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Caitlin AndersenWashington Internships for Students of EngineeringAmerican Institute of Chemical EngineersUniversity of Iowa College of Engineering
PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIESIMPROVED NITROGEN EFFICIENCY AND ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
OUTLINE
It’s More than Corn
Introduction
Background
Government Frameworks
Issue Definitions
Policy Suggestions
Recommendations
Acknowledgments
Questions
IT’S MORE THAN CORN
“I knew farming was what I wanted to do ever since I was old enough to help my dad and drive a tractor. I farm because I want things to be here for years to
come. I enjoy seeing the crops grow on land I’ve worked hard to preserve. I like knowing that I’m just not chasing money—I’m producing something that
benefits millions of people. I’m growing food for the world.”
--Robert Andersen
1991
2011
INTRODUCTION
“This is a basic problem, to feed 6.6 billion people. Without fertilizer, forget it.
The game is over.”—Dr. Norman Borlaug
BACKGROUND
Global Implications 87 million acres of corn, producing nearly 13.4
trillion bushels (750 trillion pounds) of corn in 2008
Improvements in past 40 years—less inputs, more outputs
Constant Changes and Growing Demands Drought, excessive rain, hail, wind 100 corn-favoring pests Crop diseases: smut, stalk rot, ear rot
“Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from the corn field.”
-President Dwight D. Eisenhower
BACKGROUND
Fertilizer Basics Anhydrous Ammonia, UAN, Ammonium Nitrate, Manure, Nitrogen
Stabilizers Precision Agriculture and Best Management Practices
Information technologies and environmental stewardship Nitrogen Modeling
Research—DAYCENT, weather, soil moisture NERP and Nitrace
BACKGROUND
One of 17 key nutrients—considered most important
Yield’s relationship to nitrogen application
Genetic implications
Courtesy of http://www.agry.purdue.edu/Ext/corn/news/
articles.08/floodingnitrogen-0613.html
Grain Yield vs. Total Amount of N Fertilizer Applied
BACKGROUND
Fixation Atmosphere:78% nitrogen Bacteria with nitrogenase
converts nitrogen to ammonia Nitrification
bacterial conversion of ammonia to nitrite and nitrate ions
Denitification Reverse of nitrification
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation Conversion of ammonium to
nitrogen gas Volatilization
Release of gases: N2 and NOx
GOVERNMENT FRAMEWORKS
United State Department of Agriculture
Natural Resource Conservation Service Environmental Quality Initiative Program
National Institute for Food and Agriculture Air Quality Division
Agricultural Research Service
Extension Services
Environmental Protection Agency
Clean Air Act
ISSUE DEFINITION
Engineering Grand Challenge for management of nitrogen cycle
One of ten challenges selected
Complexity of agriculture industry
Key players: fertilizer manufacturers, distributors, growers, buyers, precision agriculture technology developers
Ultimate goal
Mitigation of emissions through optimization of environmental stewardship, nutrient application, and yield gains for global food security.
POLICY SUGGESTIONS
Monitoring technologies
Physical quantification at farm level
Precision agriculture implementation
Chlorophyll and soil sampling
Genetic advancements for NUE
Cap and Trade Programs
Shift from per bushel basis to value added crop market system
RECOMMENDATIONS
Address unique layers of agriculture industry
Three-fold policy position
Expansion of supported research in area of nitrous oxide emission modeling with voluntary adaptation of nutrient management programs and precision agriculture technologies
Implementation of NUE genetics without hindrance from fertilizer industry
Shift from bushel basis market to value added crop market
Financial considerations for growers, fertilizer manufacturers, and corn processing industries
Focus on mitigation of nitrous oxide emissions in interest of a more sustainable environment for global food production
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Washington Internships for Students of Engineering Program
Bill Behn
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Dr. Rose Wesson and Steve Smith
Dr. Charles Stanier, University of Iowa Department of Chemical Engineering
Scott Coffel and Jennifer Ambrose, Hanson Center for Technical Communication, University of Iowa
Robert and Toni Andersen, Andersen Family Farms Inc.