate crop susceptibility to disease, pests and environmental conditions.

Moral of Mark Lynas : due diligence – consider all sides before making a decision, make decisions off of information and not fears.

My view on GMOs is a positive one. GMOs provide many benefits to people and the ecosystem. GMOs allow crops to grow with less water and fertilizer application. This results in in less pollution of waterways from fertilizer runoff. Farmers also get an increased yield on the same amount of acres. This allows forest lands to be protected and not used for food production. GMOs allow for a lower cost of production and this can be helpful in developing countries which would allow them to be self sustainable.

Agriculture in the News, Issues and Controversies, Topics for Discussion

Mark Lynas – GMO

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Mark Lynas helped find an anti-GMO campaign back in 1995. He felt that GMO’s would act as pollution and led to too much technological power because we were “mixing species.” There was also a stigma of ‘mad scientist’ when referring to scientists interested in gene splicing was also being used towards science interested in GMO crops. Lynas is known for a dramatic change in beliefs. Know for a strong stance against GMOs to actively promoting and educating the public about GMOs and their benefits. Lynas helped lead a anti-GMO campaign that was led nations in Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world to ban GMOs. He later then admitted that this was a major mistake. He did not understand the science behind creating GMOs and its effects on crops and humans. His campaign was ran off of fears not backed by science. Lynas now believes that GMOs is the answer to feed a estimated population of 9.5 billion in 2050 on the same amount of land we used today. GMO crops benefit farmers, consumers, and the ecosystem. GMO crops are effective and can produce higher yields of produce on less land that is typically needed for high yields. GMOs can reduce or eliminate crop susceptibility to disease, pests and environmental conditions.

Moral of Mark Lynas : due diligence – consider all sides before making a decision, make decisions off of information and not fears.

My view on GMOs is a positive one. GMOs provide many benefits to people and the ecosystem. GMOs allow crops to grow with less water and fertilizer application. This results in in less pollution of waterways from fertilizer runoff. Farmers also get an increased yield on the same amount of acres. This allows forest lands to be protected and not used for food production. GMOs allow for a lower cost of production and this can be helpful in developing countries which would allow them to be self sustainable.

Delaware Agriculture, technology

Gene Editing : CRISPR-Cas9 System

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Gene editing hand is inserting a sequence of DNA.

 

CRISPR-Cas9 is a genome-editing tool.  It is faster, cheaper and more accurate than previous techniques of editing DNA and has a wide range of potential applications. CRISPR-Cas9 is a unique technology that enables geneticists and medical researchers to edit parts of the genome by removing, adding or altering sections of the DNA  sequence. The CRISPR-Cas9 system consists of two key molecules that introduce a mutation into the DNA. These are an enzyme and a piece of RNA.  The enzyme is Cas9, which acts as a pair of ‘molecular scissors’ that can cut the two strands of DNA at a specific location in the genome so that bits of DNA can then be added or removed.  The piece of RNA is called guide RNA (gRNA). The pre-designed RNA sequence is located within a longer RNA scaffold. The scaffold part will then bind to DNA and the pre-designed sequence will then ‘guide’ Cas9 to the right part of the genome. This makes sure that the Cas9 enzyme cuts at the right point in the genome. The Cas9 follows the guide RNA to the same location in the DNA sequence of the other strand and makes a cut across both. The cell will then recognize that the DNA is damaged and try to repair it. For a long time, geneticists used chemicals or radiation to cause mutations. However, this method was ineffective because there was no control as to where in the genome the mutation would occur. Gene targeting was another method, introduce changes in specific places in the genome, by removing or adding either whole genes or single bases. Traditional gene targeting has been very valuable for studying genes and genetics, but it takes a long time to create a mutation and is fairly expensive.

 

CRISPR and Vertex were preparing to test the ability of a new gene-editing technology, CRISPR/Cas9, in cutting out and replacing disease-causing snippets of DNA when the FDA placed it on hold but now has uplifted the hold. The trial is now scheduled to start by the end of 2018. This tool could be used in fighting cancer, extracting HIV, eliminating malaria, protecting plants, and creating biofuel.

 

Agritourism, Farmers Markets, Field Trips-Tours, Fruits, Production Agriculture

Fifer Orchards

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FIFER ORCHARDS

Employees at Fifer Orchards transplanting strawberries. Takes a crew of seven to transplant a field.

Fifer’s is located in Camden Wyoming, Delaware. Fifer Orchards mission is to grow and sell high-quality products while preserving the environment, serving the community and maintaining family values. Fifer Orchards is a 4th generation family farm, continuing the vision and legacy of Charles Federick Fifer. The family farm looks for innovative ways to remain viable and successful as a family business in very challenging and constantly changing agricultural industry. The 4th generation Fifer’s continue to grow a very diverse mix of high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables including asparagus, strawberries, tomatoes, blueberries, apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, heirloom varieties, apples, pumpkins and more.

At Fifer Orchards they farm 3,000 acres of land, with most of the land they are able to double crop. Of the 3,000 acres, 1,100 acres are used solely for sweet corn production. They also grow crops in small trials in efforts to diversify their operation by testing them in fields of 10-20 acres. Trials are important because if they succeed it could lead to a form of income all year round if they can find ways to successfully grow. Their best money making crops are sweetcorn, pumpkins, peaches, and asparagus. Fifer Orchards operates its own stores and ships crops all over the east coast. You can even find their products at Giant Foods.

Their production is possible because of irrigation such as sprinkle lines, drip irrigation, hard hoses, and pivots. They also use technology such as GPS and trackers to be more efficient. The use of high tunnels also allows for higher quality products all year round. Four acres of high tunnels is able to produce what 20 acres of open land could produce, that is because of the dryness in the tunnels which results in less susceptibility to disease.

Delaware agriculture is more than just grain and polutry production.

Agriculture Careers

Irrigation Systems

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James Adkins was a guest speaker informing UD students on the irrigation systems and why and how they’re used in agriculture.

So what is an irrigation system?

Irrigation is the application of controlled amounts of water to plants at needed intervals. Irrigation helps to grow agricultural crops, maintain landscapes, and revegetate disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of less than average rainfall.

Types of irrigation systems

-The oldest and most inefficient way of irrigation is flood irrigation. This process channels water into the field that is being irrigated.
-Pivot irrigation was invented after WWII using aluminum pipes. The pivot system allows for a customizable accurate application of water. This type of irrigation is expensive, with each span costing about $11,000.
-Drip irrigation is the most efficient way of irrigation. Drip irrigation puts water right into the soils, minimizing water contact with the plants thus reducing disease risks.

The importance

Irrigation is important and without it, we would be unable to sustain and grow the population we currently have. Only 20% of farmland is irrigated which produces over 40% of the worlds food supply comes from irrigated land. Delaware has 30% of its farmland irrigated, about 150,000 acres. Particularly Sussex County has 50% of its farmland irrigated because of the sandy soils. Advancements in technology have allowed irrigation systems to become efficient and better for the environment.

Agriculture in the News, Production Agriculture

Iowa and California – Agriculture Giants

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Iowa

85% of Iowa’s land mass is used for agriculture! There are 87,500 farmers in Iowa that till 30.5 million acres a year. Compared to Delaware farmers where they till only 490,000 acres. 92% of Iowa’s cash farm income comes from corn, soybean, pork and beef production. Iowa is ranked first in corn, soybean, pork and egg production. For example, Iowa farmers harvest 13.1 million acres of corn, with a state average of 203 bushels per acre.

What makes Iowa so optimal for agriculture?

Iowa has very fertile soil with a high cation exchange capacity of 10-15. Iowa gets 24 to 36 inches of rain a year which is good because Iowa’s soil moisture capacity is also key to its fertility. The soil’s ability to retain the rain eliminates the need for an irrigation system, thus making production costs lower.

California

California is number one in agriculture sales, with an annual $47 billion dollars. California ranks first in nine different commodities that include- milk/cream, almonds, grapes, lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, flowers/foliage, walnuts, and hay. California has 77,500 farms with over 25 million acres. An average farm size is 329 acres but some range to 50,000 acres. California is ranked the 10th largest general economy in the world. This means California generates a larger gross domestic product than countries such as Mexico and Canada.

How does California succeed?

Water and labor. Water is what California agriculture is all about. Water in California is very limited, their water source is from the snow caps of the mountains that flow through aqueducts and run through a filter which then is distributed throughout California. Water and the ideal low humidity in California makes it perfect to grow more fruit and vegetables that everyone eats on a daily basis. Also, 95% of our tomato products come from California. This volume of production is ideal because 26% of its production is exported.

Insight from Mr. ED KEE

Field Trips-Tours, Livestock, Poultry, Production Agriculture

Organic Poultry Family Farm

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Healthy Organic Chicken Kent County, DE

Georgie Cartanza, an organic poultry farmer in Kent County, DE. Georgie has four 65’x500 chicken houses, each can hold up to 37,000 chickens, totaling up to 148,000 chickens on her farm during a single flock. Georgie produces over 5 million pounds of organic broilers each year by growing 5 and a half flocks per year. Chicken houses have advanced technology built within allowing farmers to control the optimal environment for the chickens during all stages of growth. Chickens themselves produce a lot of heat so the cooling system within the houses is important in keeping the chickens happy and healthy. For example, Gorgie’s houses cooling system can cycle the air in under a minute. Aside from the organic feed requirements, some of the organic requirements are to have enrichments within and outside of the house and to have outdoor access. Enrichments can be as simple as ramps and boxes.

So you may be thinking how does Georgie produce 5 Million pounds of broiler meat each year?

Well, that’s due to the advancements and improvements in technology, genetics, housing, and nutrition. No hormones and no steroids. Applicable to both organic and commercial poultry farming.

Also, what is done with all the manure generated?

Each year, 5 and a half flocks generate 4 million pounds of manure per year. That is about 1 ton per 1,000 chickens per flock. Then a nutrient-packed compost is made with the manure and mortality. That is then sold to a local dairy farmer as a fertilizer. The manure is improving the soil health and structure by providing vital macro and micronutrients to the soil.