Welcomes THE U NIVERSITY of TENNESSEE INSTITUTE of AGRICULTURE SERA-IEG-6, NEC-17, & NCRA-13 to Nashville, TN Home of Country Music John Wilkerson Interim.

WelcomesWelcomes

THE UNIVERSITYof TENNESSEEINSTITUTE of AGRICULTURE

SERA-IEG-6, NEC-17, & NCRA-13

toNashville, TN

Home of Country Music

John WilkersonInterim Assistant Dean, Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station

Professor of Biosystems Engineering & Soil ScienceKnoxville, Tennessee

College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources

College of Veterinary Medicine

Extension

Agricultural Experiment Station

THE UNIVERSITYof TENNESSEEINSTITUTE of AGRICULTURE

• Seven Academic Departments– Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science– Plant Science– Entomology & Plant Pathology– Food Science– Animal Science– Agricultural Economics– Forestry, Wildlife, & Fisheries

• 105 Faculty

Seven Departments– Biosystems Engineering &

Soil Science– Plant Science– Entomology & Plant

Pathology– Food Science– Animal Science– Agricultural Economics– Forestry, Wildlife, &

Fisheries

Ten Research and Education Centers– Ames Plantation– West Tennessee– Milan– Highland Rim– Middle Tennessee– Dairy– Plateau– Forest Resources– East Tennessee– Greeneville

SCIENTISTS

West Tennessee Research and Education Center

East TennesseeResearch and Education Center

Forest ResourcesResearch and Education CenterResearch and

Education Center at Milan

Dairy Research and EducationCenter

Research andEducation CenterAt Greeneville

Highland Rim ResearchAnd Education Center

Research andEducation Center atAmes Plantation

Plateau ResearchAnd EducationCenter

Middle TennesseeResearch and EducationCenter

Research & Education CentersResearch & Education Centers

CHANGE“Are we staying relevant with

the current changes in agriculture?

ChangesChanges in Agriculture: Farm in Agriculture: Farm SizesSizes in US in US

1-9 A

>2000 A

10-49 A

1000-1999 A

50-179 A

180-499 A

500-999 A

-30%

-20%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

Farm Size (Acres)

Per

cen

t C

han

ge

'82

to '0

2 Growthin number

of smalland large

farms

Decreasein number ofmedium-sized farms

USDA Agricultural Census 2002 (Summarized from Census Table 1)USDA Agricultural Census 2002 (Summarized from Census Table 1)

Changes in Agriculture: Farms Changes in Agriculture: Farms SalesSales in US in USUSDA Agricultural Census 2002 (Summarized from Census Table 57)USDA Agricultural Census 2002 (Summarized from Census Table 57)

Growthin % of

farms withlowest or

highest sales

Decreasein % of farms in middle categories.

$5.0-$9.9 $10-$24.9

$25-$49.9

>$500

<$2.5

$50-$99.9

$2.5-$4.9 $100-$499

-50%

0%

50%

100%

150%

Farm sales ($1,000)

Pe

rce

nt

Ch

an

ge

19

82

to 2

00

2

Changes in US Agriculture: Changes in US Agriculture: % Sales% Sales by by SalesSales Category Category

USDA Agricultural Census 2002 (Summarized from Table 57)USDA Agricultural Census 2002 (Summarized from Table 57)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

>$1

000

$500

-$99

9

$250

-$49

9

$100

-$24

9

$50-

$99

$25-

$49

$10-

24.9

$5-$

9.9

$2.5

-$4.

9

$1-$

2.49

<$1

Farm Sales Categories (x $1,000)

Per

cen

tag

e

% of US Farms

% of US Sales

70% of farms70% of farms3% of sales3% of sales

7.5% of farms7.5% of farms77% of sales77% of sales

Changes in TN Agriculture: Changes in TN Agriculture: % Sales% Sales by by SalesSales Category Category

USDA Agricultural Census 2002 (Summarized from Table 57)USDA Agricultural Census 2002 (Summarized from Table 57)

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

>$1

000

$500

-$99

9

$250

-$49

9

$100

-$24

9

$50-

$99

$25-

$49

$10-

24.9

$5-$

9.9

$2.5

-$4.

9

$1-$

2.49

<$1

Farm Sales Categories (x $1,000)

Per

cen

tag

e

% of TN Farms% of TN Sales

77% of farms77% of farms7% of sales7% of sales

4.5% of farms4.5% of farms73% of sales73% of sales

SHAPING THE FUTURE GIVEN CHANGE

• Predicting the Future

• Anticipating the Future

• Planning for the Future

Shaping The Future Implies -

DELIMMA !

THE FUTURE IS ALWAYS UNKNOWN

Knowledge Of What The Future Holds

TIMETIMEInformationInformation

Information

Information

InformationInformation

Information

Information

Predictions Of The Future Are Extrapolations Of Historical

Information

TIMETIMEInformationInformation

Information

Information

InformationInformation

Information

More certain than guessing about

the future

Information

0

∞

No Reason To Believe Soil, Plant, Byproduct, and Water

Analyses Testing Will Not Continue To Play An

Important Role In The Future

From A Historical Perspective

Problem Solution

“All the easy problems have been solved, only the difficult ones remain.” …Thomas Klindt

SoilScience

PlantScience Production

Economics

SolutionsWe need a

Discovery “Bench Science”

We have a

Missing Part “Application”• System Level Challenge• Information Decisions

SOLUTIONNEEDED

Discovery “Bench Science”

SolutionsWe have a We need a

Missing Part “Application”• System Level Challenge• Information Decisions

Discovery “Bench Science”

SolutionsWe have a We need a

Translational Research“Application of the Discovery”

Translational ResearchNIH Definition:

“Translational research includes two areas of translation. One is the process of applying discoveries generated during research in the laboratory, and in preclinical studies, to the development of trials and studies in humans. The second area of translation concerns research aimed at enhancing the adoption of best practices in the community.”

1. Application of Discovery2. Adoption of Best Practices

Development, integration, and implementation of new measurement technologies and methods for both laboratory and in-field measurements

– What is the future for real-time field sensors and what role will they play?

– Can we develop an on-farm protocol that will allow producers to define their own yield response functions using conventional production equipment ?

Translational Research Opportunities from an Engineering Prospective

“Old chemist never die, they just stop reacting.” .. by Richard Gouin     

WelcomeWelcome&&

Have a great meeting !Have a great meeting !

THE UNIVERSITYof TENNESSEEINSTITUTE of AGRICULTURE