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.

ISSUE DEFINITION

Source: http://www.epa.gov/nitrousoxide/sources.html

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.

QUESTIONS