It is Christmas time again and many of us are rushing around buying gifts and hoping we do not forget anyone on our list. However, there are many American who are not as fortunate and struggle to survive. I hope that during this season of giving we each make an effort to help these individuals in our community. Our time, our energy, and our funds can make a difference in their lives.

The American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee in partnership with America's Second Harvest provides a way for farmers to donate food and funds through the Harvest for All program. However, helping America’s Second Harvest achieve its goal of ending hunger is not limited to Farm Bureau members anyone can help. Your local food bank would appreciate your time as a volunteer or your donation of food and/or money. America’s Second Harvest website makes it easy to locate a food bank in your area and provides a great resource for learning more about hunger in America. May we all make the effort to help those in need this Christmas season.

Farmers who live along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers may begin to see improvements to locks and dams taking place in the near future. Thanks to the passing of WRDA (Water Resources Development Act), farmers will see transportation of their products become more efficient and competitive with foreign products once the improvements are made to the deteriorating locks and dams.

WRDA has not been updated since 2000. If Congress did not pass WRDA, foreign countries would likely begin looking for reliable suppliers to meet their food demands. This would spell trouble for American Farmers and Ranchers.

However, we can’t consider WRDA a done deal just yet. WRDA only authorizes the project and studies; it does not include funding for the projects. Funding for WRDA will require action by Congress, which likely won’t be looked at until sometime in 2008.

Take a moment to THANK your Senators and Congressman for passing WRDA and encourage them to support funding WRDA. One farmer and rancher at a time, we will make a difference!

Its official winter has started here in New Hampshire. This past weekend we saw our first snowflakes, the ground is getting hard forcing us to finish up those last minute jobs. Mother Nature is forcing us all to take that rest that we haven't taken all summer long.

With Thanksgivings soon approaching I realize as farmers we are all blessed with the greatest jobs in the world. We provide the safest, most inexpensive, and highest quality food. The sad reality is that not everyone realizes where their food comes from, other than a supermarket shelf.

In New Hampshire we have adopted a program where the state Young Farmer and Rancher committee is pen pals with local schools. Our goal with this program is to educate today's youth about our farms.

This week I am attending the Washington Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington. One of the keynote speakers for the meeting was Matt Roloff, star of TLC's "Little People, Big World." Matt and his family live on a farm near Portland, Oregan and raise pumpkins and soon they will also have Christmas trees.

Matt and his wife, Amy, have turned their farm into an Agro-tourism business which allows them to help educate their community about the business of farming.

Matt's message was a true inspiration to everyone in attendance. He spoke about the importance of helping out fellow farmers. He also emphasized how important it was to run your farm as a business.

What I found so unique about Matt was his willingness to share his success with his neighbors. As you leave the Roloff Farm not only will you find signs advertising his neighbors' pumpkin farms, but you will find flyers as well with directions. Matt doesn't see his neighbors as competition, instead, the Roloff Family views their neighbors as members of the same team!

The HSUS this morning had a full page ad in the USA Today regarding Wendy's and the animal welfare of Chickens. We need to put this misconception to rest. We need to be educating the public about what the goal of HSUS is - becoming a vegetarian. Cruelty to animals is not the issue here. We need to support not only the farmers, but Wendy's by calling 1-800-443-7266 x 2032. Let Wendy's know that we are behind them 100% and understand that the animals are in the cages for their safety and welfare. Lets start fighting this misconception one phone call at a time.

Kevin and I just recently had the honor of accepting an award on behalf of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Program at the Hunger’s Hope Awards. The AFBF YF&R program was given the Trade Organization of the Year for our efforts to help feed the hungry. Every year America’s Second Harvest feeds millions of people and the YF&R is helping do their part. In 2004 with the contributions of time, money and pounds of food the YF&R provided 3,745,056 meals. In 2005 we helped provide 3,085,634 meals, and in 2006 we provided 2,479,817 meals. For all of you who have helped this award is for you, for those of you who would like to help but don’t know where to start check the America’s Second Harvest website at www.secondharvest.org where you can get a list of food banks near you who can always use your help.

There are moments in our lives that we do more than we thought we ever could. Let this be our moment, to celebrate all that we have accomplished to feed the hungry. Let this also be the moment we challenge ourselves to do more, to give more. Even if it is just one more can of food, one more dollar, or one more hour. Lets continue on our path to help feed the hungry. Congratulations to all of the Young Farmers and Ranchers who made it possible for us to receive this award.

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) launched a new video titled "What's For Lunch?" The intent of the video is to tell a balanced message on food production methods and biotechnology. With more people turning to the internet for information, IFIC saw the importance of making the video available on the internet. You can find this new video on YouTube, and it will soon have a MySpace and FaceBook page.

The "What's For Lunch?" video features consumer interviews, as well as interviews with an academic, dietitian, a farmer and a school principal.

The video focuses on facts, rather than myths. It also points out the important role marketing plays in swaying consumer minds. Take a few minutes and check out this video and see for yourself how just a few words can have a major impact on a farming operation.