Nebraska in the national news: May 2022

June 3rd, 2022

A University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty member was interviewed for a May 23 Successful Farming article on the new National Agricultural Producers Data Cooperative, which aims to help ag producers take advantage of their data. The story was among 30-plus national news stories featuring Husker faculty, students, staff, centers and programs during the month.

“The domestic agricultural industry, in general, has a troubled history in this area,” said Jennifer L. Clarke, professor of food science and technology, and statistics, and director of the Quantitative Life Sciences Initiative at Nebraska. “So producers are very skittish when it comes to their data.”

In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has tasked land-grant universities with developing a blueprint for a national data framework and cooperative where producers, universities and nonprofit entities can store and share data and create tools that enable producers to maximize production and profitability.

“They see land-grant universities as a trusted partner for farmers — that’s why they’re leaning on us to spearhead the … project,” Clarke said. “We are not trying to profit off your data. Our goal is based on the needs of producers. We want to enable you to handle your data and to learn from it.”

Clarke said she believes the USDA has finally decided to develop this type of system — essentially a network of regional databases — because the federal government recognizes the potential value of artificial intelligence in addressing issues around carbon capture, sustainability and productivity.

The deadline for the project is April 2023.

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Robert Hutkins, food science and technology, was interviewed for a May 16 Consumer Reports article on whether sourdough bread is more nutritious than other types. “Some flours contain phytic acid, which is considered an ‘anti-nutrient’ due to its ability to bind important minerals, like zinc, iron and calcium,” he said. “Sourdough microbes degrade the phytic acid, enhancing the nutritional quality of the bread.” However, he said this benefit only applies to real sourdough, made in a traditional way.

For full news story click HERE

Story by Sean Hagewood | UNL Communications and Marketing