WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:02.502  (female announcer)    Production funding    for Behind the Headlines 00:02.502 --> 00:04.338  is made possible in part by.. 00:04.338 --> 00:07.307  (male announcer)    The Bartlett Area    Chamber of Commerce 00:07.307 --> 00:12.346  and its member A2H - engineers,   architects and planners creating 00:12.346 --> 00:15.382  an enhanced quality of life   for our clients and community. 00:15.382 --> 00:18.485  To learn more about   A2H's services and markets, 00:18.485 --> 00:23.490  visit A2H.com. 00:31.331 --> 00:34.301 - The economic impact of the Agricenter tonight 00:34.301 --> 00:35.802 on Behind the Headlines. 00:35.802 --> 00:42.809 [theme music] 00:52.653 --> 00:54.254 I'm Eric Barnes, publisher of the Memphis Daily News. 00:54.254 --> 00:55.422 Thanks for joining us. 00:55.422 --> 00:57.424 I'm joined tonight by John Butler, 00:57.424 --> 00:59.426  the new president of the   Agricenter International. 00:59.426 --> 01:00.427  Thanks for being here. 01:00.427 --> 01:01.428 - Thanks for having me. 01:01.428 --> 01:03.430  (Eric)   Along with Bill Dries,   senior reporter 01:03.430 --> 01:04.431  with The Memphis Daily News. 01:04.431 --> 01:06.433 So, you have just taken the job. 01:06.433 --> 01:08.435 You've been on the board I think you told me for some time. 01:08.435 --> 01:10.871 But just talk about your goals and we'll dig into what the 01:10.871 --> 01:12.873 Agricenter does, where it's been, 01:12.873 --> 01:13.874 where it's going. 01:13.874 --> 01:15.876 But as the new president, what are your goals? 01:15.876 --> 01:16.877 - You bet. 01:16.877 --> 01:18.879 I'd first like to tell you a little bit about my background. 01:18.879 --> 01:21.748 Originally I'm from a fifth generation family farmer from 01:21.748 --> 01:25.485 Dyer County and always had a passion for ag literacy and the 01:25.485 --> 01:28.956 things that kind of encompass our goal and our mission 01:28.956 --> 01:32.025 statement there as somebody's involved with the ag culture on 01:32.025 --> 01:33.193 a daily basis. 01:33.193 --> 01:36.063 When I kind of looked at this job in the very beginning, 01:36.063 --> 01:39.599 I loved the mission statement of trying to improve the quality of 01:39.599 --> 01:42.302 life of the citizens of Shelby County through economic 01:42.302 --> 01:45.138 development, ag research, ag production, 01:45.138 --> 01:49.009 and natural soils and conservation efforts. 01:49.009 --> 01:53.947 When you look at what Agricenter does on just a daily basis, 01:53.947 --> 01:57.818 it's really a hidden jewel for the community and certaily for 01:57.818 --> 01:59.186 economic development. 01:59.186 --> 02:01.722 - Yeah, I didn't realize until I was getting ready to do the show 02:01.722 --> 02:03.724 and we're written about the Agricenter and I've been there 02:03.724 --> 02:05.926 and all that but you guys had a study done a year ago, 02:05.926 --> 02:08.228 $524 million impact. 02:08.228 --> 02:11.231 I mean, the number of jobs, the kind of range of what's going on 02:11.231 --> 02:13.333 there was really striking to me actually. 02:13.333 --> 02:14.334 - Absolutely. 02:14.334 --> 02:16.470 When you look at not only what we do individually but also 02:16.470 --> 02:19.439 collectively in our relationship to all the tenants on our 02:19.439 --> 02:20.440 property. 02:20.440 --> 02:22.442 You look at Bayer, Helena, Case. 02:22.442 --> 02:25.312 We're one of the two locations that Case does all their 02:25.312 --> 02:26.313 training program. 02:26.313 --> 02:28.648 - Case being the tractor and heavy equipment and so on. 02:28.648 --> 02:29.650 - Absolutely. 02:29.650 --> 02:31.918 Case is currently owned by Fiat. 02:31.918 --> 02:36.590 But they're a major player in ag equipment manufacturing. 02:36.590 --> 02:38.959 And they have one of their two training facilities here in 02:38.959 --> 02:40.961 Memphis, Tennessee at Agricenter. 02:40.961 --> 02:43.430 So, we're super happy to have that partnership. 02:43.430 --> 02:45.632 When you look at the overall economic development, 02:45.632 --> 02:48.635 as you said, it's $524 million annually. 02:48.635 --> 02:54.708 It's over 2500 jobs directly and indirectly and over $4.7 million 02:54.708 --> 02:57.310 of tax revenue that's generated off our events there. 02:57.310 --> 02:59.746 - I'll bring Bill in a second. 02:59.746 --> 03:03.050 You talk about Case, you know, big corporate international 03:03.050 --> 03:04.051 company. 03:04.051 --> 03:07.854 Bayer, the pharmaceutical and fertilizer and so on and so 03:07.854 --> 03:08.855 forth kind of company. 03:08.855 --> 03:10.857 But also, you guys do a lot of work with small scale things. 03:10.857 --> 03:12.859 You have, what, one of the oldest, 03:12.859 --> 03:15.429 if not the oldest, farmer's market in Shelby County I think. 03:15.429 --> 03:16.430 And a lot of working.. 03:16.430 --> 03:18.432 You have a master gardener program through UT. 03:18.432 --> 03:19.433 I mean, right? 03:19.433 --> 03:21.435 So, talk some about the small scale more individualized kind 03:21.435 --> 03:23.703 of things you do as well. 03:23.703 --> 03:24.704 - Sure. 03:24.704 --> 03:26.706 Well, you mentioned our farmer's market. 03:26.706 --> 03:28.709  We're very proud to have one of   the oldest continuous farmer's 03:28.709 --> 03:30.343  market in West Tennessee. 03:30.343 --> 03:32.345  I don't know, Bill, if you've   been out there or not 03:32.345 --> 03:33.346 but it's really amazing. 03:33.346 --> 03:35.949 A lot of wide variety of fruits and vegetables. 03:35.949 --> 03:39.419 It's open six days a week, which is kind of unusual for a 03:39.419 --> 03:40.420 farmer's market. 03:40.420 --> 03:42.422 A lot of times they just open on the weekend. 03:42.422 --> 03:43.423 We're open six days a week. 03:43.423 --> 03:46.426 And you can find just hundreds of people come there for fresh 03:46.426 --> 03:49.362 fruits and also for seafood as well. 03:49.362 --> 03:54.634 So, we're really glad to have them there as a partner. 03:54.634 --> 03:55.635 - Bill? 03:55.635 --> 03:59.639 - And you talked about your family's farming experience. 03:59.639 --> 04:03.877 And I think that so often we talk about regionalism as a new 04:03.877 --> 04:06.546 concept in business. 04:06.546 --> 04:10.317 Actually, it's been around since there's been a Memphis and 04:10.317 --> 04:13.920 probably before that in that regard. 04:13.920 --> 04:15.922 And a lot of people don't understand that, I think. 04:15.922 --> 04:17.924 I mean, Memphis has always been a cotton center. 04:17.924 --> 04:19.926 For instance, we were where the cotton came from. 04:19.926 --> 04:21.928 But it was grown all around us and in Shelby County as well. 04:21.928 --> 04:23.930 So, talk a little bit about how this demonstrates kind of the 04:23.930 --> 04:24.931 reach of agriculture. 04:24.931 --> 04:26.933 The agriculture is a big business here but it's also a 04:26.933 --> 04:28.935 family business in a lot of ways, as well. 04:28.935 --> 04:29.936 - It is, it is. 04:29.936 --> 04:31.938 If I could just for a minute, I'm sure most of your viewers 04:31.938 --> 04:33.940 understand how important the Delta and the Mid-South region 04:33.940 --> 04:38.945 is to that ag ecosystem. 04:48.922 --> 04:53.560 But we're really positioned amazingly where some of the best 04:53.560 --> 04:55.962 soils in the nation are at. 04:55.962 --> 04:58.799 So, from the Delta or the Mid-South region, 04:58.799 --> 05:01.501 you can almost grow anything here from peanuts, 05:01.501 --> 05:03.637 to rice, to soy beans, to cotton. 05:03.637 --> 05:07.307 You can even look at some of the new crops that are coming out. 05:07.307 --> 05:10.677 It's really amazing, the diversity of our ecosystem and 05:10.677 --> 05:12.679 the things we're able to do here. 05:12.679 --> 05:15.348 So, when you look at having an ag research station here in the 05:15.348 --> 05:19.452 Delta, it's really a great compliment to the community. 05:19.452 --> 05:21.922 And then when you look at all the other players that are here 05:21.922 --> 05:23.924 from an ag investment standpoint, 05:23.924 --> 05:24.925  you have the Cargills. 05:24.925 --> 05:25.926  You have ADM. 05:25.926 --> 05:27.928  You have Bayer and Helena   obviously at our campus. 05:27.928 --> 05:28.929  You have Case. 05:28.929 --> 05:29.930  You have John Deere. 05:29.930 --> 05:32.866 You have several of the major companies that position not only 05:32.866 --> 05:36.603 in the region nationally but also worldwide right here in the 05:36.603 --> 05:37.704 Mid-South area. 05:37.704 --> 05:40.974 So, it's a natural kind of a melting pot from an ag 05:40.974 --> 05:42.242 standpoint. 05:42.242 --> 05:47.948 - So, for a farmer, what is the technology like in this business 05:47.948 --> 05:48.949 these days. 05:48.949 --> 05:50.517 You have precision agriculture. 05:50.517 --> 05:51.785 You have.. 05:51.785 --> 05:55.622 You have a lot of technology and you have a lot of changes over a 05:55.622 --> 05:57.224 pretty short period of time. 05:57.224 --> 05:59.226 - Yeah, it's pretty amazing when you sit down and talk. 05:59.226 --> 06:03.029 Like my father, he grew up on our family farm and he actually 06:03.029 --> 06:04.731 picked cotton by hand. 06:04.731 --> 06:07.367 I'm the first generation of our family that didn't have to do a 06:07.367 --> 06:08.368 lot of that manual labor. 06:08.368 --> 06:11.771 So, luckily for me, I got the chance to sit in some pretty 06:11.771 --> 06:14.341 nice tractors and kind of transition a little bit of an 06:14.341 --> 06:15.809 easier lifestyle I guess. 06:15.809 --> 06:16.977 It's still long hours. 06:16.977 --> 06:18.678 It's still very dedicated. 06:18.678 --> 06:21.481 But when you look at how technology has really 06:21.481 --> 06:24.484  revolutionized the ag industry   over the last 20 to 30 years, 06:24.484 --> 06:25.719  it's pretty amazing. 06:25.719 --> 06:28.622  We've got, you know, pivots that   basically bring water to our 06:28.622 --> 06:32.158  crop also with   fertilizer and other nutrients. 06:32.158 --> 06:37.097  We've got GPS tracking that   helps as we spray our chemicals 06:37.097 --> 06:40.100 on our corps to make sure we do a very efficient job of not 06:40.100 --> 06:42.335 overlapping or anything and utilizing that. 06:42.335 --> 06:44.371 - And all that is available to small farmers, too. 06:44.371 --> 06:45.372 - Absolutely. 06:45.372 --> 06:46.373 I'm actually a small farmer. 06:46.373 --> 06:49.342 Our family business is not that large when you look at it. 06:49.342 --> 06:51.478 We're proud of what we've accomplished 06:51.478 --> 06:52.545 over the last several years. 06:52.545 --> 06:55.181 But still, we farm just a few thousand acres. 06:55.181 --> 06:56.283 And we're not, you know.. 06:56.283 --> 06:58.718 A lot of people say, well, you farm thousands of acres, 06:58.718 --> 07:00.720 you're a corporate farmer, whatever. 07:00.720 --> 07:02.722 But, you know, if you talk to my father or, 07:02.722 --> 07:04.891 you know, my grandfather was still alive, or.. 07:04.891 --> 07:08.595 I turned the business over to my sons when I left to come up here 07:08.595 --> 07:09.596 to Agricenter. 07:09.596 --> 07:11.965 So, we're truly a family business. 07:11.965 --> 07:13.967 And we've been around the community for a long, 07:13.967 --> 07:16.236 long time and we're certainly proud of our heritage. 07:16.236 --> 07:17.604 - How does all that.. 07:17.604 --> 07:20.940 When you talk about the technology and intersect with 07:20.940 --> 07:21.941 just as a consumer. 07:21.941 --> 07:22.942 So, I'm not a farmer. 07:22.942 --> 07:24.010 I've been on farms. 07:24.010 --> 07:25.945 But I'm not a farmer obviously. 07:25.945 --> 07:29.015 But all this organic food, the farm-to-table, 07:29.015 --> 07:31.951 the locally sourced food, how does that kind of.. 07:31.951 --> 07:35.855 What sounds like really sophisticated and very expensive 07:35.855 --> 07:39.693 technology, how does that jive with this idea of locally grown 07:39.693 --> 07:42.562 tomatoes and locally sourced cattle and so on and so forth? 07:42.562 --> 07:45.932 - Well, as a producer, I love that story. 07:45.932 --> 07:48.702 I really think that's, from an agriculture perspective, 07:48.702 --> 07:50.904 that's how we make the next transition. 07:50.904 --> 07:53.406 We've always preached ag literacy. 07:53.406 --> 07:56.042 You know, the knowledge of knowing where your food and 07:56.042 --> 07:57.043 fiber comes from. 07:57.043 --> 07:59.646 But the concept of all this local movement, 07:59.646 --> 08:00.714 especially here in Memphis. 08:00.714 --> 08:02.716 I mean, this is a great food town. 08:02.716 --> 08:04.718 We're known for our BBQ and our blues. 08:04.718 --> 08:07.187 But my goodness, it's got such a great story past that. 08:07.187 --> 08:10.690 But when you look at trying to understand and really kind of 08:10.690 --> 08:13.727 bring those folks into what we call our ag pitcher, 08:13.727 --> 08:17.731 it's really a great, great what I call the perfect storm. 08:17.731 --> 08:20.200 Because all this interest is just coming up over the last 08:20.200 --> 08:21.334 couple of years. 08:21.334 --> 08:23.770 And people are very interested in where their food 08:23.770 --> 08:24.771 and fiber comes from. 08:24.771 --> 08:27.440 That's why we have such a great interest in our farmer's market. 08:27.440 --> 08:29.642 And you'll notice it's not just there at Agricenter. 08:29.642 --> 08:32.145 There's farmer's markets all over the community that are 08:32.145 --> 08:33.580 extremely successful. 08:33.580 --> 08:34.581 - How does all that and.. 08:34.581 --> 08:37.217 So, you do a whole lot of education programs with kids, 08:37.217 --> 08:38.218 high school kids. 08:38.218 --> 08:40.653 Talk about those education programs and again, 08:40.653 --> 08:42.255 excuse me, ag literacy. 08:42.255 --> 08:43.723 What do you do with the kids? 08:43.723 --> 08:44.724 - You bet. 08:44.724 --> 08:46.726 Well, we have a great partnership with the University 08:46.726 --> 08:47.727 of Tennessee Extension. 08:47.727 --> 08:50.597 And we also work very closely with a lot of youth 08:50.597 --> 08:53.199 organizations like 4-H for example. 08:53.199 --> 08:57.203 And we have our educator on staff basically deals with 08:57.203 --> 09:00.774  somewhere between four and   five-thousand kids every year. 09:00.774 --> 09:05.645  About 85 different schools from   around the community come in. 09:05.645 --> 09:07.514  We actually have   bussing scholarships. 09:07.514 --> 09:09.582  They're not out anything. 09:09.582 --> 09:13.520  So, there's no excuse for a   teacher or a principal or a 09:13.520 --> 09:16.923  superintendent not to have their   kids at our campus this year 09:16.923 --> 09:18.458 at Agricenter International. 09:18.458 --> 09:19.726 - And I'll go to Bill in a second but, 09:19.726 --> 09:21.728 you know, there's such this focus on childhood obesity 09:21.728 --> 09:23.096 and adult obesity. 09:23.096 --> 09:24.697 I mean, it's not a Memphis thing. 09:24.697 --> 09:26.099 It is a national problem. 09:26.099 --> 09:28.601 And it gets back to food and education on that. 09:28.601 --> 09:31.070 Is that part of the education program with the kids is 09:31.070 --> 09:32.405 nutrition and so on? 09:32.405 --> 09:33.406 It is? 09:33.406 --> 09:34.407 - Yes. 09:34.407 --> 09:36.910 When you look at some of the social challenges we have here, 09:36.910 --> 09:39.279 it's not just the Mid-South region but certainly we have 09:39.279 --> 09:40.547 to be aware of. 09:40.547 --> 09:43.516 We more or less lead the nation in some of those issues that are 09:43.516 --> 09:45.518 extremely concerning and alarming. 09:45.518 --> 09:48.988 I think part of the local food movement is as we transition our 09:48.988 --> 09:51.658 self to where that food and fiber comes from, 09:51.658 --> 09:54.694 we understand that maybe the health associated 09:54.694 --> 09:55.695 with that as well. 09:55.695 --> 10:00.834 And hopefully as it works down from adults to youth then it's 10:00.834 --> 10:03.002 just that natural transition happens. 10:03.002 --> 10:04.003 Well, yeah. 10:04.003 --> 10:06.005 Sure, maybe I'll grab the banana instead of the bag of chips. 10:06.005 --> 10:12.912 - So, how much of the research that's underway at Agricenter 10:12.912 --> 10:18.051 deals with this whole question and even a controversy in some 10:18.051 --> 10:24.290 discussions about agriculture as an energy source versus a food 10:24.290 --> 10:28.695 source, particularly with corn. 10:28.695 --> 10:30.563 - You bet. 10:30.563 --> 10:32.632 Well, first off, all of our research.. 10:32.632 --> 10:36.302 We have over 11,000 replicated plots this year dedicated just 10:36.302 --> 10:39.472 to ag research and how that involves not only technology but 10:39.472 --> 10:44.110 plant physiology and also as it relates to our environment. 10:44.110 --> 10:48.615 We're very in tuned, those of us that are involved in ag issues, 10:48.615 --> 10:52.085 about how the general consumer views what we're doing. 10:52.085 --> 10:54.187 So, we're certainly aware that there's a disconnect. 10:54.187 --> 10:56.189 And that disconnect has not happened 10:56.189 --> 10:57.190 over the last five years. 10:57.190 --> 10:59.192 That disconnect has come around as, 10:59.192 --> 11:01.494 for instance, more and more people have been disassociated 11:01.494 --> 11:02.495 from the farm. 11:02.495 --> 11:05.498 So, most folks are five to four generations removed from 11:05.498 --> 11:07.500 actually farming the land themselves. 11:07.500 --> 11:10.103 So, it's a different technology, a different phrasing. 11:10.103 --> 11:12.272 You know, for instance, I can talk about some of the things 11:12.272 --> 11:14.674 I'm very used to but maybe it's different for you and you've 11:14.674 --> 11:15.942 never heard of those words. 11:15.942 --> 11:19.245 The point is we have to have a relationship and a conversation 11:19.245 --> 11:22.315 with people that are based on the health of the products 11:22.315 --> 11:23.316 we're producing. 11:23.316 --> 11:25.485 We're not only producing it for you and your family but 11:25.485 --> 11:27.487 producing it for our family, as well. 11:27.487 --> 11:30.823 Now when you look at the food versus fuel issue basically as 11:30.823 --> 11:32.825 it involves corn and corn ethanol, 11:32.825 --> 11:37.830 it's a very centric argument that I think came about because 11:40.733 --> 11:44.971 people were trying to find how they can divide or create a 11:44.971 --> 11:46.973 difference within the ag community. 11:46.973 --> 11:48.975 And I've always related it to this. 11:48.975 --> 11:49.976 It's very simple. 11:49.976 --> 11:51.978 It's an issue of national security. 11:51.978 --> 11:54.047 Would you rather have your fuel, you know, 11:54.047 --> 11:56.816 grown and pumped out of the ground in a petroleum product 11:56.816 --> 11:58.985 and shipped over here or rather have it raised 11:58.985 --> 12:00.286 by your own neighbors? 12:00.286 --> 12:03.156 And I love the fact that we're raising corn that's going into 12:03.156 --> 12:04.157 the ethanol industry. 12:04.157 --> 12:06.159 And also, soy beans in bio diesel. 12:06.159 --> 12:09.128 I think those are great wins for us basically from a standpoint 12:09.128 --> 12:12.532 of national security, from a standpoint of being more 12:12.532 --> 12:14.734 environmentally friendly to the environment. 12:14.734 --> 12:17.971 We have less greenhouse gases related to biofuels as opposed 12:17.971 --> 12:19.439 to petroleum based products. 12:19.439 --> 12:20.873 I think it's a huge win for us. 12:20.873 --> 12:22.609 - Are biofuels stabilizing? 12:22.609 --> 12:26.779 Because not too many years ago, we saw a cycle where when gas 12:26.779 --> 12:28.781 prices went up, biofuel enterprises did very well. 12:28.781 --> 12:33.786 When the prices dropped, they didn't so well. 12:37.056 --> 12:38.057 - Sure. 12:38.057 --> 12:40.059 When you look at the cost of, like, 12:40.059 --> 12:42.061 raw oil, I think it's about $42 a barrel or $42 a barrel 12:42.061 --> 12:43.062 right now. 12:43.062 --> 12:45.064 I mean, obviously that's created a crunch 12:45.064 --> 12:46.065 to the ethanol industry. 12:46.065 --> 12:48.768 But in all industries, it's cyclical. 12:48.768 --> 12:51.270 And so, you have to be able to kind of live with the downturns 12:51.270 --> 12:52.272 as well as the upturns. 12:52.272 --> 12:54.707 I mean, you look at the margins in the ethanol industry, 12:54.707 --> 12:56.576 you know, they're making it. 12:56.576 --> 12:58.578 It's tough on them but they're making it. 12:58.578 --> 13:01.547 When you look at how we relate from the industry perspective to 13:01.547 --> 13:04.350 the national, like the RFS, which is the standard the EPA 13:04.350 --> 13:07.420 issues to meet with the blend wall, 13:07.420 --> 13:10.723 we've been able to meet that as an industry and we're certainly 13:10.723 --> 13:13.026 proud that, you know, from our standpoint, 13:13.026 --> 13:15.028 we've been able to do it. 13:15.028 --> 13:18.031 From an economic standpoint, it's not been that beneficial 13:18.031 --> 13:19.799 the last two or three years. 13:19.799 --> 13:22.402 Obviously a lot of us that, you know, 13:22.402 --> 13:25.204 drive cars and trucks love the fact that gas is cheaper than 13:25.204 --> 13:27.206 what it was, you know, three years ago. 13:27.206 --> 13:29.709 So, that's certainly a benefit for us. 13:29.709 --> 13:31.911 - You talk about energy and energy independence. 13:31.911 --> 13:35.415 You've got a solar farm, not a huge one but a sizeable solar 13:35.415 --> 13:37.717 farm out there that went in in the last year or two. 13:37.717 --> 13:38.718 How long has it been? 13:38.718 --> 13:40.720 - I think it's about four or five years ago. 13:40.720 --> 13:41.788 - I have no sense of time. 13:41.788 --> 13:43.790 What's the importance of that or what's it do? 13:43.790 --> 13:46.559 Is that electricity you use on site? 13:46.559 --> 13:47.593 How is it used? 13:47.593 --> 13:48.594 - No. 13:48.594 --> 13:50.596 Well, actually that electricity is generated 13:50.596 --> 13:52.331  and hits the TVA grid. 13:52.331 --> 13:57.336  It's a whole different form of   adaptation of the solar energy 14:00.073 --> 14:02.075 itself trying to use it on site. 14:02.075 --> 14:04.077 So, for us, it's better for us to hit the grid. 14:04.077 --> 14:06.079 We're right there about a hundred yards from where we can 14:06.079 --> 14:07.080 hit the grid. 14:07.080 --> 14:09.615 It makes really great sense for us to hit the grid. 14:09.615 --> 14:11.551 But it makes us energy neutral. 14:11.551 --> 14:13.920 And that's the point that we like to tell is that. 14:13.920 --> 14:15.922 And I want to say something else. 14:15.922 --> 14:18.725 The man that's just retired, John Charles Wilson, 14:18.725 --> 14:21.661 basically put a lot of these programs I'm here talking about. 14:21.661 --> 14:23.963 You know, I'm talking about them but he actually did all the work 14:23.963 --> 14:24.964 to make it happen. 14:24.964 --> 14:27.934 So, I want to make sure we acknowledge all the hard work 14:27.934 --> 14:30.803 and effort he's done. 14:30.803 --> 14:33.573 - You talked about greenhouse gases. 14:33.573 --> 14:35.975 Do you always study climate change, 14:35.975 --> 14:37.977 droughts around the country and so on? 14:37.977 --> 14:42.482 I mean, this sort of change in climate and the impact that has 14:42.482 --> 14:45.752 on agriculture, does that play into your research into what 14:45.752 --> 14:47.320 you're doing at the Agricenter? 14:47.320 --> 14:51.057 - You know, a lot of our research is based on how the 14:51.057 --> 14:53.226 crops deal with, you know, moisture issues, 14:53.226 --> 14:54.227 drought tolerance. 14:54.227 --> 14:56.329 Here in the Southeast, we have, you know, 14:56.329 --> 14:59.732 extreme conditions with not only the heat but also lack of 14:59.732 --> 15:02.635 moisture, especially during the July - August timeframe. 15:02.635 --> 15:04.804 You know, last week we had heat indexes over 15:04.804 --> 15:07.540 over 110 and 115. 15:07.540 --> 15:10.810 So, that certainly has an effect not only on the crop but also 15:10.810 --> 15:12.812 the animals that are in farmers' care all over the Delta region. 15:12.812 --> 15:14.147 So, yes, we look at that. 15:14.147 --> 15:18.451 More I think to the point, we look at more.. 15:18.451 --> 15:22.121 As far as climate change, we look at some of the macro issues 15:22.121 --> 15:26.225 like where there's El Nino and how those affect not only the 15:26.225 --> 15:28.227 Mid-South but also the Mid-West. 15:28.227 --> 15:29.228 - Bill? 15:29.228 --> 15:34.467 - In working with farmers on yield, 15:34.467 --> 15:39.472 is the goal always the maximum yield or is the goal a more 15:39.472 --> 15:42.275 strategic kind of yield? 15:42.275 --> 15:43.676 - That's a great question. 15:43.676 --> 15:45.678 Actually, I'm not sure if I know the answer to it. 15:45.678 --> 15:47.780 But I can tell you as a producer, 15:47.780 --> 15:49.949 it's all about, you know, producing volume. 15:49.949 --> 15:52.852 But it has to be done at a managed level not only from an 15:52.852 --> 15:54.854 input standpoint but from a resource, 15:54.854 --> 15:56.856 you know, an accountability standpoint. 15:56.856 --> 15:59.458 So, for instance, it can't just be about yield. 15:59.458 --> 16:01.460 It has to be about how it relates 16:01.460 --> 16:02.929 to the local environment. 16:02.929 --> 16:05.331 For instance, one of the things I just went to yesterday was the 16:05.331 --> 16:06.332 Milan No Till Day. 16:06.332 --> 16:09.335 It's no 29th year of the Milan No Till Day which basically 16:09.335 --> 16:11.337 revolutionized agriculture production here 16:11.337 --> 16:12.338 in the Mid-South region. 16:12.338 --> 16:13.840 - Explain that a little more. 16:13.840 --> 16:16.442 - Back in my father's day and grandfather's day, 16:16.442 --> 16:18.711 we were tilling the land up significantly. 16:18.711 --> 16:23.549 And so, we had over 20 tons of acre erosion annually in some of 16:23.549 --> 16:26.385 our really silt soils here in West Tennessee. 16:26.385 --> 16:28.387 - Erosion, just to the layman, me, 16:28.387 --> 16:31.724 that just means you're tilling it up and then there's maybe a 16:31.724 --> 16:32.892 rain or there's wind. 16:32.892 --> 16:35.561 So much of that good, valuable soil goes away 16:35.561 --> 16:37.029 and it's very inefficient. 16:37.029 --> 16:39.098 - It takes years, and years, and years, 16:39.098 --> 16:41.534 almost a generation to build that soil back. 16:41.534 --> 16:44.904 So, over the last 15, 20 years, we've identified that from a 16:44.904 --> 16:48.908 practical standpoint, if we basically change what we had 16:48.908 --> 16:50.910 thought was the way to do things and went 16:50.910 --> 16:51.911 to no more till practices. 16:51.911 --> 16:53.913 So, we don't till the soil up at all. 16:53.913 --> 16:57.984 We basically go in and we'll spray it and we just no till it. 16:57.984 --> 16:59.085 - Is the industry.. 16:59.085 --> 17:01.087 I mean, farmers of various sizes.. 17:01.087 --> 17:03.089 I mean, are they open to all this change? 17:03.089 --> 17:06.626 Because there's a stereotype of.. 17:06.626 --> 17:08.261 Maybe it's just my stereotype. 17:08.261 --> 17:11.163 Of farmers being maybe resistant to change somehow, 17:11.163 --> 17:14.233 that being a kind of old school industry that doesn't involve a 17:14.233 --> 17:15.268 lot of innovation. 17:15.268 --> 17:17.436 But you're describing an entirely different world. 17:17.436 --> 17:19.438 - Farmers lead the innovation, I think, 17:19.438 --> 17:20.940 across the country. 17:20.940 --> 17:25.611 Most of us have either BS or advanced degrees in some type of 17:25.611 --> 17:28.547 science or animal degrees and we have.. 17:28.547 --> 17:30.549 We're basically inner science nerds, you know. 17:30.549 --> 17:33.853 So, we're all about trying to figure out how to do it better. 17:33.853 --> 17:35.955 And it involves not only technology but also, 17:35.955 --> 17:36.956 different practices. 17:36.956 --> 17:38.057 No till is one of those. 17:38.057 --> 17:40.726 No till has been around for 20 or 30 years. 17:40.726 --> 17:42.728 It's not necessarily a new revolution. 17:42.728 --> 17:45.731 But some of the things we're doing with it as far as cover 17:45.731 --> 17:46.732 crops is new. 17:46.732 --> 17:49.635 That's about a five to seven year transition. 17:49.635 --> 17:51.971 We're using cover crops to basically control weeds. 17:51.971 --> 17:52.972  (Eric)    What's a cover crop? 17:52.972 --> 17:57.076 - We'll plant weeds in the late fall or early spring, 17:57.076 --> 18:00.713 like rye, clover, like legumes that help fix nitrogen. 18:00.713 --> 18:05.017 And all those things are done through the plants themselves as 18:05.017 --> 18:10.489 opposed to us having to apply chemicals or other pesticides 18:10.489 --> 18:14.860 and also man-made petroleum fertilizers. 18:14.860 --> 18:16.362 So, it's done naturally. 18:16.362 --> 18:22.601 - So, what are the immediate goals on the horizon for 18:22.601 --> 18:23.603 Agricenter? 18:23.603 --> 18:24.604 - That's a great question. 18:24.604 --> 18:26.606 As we look at the local food movement, 18:26.606 --> 18:28.908 we've got a great interest in trying to move into more 18:28.908 --> 18:30.876 of organic research. 18:30.876 --> 18:32.878 We really think it's a great opportunity. 18:32.878 --> 18:35.081 And not that I'm here to say organic is the answer. 18:35.081 --> 18:38.484 I think organic is a component of what we do in agriculture. 18:38.484 --> 18:40.486 Obviously I'm a traditional farmer. 18:40.486 --> 18:41.620 So, I have GMO crops. 18:41.620 --> 18:43.556 I have traditional crops. 18:43.556 --> 18:46.459 I just think organic, especially here in the Mid-South region, 18:46.459 --> 18:48.995 is something that we want to kind of look at. 18:48.995 --> 18:51.330 We think as it works into our research farm, 18:51.330 --> 18:55.034 it would be really neat to have side by side comparisons of how 18:55.034 --> 18:58.004 organics actually compare to traditional crops. 18:58.004 --> 19:00.006 So, we think it's really interesting 19:00.006 --> 19:01.640 from a research perspective. 19:01.640 --> 19:04.210 - So, what is Agricenter's relationship 19:04.210 --> 19:05.745 with Shelby Farms Park? 19:05.745 --> 19:08.981 There's a whole lot of change going on on the other side of 19:08.981 --> 19:11.884 Walnut Grove as well as your side. 19:11.884 --> 19:14.754 - First off, what they're doing over there at the Conservancy 19:14.754 --> 19:15.755 is really amazing. 19:15.755 --> 19:17.757 I don't know if you've been over there lately but it looks just 19:17.757 --> 19:19.091 absolutely fantastic. 19:19.091 --> 19:21.093 And I'm excited to be a neighbor. 19:21.093 --> 19:25.031 When you look at the very origin of how we came about, 19:25.031 --> 19:27.366 we being Agricenter International and Shelby Farms 19:27.366 --> 19:31.037 Park Conservancy, we both came from Shelby Farms. 19:31.037 --> 19:33.706 So, when you look at that property as it existed back in 19:33.706 --> 19:38.144 the '60s and '70s, it basically was a very cutting edge, 19:38.144 --> 19:41.981 you know, penal system that was self-sufficient. 19:41.981 --> 19:43.082 They had their own dairy. 19:43.082 --> 19:45.084 They had their own, you know, ag production, 19:45.084 --> 19:46.285 their own beef cattle herd. 19:46.285 --> 19:51.257 And then it has a lot of soil practices that were very 19:51.257 --> 19:54.560 interesting as far as grass waterways and things like that. 19:54.560 --> 19:57.296 And actually, I don't know if you know this or not but our 19:57.296 --> 19:59.298 very own county mayor, Mark Luttrell, 19:59.298 --> 20:01.634 his father was the superintendent of Shelby Farms 20:01.634 --> 20:02.635 at one time. 20:02.635 --> 20:06.138 So, it's kind of a very unique connection between Shelby Farms 20:06.138 --> 20:07.139 and.. 20:07.139 --> 20:09.141 - And Agricenter was founded when? 20:09.141 --> 20:10.142 - Eighty-three. 20:10.142 --> 20:11.210 So, the story I tell.. 20:11.210 --> 20:12.511 Now you may want to talk. 20:12.511 --> 20:14.680 We still have some of those gentlemen laying around here. 20:14.680 --> 20:15.748 They can tell the truth. 20:15.748 --> 20:17.750 The story I tell myself and I think it sounds funny is that 20:17.750 --> 20:19.819 they were probably in a room, smoking a few cigars, 20:19.819 --> 20:22.922 maybe taking a glass of bourbon trying to figure out what do we 20:22.922 --> 20:25.758 do with a thousand acres on the other side of the road. 20:25.758 --> 20:26.759 Hey, let's make it.. 20:26.759 --> 20:27.893 We're here in the Delta. 20:27.893 --> 20:29.895 Let's make it about agriculture. 20:29.895 --> 20:31.897 So, you know, that's about '83, '84. 20:31.897 --> 20:33.899 I think the groundbreaking was '85. 20:33.899 --> 20:36.402 And it's, you know, you kind of laugh about it. 20:36.402 --> 20:39.805 But those founding members of Agricenter International really 20:39.805 --> 20:41.207 did this all in great favor. 20:41.207 --> 20:43.843 When you look at what you're trying to do from ag research 20:43.843 --> 20:46.946 and ag literacy, I think the country and the nation and the 20:46.946 --> 20:50.649 region is kind of looking to us to kind of lead as an example. 20:50.649 --> 20:52.651 - And Agricenter, for people who don't know, 20:52.651 --> 20:54.653 and I was a little confused about this before prepping 20:54.653 --> 20:55.654 for the show. 20:55.654 --> 20:57.957 Agricenter is an independent body, a 501-c3. 20:57.957 --> 20:59.158 Is that correct? 20:59.158 --> 21:02.795 But the land is still owned by the country. 21:02.795 --> 21:04.830 Funding comes from where? 21:04.830 --> 21:06.832 - We're self-sufficient actually. 21:06.832 --> 21:08.901 So, we pay our own way. 21:08.901 --> 21:10.903 - Through renting the space? 21:10.903 --> 21:13.339 - Through the operations of our business. 21:13.339 --> 21:14.573 So, we have.. 21:14.573 --> 21:16.275 We rent space out. 21:16.275 --> 21:17.343 We have an event center. 21:17.343 --> 21:20.846 We have the Showplace Arena that we also run equestrian events. 21:20.846 --> 21:23.215 We've mentioned the Farmer's Market. 21:23.215 --> 21:26.051 We haven't mentioned the RV park. 21:26.051 --> 21:31.357 We have an RV park that is an extremely successful business 21:31.357 --> 21:32.491 entity for us. 21:32.491 --> 21:37.429 We do a lot of ag research for basically for hire. 21:37.429 --> 21:40.099 So, that's an income train for us, as well. 21:40.099 --> 21:43.602 - And the agritourism is a term that you guys use 21:43.602 --> 21:44.603 on your website. 21:44.603 --> 21:46.372 What does that mean? 21:46.372 --> 21:49.542 - Well, it's how you kind of engage the local community with 21:49.542 --> 21:50.943 what's going on in agriculture. 21:50.943 --> 21:54.480 So, how we do it is through a tenant of ours 21:54.480 --> 21:55.981 that runs a corn maze. 21:55.981 --> 22:00.219 I consider agritourism as Jones Orchard has 22:00.219 --> 22:01.554 a You-Pick Strawberry. 22:01.554 --> 22:03.556 I consider that basically agritourism. 22:03.556 --> 22:04.557 The strawberries are amazing. 22:04.557 --> 22:05.558 Don't get me wrong. 22:05.558 --> 22:08.661 But it's really interesting to watch people interact with, 22:08.661 --> 22:10.663 you know, something like that. 22:10.663 --> 22:12.665 - And that's the fundamental mission then? 22:12.665 --> 22:14.667 So, you've got to be self-sufficient. 22:14.667 --> 22:16.669 But you're not just there to make money. 22:16.669 --> 22:17.670 You are a non-profit. 22:17.670 --> 22:18.671 - You bet. 22:18.671 --> 22:20.673 And so, when you look at our mission statement, 22:20.673 --> 22:23.008 I think it's real important that we emphasize we're about ag 22:23.008 --> 22:27.513 education and trying to bridge that gap between people 22:27.513 --> 22:29.515 understand where their food and fiber comes from. 22:29.515 --> 22:30.983 - Just three minutes left. 22:30.983 --> 22:35.521 - And you've also got an audience for this with what is 22:35.521 --> 22:36.655 happening at the park. 22:36.655 --> 22:43.395 Because on the western end of your side of Walnut Grove Road, 22:43.395 --> 22:46.532 a lot of people are crossing there at Farm Road. 22:46.532 --> 22:49.068 So, they see what's going on there. 22:49.068 --> 22:52.871 I mean, I bike ride through the park as well as to see what's 22:52.871 --> 22:54.473 going on at Agricenter. 22:54.473 --> 22:56.475 - Yeah and we've just got, you know, 22:56.475 --> 23:00.412 super happy to have a chance to try to do some extension and 23:00.412 --> 23:02.815 completion of our greenline on our facility. 23:02.815 --> 23:05.384 Also, we have Wolf River right there 23:05.384 --> 23:07.219 to the extreme south of us. 23:07.219 --> 23:08.220 It borders us, as well. 23:08.220 --> 23:11.323 So, we have a lot of tourism. 23:11.323 --> 23:14.393 On our facility, we're actually 1.4 million people 23:14.393 --> 23:16.128 to our campus annually. 23:16.128 --> 23:18.163 So, we're like the third largest tourist attraction 23:18.163 --> 23:19.465 in Shelby County. 23:19.465 --> 23:22.268 So, we're really happy with what's going on around us. 23:22.268 --> 23:25.704 We think that we're a really great jewel and certainly a 23:25.704 --> 23:28.407 complement to Shelby County, and to the region, 23:28.407 --> 23:30.743 and to the Greater Memphis area. 23:30.743 --> 23:32.745 - Some of the other tenants that are out there 23:32.745 --> 23:33.746 that people are familiar with. 23:33.746 --> 23:35.748 Ducks Unlimited is obviously a big one. 23:35.748 --> 23:37.750 But there's things like the raptors. 23:37.750 --> 23:38.751 Talk about that. 23:38.751 --> 23:39.752 It's a small.. 23:39.752 --> 23:40.753 Talk about that for a second. 23:40.753 --> 23:42.755 - Anywhere in the Mid-South region, 23:42.755 --> 23:45.157 if there's a bird of prey that's injured or needs help, 23:45.157 --> 23:48.794 they call the Raptor Center and they go get them or TWRA takes 23:48.794 --> 23:49.795 it to them. 23:49.795 --> 23:51.797 And they basically try to bring those birds back to health. 23:51.797 --> 23:53.999 So, it's a really great story. 23:53.999 --> 23:55.534 I know they could use.. 23:55.534 --> 23:59.238 They're a 501-3c and they could use additional funding, 23:59.238 --> 24:00.239 as well. 24:00.239 --> 24:02.241 So, if any of your audience members would love to 24:02.241 --> 24:04.243 participate in the Raptor Center, 24:04.243 --> 24:06.245 I'm sure they would appreciate it. 24:06.245 --> 24:08.247 We also have partnership with the Memphis Zoo in trying to 24:08.247 --> 24:10.249 raise the bamboo for their pandas. 24:10.249 --> 24:11.717 That's a great story, as well. 24:11.717 --> 24:13.719 - As somebody who lives in Midtown, 24:13.719 --> 24:14.853 bamboo in my back yard. 24:14.853 --> 24:15.854 They don't want mine. 24:15.854 --> 24:16.989 But they do want yours. 24:16.989 --> 24:19.458 And you all were partnered in the AgLaunch Accelerator. 24:19.458 --> 24:20.459 - You bet. 24:20.459 --> 24:21.460 - There's a huge.. 24:21.460 --> 24:22.461 We has Leslie Smith. 24:22.461 --> 24:24.463 She's one of the people from EPIcenter, 24:24.463 --> 24:25.464 the start-up community, on. 24:25.464 --> 24:26.532 And it's growing and growing. 24:26.532 --> 24:27.533 Bioworks is involved. 24:27.533 --> 24:30.436 But talk about your role and it gets back to this innovation, 24:30.436 --> 24:32.705 technology, and the business and so on. 24:32.705 --> 24:34.707 What the AgLaunch Accelerator involves. 24:34.707 --> 24:36.709 - Well, first off, I can just say, 24:36.709 --> 24:38.711 you know, Memphis Bioworks, what they're doing there is 24:38.711 --> 24:39.712 absolutely incredible. 24:39.712 --> 24:41.714 We're just a partner with them on a lot of their programs. 24:41.714 --> 24:43.716 And we're just trying to help them as much as we can. 24:43.716 --> 24:45.718 When you look at the future of what Agricenter holds for the 24:45.718 --> 24:47.720 region, we think it's an incubator, 24:47.720 --> 24:49.722 it's an opportunity to have start-up businesses there. 24:49.722 --> 24:54.727 An R and D campus maybe, you know, 24:58.497 --> 25:02.368 probably as we look into the future. 25:02.368 --> 25:03.369 - At Agricenter? 25:03.369 --> 25:04.536 - Absolutely at Agricenter. 25:04.536 --> 25:07.673 We think we have the chance, the way we're positioned in the 25:07.673 --> 25:09.675 Delta here in the Mid-South region, 25:09.675 --> 25:13.112 specifically focused on ag generation, 25:13.112 --> 25:16.281 ag business, we think we have the chance to kind of be that 25:16.281 --> 25:19.218 nucleus of where does it start at. 25:19.218 --> 25:22.454 It starts at Agricenter here in the Mid-South region in Memphis. 25:22.454 --> 25:23.455 - How many people? 25:23.455 --> 25:26.792 I'm going to put you on the spot with a couple of seconds left. 25:26.792 --> 25:29.294 How many people are employed in the Mid-South in ag business? 25:29.294 --> 25:31.130 Do you have any sense of that? 25:31.130 --> 25:33.132 - You know, I don't know in the Mid-South. 25:33.132 --> 25:35.134 I can tell you in the state of Tennessee, 25:35.134 --> 25:37.269 the ag economy is about $63 billion in the state 25:37.269 --> 25:38.270 of Tennessee. 25:38.270 --> 25:39.271 - Alright. 25:39.271 --> 25:41.273 Well, that is all the time we have. 25:41.273 --> 25:42.274 Thanks for being here. 25:42.274 --> 25:43.275 It was great to meet you. 25:43.275 --> 25:44.276 Thank you for joining us. 25:44.276 --> 25:51.150 Join us again next week. 25:51.150 --> 25:56.155 [theme music] 26:04.196 --> 26:06.498  (male announcer)   Production funding for   Behind the Headlines 26:06.498 --> 26:11.236  is made   possible in part by.. 26:11.236 --> 26:15.941  The Bartlett Area Chamber of   Commerce and its member A2H - 26:15.941 --> 26:18.877  engineers, architects and   planners creating an enhanced 26:18.877 --> 26:21.213  quality of life for our   clients and community. 26:21.213 --> 26:24.950  To learn more about   A2H's services and markets, 26:24.950 --> 26:26.952  visit A2H.com.