Educational Briefings
ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Briefings
Ecosystem Services Briefing
Dr. John Havlin, a former Soil Science Society of America President and current soil researcher, along with Dr. Kay Gross, a prominent ecologist and Dr. Steven Kraft, an agricultural economist, all took part in House and Senate educational briefings and met with members of Congress on March 20, 2007. The purpose of the briefings/meetings was to highlight the essential role that ecosystem services play in our nation's food production and overall quality of life.
Biofortification and Human Nutrition
At a Congressional Briefingon April 14, 2008, A group of scientific organizations explored the nutrition, agricultural, and socioeconomic tools and technologies that can help us to better understand and overcome chronic hunger, malnutrition, and disease in both developed and developing nations. Experts in human nutrition, biofortification of cropping systems, and economics outlined a framework to mitigate world hunger and malnutrition. Biofortification of crops (also known as building “designer crops”) is a process that identifies leading causes of nutritional problems, be they depleted soils, soil toxicity, low micronutrient content, or diet uniformity. Together with the sciences of nutrition and behavioral economics, biofortification of crops is a low-cost and viable method of mitigating hunger.
On Wednesday, June 16, 2010, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), and Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE) sponsored two congressional briefings on agricultural adaptation to climate change. At the briefings, experts stated that cropping systems may require a more diverse array of crops to help communities adapt to warmer temperatures, unexpected cold snaps, heavy rainfall, drought, and other extremes. Changing rainfall patterns and intensities, air temperatures, and cropping seasons will require adapting traditional agricultural systems to a new climate, creating new production opportunities and challenges.
The Essence of Earth and Wine: Terroir
In this briefing, James Fisher, a soil scientist of Soil Solutions LLC, explained the criteria used by vineyards to choose the best sites for wine grape production. Then, Soil scientist John Havlin of North Carolina State University, addressed soil nutrient management techniques specific to wine grape production. The concept of terroir was developed in France centuries ago. A "terroir" is a wine grape production region, sharing a similar landscape, soil type, climate, grapes, vine management, and wine making tradition, which combine to provide a unique set of wine characteristics. Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (South Dakota At-Large), a member of the House Agriculture Committee and Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming kicked off the event.
Wildfire Briefing
Wildfires have shaped plant communities and soils for as long as vegetation and lightning have existed on earth. Flora, fauna and soil native to a given ecosystem are adapted to the historic range of variation in the fire regime for that system. To adequately assess the impact of these disturbances, more integrated research on wildfires is needed.
Nutrient Management Briefing
A Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) defines the nutrient needs of crops, and how best to provide the amount, sources, placement and timing of nutrient applications to maximize plant uptake, and improve yield. Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs) and Certified Professional Agronomists (CPAgs), both certified by the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) through meeting exam, education, experience and ethics standards, work closely with producers to develop NMPs that estimate nutrient needs based on yield goals, while minimizing environmental risk.
A Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) defines the nutrient needs of crops, and how best to provide the amount, sources, placement and timing of nutrient applications to maximize plant uptake, and improve yield. Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs) and Certified Professional Agronomists (CPAgs), both certified by the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) through meeting exam, education, experience and ethics standards, work closely with producers to develop NMPs that estimate nutrient needs based on yield goals, while minimizing environmental risk.
Carbon Farming Briefing
Agricultural land in the U.S. has the capacity to sequester about 650 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year, offsetting up to 11 % of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually (Lal et al., 2003). Farmers, ranchers, and foresters, implementing best management practices (BMPs) such as cover crops, no-tillage, and nutrient management, play an important role in sequestering carbon.
Bio-energy Briefing
Greater demands are being placed on soils as we continue food and feedstock production and expand the use of soils for biofuel production. Failure to maintain this vital natural resource will jeopardize food and feedstock production, biomass production, grower profitability, water quality, ecological longevity, and environmental health. A major challenge will be to sustain soil quality while increasing biomass production.
Greater demands are being placed on soils as we continue food and feedstock production and expand the use of soils for biofuel production. Failure to maintain this vital natural resource will jeopardize food and feedstock production, biomass production, grower profitability, water quality, ecological longevity, and environmental health. A major challenge will be to sustain soil quality while increasing biomass production.
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