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Using agriculture to predict the Super Bowl champion

Using agriculture to predict the Super Bowl champion

Comparing the ag statistics of Pennsylvania and New England

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

On Sunday, Feb 4., the New England Patriots will look to reclaim their title as Super Bowl champions as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Minneapolis, MN. in Super Bowl LII (52).

Leading up to the game, football analysts and commentators have dissected a season’s worth of game footage, stats and storylines to help determine which team raise the Vince Lombardi trophy at the end of the game.

Can Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the Patriots win back-to-back championships? Will the Philadelphia Eagles be able to upset these defending champions with a backup quarterback?

Farms.com does its own game analysis using stats from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The breakdown will feature Pennsylvania against all six states that make up New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut).

** Signals the advantage for each team.

StatNew EnglandPennsylvania
NFL Team
Number of farms34,94058,200**
Acres operated4,200,0007,630,000**
Milk production (Lb/Head)Average of 19,855 Lb/Head20,454**
Beef inventory (As of Jan. 1, 2017)42,900185,000**
Tobacco value$40,896,000**$40,379,000
Total principal operators31,87859,309**

Tom Brady’s ties to agriculture

Before he became known as the best quarterback to play in the National Football League, Tom Brady spent time on his grandfather’s dairy farm in rural Minnesota.

“We’d go fishing in the summer, ice fishing in the winter, milk the cows with my grandpa and just kind of tend to the farm,” Brady told WEEI on Jan. 22. “It was a great experience for me, (being) born in California.”

Brady isn’t the only NFL player connected to agriculture. Check out this list of five other NFL players who spent time on farms.

And the popular Super Bowl commercial, “So God Made a Farmer.”



 

 


Trending Video

The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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