This collaboration with National Pork Board (NPB) funded in part by NCGA's Market Development Action Team (MDAT) is a multidisciplinary, coordinated research approach that spans multiple regions of the U.S. While some of the data has been collected and is available for various sectors of the cycle of nutrient transfer from pigs, to soil, to manure to grain crops in turn used for pig feed, there has never been a systems approach to better understanding the efficiency of nutrient transfer from one segment of the cycle to another. The intent is to identify and fill the many gaps in knowledge that exist to complete our understanding of the cycle through a phased request for proposals (RFPs) broken up over a 3.5-year process. Those awarded any phase of the research will be invited to participate in a Task Force with other researchers and producers in order to build upon knowledge gained along the way. It is expected that these efforts will be closely coordinated with the Real Pork Center of Excellence located at U.C. Davis to optimize communications efforts as well.
Alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
- 2.4 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
- 6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
- 6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers, and lakes.
- 12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
- 13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- 15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
