AGRICULTURAL, BIOSYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

National Ag Day 2012 Welcome!

The good old days—they were terrible! —Norman Borlaug The good old days—they were terrible! —Norman Borlaug A civilization will flourish only when it can produce food in excess of farmers’ needs —Author unknown A civilization will flourish only when it can produce food in excess of farmers’ needs —Author unknown Photos: USDA-NRCS Where we came from

Where we are today Photos: Gabriele Onorato Used under a Creative Commons License

Some measures of success  US agricultural output quadrupled between 1930 and 2000, while aggregate inputs remained similar (Gardner, 2003)  21.5% of Americans were directly employed in agriculture in 1930 — in 2000 it was less than 2% (Dmitri et al., 2005)  320,000 farm operators (0.1% of population) produce 90% of US agricultural output (Conkin, 2008)  In 1930, there were 18.7 work animals and 920,000 tractors — by 1970, tractors had essentially replaced animal power (Dmitri et al., 2005)  In 1900, it took 147 hours of labor to produce 100 bushels of corn — it took 3 hours in 1990 (Conkin, 2008)

Success comes at a cost  Air and water pollution  Reliance on fossil fuels  Health effects of agricultural chemicals  Impact of intensive agriculture on ecological services

World population expected to hit 9 billion by 2050 Finding Solutions for Life on a Small Planet Growing world population requires more food, water, energy, goods Limited resources demand we do more with less, without degrading our natural world

Food and Bioprocess Engineering Information & Electrical Systems Structures & Environment Biological Engineering Natural Resources Energy Specialty Areas Forest Engineering Aquacultural Engineering Safety, Health, Ergonomics Nursery & Greenhouse Engineering Power Systems & Machinery Design

Biological Engineering Applying engineering practice to problems and opportunities presented by living things and the environment Pest control Hazardous waste treatment Environmental protection Bioinstrumentation Bioimaging Medical implants and devices Plant-based pharmaceuticals and packaging materials

Natural Resources Improving conservation by understanding the complex mechanics of soil and water Wetlands protection Water control structures: dams, reservoirs, floodways Drainage Erosion control Pesticide and nutrient runoff Crop water requirements Water treatment systems Irrigation

Food and Process Engineering Using microbiological processes to develop useful products, treat municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastes, and improve food safety Packaging, storage, transportation of perishable products Pasteurization, sterilization, irradiation techniques Food processing techniques & technologies Biomass fuels Nutraceuticals, phamaceuticals Biodegradable packaging materials

Information & Electrical Technologies Perhaps the most versatile specialty area, it’s applied to virtually all others Data acquisition and “Bioinformatics”— biorobotics, machine vision, sensors, spectroscopy Electromagnetics Global positioning systems Machine instrumentation and controls

Structures & Environment Engineering a healthy environment for living things Animal housing Grain storage Waste storage, recovery, reuse, transport Climate, ventilation, disease control systems

Power Systems & Machinery Design Improving efficiency and conservation in agricultural, food, and biological systems Agricultural tractors, combines, implements, and transportation equipment Turf and landscape equipment Equipment for special crops Irrigation equipment Farmstead equipment Food processing equipment

Energy Developing renewable energy sources, devising energy conservation strategies to reduce costs and protect the environment Devising new ways of meeting the energy needs of agriculture Meeting the energy needs of the general population by using agricultural products and by- products Biomass, methane, vegetable oils Wind and solar energy

Aquacultural Engineering Preserving our natural fish populations and habitats through improved aquacultural practices. System design for fish farms Water quality, machinery, feeding, ventilation Pollution reduction and water conservation Ecological reuse or disposal of waste Product harvesting, sorting and processing

Nursery & Greenhouse Engineering A microcosm of large-scale production agriculture, with similar needs Irrigation, mechanization Disease and pest control Temperature, humidity, ventilation control Plant biology: tissue culture, seedling propagation, hydroponics

Forestry Applying engineering principles to forestry management and conservation Machine-soil interaction and erosion control Operations analysis and improvement Equipment design Wood product design Access systems design and construction

Safety, Health and Ergonomics Making agriculture safer, more efficient, and more economical Compile and analyze health and injury data Standardize equipment for component compatibility Encourage safe use of machinery, equipment, and materials through better design and better communication

Definition  Agricultural and Biological Engineering is the discipline of engineering that applies engineering principles and the fundamental concepts of biology to agricultural and biological systems and tools, ranging in scale from molecular to ecosystem level, for the safe, efficient and environmentally sensitive production, processing, and management of agricultural, biological, food, and natural resources systems. Source:

Working with Nature  Same equations — different application  Systems approach  Understand natural and biological processes  Inherent variation in our “media”  Biological components integrated in everything we do  Sustainability  Balance Environmental, Economic, and Societal Benefits

Example  Like other farmers in the West, Roger Barton must irrigate the alfalfa hay he raises for horse owners. And like many farmers, Barton has to be creative to make ends meet. When diesel costs rose to $4.25 per gallon a couple of years ago, Barton came up with a new, non-diesel-powered way to run his center pivot irrigation system. With the help of a Conservation Innovation Grant from NRCS, Barton worked with a pump company and NRCS engineers to design a hydroturbine system that generates electricity to power his pivot irrigation system. (USDA-NRCS website)

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at SDSU  Water and Climate  Animal Production Systems  Machinery  Food and Fuel Processing

Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering Water & Climate

Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering Food & Bio-Renewable Processing

Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering Animal Production Systems

Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering Agricultural Machinery Engineering

Biological and Agricultural Engineers— what do they do? Develop solutions for responsible, alternative uses of agricultural products, byproducts and wastes and of our natural resources - soil, water, air, and energy Devise practical, efficient solutions for producing, storing, transporting, processing, and packaging agricultural products Solve problems related to systems, processes, and machines that interact with humans, plants, animals, microorganisms, and biological materials

Water and Climate Animal Production Systems Machinery Food and Fuel Processing Check steam pressure Test water quality Test dust concentration Bust a truss Inspect construction progress Test engine performance Test sprayer uniformity Measure water flow rate Check the material handling line

Who Employs Agricultural and Biological Engineers 3M Abbott Labs AGCO Anheuser Busch Archer Daniels Midland BASF Briggs & Stratton Campbell's Soup Caterpillar CH2M Hill Case Corp Dole Dow Chemical Exxon Mobil Florida Light & Power Ford Motor Co General Mills Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance John Deere Kellogg's Lockheed Martin M & M Mars Monsanto Morton Buildings NASA New Holland Ralston Purina Sunkist USDA Agricultural Research Service USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service US Department of Energy US Environmental Protection Agency Source: ASABE.

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers in the Community  NRCS  Engineering Staff in South Dakota Huron State Office Brookings Field Support Office Pierre Field Support Office Rapid City Field Support Office  Other government agencies  South Dakota DENR  Consulting Engineers

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers in the Community  Equipment  Buhler Industries – Salem  Equipment Dealers  Precision Ag  Raven Industries  Ag Structures  Landmark Builders

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers in the Community  Fuel Processing  POET – Sioux Falls (Headquarters)  Valero  Food Processing  Davisco  Bel Brands  Hormel

Making the World a Better Place  Producing and Processing Food, Feed, and Fuel  Managing and Protecting our Environment and Natural Resources

Water and Climate Animal Production Systems Machinery Food and Fuel Processing Managing and Protecting our Environment and Natural Resources Producing and Processing Food, Feed, and Fuel

Safe and abundant food and water Plentiful and renewable energy resources A healthy environment in which to live Timber and fiber for shelter and clothing