EAST TROY, Wis. -- The Wisconsin agricultural sector could play a key role in accelerating production of a relatively new type of grain, which supporters say is safer for the environment. A nonprofit organization based in the Badger State is taking part in research that aims to give producers more solutions.

The alternative grain, which is called Kernza, doesn't grow like traditional wheat.

Nicole Tautges, agroecologist for the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, said a key difference is that it's not an annual, and after one planting, could keep producing crops over several years.

That helps reduce tillage, and she noted Kernza roots run deeper into the ground, providing additional benefits to soil.

"We're hoping to also decrease chemical and fertilizer inputs as well," Tautges added.

The Institute is part of a coalition, which also includes the University of Wisconsin, that will share a $10 million federal grant to look at ways of making Kernza easier for farmers to grow and manage.

Tautges says Wisconsin producers are collaborating with evaluators, and will continue to do so. Recently, a brand under General Mills ran into setbacks with the grain when trying to develop it for a new cereal.

In addition to figuring out mysteries in managing the crop's growth, Tautges said they also need to develop a reliable supply chain for Kernza. She said the goal is to make it the nation's first large-scale, perennial-grain crop that could be used for a lot of products.

"It should be ending up in more beers, in more granola bars and those sorts of consumer products," Tautges said.

So far, the wheat substitute primarily has been used in organic food products. Prior to the new research grant, the University of Minnesota and the Land Institute played a big role in the early developmental phase of the crop.

Texas farmers who want to transition some of their land from conventional crops to organics are getting help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Bob Whitney, a Regents Fellow and extension organic program specialist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, works with the state's Transition to Organic Partnership Program. Whitney said California grows more organic fruits and vegetables, but Texas is making inroads.

"We're number one in organic dairy production, we're number one in organic peanut production, number one in cotton production," Whitney outlined. "The last couple years, we've been number one in organic rice production."

Before crops can be certified organic, farmers must manage their land without using synthetic pesticides for 36 months. So far, Texas has issued 383 organic certificates to farmers. Overall, estimates show Texas in sixth place among the states for organic ag acres.

A report by Statista said global sales of organic food increased from $18 billion in 2000 to $131 billion in 2021.

Supermarket produce labeled organic has been strictly defined by the federal government since 2002, and Whitney noted shoppers pay attention.

"I'll just tell you these other labels that are on foods are not very well trusted, according to research," Whitney observed. "Organic still has a very high trust with the consumer."

He added participants chosen for the program will learn organic practices, business development, marketing and more, from farmers who have already been successful.

"These farmers that we will work with will be paid a mentorship fee," Whitney explained. "They will help these transition farmers with questions, with how-tos; a little bit of pep talking when they need it."

Whitney has found once farmers commit to organics, they don't look back.

"I can tell you that I do not lose organic producers," Whitney asserted. "As I've heard many of them say, 'You know what, I've got kids, and I'd rather know that they're not out there in the middle of something that's been sprayed.'"

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has committed $100 million to the Organic Transition Initiative.


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William Peace University is teaming up with Produce Purpose, a nonprofit organization, to install a hydroponic farming operation on campus.

The new program aims to provide purposeful employment for individuals with special needs, promote sustainable and pesticide-free agriculture, and encourage healthy eating habits at the university.

Matthew Harvey, founder of Produce Purpose, said the program, inspired by his special needs brother, is not only to promote interactive learning but to address a real problem happening among young people.

"The age demographic between the ages of 18 and 29 is seeing the most weight gain in a person's lifetime," Harvey pointed out. "The freshman 15 slogan holds more truth than people really want to admit."

To bring the hydroponic farming operation to life on campus, Produce Purpose will also be partnering with Freight Farms, a hydroponic technology company based in Boston. Plans for the fully automated hydroponic farm are already underway, and the first crop is set to become available for harvest this fall.

The collaboration goes beyond merely providing fresh produce to students; it also creates multidisciplinary educational opportunities for them. Harvey highlighted the program will be accessible to students studying subjects such as biology, interactive design, psychology and special education.

"For example, if you are a physics student and you want to learn more about how different colored light waves can affect the growth of plants, you can see that in the red and blue light wave tech that the container farm has developed and perfected," Harvey explained.

Harvey added the program will hire about three special-needs farmers.


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Georgia farmers are watching a bill that is being reintroduced in Congress for ways to help their farms become more sustainable and less likely to contribute to the warming climate. The Agriculture Resilience Act is making a comeback this year after languishing in Congress since 2019. Its goal is to make agriculture a 'net-zero emissions' industry by 2040. Farming now contributes about 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions.

Lotanna Obodozie, Climate Campaign director with National Young Farmers Coalition, said her group hopes the bill gives farmers more access to the resources they need to increase sustainability.

"Farmers are experiencing a lot of barriers when trying to use or apply for USDA programs, and so I think that is a challenge that farmers could face," she said.

Agriculture is a $70 billion part of Georgia's economy. The bill focuses on assisting farmers in adopting eco-friendly practices, and would fund research into cutting-edge farming methods. The Agriculture Resilience Act has just been reintroduced. Previous bills had no co-sponsors from the Georgia delegation.

The legislation also includes measures to address social-justice issues in farming communities. It outlines ways to support minority-owned farms and promote equitable access to resources like land and water. Obodozie said this focus is needed to bridge gaps in agriculture across the nation.

"One thing that's really important is just how can we make sure that these programs are accessible for all farmers - not just large farmers, but also small farmers, beginning farmers, farmers of color, and other historically disadvantaged farmers," she said.

Some people have suggested adding this legislation to the 2023 Farm Bill, which Congress is scheduled to begin debating in September. In Georgia, over 42,000 farms span more than 10 million acres, according to the USDA.


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