BFA Newsletter - 12/29/22
An update, and the year ahead:
After more than ten years with the BFA and in this time of solstice I am sitting with much reflection. As one of the leading voices in the conversation about Nutrient Density, it is almost overwhelming to feel the excitement, momentum, and support that is everywhere in relation to this work. At least in my world, these ideas about the connection between soil and crop and human health, and the importance of these connections, seem to be bubbling up in all walks of life. To be in a place of leadership in relation to this feels like quite an honor.
The work with Nutrient Density is, however, not a task that one person or organization can or should accomplish, and that seems to me to be the biggest insight of the year. We have helped to support an important conversation and process and are engaging a broader community in taking it to the next level.
We had an idea that nutrient variation in crops was significant; that it connected to how crops were grown, and that those variations could be assessed in real time with the flash of light from a handheld instrument. We spent the last 6 years working to show that all of those things are true, or as I like to say it, completed the proof of concept. Now, a broader collective needs to coalesce around this process.
This is a conversation I have often had recently with people when they ask, “Dan, how’s the meter going? When’s it going to be out?” My response is that in fact, we can't calibrate a meter to Nutrient Density until we know what Nutrient Density is. We need to define Nutrient Density in crops across the board, not just show that variations are significant as we so far have done. With that knowledge, we can then give guidance to growers everywhere about how to maximize the health of the crops they produce. As well, with a collective definition of Nutrient Density, we can work with any and all producers of handheld instruments to bring the ability to assess this to the global community.
This is a process that will take time, although many pieces do seem to be falling into place for it to be accomplished fairly rapidly. Foundationally, however, it is a process that takes money. We can ballpark the cost to define Nutrient Density in a crop like beef or rice at $550,000+. If you say there are 50 major crops globally produced and sold then you are looking at a $25-50 million dollar hurdle to get to the point where meters can be calibrated and used.
My current thought is that those who think it is important that we understand these things need to help support the process of accomplishing it. Luckily, the number of people from companies, organizations, research institutions for both agronomy and human health, and others that are reaching out now to engage with us is almost overwhelming.
Really, we need to open up this process to a broader circle. Our expectation with the Bionutrient Institute in the next year is to do exactly that. Create a coordinating framework where all of the allies from the different walks of life and parts of the planet can find their place in this circle and process.
Together is the only way meaningful things ever get done.
To an exciting year ahead,
Dan
BFA Chapters
As has been requested by our community for years, we prioritized the team’s time and support for our local chapters program, and the results have been very gratifying. Especially as the culture evolves from the pandemic experience, there has been much interest and action in establishing local groups to engage in BFA activities. Perhaps it is in part because we hired the right woman for the job, Shawna Marble, but the momentum in this piece of the organization looks set to continue to build in the new year.
For those who are interested in getting together with others of common cause, please see the updated Chapters page on the BFA site to see if there are people in your area. If you don’t find anyone close by and want to put yourself out there as a node around which organization can happen, please do that by contacting Shawna at chapters@bionutrient.org.
Soil & Nutrition Conference
We tried to reinstate the annual in-person conference this year but found that your primary was to have an online event. It seems that as the community has evolved from a Northeast US-based community to one that is now truly global, the cost-benefit analysis for the majority did not work out with all of the costs required to attend an event that may be very far from your home.
With that in mind, we have decided to work with the model that we used in 2021, of a once-a-week webinar over a number of months. That will be starting up again in February! Watch your inbox for details as we will be releasing them soon.
Other Events
It has been a great year for getting back out in the world after very little travel over the past couple of years. Many states and countries were visited, and many more are on the docket for the upcoming year.
See our updated calendar of events here!
Research on Nutrient Density
Perhaps one of our biggest accomplishments this year has been moving from the initial work we have done over the past few years characterizing nutrient variation, and moving on to actually defining Nutrient Density.
The Beef Study, as our first foray into this process, is well underway, with 125 of the 250 targeted participating ranches. We expect to submit our first papers to formally define Nutrient Density in beef by the spring of 2023. We’re still lining up interested parties for the spring sample collection. If you'd like to join the study, please complete this interest form!
As always, we are looking for funding to sponsor ranches that need help covering the $2500 cost to participate. This is a great way to participate if you don't have any samples of your own to send in, but would like to help us further our research! If you would like to support a ranch, please donate here.
We are also now starting to branch out beyond beef as we bring the deeper process of Nutrient Density definition to other crops. There has been a very gratifying level of incoming engagement from companies, organizations, and research institutions looking to work with us on this.
We’ll be informing our network as we launch additional studies to define Nutrient Density in other crops, and count on you to spread the word and participate to support this important work.
Land in Massachusetts
A generous donor provided the funds to purchase our own land here in central Massachusetts to use as an education and demonstration site. As we have helped support through our local chapter network, the idea is a hub for community education and engagement with courses, gatherings, work parties and a general home for activity. Think global, act local. It is going to be great fun. Watch this channel for details if you would like to be part of it!
Gratitude
As the work moves forward and the community builds, it is good to look around and appreciate all of those who are and have been key partners along the way. Certainly Greg Austic and Dan TerAvest with the Our-Sci team, whose partnership has been critical in establishing our first lab, setting up the research process, and engineering and manufacturing the current versions of the Bionutrient Meter. Cyndi Daley and her team at Chico State, the Eco-Sens team in France, GRFFN in the UK, as well as Stephan van Vliet at Utah State doing the metabolomics work.
Next7 and farmOS, the Terrans with Hylo, the OpenTEAM community and GOAT. NOFA/Mass and PASA, OAK and Pipeline Foods and Croatan. And so many more.
And at the center of it all, our core team. Amanda Pinelli, holding all the pieces and managing the organization so that it flourishes in its next phase; Shawna Marble nurturing chapters and on top of all the details for our partners; and Rachel Jackson “Jill of all trades” effortlessly flowing between web and social and newsletters. I am ok with the notoriety, but would not be here without all of the passion and dedication and support of those who see a similar vision. Thank you all for your work and passion and engagement.
It Takes a Village
We’re interested in knowing who is out there, inspired by our work and available to contribute human capital to support its progress. We know we have a powerful network and would like to be engaging your talents!
Join Us!
Our work depends on the support of people who are passionate about the health of our soil, food, community, and planet. People like YOU!
As a BFA member, you'll receive:
Discounts to innovative events, programming, workshops, and our annual Soil & Nutrition Conference
Periodic newsletters with regular updates about our lab testing progress.
Invitations to join our new webinar series: Let’s Talk Bionutrient!
Option to purchase valuable tools. We offer our members access to toolkits at a discounted cost for testing, evaluating, and improving the quality of their crops, produce, and soil.
Click the button below to learn more and sign up to become part of a community of citizen scientists, farmers, and businesses, all focused on increasing quality in the food supply. We look forward to having you on board!
