Overview

• Global Challenges• Food and Health Nexus• Agricultural Focus

– LGUs– USDA, NIFA, ARS

Societal Challenges

• Population• Food• Water• Environment• Climate Change• Energy

• Health• Poverty

• Population

aka Wicked Problems

• Health Food safety, nutrition, obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular

disease, dementia, stroke, cancer, hunger, poverty, families/children• Ecological FootprintWater/land use, natural resource and environmental stewardship,

greenhouse gas, global climate change, depleted soils• Agricultural Competitiveness Improve crop and animal agriculture; enhance farm productivity and

income; policies; supply chain; storage; transportation• BioeconomyReplacements for petroleum-based products and enhance

community economic well being

21st Century Food System Challenges

The Nexus

Nexus Between Food and Health• Two ends of the health spectrum

Excess food and food insecurity Billions dilemma

• Preventable CDC: 75 percent of healthcare

spending for chronic diseases • Health challenges

Chronic diseases Food insecurity/hunger Food safety Environmental

• Food security and measurable improvements in health Nutritious and safe food Community efforts to fight hunger and

food insecurity Strategies to combat childhood obesity

• Are food systems able to deliver optimal health?

Land-Grant University Focus• A new compact ~ Crowd source

Academia, government, private sector, NGOs Outreach networks through the Cooperative

Extension System, Education, Health Sectorso eXtension and online tools – democratizing knowledge

• Food and health research and educationBio- and physical sciencesRelevance of environmental and social sciencesQuality science to inform policy

• Health outcomes driving genetics & breedingWheat, Soy, Maize, Milo, Rice, Tomatoes, BerriesAnimal traits

• Altering the gut microbiome • Alteration of food structure

ProcessingoRetain natural and fresh attributesoMatrices that modulate caloric contentoEnhance benefits of bioactive compounds 

Healthy foods and quality

Food Systems and Optimal Health

Tomatoes = Lycopene

Cancer Prevention

Basic Science (Genetics)

Applied Science(Production & Processing)

Commercialization

Clinical Trials

Food Security, Production, Human Health

Goal: deliver 60 mg of isoflavone in 2 slices of bread.

Dr. Yael Vodovotz

Dr. Greg LesinskiImpact of soy bread on Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cell (MDSC) biology in patients with solid tumors

Development of Soy Bread

• FAIR 2012: One Health—Understanding and improving animal health, human health, ecological health

• Complex, multi-dimensional Biology, genetics, socio-economic status,

culture, and behavior – e.g., Latino children

• ‘Omics and personalized medicine• Exercise and active lifestyles• Access – Children’s health, food deserts

Food Systems and Optimal Health

• Dairy products and health Bone health, blood pressure, probiotics

• Pulse Heath Initiative – Prevention of obesity • Cornell/ARS: Maize with high iron availability• Foodborne diseases and food safety

Dan Luo: DNA-based nanobarcode to track bacteria in the food system to detect pathogens and toxins on site

Craig Altier: Define Salmonella genes and genetic pathways essential for survival, proliferation in tomatoes

• Functional genomics: Dual use research Biomedical applications Improve quality, nutritional characteristics, shelf life, and

food safety

NIFA Focus• Discovery through Delivery Continuum

DiscoveryTranslationInnovationSolution• Capacity/Formula Programs

Hatch, Evans-Allen, Smith-Lever, 1890s Extension, FRTEP, 1994 Capacity, Insular Areas

4-H, EFNEP, SNAP-ED

• The Pipeline Next generation scientists, Extension specialists

and educators, producers, better informed public

Competitive ProgramsAFRI• Challenge Areas

Food Security Nutrition and Childhood Obesity Food safety Climate Change Bioenergy

• Fellowships Pre- and post-doctoral

• Foundational AreasPlant Health and Production and Plant ProductsAnimal Health and Production and Animal

ProductsFood Safety, Nutrition, and HealthRenewable Energy, Natural Resources, and

EnvironmentAgriculture Systems and TechnologyAgriculture Economics and Rural Communities

Mandatory Programs

• Specialty Crops Research Initiative• Biomass Research and Development Initiative• Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

Development Initiative• Organic Agriculture Research and Extension

Initiative

• Food Safety Improving safety of the nation’s food

supply through the support of basic research and integrated science programs

• Nutrition and Childhood Obesity NCCOR—National Collaborative on

Childhood Obesity Research—Public-Private collaboration (NIH, CDC, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)

Programs Focused on Health

• USDA school breakfast and lunch programs Long term impacts – health

and societal

Programs Focused on Access/Hunger

• Address hunger and food security Community Foods Projects

• Increase food production and access Local and regional food

systems Food deserts

http://join.strength.org/site/PageNavigator/SOS/Breakfast_2013.html

The Education Pipeline

Enhancing Healthy and Active Lifestyles

SNAP-ED

Food and Health Foci

• Promote high priority research/outreach in food quality, safety, and access in relation to health

• Ensure food is nutritious and safe• Promote strategies to combat childhood obesity• Work with local communities to fight hunger and

food insecurity• Food and Health literacy

Food and Health Foci• Research, Education, and Extension

Sustainable food production Environmental, Economic, Social

Healthier, sustainable foods Access Chronic diseases, foodborne illnesses Nexus between biology, culture, behavior Policy research Education

A systems framework: food & nutrition security

Questions• How impact food insecurity?• How improve traits?• Clinical validation?• How increase consumption

of fruit, vegetables?• Long term impacts?• MyLifestyle, MyBehavior?• Resurrect HomeEc courses?