Beth Ford: What farmers need to be modern, climate-friendly and profitable | TED

Transcriber:

翻译人员: Elijah Yang 校对人员: Cissy Yun

科里·哈吉姆：我们有请到了 蓝多湖的总裁贝斯·福特，

一个在全美和多国经营的，

农业合作社。

Corey Hajim: Here with me today is Beth Ford, the CEO of Land O'Lakes,

她将和我们分享她的构想，

a farming cooperative that works across the United States

关于怎样为农民建立一个更好的未来，

并且保证环境和经济上的可持续性。

and in dozens of countries around the world.

And she's going to share with us her vision about how to create

你好，贝斯。 谢谢你接受本次采访！

a better future for farmers

贝斯·福特：谢谢你的邀请， 我很期待这场对话。

that's both environmentally and economically sustainable.

哈吉姆： 让我们先来讨论一下宽带问题。

Hi, Beth, thank you so much for being here.

这个问题有多大

并且它是怎么影响整个农业社群的？

Beth Ford: Thanks for the invitation, I'm looking forward to the conversation.

就如你所说， 从家庭和从商业的角度来分析。

CH: Let's first talk about the broadband issue.

How big of a problem is this

福特：预计是说，

and how does it affect the farming community,

有1800万的美国人缺乏宽带接入的条件

both as you said, as families and as businesses?

其中1400万都是在乡村地区，

现在，话虽如此， 这个宽带 --

BF: So the estimates have been

我现在试图想起那个组织的名字是啥，

that 18 million Americans lack broadband access,

他们做了一个研究，他们说，

14 million are in rural America.

实际上的数字比4200万更多，

Now, having said that, the broadband --

理由是地图映射不大精确，

I'm trying to remember what the name of the organization is,

所以很有可能是这样，

比如说你在一个小城里 开了一家7-11便利店，

did a study and they actually say

这个便利店有Wi-Fi或是宽带， 因为他们在那里埋了线。

the number is more like 42 million.

And the reason is the mapping is inaccurate.

但在地图上，

So what could happen is,

会显示整个社区大部分都有宽带，

let's say you have a 7-Eleven in a town

and that has Wi-Fi or broadband access because they laid a line.

但事实并非如此。

这就是一个明显的问题，

It would show up on the map

再想想你孩子的教育问题。

as though that community largely has broadband

我知道你有三个孩子，我也有三个，

and it does not.

而且现在他们很多都在远程学习。

And so it's a significant issue.

在农场上正在发生的是，

Think about the education of your children.

这件事真的在发生，

I know you have three, I have three.

就是老师从城里，

And many of them were doing remote schooling.

开车去农村给学生送纸质作业，

Well, what's happening on the farm,

就为了给他们送作业，

this is legitimately what's occurring,

让他们还能继续在学校念书。

is that the teacher from the town

这只是其中一个例子。

is driving paper homework out to the farms

所以这是一个大的挑战， 因为如果我们连基础的线路都没有，

to give them the homework

so that they can continue to go to school.

我想说我们需要一份 类似1930年代的农村电力倡议

And that's just one example of many.

And so this is a major challenge, because if we don't have basic wiring,

并且为它在全国奔走。

我们应该把它当做一种权利，

I can say we need like a 1930s' rural electric initiative

宽带应该变成基础设施， 类似邮件派送和电力。

where we go across the country

而不应该是 只为那些拥有宽带的人服务。

and we make this, this should be a right,

这项工程，

this should be something that is a basic, like mail delivery and electricity.

预计要800亿到1000亿美元，

去缩小这个差距。

This should not be just for those who have.

但是问题在于 在得到这笔资金之后，

And the scale of it is,

the estimate is to be 80 to 100 billion dollars

然后怎样落实？

to close this gap.

我们都知道你不能只是说，

But the challenge of that is that you get the funding

我不可能就像一个总裁一样, 告诉董事会，

说为了建立科技平台，我要100个亿， 然后他们说：“批准了。”

and then how is it implemented?

We all know you can't just say --

然后我就找到一家公司主管， 并且把计划丢给他，然后说，

I say, well, I don't go in as CEO, go to the board,

say I need 100 million dollars for this tech platform

“你们看着谁能负责这个吧”。

and then, "Approved. Here's the return."

现实跟上面所说可以说毫无关系，

这个计划书就在FCC，

And then I go in and I throw it to the business unit heads and I'm like,

和 USDA 之间踢皮球，

再然后就是州长们，

"You guys decide who's in charge of that," right?

然后我们突然发现 我们钱不够了，

就像我们坐在沙发里找东找西，

And there's a little bit about it,

it becomes a jump ball between the FCC and the USDA

为了找零钱给送披萨的外卖小哥，

我们想早点草草结束这个项目，

and then the governors,

并不把这件事看作是第一重要。

and suddenly we don't have enough

and we're on the couches looking for quarters and nickels

把它当做是某些其他人的问题，

to pay the pizza guy

但其实这是所有人要面对的问题，

so that we can finish this off,

这是全国的安全性问题，

as though it's not a priority, as though it's not a priority.

我已经说得直接的不能再直接。

As though it's somebody else's problem.

这是一个很重大的问题，

And it is all of our problem.

因为我担心的不仅是资金，

This is a national security issue.

还有它的速度。

I cannot say it more directly.

好消息是它已受到了两党支持。

So it's a major issue because I'm concerned about speed here

每当我为此发声时，

我都是为了全国州长协会，

和美国国务院发声。

in addition to the funding.

几乎所有的协会，

And the good news is this has been bipartisan support.

我都为它们发声。

Whenever I speak, I speak for the National Governors Association,

这不是两党之间的问题,

这必须是一个优先级的问题。

the State Department of AG,

我们整个国家需要 将它作为优先问题来解决，

I mean, name it.

Name the administration official, I've done it.

This isn't a bipartisan issue.

It has to be a prioritization issue.

在每个州都要落实。

It has to be something that we decide as a country is a priority.

哈吉姆：我听过它相关的事情，

“你已经安装了Wi-Fi!”

或者在一些社区里，

And it means in every state.

他们在公交车里装了Wi-FIi

CH: I've heard stories about,

孩子们坐在当地的图书馆，

"Well, you've put Wi-Fi"

或麦当劳的外面，

or in some of these communities,

完成他们的功课，

这简直太不公平了。

they've put Wi-Fi on the buses and then, you know,

kids are sitting outside the local library or the local McDonald's

福特：这是不可接受的。

哈吉姆：是的！ “不可接受”这个词用的很到位。

to do their homework.

And it's just so unfair.

它也会影响到商业对吧，

农业其实也是一种商业，

BF: It's unacceptable.

CH: Unacceptable. Unacceptable is the right word.

因为有那么多的技术 被应用到了农业。

It also affects the businesses, right?

福特：是的。

有时我在一个活动上，

Farming as a business

旁人讨论些很酷的新技术。

because there's so much technology being used.

我们使用卫星技术，

BF: Well, there is.

我们有大数据、数据和分析，

So oftentimes I'm at an event

约翰迪尔的拖拉机是自动驾驶的，

and they're talking about all this cool new tech.

而当我问到 “你在使用这些新技术吗”？

And listen, I just say we use satellite technology,

“并没有。” “为什么？”

we have big data, data and analytics,

“因为我没有网络连接，

John Deere's tractors are auto-steer.

所以我不能使用这些技术。”

And I'm like, "Are you using that?"

你知道吗， 在农业里有好多令人激动的，

"No." "Why?"

"Well, because I lose connection.

投资和创新在产生。

And so I can't I can't utilize it."

它们会使农民工作更有效率，

You know, there's so many exciting investments and innovation

会让气候和环境更好，

我一会儿会好好讲讲。

occurring in the sector that will make farmers more efficient,

但如果我们没有适当的技术，

如果我们没有宽带，

will be better for climate and the environment,

I'll talk a little bit about that in a minute,

那这些都只会是无用功。

这些是数据集中型的模型，

but none of that can be used

if we don't have the appropriate technology access,

但它们要求一定的带宽值来运作，

和高效使用,

if we don't have broadband.

These are data-intensive models

这是一个大问题。

从商业的角度来看， 这是一个有关效率和可持续生产的问题。

and they require bandwidth to do so

and to utilize them effectively.

So it's a major issue so that from a business perspective,

再回到社区这个问题上。

再说说稳定控制环境的问题。

it's an efficiency, it's a sustainable production issue.

我的妈妈经常说，

“你只会和你 最不快乐的孩子一样快乐。”

And then back to the community,

为什么？

again, stable operating environment.

因为，你知道吗？

You know, I constantly have my mother in my ear,

如果你感觉 你的孩子并没有接受最好的教育；

like, "You're only as happy as your least happy child," right?

没法受到医疗，

And why is that?

你很难对你的工作很上心。

Because, you know,

if you can't feel confident your child has the best education,

农业就是一个工作。

因此我们要意识到 假如一些医院，

has access to a doctor,

pretty hard to be focused on your business.

当地医院都关门了，

And farming is a business.

没有银行,

And so we have to recognize if there's a number of hospitals,

没有住处,

在这些农村地区,

local hospitals have shut down,

有一个稳定的操作环境是没有用的。

there's no banking,

如果没有宽带， 那么你也无法使用，

no housing.

It doesn't work to have a stable operating environment

隐藏了数据使用的新创新和技术，

in these farming communities.

And yes, directly, you cannot use the new innovation and technology

哈吉姆：所以技术就是一个挑战，

像你说的那样， 这对商业来说很重要。

that hide the data utilization if you do not have broadband.

你也提到了气候，

我很想深入谈谈这点，

CH: So the technology is a challenge,

因为除了要面对 有挑战性的市场动态,

and as you said, it's so important for the business,

人们还要面对 气候不稳定性和逐渐波动的天气，

and you mentioned climate.

So I'd love to dive into that

because in addition to, sort of, challenging market dynamics,

而科技会帮助解决这个问题。

你可以谈论一下那些科技

you also have climate volatility and an increasing weather volatility

农民可以利用并控制这种不稳定性？

and technology's helping to address that.

福特：首先，你要做的是，

Can you talk a little bit about the technology

帮助他们做好的决定,

that's being used by farmers to manage that volatility?

来加大农场的承受能力，

他们才可以制定更可持续的商业惯例。

BH: Well, first of all, what you're helping them do

is make improved decisions that make their farms more resilient

我们已经，

我们有一个项目叫做“Truterra”，

由杰森·威勒管理。

and that they can make more sustainable business practices.

在奥巴马执政期间， 他是我们公司的人事总管。

So what we've started,

这个项目运作方式多种多样。

we have a business called Truterra,

it's run by Jason Weller,

who used to run in our CS under the Obama administration.

我们在零售商和 农学家之间展开工作,

他们从Truterra洞悉引擎 中获得见解。

And what this business does, it works in multiple ways.

在农场上，

每英亩土地上,

We work through our local retailer, the agronomists.

他们可以了解土壤类型，

They get insights from our Truterra insights engine.

水源情况和类似的东西。

应该用哪一种拖拉机，

It literally is at the farm level,

acre by acre,

你会在农场上来回几次检查。

where they can understand what the soil type is,

因此我们可以，

what the water situation is, all of those things,

作出利于可持续生产的决定，

what kind of tractor do you use,

最近，兴许上周，

how many passes at the field do you make.

我们开放了Trucarbon平台。

So, we can make improved,

这是一个以数据为基础的，

sustainable production decisions.

可以和农民工作的系统方式，

More recently, probably just last week, we announced our Trucarbon platform,

是我们与土壤健康机构,

和很多环境小组联合创办的,

来创造碳排放额度。

which is a systemic way that we can work with farmers, databased.

农民需要的是改进碳捕获技术,

This is partnered with the Soil Health Institute,

with many environmental groups,

to create a carbon credit.

并且提高农民自己的利益,

So where the farmer is making a decision that is improving carbon capture

并使之变现。

我们的第一个用户是微软，

and at the same time is improving their own profitability,

他们为了碳排放额度使用我们的平台。

这为何如此重要呢？

and then is able to monetize that.

除我们得到了验证的以外，

Our first customer was Microsoft,

这是一个逐渐扩大的市场,

碳和碳排放额度还有碳中和,

and they're using this for carbon credit.

这是一个凌乱的定价环境。

So why is this so important?

我认为所有的研究都会显示农业,

In addition to the fact that we have validation

and this is an evolving marketplace,

carbon and carbon credits, carbon offsets,

对我们来说是解决,

it's an unstructured pricing environment.

使用基础光合作用的问题的好办法。

And I think all the studies would show that agriculture is a great way

所以如果我们都同意这点，

那我们不得不问， 定价环境理应是怎样的？

for us to address this issue using basic photosynthesis.

最基础的部分之一是农民。

农业部长韦尔萨克 最近在听证会上说，

So if we if we agree that,

then we have to say, what is that pricing environment?

我们需要同农民一起工作,

One of the fundamental things we started with is the farmer.

而农民需要从决定中获得利益,

In fact, Secretary Vilsack more recently said in his confirmation hearing,

这是一个良性循环。

我们希望农民采取行动，

we've got to start with the farmer

但你不能说 “每个人都去种覆盖作物,

and that farmer has to be profitable when making that decision.

那是最好的“。

It's a virtuous circle.

那样农民就不再受益了，

So we want the farmer to take action.

我们又怎么确定 可以保持食物生产，

But you can't just say, "Everybody put on cover crops.

也保护农场呢？

我们正在和内部引擎，

That's the best."

Because then that farmer isn't profitable,

农学建议，

and then how do we make sure that we can sustain our food production

土壤健康和土壤检测，

and the farm?

任何量的数据和流程和专业知识 一起工作。

So we're working with this inside engine,

with our agronomic advice,

这也是我们的方法与众不同的地方，

with soil health and soil testing,

我们的方法专攻于农场，

with any number of pieces of data and process and expertise.

但也利用技术。

我们和微软合作，

And that's what differentiates, I think, our approach,

他们的FarmBeats空带项目。

that it goes right back to the farm level

他们和我们一起，

but leverages technology.

致力于缩小不同社区的数字鸿沟，

We have a partnership with Microsoft,

我们把握这些机会。

their FarmBeats program, their airband.

同时，像我说的那样，

They're working with us

微软是我们碳排放额度的第一个顾客。

on closing this digital divide in different communities

我专注于此

so we can take advantage of these opportunities.

不仅因为这是一个逐渐扩大的市场，

And at the same time, as I said,

they were our first customer for our carbon credits.

而且因为气候变化是 我们要解决的问题。

And one of the reasons I'm so focused on this,

并且我们想解决，

我相信农民是解决方法之一。

not just because this is an evolving marketplace,

他们是解决问题的主要部分， 也是解决问题的主要机会。

and because climate change is something we have to address

这也是农民的另一个收入来源。

and we want to address,

and I believe farmers are part of the solution.

我们再回到我之间提到的

They are a major part and a major opportunity for solution.

关于“业余“农民的数据，

他们在农场外工作 来负担他们的农场。

It also is another revenue source for farmers.

And go back to that statistic I gave you about the "hobby" farmer,

事实是，在接下几年里，

about the fact that they're working off the farm to retain their farms.

农业会面对更多的纷扰。

交通运输业的电气化

会带来一些扰乱。

And the reality is, there's going to be even more disruption

意味着生物燃料的运用，

in the coming years in this sector.

很大一部分玉米 会被用于生产生物燃料，乙醇。

It will be in some ways driven

by the electrification of the transportation sector.

如果燃料不再被使用了，

That means biofuel utilization

因为在接下来的十年， 我们已经开发电动车。

and a significant portion of the corn crop goes into biofuels, ethanol.

玉米的价格又会怎么样， 土地价值呢？

And if that is no longer needed,

还有大豆，

because we've gone to electric vehicles over the next 10 years,

一些大豆被用于制作生物燃料。

what happens to corn price, to land values?

那会是对行耕植物种植的干扰。

And at the same time soybeans,

所以我们必须为农民指路， 他们非常聪明，

some of that is used for biodiesel.

So that will be a major disruptor to row crop farming.

帮助他们找到适当的投资机会

成为农场的潜在收入来源。

So we've got to point farmers, they're pretty smart,

这是思考问题的好方式。

to the right levels of investment they can make

哈吉姆：所以你觉得,

for other sources of potential revenue for their farms.

农民为环境可持续发展 做出的努力

And I think that this is a great way to think about it.

也会在经济层面上 帮助他们自己吗？

CH: Right, so you feel like

福特：是的。这是一定的。

the things that farmers can do to be more environmentally sustainable

以及肯定的。

这也是为什么Truterra洞察引擎，

can also help them economically?

是迭代最多的。

如果这三件事我都做， 那我的利益率会怎样呢？

BF: Exactly. And it must.

It must.

And that's why this model that we have, Truterra Insights Engine,

它可能与州级可用的项目相关联，

is iterative almost.

也可能是为了提高肥料的可变施用量，

Hey, if I do these three things, what happens to my profitability?

这样你就不用同时施用所有肥料，

And it might be tied to a program that's available at the state level,

然后让它们渗入土壤。

你会使用你的卫星技术，

it might be tied to improve variable rate application of your fertilizer

你会发现，“啊，我现在要施一部分肥”，

where you don't put everything on at the same time

或者 “我以后不需要这么多”。

and then have it seep into the soil.

农场的每一寸每一亩都是不同的，

Instead, you look and you use your satellite technology and everything

and you say, "Oh, I'm going to put partial on now,

每一亩的产量,

and maybe I don't need as much later."

Every piece, every acre on a farm is not the same

不会一样多。

因此,

你会在哪里作出适当的投入？

and doesn't have the opportunity to yield as much,

这样的模型,

就可以帮助你了解 在哪去做这样的投入。

我们还应用了研究土地,

one acre to the next.

And with that then,

where do you make the right investments?

回应土地， 在那儿我们可以帮助农学家，

And a model like this helps you understand where to make those investments.

来改善农民的种植决定。

We also have applied research plots,

answer plots, where we help with our agronomists

我们知道有一定的变量，

会让农场更具承受力。

to help improve the planting decisions a farmer may make.

让我们都同意这一点，

我们会面对一个情况： 经济市场

So there's any number of variables,

和银行家会说,

and I say it makes a farm more resilient.

你需要投资来让你的农场 更加有承受力，

And let's agree,

we're going to get into a situation where the financial markets

特别是面对 我们已经看到的混乱程度，对吧？

and the bankers are going to say,

气候。

you need to be making investments that make your farm more resilient,

想想西部的火灾， 南方德克萨斯的雪灾，

given the amount of disruption we're seeing already, right?

我们也会在接下来的几年 经历类似事件。

Climate.

我们需要让农场更加有恢复能力,

Think of the fires in the west, the freeze in the south, in Texas,

这让农民有更多的利益，

这提高他们做投资的能力。

and we're going to see these events over the next number of years.

我们知道这是必要的。

We have to make the farm more resilient.

哈吉姆： 但你提到这会是一种收入来源，

That makes it more profitable for the farmer.

你能给我一个例子吗？

It helps their ability to make an investment

that we all know is necessary.

一个缓解气候的技术是如何，

CH: But you mentioned that it can also be a revenue source.

为农民提供收入的？

Can you give an example of how, you know,

福特：有两点，

一，我刚才提到碳,

a climate mitigation technique

你会生产碳排放额度

also provides revenue for a farmer?

因为你有能力证明，

BF: Well, there's two things.

你使用的技术会减少碳排放。

One, I was just mentioning more directly, this true carbon,

你事先做土壤测试，

where you're generating a carbon credit

because you're able to prove

几年之后，

the new practices you're putting in place is going to reduce that.

例如，你可能会使用稳定器，

这就意味着你所投入或使用的一些氮

You use that proof for the soil test in advance,

没有渗入到土壤中。

and then a number of years later.

You may use a stabilizer, for instance,

意味着,

and that would mean that you don't have some of your nitrogen you're putting on

你在那些产品中投资更少。

or using, kind of, seep into the soil.

相反，你会去施肥

That, in and of itself,

或种植不同的种类的庄稼，

means you have less of investment you have to make in those products

但更直接的是， 你开发的碳排放额，

as you're putting on fertilizer

因为市场在扩大，

排放额可以被卖掉。

or planting different crops.

我们和微软的合作，

But then more directly, that credit that you develop,

because this market is evolving,

如果你可以证明碳排放的大幅减少

can be sold.

So what we're doing with the Microsoft partnership here and their purchases,

他们会以每吨20美元， 来购买碳排放额度。

if you are able to prove this tonnage reduction,

就其本身而言， 这是一个更直接的分期付款。

我们将看到的一个扩张市场。

it's like 20 dollars a met ton for carbon credit,

我们还和NORI合作,

这是一个类似eBay的平台，

so it's a more direct line payment for that in and of itself.

他们想成为碳排放贸易的eBay。

And that's an evolving marketplace we're going to see.

平台还处于发展初期，

但这也是很令人兴奋的机会，

We're also partnered with Nori, it's a platform like eBay,

因为我们知道 我们需要革新、创新和科技

and they want to be the eBay of carbon credit trading.

来解决气候变化。

This is very early stage, but it's an exciting opportunity

农民可以成为

because we know it's going to take this kind of innovation, this creation,

解决计划一部分。

this technology to address climate change.

哈吉姆：谢谢你，贝斯。

福特：不用谢！

And the farmers can be in a position

where they can be part of the solution.

CH: Thanks for being here, Beth.

BF: You bet.