Iowa Beef Center  |   November 15, 2011

This has been a season of weather extremes. It began Last month during the World Food Prize events in Des Moines, the Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) report was released by the Global Harvest Initiative. This document can be viewed as a report card on how the world’s farmers are doing in making progress toward doubling food production by 2050 in order to feed the anticipated population of 9 billion people. The GAP report shows we are making progress toward the goal. It also outlines the regions of highest population growth and the regions with the greatest capacity for production.

When the facts are presented, it is clear that meeting this goal will require improvements of local food productivity by underdeveloped regions as well as continued progress in efficiency and productivity by the areas blessed with arable land and plentiful water resources. Iowa is a shining example of the latter.

Interestingly, this report release happened shortly after the Center for Food Integrity published the results of a survey that found that U. S. consumers do not believe that farmers in this country should feed the world. In fact 40% of those surveyed strongly disagreed with the statement, “The United States has the responsibility to provide food for the rest of the world” and more than half agreed with the statement, "It is more important for the U.S. to teach developing nations how to feed themselves than to export food to them.”

While we like to say the customer is always right, this might be an example where the late Steve Jobs of Apple Computer, was right when he said, “…a lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them.” Ultimately, improved productivity results in lower cost of production, lower food prices and better conservation of resources. And frankly, some parts of the world are too hot, too dry and too infertile to grow food.

The fact is Iowa cattlemen are doing their part to “feed with world.” In 2010, Iowa exported more value in red meat and live animals than any other state. Beef exports have increased dramatically in the past year. Much of this increase comes from countries in Asia with growing economies and growing demand for red meat. These markets also tend to favor higher quality beef which may have contributed to recent increase in the Choice-Select spread.

At Iowa State University (ISU) there are programs that tackle this issue on both fronts. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Global Ag programs give students international experiences. Faculty members have opportunities for international exchanges in a variety of ways. Also, international graduate students such as Guevara Che Nyendu from Ghana receive training at ISU. Che studied long term storage of wet distillers’ grains and received his Masters in Ag and Biosystems Engineering this summer. Groups from foreign countries are frequent visitors. As an example, prior to the Farm Progress Show, farm managers from a major Argentinean farming and feedlot company spent time in Ames learning about Iowa beef production and farming methods.

At the Iowa Beef Center, two of our main program goals relate to improving production efficiency and cost of production. Progress toward these goals should contribute to improved profitability by producers, increased economic activity in rural communities through beef production, and ultimately, a lower cost of food to the consumer. Lower food costs lead to increased food availability and accessibility.

Iowa State University is part of an 11-institution team that received a $5 million, 5-year grant to improve feed efficiency in beef cattle from USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) last year. The grant is part of NIFA’s Global Food Security initiative and is led by Dr. Jerry Taylor from the University of Missouri. Titled, “The National Program for the Genetic Improvement of Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle,” the program will acquire individual intake data on 8,000 head of cattle across several breeds. These cattle will then be genotyped using the next generation of genetic testing technology, and nutritional studies will look at the interactions with feed type (forage and grain) and differences in efficient and inefficient cattle. ISU faculty members Stephanie Hansen and Dorian Garrick are contributing to the research portion of the study.

The demonstration component involves 20 seedstock operations and one large commercial ranch across the Plains states. This is an integrated grant and IBC is involved in the large Extension and producer information component of the project. Information on all aspects of the grant is available on the project website coordinated by ISU's J. R. Tait at www.beefefficency.org. Another opportunity to learn more about this project and other ongoing research at ISU is at an open house to be held at ISU prior to the Oklahoma State-Iowa State football game on Friday, Nov. 18. This includes a tour of ISU Beef Nutrition Research Farm plus sessions on campus (transportation will be provided). There's no charge to attend, but please preregister by Nov. 11 by calling 515-294-2333 to ensure adequate materials, meal and transportation count.

Source: Dan Loy, Iowa Beef Center interim director