>>America's Heartland
is made possible by....
The United Soybean Board ,
America's soybean farmers
and their checkoff.
Farm Credit ,
owned by America's farmers
and ranchers.
Celebrating 95 years of service
to U.S. agriculture
and rural America!
Learn more
at farmcredit dot com.
And by the American
Farm Bureau Foundation
for Agriculture,
dedicated to building
greater awareness
and understanding of agriculture
through education
and engagement.
>>I'm Rob Stewart.
Research to improve crops
benefits not only
consumers like you
but farmers in the far-flung
corners of the world.
We'll take you to Illinois
where new research
is under way
to improve crop yields
just by using
smart phone technology.
>>Hi, I'm Sarah Gardner.
We've shared
a lot of harvests with you
over the years
on America's Heartland.
But this time,
we have an unusual story
for you.
We're headed
to Northern California
where one company
is bringing in a harvest
of sea salt
that's headed for your
dinner table.
>>I'm Jason Shoultz!
The corner feed store
has disappeared
from lots of small towns
across the heartland
but not all.
Coming up,
I'll show you how some
are still going strong.
It's all coming up
on America's Heartland.
♪ You can see it in the eyes
of every woman and man ♪
♪ in America's Heartland
living close to the land. ♪
♪ There's a love
for the country ♪
♪ and a pride in the brand ♪
♪ in America's Heartland
living close, ♪
♪ close to the land. ♪
>>Agricultural research
on crops is important
when it comes to the foods
that we enjoy
when we head to the supermarket.
But that research is especially
important when it comes
to third world countries
suffering to find food to eat
every single day.
We found
a research project in Illinois
using smart phone technology
to help save lives.
♪ ♪
>>Agriculture has long been
an important academic offering
at the University of Illinois.
But today
some of the research here
is focused on crop production
far beyond the corn
and soybean fields
that surround the campus.
A team of researchers
and graduate students
is developing technology
for saving lives
in third world countries.
The team is called
Scientific Animations
Without Borders or SAWBO,
a blend of academics,
agriculture and awareness.
>>We were talking about
a lot of the challenges
that we faced
in getting information
out to approximately
1 billion low-literate learners
that live in the world.
So as we started talking
this idea of animations
that could be taken
across cultures,
across language groups,
and could be deployed
through the Internet
and through cell phones came up.
>>Using cell phones
to disseminate animated
crop production videos
allows the team here
to tailor the instruction
in different languages
to the specific needs
of a country or region.
Learning by example
overcomes the limited
literacy skills
found in many
third world areas.
>>So there's a lot
of really great,
simple techniques out there
that we can share
with the world.
>>Professor Barry Pittendrigh
is one of the leaders
in this agricultural project.
He knows the need
for these videos first hand!
The project
takes him to Africa
4 times a year
to work with farmers
facing difficult
food production problems.
>>So there's a lot
of great ideas out there
that exist in local communities.
With this type of strategy,
we can go in and work
with these communities,
animate those ideas,
and share them
with the rest of the world.
>>This is a typical
cell phone video.
This one focuses
on controlling or killing pests
that can cripple
the cowpeas crop,
a staple in many parts
of South America and Africa.
Graduate student
Tolulope Agunbiade
is from Nigeria
and knows the struggles
farmers face.
Hers is the voice
on the cowpeas video.
It was recorded on campus
in her native language
for use on cell phone videos
in Nigeria.
>>It actually means a lot
for me to give back.
I believe knowledge shared
is very important
in the world.
It's always important
when it's very good!
It's rewarding
when you have knowledge
and you can share it
with other people.
>>Many times,
it's the women whose job it is
to take the family's crops
for sale at public markets.
Something that hits home
for Tolulope!
>>It makes me feel moved
because I'm an African.
And yes, it does touch me
because I know
they'll have information
that can have positive impacts
on their health,
their farming skills,
and so many other areas
of their lives.
>>Francisco Seufferheld
is the Project Manager
responsible for editing
all of the videos.
He says the animation approach
avoids any cultural
sensitivities.
>>I work with different groups
of people across borders,
across different ethnicities.
And I knew
that by having animations
that will make easier
for the material
that we can create here
flow across ethnicities
and borders.
>>The project also touches
other needs:
producing videos that address
public health issues.
>>Right now, most of our work
is focused on Africa
but also in Latin America
and other parts
where they are facing
cholera outbreaks.
And now we are developing
also health related videos
that are a need,
an urgent need!
>>The SAWBO cell phone
animate video project
is currently underway
around the world
encouraging change
and impacting lives.
Absolutely!
And it's....
....I think one of the things
I always enjoy about this
(this type of program
and this type of project)
is you get to meet people
from highly divergent cultures.
And this is the type
of mechanism
where you do make
some sort of connection
with a community,
and you realize
that hopefully
you'll have some sort
of lasting impact
that will be positive
for them in the future.
>>The University of Illinois
has a long history
of agricultural innovations.
The school's Morrow Plots
are the oldest corn crop
research fields in America
having been
continually planted
and harvested since 1876.
And while corn is a major crop
in the Land of Lincoln,
so too are pumpkins!
Illinois farmers
grow nearly half the pumpkins
raised in the United States.
♪ ♪
>>If you had to guess
which farm crop
is found in the most products
at your local supermarket,
what would you think?
Plenty of corn
in cereals,
chips, and even baby powder.
Wheat?
That's easy!
Bread, pasta, crackers!
But how about soybeans?
Many folks
never make the connection
between soy
and products in their homes.
But if you look around?
You'd be surprised!
Out on the farm,
soybeans grow
as green leafy plants
that turn brown
just before they're harvested.
The beans inside are then used
for hundreds of products.
Cattle feed is one use,
but let's talk
about shopping at the store.
Baking or frying?
Soybean oil has no Trans fats,
plenty of omega 3
fatty acids
(that's the good stuff)
and also contains vitamin E.
You'll find soybeans
in baby food,
whipped toppings,
and of course,
soy milk and tofu products.
But let's go
directly to the plant
and sample some edamame,
baby soybeans in the pod
that are usually boiled
in water.
They have kind of a nutty taste
and are often served
with condiments like salt
or soy sauce.
Pop them open
and in your mouth,
it's a country connection
direct from the farm
to your fingers!
>>Still ahead,
come with me
to the hardware aisle
where folks in the country
are finding what they need
for their farmstead
and city folks
are getting some supplies
for their homes, too!
>>New information
on food these days
has consumers making choices
on everything from cooking oils
to foods with less fat
or more protein.
And it's a good bet
you're seeing more products
that use sea salt!
Well, getting that crop
from field to table
is a bit different
from any harvest
you've every seen.
♪ ♪
>>At first glance
it may look
like snow covered fields
in a mid Western winter.
But this is late summer
in Northern California,
and these wide expanses of white
are salt flats
on the southern tip
of San Francisco Bay.
>>We trace
the commercial operations
back to about the 1850's
where there were salt works
are all around the South Bay
in particular
but even as far north as Napa.
And through a number
of acquisitions and the like
over several years now,
Cargill is the remaining
salt manufacturer here.
>>The salt here comes
from the waters
of the Pacific Ocean.
Flowing south through the bay,
the salty water
is captured in huge ponds
just north of San Jose.
>>We typically bring in
sea water just during
the summer months.
We don't want to bring it in
during the winter time
because there's so much
rain water coming off the hills
that it actually dilutes the Bay
and makes it less salty.
>>The salty water
is pumped into what are called
concentrators,
shallow ponds ringed by levees.
Then sun and wind
evaporate much of the water
leaving behind a salty brine.
As the increasingly
salty water
is mixed with brine
from other concentrators?
A pinkish hue
becomes evident in the liquid.
>>And as it gets closer
to a salt precipitation,
it takes on a pink
or reddish color.
And that's because
of an organism
that lives in the brine
where nothing else can live
at that high saline level.
This can,
and it happens to be pink!
And when we drain it off,
and we wash it?
Then it turns back to white.
>>Pumped from pond to pond,
the sea salt
or solar salt brine
will sit under sun and the wind
for 3 to 5 years
before it reaches
the correct level of salinity.
>>So it starts at 3%,
and it gets greater
and greater
until it get into
the crystallizers which is where
we're standing right now.
And at this point
in the process,
the brine is about
25% sodium chloride.
>>At the end
of the evaporative process,
you're left with a thick layer
of sea salt in large ponds
known as crystallizers.
It looks like snow
on a frozen lake.
A crop ready to be harvested!
>>Each year we harvest
500,000 tons of salt.
We harvest 4 to 6 inches
in each crystalizer
during the summer
and during the fall.
And we try to leave
the remainder of the salt
underneath as a mantle
to have a good,
clean cut of salt
so that we're not digging
into the Bay mud.
>>After a grader
breaks up the top layer,
a harvester moves in
to fill large trucks
with tons of sea salt.
>>We do think of it as a crop.
In fact,
we talk about taking
just the new crop
from the crystallizer
which is about
the top 4 or 5 inches.
And we refer to it
as this year's crop.
>>Cargill will run the sea salt
through the first
of several washes
before stacking the harvest
in huge piles some 80 feet high.
All of this salt
will ultimately be processed
into various grades.
Most will be used
in different food products
like granules for canning,
a salt powder for butter,
or crystals for ice cream.
>>As we look at the data,
we find there have been
about 6000
new product introductions
in the last 6 years
that call out with sea salt
or containing sea salt
on the label or package
in some way.
>>And there other uses as well!
>>There are thousands
and thousands,
interestingly, uses for salt
from setting dyes in textiles.
It's used
in the petroleum industry
and many other uses,
swimming pools,
that kind of thing.
But much of the salt
from this facility
does go to food use.
>>Consumer preference
has prompted the growing number
of products using sea salt.
Some prefer the texture.
Some, the taste!
>>A number of people do say
that sea salt tastes different
from other salts
even among different sea salts!
It's typically courser
so people enjoy
just the feel of it
when they're cooking.
It tastes different
on the tongue.
So it's not just
the sense of taste
that comes into play.
>>These salt flats
are also important wildlife
and wetland areas.
The company has worked
with a number of groups
on recreational
and environmental projects.
We found an opportunity
to work with a number
of agencies and return nearly
40000 acres of marsh
and wetland
to public use and parks.
There are all types of wildlife.
So it's really neat to see
as we go out there?
From birds to harbor seals
that congregate around
some of the intake areas?
So returning that?
If we're not using it
(and I think it was really
the right thing to do)
Such a beautiful area
here to take advantage of!
>>There's no denying
that this is a very
different kind of harvest
from others in the heartland.
But getting
this crop to market
demands the same kind of focus.
>>It's a very
unique place to work.
Everyone takes pride
in what they do
here in the solar plant
especially!
It's a great group
to work with.
It's a fun time of the year
during harvest
when everyone prepares.
We've got a lot of people here,
and all the equipment is ready.
And we usually perform
really well.
So we're proud of that!
>>More than 20 million tons
of salt are produced
in the United States each year:
evaporated from salt water,
mined like coal,
or brought to the surface
from underground salt deposits
in a watery brine
which is dried
before the salt crystals
are processed.
There are early references
to salt being used
in Chinese medicine
almost 5000 years ago.
Roman military salt rations
gave rise to the English word
salary!
And ancient Greeks,
(in trading for slaves)
coined the expression
not worth his salt!
♪ ♪
>>Hi, my name is Moniqua Woods,
and I have a question
for a farmer!
When I go to the grocery store
or farmers market,
I like to buy sweet corn.
And when I'm driving
on the highway,
I often see
vast fields of corn,
and I wonder
if that's sweet corn
or something else.
How many kinds of corn
are there,
and what are they used for?
>>Hi, I'm Janice Thompson.
And I'm a corn
and produce farmer.
Everybody likes sweet corn.
It's one of the best things
that you can eat!
But when you're traveling
down the highway?
It's a good bet
that what you're seeing
is probably not sweet corn.
What you're probably seeing
is field corn or dent corn.
Field corn is used
for things like livestock feed
and making ethanol.
Sweet corn, on the other hand,
has a higher sugar content:
10% versus 4% in field corn.
Let me tell you about
2 other types of corn.
Popcorn which you probably
enjoy at the movies
and make at home with the kids!
Another type of corn
is flint corn.
It's the decorative kind
you see at Thanksgiving.
And it's used
for some types of corn meal
and polenta.
Not to be corny,
but that's the kernel of truth
about this piece of produce
>>The small town general store!
It gets romanticized
on stage and screen.
And in a lot of places,
it's been replaced
by the big box place
where you get
everything you need
under one giant roof!
But places
like Fred's Feed
and Supply
still do exist in towns
like in West Liberty, Iowa.
And trust me,
there's a lot more inside here
than feed and supply!
♪ ♪
>>There are less than
4000 people living here.
But before you label
West Liberty, Iowa
a sleepy small town?
Drive down West 3rd Street
to Fred's Feed and Supply.
Say howdy to Larry Miller
outside on the forklift,
go inside
and spend a few minutes
with his brother Bruce,
and sleepy isn't a word
that comes to mind.
>>See ya, Donna!
>>Have a good week!
>>Where else can folks go
to get stuff like this in town?
>>I don't think....
....there's nothing
that's very much duplicated here
by any other business.
So that means they have to go
20 miles to Muscatine
or 20 miles to Iowa City!
>>Wow, 20 mile drive
to get a wrench?
>>To get a wrench!
To get a 10 cent nut!
>>So you have definitely filled
a need in town!
>>Yeah!
I bet there's not a day
that goes by
that somebody doesn't say,
"Boy, we are glad
you are here!"
>>The corner feed store
was once a mainstay
of small towns
across the heartland.
And when Fred Miller
opened Fred's Feeds
back in 1966?
The store's purpose was simple:
sell livestock feed
to local farmers!
And they still do that!
But scanning a catalog
for home appliance prices
wasn't in the original
business plan.
But neither was selling
spray paint,
tools or garden hose!
These days,
just 2 out of 10 people
that walk through the door
are farmers.
As farming has changed,
so have the needs of farmers.
Larger livestock operations
have their own feed mills.
Many of the old feed stores
have closed their doors.
>>When we were kids,
I don't think we had a customer
outside of the West Liberty area
as far as address.
Now we've got customers
as far as Conesville,
Muscatine,
West Branch,
Iowa City addresses!
>>Why is that?
>>Fewer people to service them!
There's not as many
feed dealers.
No one cares to call on them,
and most of the time?
They are also smaller farmers!
So they grew up
walking into a feed store.
And they like
to walk into a feed store!
They don't want to go
into a fleet store
or anything like that.
>>We will see
what September brings.
>>Very good!
>>You might call it
supply-side economics
on a local level.
It's the supplies side of Fred's
that keeps them in business!
Plumbers, electricians,
and home-owners
can drop in
and pick up what they need
and be on their way.
And the personal touch
goes a long way at Fred's.
>>There you go, 1 dozen!
Thanks Len!
>>There are not many days
that go by
that I don't know
everybody's name
that comes in here.
>>Know them by their first name?
>>Know them by their first name
Know their kids?
>>Know their kids!
Know their grandpa's!
Know their mom and dads!
Yeah, it's a small town thing
all the way,
but it's helpful.
>>They will come back
the next day?
>>They trust us.
They can walk in here!
Bruce, Larry,
Ben or Fred
or Charlotte are going to say,
"Hey, how are you doing?
How is your daughter?
What do you need?"
>>And when you know everybody,
running lines of credit
for customers is pretty easy.
In many communities,
the small feed and supply store
has been replaced
by larger chains
that cater
to the weekend jobber,
the backyard chicken enthusiast,
or sportsman.
In Oregon, one of those stores
goes by the name Wilco.
>>I have to admit,
I'm a little lost!
I think I need a sage,
a guide to show me
around this place,
and I think I found one!
This is Merle.
>>Hi, I'm Merle!
Glad to meet you!
>>Man, this is like
the tool aisle?
You've got everything
from glue guns
to wrenches and sockets.
>>It's like a candy store!
>>Nuts and Bolts?
>>Nuts and Bolts!
Did you ever think
you'd see so many nuts
and bolts in one store?
>>You've got them right here!
>>We've got 'em!
>>Look at this: power tools!
Power tools, now we're talking!
>>A growing item
for stores like Wilco?
Chickens for backyard eggs!
>>There's a lot of birds here!
Hi, Ali!
How're you doing....
>>These are turkeys!
We have bronze turkeys
and white turkeys.
These are your turkeys
raised for eating.
>>So are there chickens
in backyards all over Portland?
>>Absolutely!
It's big!
>>What do you think, Merle?
You want some chicks?
>>I'm always
in the market for chicks!
♪ ♪
>>I guess if you want to weld...
♪ ♪
>>So here's your
gray meshed gates,
galvanized meshed gates,
2 inch bolt gates....
>>We need to look good!
Can you make us look good?
>>I can!
>>We want to be ready for work!
>>Ready for work!
We can set you up!
♪ ♪
>>Suzanne,
I'm not so sure about this.
What do you think?
>>I think you guys look great.
You are ready for work!
>>Oh Merle,
I didn't even see you there
with that camouflage!
You are hiding!
>>You are trying to take
all my glory, aren't you?
>>Back in West Liberty,
they're not worried
about fashion.
And Fred's Feed and Supply's
owners
know they can't compete
with the bigger stores
on all levels.
No backyard chickens
for sale here.
But they do have fishing worms
courtesy of local
11-year-old boy, Hank Mead!
>>So what did you do?
Start looking out
in the garden,
or where did you start
finding worms?
>>I started looking
out in the grass.
And then started
in the garden!
Stayed up till probably 2!
>>Two in the morning?
Looking for worms?
>>Yeah!
>>Did you find some?
>>Yeah!
>>After exhausting
the worm supply and his dad,
Hank gets his worms online
and sells them
to Bruce and Larry.
>>Nice little business for you!
Made some money this summer?
>>Yeah!
>>You've probably done
pretty well, right?
>>Yeah!
>>Congratulations!
You are a small town
business man now!
They are going to ask you
to join the chamber
of commerce.
>>What's that?
>>Ha ha ha!
>>Until then?
With every worm or work boot,
a slightly larger
small business
holds its own in this town.
>>That's going to do it
for this edition
of America's Heartland.
Thanks for traveling
the country with us.
We're always pleased
to introduce you
to some very
interesting people and places.
>>Don't forget,
we have lots more stories
and information
to share with you online
as well including video
from all of our shows!
Just log onto
americasheartland-dot-org.
And you can stay
in touch with us 24/7
through some of your other
favorite sites as well.
We'll see you next time
right here
on America's Heartland.
>>To order a copy
of this program,
visit us online
or call 1-888-814-3923.
The cost is $14.95
plus shipping.
♪ You can see it in the eyes
of every woman and man ♪
♪ in America's Heartland
living close to the land. ♪
♪ There's a love
for the country ♪
♪ and a pride in the brand ♪
♪ in America's Heartland
living close, ♪
♪ close to the land. ♪
>>America's Heartland
is made possible by....
Farm Credit ,
owned by America's farmers
and ranchers.
Celebrating 95 years of service
to U.S. agriculture
and rural America.
Learn more at farmcredit.com.
The United Soybean Board ,
America's soybean farmers
and their checkoff!
And by the American
Farm Bureau Foundation
for Agriculture
dedicated to building
greater awareness
and understanding of agriculture
through education
and engagement.
♪ ♪