guest post by Katie Caputo Serbinski MS, RD

For the past year and a half, my professional path as a registered dietitian (RD) took an unexpected turn when I started working in an area of dietetics practice that is not seen as the “norm” among health professionals. While most of my nutrition colleagues are admirably working in clinical and food service settings, I turned to agriculture. As a city-girl native to Metro Detroit, I’ll be the first to admit my experience with agriculture was lacking. I did live in an animal-friendly environment, as my father is a veterinarian. By no means did I have the first clue about large-scale food production, let alone the role agriculture plays in our society.

I was 25 years old the first time I ever stepped foot on a ranch.

After taking an introductory human nutrition course at Michigan State University, I realized that my passion for cooking and love of food could be incorporated into my career decision. While studying to become a registered dietitian, I learned to translate the science of nutrition and turn it into everyday, easy to understand solutions for healthy living. From day one as a freshman dietetics student until now, I pride myself on knowing the health benefits of food and sharing this knowledge with the public. When I starting practicing as a professional and relied upon my mental library of nutrition and health related facts, I was frequently answering AND asking questions about today’s food production systems to my patients. Where did all this good food I recommend to family and friends come from? How did it end up in a grocery store, and eventually make it onto our food plates?

My inquisitive nature and taste for beef ultimately led me to the California and Nevada Beef Councils. While in California, I was enlightened by beef production, along with the production process for many other commodities. During my first few weeks at the beef council, I witnessed every step of beef production: from the ranch, to the feedlot, to the packing plant, to the grocery store, and finally, to the dinner table. Yes, I was given fact sheets and had many of my questions answered by industry representatives. But there is nothing like having that “ah-ha” moment when you hear farmers and ranchers talk about “their” industry, or I should say, show you their industry. By better understanding modern cattle production and everyday life on a farm, I was able to make more informed recommendations about beef.

And recommend BEEF I did! Here I am at an American Heart Association Heart Walk spreading the word about beef nutrition and heart health.

Now I know it’s not feasible to get every single registered dietitian on a farm or ranch tour, but I’m pretty sure there’s opportunity for a conversation to be had about food production today. We are the professionals giving health recommendations about the food that is produced. And as you may know, our recommendations have gone beyond the science of nutrition and physiology to things like organic, natural, animal rights and environmental issues.  Unfortunately, with the help of documentaries and online sources, there may be a preconceived notion or two of what happens on a farm- without a farmer or rancher at our side to elaborate on their practices.

Nowhere in our educational training do RDs cover the fundamentals of farming or food systems; this does not mean we do not have an appreciation for it or a want to know. Many of us have an understanding of an urban-plot or an at-home vegetable garden, but we are lacking the knowledge of a person that studies and practices production to market. There is connection between how food is grown, processed, sold, and consumed to the health of individuals, families, farms, and communities. RDs want to know the connection between soil, plant, and animal sciences to the connection of human nutrition.

What is your role in broadening the food conversation? If you’re a producer, what can you do to help RDs share the good news of YOUR food with OUR community? If you’re a RD, how can you help producers?

Katie Caputo Serbinski MS, RD, is a Detroit-based Registered Dietitian specializing in nutrition and health communications. She has created social marketing campaigns and customized outreach programs aimed at engaging communities in healthy and nutritious lifestyles. You can find Katie blogging foodie-inspired recipes at ktcaputo.com, tweeting healthy tips and tricks @katiecaputo and cheering on the Michigan State Spartans.

To learn more about the scope of practice for registered dietitians, see https://www.eatright.org/About/Content.aspx?id=7531.