Can you tell me what a dietitian does? How about a ruminant nutritionist? If you’re like most people, at least one of these will make you scratch your head. Funny enough, these two jobs have more similarities than differences and each influences food choices, albeit very differently.   The first, a dietitian, makes science-based recommendations for your diet as a human and provides educated insight on the food on your plate. The second, a ruminant nutritionist, creates rations for cattle (which have four compartments in their stomach, including a rumen). Interestingly enough, a dairy

nutritionist balances the cattle diet for 42 nutrients, which helps be sure you have healthy, tasty milk and meat.

Both are a part of the food continuum. In other words, our food plate is a part of a continuum – the people at one end are connected to those on the other end. Agriculture is at the beginning of the food continuum, the dietitian closer to the fork. Both nutrition and agriculture have an important role to play – a role that could be helped by understanding each other, even beyond the similarities of a human and cow dietitian.

The connectedness between farm and nutrition becomes particularly poignant in March. It’s National Nutriton Month, created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choice and healthy lifestyle. March also the month of National Ag Day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture, as outlined in this history of the Agriculture Council of America.  Both National Nutrition Month and National Ag day are celebrating 40+ years and each the cause of food, but yet there has never been any joint efforts (if you’re aware of connected efforts, please do let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear examples). Isn’t it about time to make that happen after 40 years?

The mutual interests in between the nutrition and agriculture are covered extensively by dietitians, farmers and food scientists in No More Food Fights! Growing a Productive Farm & Food Conversation. Recently, I was chatting about the book with Jennie Schmidt, a registered dietitian who farms in Maryland, and she offered an excellent firsthand perspective on the similarities of the two worlds, as you can find on her blog.

“What I do now as a farmer is very similar to what I used to do as a hospital dietitian. In the clinical setting, we look at patient’s medical records and lab analysis, and determine what health needs can be addressed nutritionally, or what health needs may interfere with adequate nutrition. The same is true with soil and plants, so instead of reading patients lab analysis, I read soil and plant tissue analysis and assess what health needs can be addressed nutritionally from the availability of nutrients in the soil. Or if a plant is showing nutritional or health issues during the growing season, can determine what may be wrong that is interfering with the plants ability to take up nutrients. Funny enough, soil & plants are much more compliant with their prescribed diet than my human patient’s ever were.”

As Jennie and I discussed the need to connect the various roles around the plate and how to join our celebration, she suggested we enjoy food together. “Come together at the center of the plate (yes, I read Michele’s book) and share information. RDs could plan a grocery store tour to talk about food and invite a farmer along to describe how some of those foods are produced.” She pointed to a the farm tour that Nebraska CommonGround did for RDs and food retailers as a great example.

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National Nutrition Month’s slogan is “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day”.  National Ag Day is promoting  “Generations Nourishing Generations”.  I firmly believe that if you’re going to eat right, you need firsthand information about where your food comes from. Likewise, if agriculture is going to nourish generations, I believe it’s an effort that involves a connected food plate  – not just farmers or agriculture.  

How about “Eat Right, Farm Right, to Nourish Generations” as a thought to lead us into the next 40 years of celebrating those connected around the plate? Eating right and farming right will certainly impact all of our futures – and those of generations to come. Shouldn’t we be looking at the food continuum, rather than only our own role?