Mike Howell (00:08):
The Dirt, with me, Mike Howell, an eKonomics podKast where I present the down and dirty agronomic science to help grow crops and bottom lines. Inspired by eKonomics.com, farming’s go-to informational resource. I’m here to break down the latest crop nutrition, research, news, and issues, helping farmers make better business decisions through actionable insights. Let’s dig in. Well, hello again, listeners. We appreciate you joining us today. We’re going to deviate from our normal course of events a little bit today. We’re not going to be talking about agronomy and soil fertility, we’re going to be talking about a topic that we’ve been hearing more and more about lately.
(00:52):
It’s not a new topic, but it’s a very important topic and something we all need to pay attention to and learn more about. Today, we’re going to be talking about mental health, and more specifically, mental health as it relates to farmers and our farming community. To help me do that today, we’ve got Melissa Ploeckelman here with the National Farm Medicine Center. I met Melissa last year when I was at the National Farm Broadcasters Association Convention in Kansas City, and we got to talking and she graciously volunteered to do a podcast episode with us today. Melissa, if you will introduce yourself to our listeners and tell us a little bit about what you do and a little bit about the National Farm Medicine Center.
Melissa Ploeckelman (01:29):
Thank you, yes. As you said, my name is Melissa Ploeckelman and I work for the National Farm Medicine Center. I’m the outreach specialist there. What we do at our center is we look at farm incidents and farm fatalities and what causes them, and then we create resources to give back to farmers to keep them safe and healthy on the farm. Not just farmers themselves, but their entire family and their entire workforce. Mental health is definitely a topic that we focus on because farmers and ranchers in the US have high-demanding jobs that are often compounded by economic uncertainty, vulnerability to weather events, and even isolation. Rural agricultural communities may also have limited access to healthcare and mental health services, which can make it difficult for farm and ranch families to receive the support that they need when they’re experiencing extreme stress, anxiety, depression, or any other mental health crisis.
Mike Howell (02:27):
Melissa, let’s dive right into it. I always like to define what we’re talking about a little bit, so let’s start off and define what we mean by the term mental health. Can you give us a definition for that?
Melissa Ploeckelman (02:39):
I’d like to go back to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC. The way that they define mental health is it’s an important part of overall health and wellbeing. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and it helps determine how we handle stress, how we relate to others, and how we make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence, all the way through adulthood.
Mike Howell (03:10):
Now, one thing that we often hear associated with mental health is a risk of suicide. Now, I’ve been doing some looking and I see that there’s an increased rate of suicide among farmers. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
Melissa Ploeckelman (03:23):
We already said farming is a stressful occupation and it’s associated with increased levels of anxiety and depression, and sometimes those lead to suicides. Multiple studies show us that farmer suicide rates are two to five times higher than the national average. We just know that farmers are going through immense stress with falling commodity prices, natural disasters that may have harmed crop yields or reduced herds and flocks, increased levels of farm debt, labor shortages, trade disputes. We’ve already talked about weather, and so we just see that yes, suicide rates are higher among farmers. This isn’t new, this has been going on for a long time, but it’s something that we’re finally getting more comfortable to talk about.
Mike Howell (04:13):
Melissa, if someone we know or love is in crisis, if we suspect that they’re having some issues, where can we find some resources to help them out?
Melissa Ploeckelman (04:20):
We all have heard of 911 for emergency calls. There’s a new three-digit number, it’s 988, and this is the number to call when there’s a mental health emergency. 988 is a lifeline that responds 24/7 to calls, chats, or texts from anyone who needs support for suicide, mental health, and even for substance-use crisis. What this number will do is it will connect the caller or the texter with a trained crisis counselor. There are many reasons that people connect with the 988 lifeline. Some examples in addition to thoughts of suicide are feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, sexual orientation worries, drinking too much, drug use, feeling depressed, mental and physical illness, loneliness, trauma, relationship problems, and economic worries.
(05:14):
If we ourselves are having any of these feelings, we can call that number 988 at any time. If we’re not comfortable making a phone call, you can text 988 and someone will be there to chat with you. If you find someone else who’s maybe having some of these problems and they’re willing to talk, they’re willing to make the call, don’t be afraid to help them make the call. Make the call on your own phone if they’re uncomfortable using their phone, just call 988 and put it on speaker and have that conversation. Because like I said, they will connect you with a trained crisis counselor. Now, sometimes maybe you’re thinking, my neighbor is just a little different. We always go out to coffee every morning and we always just chat, and he hasn’t been coming to coffee lately. Yesterday when I stopped by his house, he was wearing pajamas in the middle of the day. This just isn’t like him. I think something is a little off.
(06:08):
You know what? It’s okay to call 988 yourself. Tell them the signs that you’re seeing and ask them for advice, what should you do. 988 is going to help you talk through what your neighbor’s going through and help you to be able to approach them. 988 is there for any type of mental health crisis. The other thing I mentioned was substance-use crisis. In our farming community, it’s crazy to think, but we are seeing higher levels of opioid addictions. Now, why is that? There’s actually a good reason, a lot of farmers we know want to work through the pain. They have a sore knee, maybe a sore hip, they got some shoulder pain, something. Eventually, go into the doctor and the doctor says, “Okay, your hip needs to be replaced.” Well, we know that in the springtime, we’re hauling manure, we’re planting, we’re hauling fertilizer, and then throughout the summer, we’re making hay. We’re checking our crops, we’re working with our animals. Fall comes and we’re doing harvest.
(07:07):
We work through that pain until we get a downtime, and that might not be till winter. We might go through three seasons of pain. As farmers, what happens is the doctor says, “Okay, we’re going to give you some painkillers to help you get through this time. You can keep farming until you have time.” You get put on some painkillers, then when you finally go in for surgery, maybe it’s over the winter, you’re put on a different painkiller in the hospital while you’re there and while you’re going through surgery. When they send you home, they send you home with a third painkiller. What we’re seeing happening is that some of these farmers are becoming addicted without even realizing it. Then when they’re finally taken off from their doctor, from all of these painkillers and maybe their hip or their shoulder or their knee isn’t feeling the pain, they’re suddenly addicted to these opioids.
(07:56):
A lot of farmers are afraid to admit addiction, so they don’t. They find what they need in another means. Maybe they’re buying them from their neighbors, maybe they’re finding somebody else, a younger person who is selling heroin or something, and they just keep feeding their body. This is another place if you see that in your neighbor or in yourself, it’s okay to call 988 and talk to them about how you can overcome this and how you can get help. We also know that in agriculture, farmers stereotypically drink a lot. They go out, they enjoy a beer or two, they like to go have barbecues with their neighbors, have a couple of beers. That’s another place where maybe it’s just getting to be too much for yourself or your neighbor or even a spouse, and you just need to know what to do about it and where to find resources. Call 988. We all know 911 for emergency services, let’s put that number 988 in our mind as well for any type of mental health crisis.
Mike Howell (08:59):
Melissa, the 988 number, that’s a new number for me. I have not heard that number before. Is that available everywhere in the US?
Melissa Ploeckelman (09:06):
Yes, it is available in all states and all five territories. Anyone who needs suicide, mental health or substance-use-related crisis support or who has a loved one, can connect with a trained counselor by calling or texting 988. As long as a telephone or cellular service is available, that lifeline works. Numerous studies have shown that most lifeline callers are significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking to a crisis counselor. They are trained to help reduce the intensity of a situation for a person seeking help and then connect them to additional local resources as needed. Even after the call is over, they can tell you what in your area is there for you. It doesn’t matter where you are in the United States, this line will work.
Mike Howell (10:03):
Again, that number is 988. How much potassium should you be applying? What’s the best form of nitrogen for sandy soils? Should you be applying sulfur? Sometimes you just got to ask an agronomist. eKonomics has an entire team of agronomists ready to answer all of your questions for free. Find your answers with the ask an agronomist feature at nutrient-eKonomics, with a K, dot com. Now, Melissa, I want to back up just a little bit. I did not know that we were going to get off into the opioid situation today. I’m glad you mentioned it, and it triggered some memories from about 20 to 25 years ago.
(10:41):
Anybody that knows me knows that I have a terrible back and I have had back trouble nearly all my life. I’ve had four back surgeries to date. Thank goodness everything is going good right now. During the time I was working on a research farm, I had my second back surgery and it was harvest season. I had got to the point I couldn’t walk and I couldn’t put it off anymore, I had to have that back surgery. I knew from the first one what to expect, and I thought everything was going to be great, and it was. They fixed my back and I felt really good. Like I said, it’s harvest time and we had to pick cotton. Three days after my back surgery, I was climbing up on a cotton picker picking cotton.
(11:16):
They gave me some pain pills like you described, and told me how often to take them. I started off taking them, the low end of their prescribed dose, and it seemed to be okay. The longer I rode that cotton picker, the vibrations just really got to bothering that back surgery. Okay, I’m going to up it to the upper dose of what they say, and it wasn’t very long that I could tell, hey, something’s not right here. I don’t need to be taking this much of these painkillers. If I had done that very much longer, I think that could’ve led to some problems. Fortunately, I was able to realize what was going on and backed off a little bit. It’s not a hard situation to get into if you find yourself in that situation, so I appreciate you mentioning that.
Melissa Ploeckelman (11:54):
Our doctors want to help us. They want us to be able to do our jobs. They want us to feel comfortable while we’re farming. Doctors know and appreciate everything farmers do, but when it comes down to it, a lot of times, farmers won’t go back to a doctor. If they go once, they’ve gone, they’ve done their due diligence, they’re not going back, they have things to do. A doctor is sometimes willing to give you a little bit more of what you’re going to need in the long run, rather than making you come back in all the time to get more of those painkillers. The flip side of that then is, yep, you’re not quite as monitored as maybe somebody who lives right across the road from a doctor’s office or right in town and can go in all the time. Our doctors care about us as farmers, but we have to let them give us the care that we need and we need to be honest with them too. If something doesn’t feel right, like you said, we need to recognize that and we need to say something and take care of that.
Mike Howell (12:52):
Let’s switch back and start talking a little more about the mental health crisis that we’re seeing here in the US. Is this just happening here in the US or is it worldwide?
Melissa Ploeckelman (13:00):
This is definitely a global phenomenon. Other countries are seeing the same statistics as we are in their studies, particularly in the UK, in New Zealand and in Australia. They are ahead of the US in terms of bringing awareness to the issue and really creating public campaigns to encourage farmers to manage their stress and to seek mental health care. Due to the nature of the work, farmers often lack health insurance or have minimal coverage that covers catastrophic injury or comprehensive care. Because they lack that insurance or maybe that full coverage, behavioral health services may be considered an out-of-pocket expense here in the United States.
(13:45):
As people who often keep their personal struggles to themselves, farmers worry about their privacy too. It can be really challenging to seek care and to really maintain anonymity in small rural communities. It’s everywhere in the world, but here in America, those are some of our additional struggles is our health insurance and just trying to stay anonymous with these problems and that stigma that we have here. We really need to, in America, talk more about this, bring it more to the forefront, talk about how it’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to be stressed out. It’s okay to be anxious. It’s okay to get help. That’s something that we need to talk more about here in the United States.
Mike Howell (14:28):
Melissa, if we suspect any problems with our friends or our neighbors, what can we do to support them? What options are available to us?
Melissa Ploeckelman (14:35):
Always start the conversation. If something seems off with your neighbor, go and talk to them. I heard a speaker one time and he said, “It may be uncomfortable to say to someone, hey, I’m worried about you. You seem anxious, you seem upset, seem sad.” It may feel awkward, but how does it feel if you go to a funeral a month later because they committed suicide and you didn’t start that conversation? First and foremost, start the conversation. Maybe they are fine, and maybe they’ll say, “Yep, I’ve been a little off because I had a cold.” Or, “Because my child is sick and has been keeping me up at night.” Maybe that’s all it is. If it’s more than that, don’t you wish you had started that conversation? A big piece of that is after you start that conversation, listen non-judgmentally. Whatever they say, this is how they’re feeling at the time, and you can’t judge them for that.
(15:31):
It may seem simple to have the ability to listen and have meaningful conversations, but really, it takes skills and patience. Listening is crucial in this time. An individual has to feel respected and accepted and understood for them to really open up to you. You have to try to use some verbal and non-verbal skills as they talk to you. Open up your body posture, make eye contact with them, nod your head as they’re talking. Say things like, I understand, or please tell me more. After you listen to them, give them reassurance. Tell them, I’ve been where you’re at, I feel what you’re feeling. Or maybe I’ve never felt what you’re feeling, but I can imagine how hard this is, and then give them some information.
(16:19):
Talk to them about treatable illnesses. Talk to them about local resources if you know what they are. If you don’t know what they are, talk to them about making the call to 988 and really maybe even help them make that call. If they’re willing to talk to you, maybe they’re willing to talk to somebody else too. Help them start that conversation with a trained professional and then continue to check on them. Once you start that conversation with them, the next day, they’re not going to come to you and say, hey, I need to talk again. You need to go over there again. Take them a coffee, take them a donut, just walk across the street, whatever it is, and just have another conversation with them and say, hey, I was thinking about you. How are you doing today? It’s as simple as that, and then continue to listen non-judgmentally.
Mike Howell (17:04):
Melissa, a lot of farmers are raised with the mindset, you just got to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, get back to work. I’ve heard a thousand times, there’s no bone sticking out, you’ll be okay. With a mental health situation, there’s not going to be a bone sticking out. You’ve already mentioned that farmers live in small towns, small communities. We don’t have a lot of doctors or mental health facilities right across the street. If a farmer’s truck’s not at home for a day or two, somebody’s going to know what’s going on, something’s out of place and going to start asking questions. Small town rumors get started and everybody’s going to be talking around town. How do we support the people and get out of this situation that mental health is bad and something may actually be going on and they actually need some help?
Melissa Ploeckelman (17:45):
One thing I want to say is if you get a small cut on your hand, it’s tiny, and you just ignore it and you move on.
Mike Howell (17:55):
Rub a little dirt on it.
Melissa Ploeckelman (17:56):
Yeah. Well, you rub a little dirt on it and then it gets infected. Pretty soon, it’s all red and it kind of itches and yeah, rub some more dirt on it, just let it go. Until eventually, it festers and it’s so infected that it maybe is blistering or it’s possible even that it moves into your blood. I had that as a kid. I had a tiny little cut on my foot and it moved into my blood and I actually got a blood infection. Then I had to go to the doctor, and then you have time missed on work. If you take a minute and that little cut, you clean it off, stick a band-aid on it, whatever, put some duct tape over it. I’ve seen that happen too many times. You just keep it clean, it heals, and you’re fine, and you keep going.
(18:35):
It’s the same thing with mental health. If we have a small anxiety attack and we’re like, nope, just going to ignore that. Or we have one small thought of suicide, and we’re like, okay, I’m fine. I’m just going to ignore that, and we don’t talk about it and we don’t get help, that festers and that just builds within us until eventually, it’s this huge problem and we might actually need time off work. We have burnout. Our animals aren’t as well taken care of. Our crops aren’t as well taken care of. Our machinery is breaking down because we’re not spending the time doing proper maintenance. When you have those small anxiety attacks or you have those small things festering on the inside, take care of them. Sometimes it’s as simple as talking to your spouse or maybe you have a partner in the farm business and you just sit down and talk with them.
(19:18):
Just say to someone, hey, can we get coffee? I just need to talk, and get it out, and that’s going to help you. Take care of the small things so that they don’t get huge. The other thing is that there’s many different types of help. You don’t always have to go into, you’re right, if a farm truck is gone for a day or if I see a farm truck sitting at my clinic in town, I know whose truck that is, and I’m going to be like, hey, I saw you were at the doctor the other day. What’s going on? If it is a mental health thing, we don’t want to tell the world that. You can find different types of professionals.
(19:48):
Sometimes a social worker, a counselor, or even a certified peer specialist can help us, and maybe we can just give them a call or, now, telehealth is such a big thing. We can set up a health appointment with some kind of therapist. We don’t always have to go see our local MD if that makes us uncomfortable. The other thing is, sometimes there’s a chemical imbalance inside our bodies. As farmers, we balance everything. If we have livestock, we are balancing their nutrition to be perfect for them. If we’re putting some fertilizer or some chemicals on the fields, we have that just perfect. We know a few drops of a chemical one way or another can really help our crops yield a higher amount or it can get rid of some extra weeds.
(20:36):
We know that maybe a few more ounces of mineral can help our livestock grow healthier and produce better, and we won’t hesitate as farmers. Why do we hesitate to care for ourselves if there’s that chemical imbalance in our bodies? Sometimes a bit of medication can really set that right again and really help us. If a doctor says, you know what? There’s something going on inside of you and I just want you to try this medication. Try it, see how you feel. Why do we fight that so bad? Let’s get over that stigma and let’s help our neighbors get over that stigma and take that medication so that we feel better and we can keep doing what we love, which is farming.
Mike Howell (21:13):
Great advice there, Melissa. If someone out there is feeling stressed or depressed, anxious or suicidal right now, what can they do?
Melissa Ploeckelman (21:22):
Again, 988. I keep saying that number because I want it in people’s heads. Give them a call, talk to them. Just see what they have to say. Text them. That’s fine too. Some other things that you can do on the daily to just make yourself feel better is exercise. Farmers don’t often think about doing exercise because they say, I’m constantly working, I’m constantly moving, I’m constantly doing things. The truth is, most farmers don’t get their heart rate up high enough to be considered an actual exercise. When we get our heart rate up and we get our blood really pumping through our body, it actually lets off endorphins that make us feel better. Going for a brisk walk once or twice a day is a great idea. Just taking some time to maybe get down and do some pushups a couple of times a day, that’s actually going to make us feel better.
(22:11):
It might make us feel sore at first, but eventually, it’s going to make us feel better. Other things are, make sure you take a break. Whatever time of year it is, whatever you’re doing, whatever crop or animal you’re growing, just take time for yourself. Take a break. It can be a 15-minute break. Sit down on a bale of hay and just relax for a couple of minutes. If it makes you feel good to watch some TikToks or something, listen to a murder mystery podcast, whatever it is that takes you away from the farm for a little while, take a break. It doesn’t have to be long, but it’s good for you. The other thing is eat healthy foods. Too often, we’re on the run and we’re like, I just need something fast, quick, whatever I can shove in my body as I’m running along. Maybe we grab a Snickers bar at a Mountain Dew. We, as farmers, make some of the most nutritious foods out there, but we don’t always indulge in those.
(23:01):
Just keeping that in mind, like, how about instead of a Snickers bar, we look and find some mixed nuts or maybe some dried fruits. Find something that’s just a little bit healthier for us, not quite so high in sugar. Instead of drinking a Mountain Dew, grab a chocolate milk. Milk has so much calcium and so many other great vitamins and nutrients. If you need that little extra sugar, then there you go. Chocolate milk has that for you. Just make sure that you’re eating healthy. Ensure you get enough sleep. Fatigue can be one of the highest causes of anxiety, depression, and then eventually, even suicide. If you’re not making sure that you get the sleep that you need at night, that can be a big problem. I understand that times get busy and things get busy, and sometimes you go a while without enough sleep. Try to find a time when you can take a little break, even take a little nap. You won’t believe how much it will help. Then finally, don’t be afraid to talk to others. Get all those feelings out. Talk to a spouse, a neighbor, or even a friend.
Mike Howell (24:02):
Here on The Dirt, we’re dedicated to offering the best agricultural knowledge. I’m happy to share that free CEU credits are now part of that offering. Check out the available podcast CEU credits and other learning opportunities by visiting nutrient-eKonomics, with a K, dot com, and clicking on the agronomics tab. You mentioned talking to somebody. A lot of times farmers will talk to their veterinarians, they’ll talk to their seed dealers or their retail providers, anybody that comes and visits the farm, but these people aren’t really trained in mental health crisis. Where can these people find help to be prepared for these conversations?
Melissa Ploeckelman (24:42):
That is so true. Anyone who comes on your farm, often you chat with them, you create this relationship with them until you feel comfortable with them. Then sometimes you share things that are very deep and they don’t know what to do sometimes and they maybe listen and then they say, yep, good luck with that. I got to go to the next farm. They don’t know what to do either. People who are veterinarians, mail callers, seed salesman. If you’re going from farm to farm to farm and somebody comes to you with this, a couple of great resources for you are look up in your area, a Mental Health first-aid course. We’ve all heard of first aid if someone is cut and bleeding, we know to wrap that with something tight and call 911.
(25:23):
If somebody has a heart attack, we maybe know CPR, you got to push on their chest and you got to do it at the beat of staying alive. That’s first aid stuff, we learn that throughout. Mental health first aid is learning the first steps that you should take when somebody says, I’m feeling depressed or I’m thinking about committing suicide. It helps you figure out, okay, what are my first steps to do here before I call the 988 number? What are the first steps you do before you call 911? What are the first steps you do before calling 988? Just go online, look up mental health first aid. The other great training that you can find almost anywhere is a QPR training. Again, go online, look it up, you can find them anywhere.
(26:06):
One company I know of particularly that is doing many virtual QPR trainings is the AgriSafe Network. You can find them at www.agrisafe.org. They do a lot of QPR trainings. They do them virtually, so you can take them anywhere as long as you have a computer with internet access or a phone with internet access, you can take that QPR training. Excellent training to get yourself ready, question, persuade, refer. That’s what that stands for. Being able to question them on how they’re feeling, persuade to not commit suicide, and then refer them to help. That’s what you need to know when you’re working with a farmer, and that’ll help you if someone comes to you saying, I have these problems. You now know how to react.
Mike Howell (26:56):
Melissa, another group of people that we didn’t mention that are always on the farms and interacting with these farm families is the extension service. Now, I know different states have different levels of extension service, but I want to give a shout-out to Mississippi, that’s my home state. I did hear recently that Mississippi has made it a requirement for all of their extension service personnel to go through this mental health first aid training. That’s another resource that we can look to, and I encourage any other states that may be listening to have some people trained in that because it is an important thing that we’re talking about here today. Melissa, I know we’ve covered a lot of stuff here today. Is there anything else you want to add before we sign off?
Melissa Ploeckelman (27:34):
Yeah, the last thing I want to add is a lot of people have the number 1-800-SUICIDE on their minds because that’s another crisis line that you can call and that number does still work. If you know that number and if you’ve called it before and you want to use that number, it does still work. 988 also works. I just want to remind everyone, our farmers are so important to us, and a farmer is irreplaceable. If you pass away, if you die as a farmer, nobody can step in your shoes and take that over like you could have done. You know what? We need to just take care of our mental health. Don’t be afraid to call or text 988 for yourself, for a friend, for a neighbor, or even just ask questions. That’s what they’re there for. Let’s continue to talk to others about mental health and the importance of good mental health. Let’s get rid of that stigma and let’s keep our farmers just happy, healthy and safe out there on the farms.
Mike Howell (28:31):
Melissa, we really appreciate you joining us today. A really great topic, something I think we need to spend a little more time talking about. Listeners, if you’ve enjoyed this, I want to let you know that we’re not going to stop here. We do have a couple of more of these episodes lined up, so stay tuned for more information on this. Listeners, I hope you enjoyed the first segment of today’s show. If you did, please take a minute and give us a rating on your favorite podcast channel or app and give us some feedback as well. We want to hear from you to help make the show even better and don’t keep it to yourself. Please share these episodes with coworkers, family, friends, anyone you think may benefit from the information we’re sharing here. Don’t forget to visit our website, nutrient-eKonomics, with a K, dot com, to help find the latest crop nutrition news and research information, as well as market updates, a growing degree day calculator, a nutrient use calculator, a rainfall tracker, and much, much more.
(29:28):
It’s all at nutrient-eKonomics, with a K, dot com. Most episodes of The Dirt are now available for CCA credits. Visit our website and click on the agronomics tab to find these CCA credit opportunities. If you have a question, you can ask one of our agronomy team members. Simply ask your question and one of us will get back with you. Thanks for listening. Now, segment two of The Dirt. Listeners, welcome back to segment two. As you know, it’s now time that we turn our attention to our research farm of the week. This week, we’re going to be on the East Coast back in the state of Virginia, and to help us talk about a research farm associated with Virginia Tech, we have Dr. Matthew Chapell. Dr. Chapell, welcome to The Dirt.
Matthew Chapell (30:14):
Thank you for having me, Mike.
Mike Howell (30:15):
Dr. Chapell, if you will, tell us a little bit about yourself and where you’re located.
Matthew Chapell (30:20):
Matthew Chapell is my name, I am the director here at the Virginia Tech Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center. We’re located in Suffolk, Virginia, which is in the Tidewater area of Virginia, serving the eastern part of the state, as well as parts of Northeastern North Carolina.
Mike Howell (30:35):
Well, Dr. Chapell, I’ve been to the research center there multiple times. I’ve been to several field days, and we’ve had some of the scientists on staff there do some research for us over the years. If you will, tell us a little bit more about the history of the Tidewater Research Center.
Matthew Chapell (30:50):
We are quite an old station here. We’re bumping up on 110 years in age, which started April 6th, 1914, by Mr. Taylor Batten, who at the time was the superintendent/director of our station. Little fun fact, it actually started with $3,500 in state appropriations and 20 acres of land, and we have grown now to over 400 acres in land and expenditures close to $2 million a year.
Mike Howell (31:15):
Dr. Chapell, we’ve talked to some other researchers around the country, and we’ve talked about some really big research farms, and we’ve talked about some really small research farms, but it really doesn’t matter the size of the farm, it’s the information that’s coming out of those farms. Tell us a little bit about the significant research that’s been going on in the past there at the Tidewater Research Center.
Matthew Chapell (31:36):
Yes, sir. Well, initially, the station back in 1914 was founded to be a variety trial or a variety testing location for this part of the state of Virginia, particularly with peanuts, corn and cotton. One pretty significant program for us that’s been going on for over 50 years now is our PVQE program, and that stands for Peanut Variety Quality Evaluation. It’s a program that we do in collaboration with North Carolina State University in Clemson. What is so significant about this program is the fact that over the last 50 years, it’s resulted in roughly a doubling in yield of Virginia type peanuts.
(32:12):
It’s also been instrumental in shifting the composition of those peanuts in the last 10 to 15 years over to high oleic varieties, high oleic being important from an industry standpoint because it serves as a healthy peanut, or so is said by the National Institutes of Health. That has been one significant change to the industry. We also do a lot of research on a variety of other crops, particularly the crops that are important for our region, the Tidewater region of Virginia, corn, cotton, soybeans, small grains. We have a variety of crops here that we work on, as well as some specialty crops.
Mike Howell (32:48):
Dr. Chapell, we focus on the dirt here on agronomy and soil fertility, but I know there’s a lot of other research going on in those crops as well. Talk a little bit about some of the other aspects that has taken place there on the farm.
Matthew Chapell (33:00):
We are unique in being an agricultural research and extension center here. We’re almost a standalone unit in the respect that we have entomologists, plant pathologists, precision-ag specialists, agronomists, both soybean, cotton, as well as we’re about to have a peanut agronomist start here in April 25th. We’re excited about that. We do work with cover crops, soil fertility, soil nutrition, plant breeding, crop physiology. We have a tremendous range in research that we conduct here.
Mike Howell (33:31):
Well, Dr. Chapell, where do you see the future of the Tidewater Research and Education Center going? Where do you see it in the next 50 years?
Matthew Chapell (33:39):
We have a wide range of topic areas that we cover for our producers across the state and across the region. Some of those include items that are universal for farms and producers across the country, labor availability being one area that we look into quite frequently. Another coming up that I see being of great importance is precision agriculture, a range of topics within that from data management, what do we do with our data and privacy of data, all the way through new precision agricultural technologies. Obviously, the elephant in the room recently is how is AI going to affect agriculture. That is another topic that we’re looking into as well. Across the board, we have issues that we’re dealing with, such as the Lorsban issue recently and peanuts and other crops. There’s a lot of issues as far as availability of agrichemicals, fertilizer availability is another one that’s going to be a large issue in the future. We really cross-cut the entire industry, working with a lot of both producers as well as companies across the United States doing agricultural research.
Mike Howell (34:43):
Well, Dr. Chapell, we really appreciate you taking a few minutes to visit with us today and talk to us about the Tidewater Research and Education Center. I’ve been there several times, I really enjoyed my visits there and hope to get back and visit with you again maybe this summer.
Matthew Chapell (34:56):
That would be wonderful. We’d be glad to have you. We do have one big event this summer. I’ll plug. We have our Cotton Field Day event, which is happening the third Friday in August, I believe that’s August 18th this year.
Mike Howell (35:07):
Okay, sounds good. I’ll put that on the calendar. Well, listeners, we want to thank you for tuning in this week, and as always, if you need more information on anything we’ve covered today, you can find out more at nutrient-eKonomics, with a K, dot com. Until next time, this has been Mike Howell with The Dirt.
