South America's Crop Production

South America's impact on agriculture is evident. The linked article below provides an insight to crop production in South America and it's potential impact around the globe. We encourage you to read the linked article and utilize the discussion points below to guide your conversations in your local communities and classrooms.

South America Will Continue To Pressure Grain Prices

Discussion Points

• What is the current outlook for crop production in South America?
• How do you see this outlook impacting prices and production in your home country?
• Besides the amount of crop being planted what other factors could affect global prices of corn and soybeans?
• In your opinion what does the future for crop production hold for South America? Explain.
• Explain how politics and policies can impact crop production and prices globaly?

CRISPR-Cas Potential

This week we have participated in World Food Prize events in Des Moines and on our campus. One hot topic that keeps emerging, with potential to help feed our growing population, is CRISPR-Cas technology. Linked below is a video that was shared at the Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines this week. We encourage you to watch the linked video and utilize the discussion points below to guide conversations around the globe!

CRISPR-Cas for Healthy Seed Development

Discussion Points

• Explain what CRISPR-Cas technology is and how it works?
• How can CRISPR-Cas technology be beneficial in agriculture and help feed our growing population?
• It has been stressed throughout the week that we need to educate the public on what CRISPR-Cas is. Why is this so important?
• In your opinion what is the best way to educate the public on this technology?

Tackling Bovine TB Together

Recently four major players got together to develop a plan to tackle bovine TB and zoonotic TB. We encourage you to read the linked article to learn more about the disease and what the plan is to tackle it. Utilize the discussion points to guide your conversations around the globe!

Partners Launch Roadmap to Stop Bovine and Zoonotic TB

Discussion Points

• Explain the difference between bovine TB and zoonotic TB.
• Why is it difficult to detect zoonotic TB?
• The article breaks down the roadmap to tackle bovine and zoonotic TB into three categories. Which of the three areas do you feel is most important to tackling TB and why?
• How does the impact of zoonotic TB go beyond just effecting one's health. Explain.

Forests and Food Security

Forests play a vital role in food security and nutrition around the globe. Linked below is a video that explores the impact of forests on food security and nutrition along with the interaction between traditional production agriculture and forestry. We encourage you to watch the linked video and utilize the discussion points below to guide conversations in your classrooms and communities! When we travel abroad with students and farmers this is often a topic of discussion.

Sustainable Forestry for Food Security and Nutrition

Discussion Points

• Why are forests so important to food security and nutrition?
• Of the many benefits that forests provide for food security and nutrition which do you feel is the most important and why?
• Many facts were shared in the video. Which fact surprised you the most (or did you find most interesting) and why?
• Towards the end of the video integrating production agriculture and forestry was stressed. Do some additional research and find how this is being done around the globe. Share your findings with others.