Transcript Food, Water and Energy Resources Retreat

Food, Water and Energy
Resources Retreat
Stan Johnson,
NCFAP
Response to Vice Chancellor Paul
• Ideas that appear to have potential for
major research programs at UNL.
• Looking ahead to issues that will be on the
research agenda.
• Recognizing that UNL must address
issues that are important to the
constituents.
• Understanding the capacities of UNL for
research in selected areas.
Research Programs—two types
• Cottage industry
• Major initiatives of the University
• There is a place for both
University Initiatives
• Require time and careful planning
• Require sharing of the risk
• Different types of cost sharing
• Time to initiate is long
Topics in Food, Water and Energy
• Ideas on productive possibilities
• Will almost surely be multi college
• Could be multi-university
• Should be undertaken with outside partners
• Need a product that comes each year
Food
• Climate change and food production
• Food safety—emerging legislation
• Food production systems
• Value chain analysis for decisions
Climate Change and food
Production
• Soy and corn are the crops with resistance
breading by the private sector
• Many of the major crops of the Great Plains are
at risk of climate change
• Need to start now to address climate variability
• Many of the leaders do not believe there is an
impact of climate change
• USDA/ARS and others are moving in this
direction
Food Safety
• Emerging legislation
• New publication may be of interest
“Cleaning and Disinfection in the Food
Industry”
• ISO versus detection of contaminates
• No university is doing much in this area
• Federal inconsistencies in jurisdiction
Food Production Systems
• Great interest in food quality
• Systems that can produce quality from
farmer to consumer
• Need for location specific suppliers
• Look at “Whole Foods”
• Many opportunities for production
agriculture
Value Chain Analysis
• Widely applied in sectors other than
agriculture
• Good technique to apply with industry
representatives
• Starts with the market and works
backwards
• Should be a part of any new industry
activity
Water
• Water scarcity, quality and quantity
• Different types of rationing systems
• Multi state agreements
• Evolution with climate change
Water Scarcity, Quality and
Quantity
• Irrigated systems are at risk if operated on
a farm by farm basis
• Climate change and implications for water
• Sprinklers and other systems
• Population concentration and water use
demands
• Nebraska is a water scarce state
Different Types of Rationing
Systems
• Are current laws out of phase with
demands
• Rationing systems can improve the
productivity for all farmers
• How is the non agricultural systems
served?
• What are future demands and how are
plans being made
Multi State Agreements
• What is the available framework?
• How can states work together?
• What are the stakes?
• How to manage use productively
Evolution and Climate Change
• First evidence will be increased variability
• Is the university up on the latest climate
models
• Impacts will be for both livestock and
crops
• Now is the time to plan
Energy
• Move from grains to other feedstocks
• Rural electric utilities as distributors
• Conversion processes changing
• Feedstock production requires water
Grains to Alternative Feedstocks
• What are the alternative feedstocks for
Nebraska?
• What is the system for planning for
alternative feedstocks?
• Likely perennial grasses and perhaps
Stover
• Possible links to other universities involved
in biofuels
Rural Electric Utilities as
Distributors
• Most rural utilities see themselves as
suppliers
• In future that will be distributors
• Good for customers in the cooperative
framework
• Major issue through out the USA
• Organizations are reluctant to do anything
about it
Conversion Processes Changing
• Thermo processes gaining in acceptance
• Possible links to other universities
• Prices will be different at different times of
year—”Price Coherency Study”,
implications for ag and energy industries
• Conversion may be for different energy
products
Feedstock Production Requires
Water
• Is Nebraska a good choice for feedstock
production?
• What is the tradeoff between agricultural
and feedstock production?
• Are there non competitive feedstock
alternatives (MSW)
• Important of long term planning
Combinations of Issues
• Climate change
• Landscape level analysis
• Efficiency of supply
• Changing demands due to population movement
• Emerging technologies
Climate Change
• Very popular in federal agencies
• Important but take on variability first
• Great Plains could be a hot spot—most
production commodities do not benefit
from genetic engineering
• Have to convince the public leaders
• Climate Centers of the DOI
Landscape level Analysis
• Major efforts under way
• Problems not addressed by local analysis
• Examples of efforts
GBEP
LCC/DOI
USDA
Riparian Areas
• Great Basin Environmental Program
Efficiency of Supply
• Farmer owned systems
• Start at the farm level and go to the
consumer
• Where is the money—between farm and
consumer
• Use advanced systems ad technologies
• Use local identity
Changing Demands Due to
Population Migration
• Population dynamics are up there with
Climate change and more pressing
• In the Plains population dynamics lead to
large cities and unpopulated rural areas
• Must rural populations be always left
behind
• Are there new opportunities for
governance
Emerging Technologies
• Is agriculture taking advantage of new
results and discoveries
• Rural areas can benefit from digital tech
possibilities
• Efficiency of production systems can
benefit as well
• Landscape level analysis may lead to
added adption
My Bets
• Landscape level analysis
• Energy supply and utilities as networks
• Food systems and quality
• Climate change but approached softly
• Limitations in water availability
Thank You for Listening