With Christmas over and tomorrow being the last day of the decade, it's nearly time to get packing for the AFBF Annual Meeting in Seattle. Starting with the first one I attended back in 2004, this meeting always amazes me. From the caliber of the presenters to the grassroots policy development that takes place, it's a fantastic event.

Along with that, the Young Farmer and Rancher contests are always exciting, an this year will be no different. Three contests and three brand new Dodge Ram's to give away again.

Even with all of that though, my favorite part of the annual meeting is the people. It seems more like a big family reunion when you get there. That's what makes Farm Bureau and the business of agriculture so great. There will be old friends to visit with again and new friends to be made. When I think back about all of the friends I've made by being involved in the Young Farmer and Rancher program, I'm astonished. I'm usually reminded of this fact when I watch the weather on TV and see the national map. Wherever they are featuring some weather event I'm reminded of someone I know who lives in that area.

So, pack your bags and get to Seattle next week!

The following is a response to a suburban mother that I have as a friend on Facebook. She is very much into locally grown, organic food. I have absolutely no problem with this, but the idea that it is healthier is far over-done and in many cases false. We need modern agriculture to produce the food needed for our growing world population. We simply cannot produce the affordable food needed in large quantities in a local food system. She also is a proponent of grass-fed beef. Again, I have no problem with this but the benefits are over sensationalized. My response to her follows:

I commend you for supporting local farmers. I am selling some of my beef locally and it has really re-connected me with my customers. Locally grown meat and produce is fresher and in most cases better than those bought in the store. However, I still contend that locally grown may not be a good option for those in large metro areas, especially those on lower incomes.

As for grass-fed beef, it is a good product and a good option for some. Let me preface my comments by saying I am a rancher and I recently completed my masters degree in range management. The health benefits of grass-fed beef are real. However, the amount of omega-3 is misleading. There really isn't that much difference. The leanness is just a matter of how the animals are fed and my grain fed beef is probably just as lean.

The real issue is the acres. It takes many more acres to finish a grass-fed beef. It also takes longer to get them to market. Agriculture is a very competitive business, especially for land. I simply cannot find enough land to finish my beef on grass. I also feel I am contributing far more food to our world by raising crops on my tillable acres.

On our farm we have went to no-till crop production. This allows for rain infiltration similar to that described by the author in your article. It also saves soil and in the end we use fewer herbicides and less fuel. Most of the farmers in our area have also gone to no-till.

The e-coli issue more of an issue of proper handling and cooking of the meat. There is no more e-coli now than there was fifty years ago. If utensils are properly washed and meat cooked to proper temperatures, e-coli is not an issue.

Again, I am not criticizing you. I enjoy your posts and I commend you for buying local. I think it is a better experience for farmers and consumers alike. But also know you are only getting part of the story. We need modern agriculture to feed our world. Farmers and ranchers and all those involved in agriculture have the best interest of consumers in mind.

It’s that time of year when people start thinking about their New Years Resolutions. Many people want to lose weight. According to the Media Awareness Network the diet industry is worth an estimated $100 billion a year. Did you know that eating beef can help you achieve this goal? Beef is an excellent source of protein – this protein plus exercise can increase weight loss and maintain a good strong muscle mass. Beef also gives you energy to get through those strenuous workouts. There are 29 cuts of beef that USDA has labeled as lean or extra lean. So when the last confetti drops and you start the New Year with your new goals I want you to think of that wise little old lady on the TV “WHERE’S THE BEEF” commercials.

For more information on how beef is important to your daily diet visit www.iabeef.org.

2009 is coming to an end and I always find myself reflecting on the past year during this time between Christmas and New Year. Being from Michigan, one of the most diverse farming regions in the US, and a John Deere salesman I am blessed to see agriculture in its full array and understand from this view point that it has been a challenging year for all farmers.

In the beginning of the year we all waited anxiously for our long winter to break. We put seed in the ground but just couldn’t get it to warm up. Dairy farmers saw record low prices and everybody had record high inputs. Hog farmers struggled all year with low prices for a variety of reasons.

As spring turned to summer fruit farmers put an extreme amount of labor into thinning trees so they could produce quality apples. Dairy farmers saw no relief and H1N1 hit the scene with the unfortunate “swine flu” tag that further hurt the pork industry. On top of all that it stayed unseasonably cool effecting germination of seed and growth of vegetable crops.

We ended the year with more difficulty. Activists went after the hog and poultry industries and forced agreements that will hurt the industries and the animals they raise. Chopping corn looked more like mud wrestling than harvesting for most dairy farmers. Corn was high in moisture, low in test weights, and wet fields made harvesting difficult.

There were a lot of negatives in 2009 but farmers are the most optimistic bunch of people you will ever meet. As I end my reflection it is with thoughts of higher milk prices as the last two months have seen prices rising. I remember the bumper crops for apple and vegetable farmers. I continue to get reports of good yields for beans and corn. Every farmer will mark 2009 by their own challenges but you can bet they are all looking forward to 2010 with anticipation for a great year.

Happy New Year!

This article was in our weekly church bulletin, a few weeks ago. After reading it, I thought a lot about the America farmer and the challenges we faced in 2009 and how we are doing our best to deal with them, even though giving up might be the easiest. We still continue to provide this world with the safest, healthiest, and most afford food, fiber, and fuel in the world.
A group of alumni, highly established in the career, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversations soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guest coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of life and an assortment of cups-porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking some expensive, some exquisite-telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand the professor said:
“If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.”
Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live.
Sometimes by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us”
God brews the coffee, not the cups…… Enjoy your coffee!
“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything”
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
Author unknown.

While many of you are asleep in your bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in your heads. I will be out among my cattle and sheep instead making sure they are watered and fed. I love Christmas for many reasons but one of them is because of chores on Christmas morning.

I know, work on a holiday doesn't sound appealing or at very least it sounds lucrative (double pay), but that is not how it is on the farm. I cannot explain it but there is something about taking care of animals on Christmas morning.

Maybe it is my imagination but there is something special on Christmas morning. I love breathing in the cold, crisp air as my boots crunch across the snow. The dogs seem to have an extra bounce as the bound around me while I carry grain to the calves and sheep. The cows waiting with frost on their hair, breathing steam while I cut the twine off the hay. There is just something indescribable and great about this morning.

But my favorite part is walking into the house after the chores are done. The warmth of the wood stove and the light of the house. The smell of breakfast and coffee and the sound of the kids still buzzing about their presents. Christmas on the farm is a very special day, I wish I could share it with each of you. During this time though, let's all take the time to remember Jesus and his birth, for He truly is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas friends.

I read a quote by a farmer in a recent Western Grower’s magazine. He said “I know it may not be ‘socially acceptable’ to say, but we are here to make money. I, like everyone else, work for a living. Fortunately, I enjoy what I do, but if we don't make money, we can't stay in business.” It is crazy to think, that for some, farmers making money is not socially acceptable. Farming certainly is a way of life and for those who do it full time, it is what pays the bills on the farm and at home. Like everyone else they have mortgage, car, and insurance payments, food to buy, kids to clothes, and yes, if there’s money left over and time available, vacations to take.

I still remember the time when my parents made the decision to quit their full time, off-farm jobs to farm full time. I think I was in junior high, and was scared to death of what would happen if our farm didn’t make ends meet. (What’s interesting is that the fear never goes away.) A full time farm is just like any other small business, it has to provide for the farm/business expenses and leave enough left over to make a living. As farmers and ranchers, we should not feel guilty or that it is not ‘socially acceptable’ to say we are here to make money.

Although it is important that farmers and ranchers make money, there is also an intrinsic value to what they do, a value that is difficult to quantify and may not be the same for all farmers. For me, the intrinsic value of my family’s farm is the legacy for future generation. As long as the farm is viable my niece and nephews will have an opportunity to learn first-hand the joys and discomforts of farm life, an awareness for the sanctity of life, a love of the land, the value of hard work, and a connection to those in whose footsteps they follow. But this will only be possible so long as the farm is making money, and their parents are making a living on the farm.

The past few days I have watched the debacle at Copenhagen and all the talk of global warming. It seems like everyone, including Sir Paul McCartney, wants to save the planet. I fear this has the potential to be very devastating to my way of life, agriculture and ultimately to our country and to our freedom.

Let's forget that the "facts" that are being thrown around are just theories and there are plenty of other theories that are in opposition that are being ignored. Global warming (or climate change as it has been changed to) is a shaky theory at best. But let's ignore that for right now.

The changes being discussed are putting a bulls-eye right on agriculture and that could have catastrophic results. First, the prices of our inputs such as fuel and fertilizer are subject to huge increases. This puts already razor thing profit margins in great peril. Our profit margins are what the hard-working family farmers and ranchers are living on and it will put many out of business. This will also force cutbacks in the way we grow crops. We will no longer be able to be as efficient and produce as much food of the ever dwindling acres of farmland. Feeding our ever-growing population requires us to operate at full speed.

Another danger coming to us from Copenhagen, is the push to get meat out of our diets. Ideas like Meatless Monday and Less Meat= Less Heat are being touted at this meeting. The bottom line is meat is an important staple of our diet. It contributes valuable nutrients and protein while actually working to sustain our environment. The idea that "greenhouse gases" produced by livestock contribute to "global warming" are at best missleading and at worst absolute fiction. The raising of livestock on modern farms and ranches is absolutely critical to feeding our ever growing populations.

In fact, it has been suggested that developing nations need to look toward the agricultural system in the United States as a model. More efficient production would actually lessen the impact we have on the environment, while at the same time, increase the world's food supply.

All of this will lead to an increase in food prices and a shortage of the food we all take for granted. So I encourage everyone reading this to become an advocate for agriculture, that is how you save the planet.

I knew when I saw the logo on the envelope that I wasn't going to like what I found inside. Sure enough, it was a friendly reminder from my insurance company letting me know that the time had come to pay our farm policy premium. I started thinking of all the different things the money for that premium could be used for on the farm. Would it be worth the risk to drop the policy for a few months? We could certainly use the money elsewhere! Besides, I don't remember our family filing a farm claim within the last ten years.

Was it worth the risk to drop our coverage? No...absolutely not! There have been several tornadoes and wind storms blow through this area in the last few years, and we're lucky to have avoided any major storm damage. We know the next one could always get us, so we're willing to spend the money needed to protect our farm's future should such an event occur.

Telling our story and speaking out for agriculture is much like paying a farm-owners insurance premium. Our time is valuable, and we may be tempted some days not to sacrifice the few precious minutes needed to connect with the public. But we are in effect buying insurance every time we share our story with a friend or neighbor, speak to a group about modern agriculture, or use tools such as social media to help give our customers a better idea where we...and their food/fiber...come from. We're using our time to purchase good will, understanding, and public support, all of which are essential to our survival and the future of our way of life.

Make an effort every day to share your story with someone, and encourage your fellow farmers and ranchers to do likewise! After all, our group coverage improves every time someone new starts paying their premiums.

New England has had its first real snow today and of course out went the power. So after a quick generator hook up we decided to make it a night out and off to Applebee’s we went. As we were sitting there a CNN news brief came on the television about dairy farmer Brad Davis, of Sterling, Connecticut. Brad had a jersey calf born with a cross on his head. The article was well done and didn’t portray farmers in a bad light. Brad was able to tell about the plight of the American dairy farmers. Hats off to Brad for a well done interview.

Role models seem to be in short supply these days. Celebrities that we thought were wholesome, good people suddenly have skeletons in their closets and are not necessarily good examples for our kids. Sadly this even happens on the local level, everyday it seems coaches, civic leaders or others who have disappointed us time and time again. Who are our kids to look up to?

Let me tell you about my role model. He has spent his whole life serving others, I do not think he has ever put himself first. My role model works with his hands and his heart. He cares deeply about the world we live in and spends everyday working hard to leave it in better shape than he found it. His bed-rock is his faith in God and each day he is an example of how a Godly man lives.

He is part of the very land he lives on. He nurtures the animals and crops in his care and they in-turn produce the food and fiber that feeds all of us. My role model cares for the land, keeps the water clean and the air fresh, he is the best environmentalist I know and the most genuine.

You will never find anyone who works longer or harder. He does not do his job to become rich but out of a sense of duty, pride in his work and a love for the people he feeds. His mind is sharp, his hands calloused and his heart is warm, a greater role model you could not imagine.

I have had the honor and the privilege of knowing this man for 39 years and calling him Dad. He is an incredible role model and I have spent my entire life emulating him. I think he is special, but he is like many of his fellow farmers and ranchers, good, God-fearing, hard-working, salt-of-the-earth men and women. Seems to me, they would be much better role models than the celebrities that society often puts up on a pedestal.

I am not sure that there is ever a day that anyone in agriculture can say they don't have anything to do. So why would any farmer want to run for or hold a local Elected Office. That was the question I asked myself over and over again before deciding to run for Township Supervisor. The answer I found was simple, My Future. Living and farming in South Central Pennsylvania has it's benefits and challenges. Urban sprawl is one of those challenges, I face on a day to day bases. I realized that no matter how great of an operation I had, my day to day management would not change urban sprawl. As a township supervisor, I am able to provide information and guide were population growth happens in my local area. Urban sprawl is not something that can be or should be stopped, but we do need to guide it. This country is strong because are able to feed ourselves and we need to protect that ability for future generations.

Too often farmers are the worst complainers in the community. It's too dry, too hot, too cold, too wet, low prices, high inputs, etc. This only serves to overshadow the generally good image we have. If we love what we are doing (career wise), then we need to be vigilant in acting like it. Thank your fellow Americans that they do help us out with crop insurance, direct supports, disaster payments and research. Thank God for the family and country you were born into. No one likes an ungrateful complainer.

Agriculture products are some of the only products in America that do not have a set price tag on them. The farmer relies on the consumer for fair and decent prices. If the consumer does not want their product, they have no business or income. Even with this idea of not knowing what your income is going to be every year, there is still optimism in the minds and hearts of the farmers. Agricultural producers are people that truly love what they do for a living. They are given the opportunity to produce products for the three essential parts of life….food, clothing and shelter.

I was at our State Farm Bureau Convention this past weekend and enjoyed spending time with other young farmers and ranchers from across our state. The optimism for the future amazed me. These young producers were very excited about the future of their operations and agriculture in general. It certainly revitalized my optimism for agriculture! With the passing of this Thanksgiving holiday I hope that you make sure to thank a farmer for the items that you ate!

As we sit down to our holiday meals with family and friends this joyous season, let's take a moment to give thanks for our food and think about where it truly comes from and who produces it.

Consider the following facts…

Today less than 1% of the U.S. population works in agriculture and only one-in-six Americans live in rural areas.

The Average American Farmer feeds about 155 people, http://www.fb.org/index.php?fuseaction=yourag.facts.

Cattle grazing more than doubles the U.S. land area that can be used to raise food.

America’s farmers and ranchers are proud of the role they play in raising food for our tables. Join me in giving thanks for the wholesome, affordable food supply raised in our country.

Visit http://tinyurl.com/thankfarmer to post your note of thanks!!!

Be sure to share this message with your friends and family!

I used to wonder if there were really people out there that thought this way. This article was posted in a San Francisco newspaper and just this portion was sent to me in an email:

"To all you hunters that kill animals for food, shame on you; you ought to go to the store and buy the meat that was made there, where no animals were harmed."

It's amazing to me how quickly people forget about the food chain and the fact that animals exist to be a part of it. We still have a lot of educating ahead of us!

I was moving cattle the other day and my wife came with the truck and trailer to pick me up. She shared a quote with me from one of the weekly ag papers that we receive.

It said "Environmentalists are standing in the way of feeding humanity through their opposition to biotechnology, from chemicals, and nitrogen fertilizer... The fact is, we need both productivity and sustainability - and there is no reason we can't have both." This is a quote by Bill Gates at the World Food Prize Symposium in Iowa.

I thought this was a pretty valid quote. I got to thinking though, why is Bill Gates talking Agriculture? So I fired up the handy old computer and Googled the World Food Prize Symposium. To my surprise Bill and Melinda Gates have a foundation to increase farm production worldwide, particularly in Africa and South Asia. I was amazed at what this foundation is involved with. I didn't even know it existed.

It is worth checking out while surfing the internet to see what is happening around the world. It was an eye opener! You can even watch Bill's speech if you have about 20 minutes of spare time during this harvest and prepare for winter season!

How do you explain to someone who has never left the city what a grain bin is? I have never contemplated this question until today.

I received a phone call this morning from a truck driver who had a delivery for our family feed mill. He needed directions and was hoping I could help him. I quickly realized this gentleman was directionally challenged as he had no idea which way was East or West, North or South. He was in the wrong town and had missed the road leading to our town. After what seemed like hours, I finally got him on the right highway coming towards our mill. I told him to turn right at the two big grain bins that sat next to the highway. He said, “What’s that?” I told him it was a large round circle that was silver, that it held corn and beans. He said, “I have no idea what you mean.” I then told him it was a round building that was silver and had a point on the top like a cone. He said, “I have no clue what you are talking about.” So I tried a different approach, I told him to look for the elevator. To this he replied, “What do you mean? I hate driving in small towns.”

By this time I was trying not to laugh. I knew this gentleman had never been to rural America before. In his mind I was speaking a foreign language. I was running out of ideas of how to explain what a grain bin looked like over the phone. I finally told him to call me when he went past the junction of two roads and I would talk him the rest of the way to the mill. He did call me, and when he saw the mill, he said, “I have no clue what I am looking at, it looks weird. These don’t look like no buildings I’ve seen before.” When he came inside the mill, I quietly told him he was looking at a grain elevator, or a feed mill, and that the large silver structures were called grain bins. He said, “this is weird. I can’t wait to get home.”

My experience today reminded me that the majority of our society has no idea what a grain bin looks like, much less what it is used for. This was a shining example of why agriculture needs to engage with our consumers on a daily basis. The next time this truck driver is told to turn at a grain bin, he will know what a grain bin looks like and what it is used for.

As for me, I am working on a better way to describe what a grain bin looks like!

When considering the Christmas Season this year, consider the purchase of a "real" Christmas Tree for your home or office. Did you know that more than 95% of Christmas Trees are recycled? Millions are grown each year employing near 100,000 people connected to near 20,000 farms. This is exciting stuff. The season is coming quickly and the purchase of a real tree is just one reminder of the many ways we can support farmers.

In this time of crisis many farmer’s livelihoods are on the line. Everyday farmers are turning on the lights in their barns knowing that they may not be able pay their electric bill. The question of selling the farm pervades dinner conversations, and families are being ripped apart by the stress and anxiety that only seems to mount. Lending institutions are cutting off lines of credit as I write this blog, and some farm families, ironically, are looking into social programs as a means of putting food on their tables. Unfortunately, other farmers have had to make the hard decision to exit the dairy business all together.

It is within this context that dairy farmers are coming together to brainstorm ideas for how we should go about resolving the current dairy crisis. As you can imagine emotion tends to bleed into the conversation and discussion becomes heated at times. However, one thing that everyone seems to agree upon is that something needs to be done.

Over the last several months I have attended several local meetings in order to educate myself more on the challenges and opportunities that exist in this time of uncertainty. Many ideas were presented by dairy farmers and a lot of “how to’s” were discussed. Some farmers offered the suggestion that mandatory supply management was the way to go, as long as the government didn't intervene. Others thought that the market would rebound on it’s own and we should stay the course and see what happens. Still others thought we should revert back to some of the more traditional ways of managing dairy herds.

Other ideas were also presented including a tiered pricing system that would allow a dairy farmer to get a certain price for a predetermined quantity of milk. Once a threshold was met, the dairy farmer would get a lesser amount for any additional milk that they produced. Another interesting idea was that all farmers participating in the government MILC program should be required to sign up for Cooperatives Working Together (CWT). Yet other ideas focused on raising quality standards, reducing imports from other countries, adapting Canada’s quota system, and culling the national dairy herd.

In a recent U.S. Dairy Outlook Brief by Cameron Thraen (State Specialist of Dairy Markets and Policy at The Ohio State University) shrinking the size of the U.S. dairy herd by another 100 to 140 thousand animals seems to be a logical step to getting the dairy sector back on track. One of the biggest reasons for Thraen’s recommendation is because much of our export markets have dried up due to the larger, global economic crisis. People in other countries no longer have the disposable income to purchase milk and milk products from the United States, and as a result there is no outlet for the extra supply from our 9,126 million milk cows.

If interested, click on this link to read more.

I’m not sure if Thraen’s recommendation is the silver bullet to solving the problem, however, it is data that is needed for making the best decision for how to move forward. Right now however the dairy industry is kind of like two freight train engines that have collided on the track. One train is the status quo to keep milk production high. While the other train is the complicated milk pricing system. Until the mess is cleaned up, prices will continue to be volatile and milk production will seemingly follow its same trajectory as small farms become collateral damage and big farms look for more opportunities to grow.

Although I’m not an expert on the dairy industry, nor a dairy farmer, I am concerned about the implications of losing so many of our family farms across our nation. I’m also concerned about the quality of milk and milk products that are being imported from other countries, which often times have less regulations and minimal environmental standards. I’m concerned for our rural communities and the businesses that rely on the success of our farms. As more farms disappear from the countryside, we have less ability to produce food for our country, and ultimately less freedom as we become more dependent on other nations.

I recently received my WWII magazine in the mail. I enjoy reading the articles and skimming through the pages. This month there was an article about Thanksgiving during WWII. It spoke of the rationing and the supplies that were unavailable for purchase to make the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Some folks had chicken instead of turkey and recipes had to be set aside with the restrictions on meat, butter, and sugar. Betty Crocker said, “At the end of the day, let us be sure we can say I worked for freedom today. I served at least one food from each of the basic seven food groups. I prepared the food I served with care. I wasted no food this day.” These people strived to serve well balanced, nutritious meals with the burdens that were placed on them by war.

Today in America, we are blessed to have full shelves in the grocery store; we can go in and buy just about anything our heart desires. As a cattle rancher, that makes me very happy. I wake up each morning excited to produce beef for our great nation. I am very proud of my family’s 93 year operation and the great heritage that has been passed through the generations. Just as my great grandfather did, we continue to care for the land and the livestock. The daily feeding, caring, and checking of the cattle comes first in all the management decisions we make here on the ranch. As a fourth generation rancher, I am very concerned about the misinformation that is being spread by radical, agenda driven organizations.

With the daily articles, news segments, and attacks from opinion movies, I am saddened that our industry is constantly under attack. It's unimaginable to think that there is an agenda that truly wants to take my product and all meat products off the shelves. These activists are not just twisting the truth; they are targeting the meat industry with outright malicious and blatant lies in their effort to ultimately make this a meat free society.

Everywhere we turn, we see yet another attack against meat. A recent Larry King show questioned the safety of beef and attempted to scare consumers with guests that advocated a vegan diet. Then, Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons, has been promoting his new book, “The All Pro Diet”, where he eats a diet low in animal proteins and high in plant foods. And recently PETA had a Halloween ploy, portraying Ronald McDonald as the evil animal abuser in an attempt to scare children away from eating meat. What is happening to the well balanced diet?

As we start to plan our Thanksgiving meal this year, let's remember those WWII families that didn't have all the food choices available to them. Let's be sure that our menus contain items from all the food groups and be thankful for our freedom to choose. We must have the freedom to serve well balanced meals to our families.

I’m currently working on an application for an Ag Promotion Grant from the Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation. Our county Farm Bureau would like to host our 2nd Breakfast on the Farm in June 2010. We held our first in June 2008.

What started as early morning ramblings in our milking parlor in the fall of 2007, morphed into a perfect opportunity for us to “tell our story” by June 2008.

One of our goals was to communicate the economic value of animal agriculture. With that in mind, I asked for volunteer and monetary support from the business connections we had. I was pleasantly surprised by their reaction, it was usually “when is it?” or “how can I help?”. They were asked to attend wearing their work uniform, we wanted the public to see the people employed by animal agriculture. Our nutritionist, DHIA fieldman, and 2 AI company representatives lead the farm tours. The wife of our DHIA fieldman was the perfect person to run the information table. Our veterinarian wanted to set-up his own booth, and had video of the ultrasound we use to pregnancy check the cows. A local lamb and wool producer asked if she could set-up a booth.

Not only did the local agri-businesses volunteer, but we had the local 4-H clubs keeping the tables clean, and they set-up a petting zoo. The local FFA chapters ran our state’s Farm Bureau Safety Trailer. Our county Dairy Ambassadors made an appearance also. I originally asked them to be on hand to serve milk and cheese; they called me back and asked if they could also do some activities for the kids – wonderful! Our local Sheriff’s Reserve was on hand to assist with parking. We had other people who volunteered to do a shift serving the food. The list could go on and on.

On the big day, we had about 400 people attend. Due to the efforts of our many volunteers, it truly turned into a family event. I remember a lady made a point of coming up to me during the breakfast to thank me, she made a point of telling me that she brought her 2 grandkids from the metro area with her, this was the first time they had been on a farm. After talking with people who had lead tours, and other members of our farm, we had a lot of conversations that day that “told our story”.

Over a year later, I still have people that I have never met before ask me when we are having another Breakfast on the Farm (the last time was in the post office parking lot). We are hoping to add more to it this time by having a scheduled time that we can talk about our farm, the care we give our cows, and what we do to protect the environment. It is my hope that we can reach even more people this time, and “tell our story”.

In the October 25, 2009 issue of Hoard’s Dairyman, an article entitled “Every Dairy Must be a Shining Example” by Kirk Sattazahn caught my eye. As I read the article, I thought about how it applied to our dairy operation.

One quotation in particular made me sit up and take notice “Having a well-managed, sanitary dairy with well cared for animals is no longer the way to get ahead in the industry; it is the ticket that allows you to be in the industry.”

Wow, the more I thought about that, the more I realized how much truth there is to that concept. As an industry, we are starting to come under intense focus by the consumer, and groups who do not want us in business.

Like with anything else in agriculture we are only as strong as our weakest link. Every dairy, no matter its size, has its place. However, there can be no room for the dairies that do not have acceptable animal husbandry and environmental practices.

I believe this concept not only applies to dairy, but to all aspects of agriculture. What can you do to improve your farm or ranch best management practices? This is a question I constantly ask myself, especially after a new anti-agriculture video or article is released.

We need to unite to give consumers a clear message and tell them our stories. One of the strengths of the activist groups is their strong, clear, emotional message. We need to tell our story! We need to unite our voices, and do the same thing.

Last week I had the opportunity to see some of New York’s finest battle it out in front of the judges. Young Farmers from across the state came together for the state semi finals of the Discussion Meet to see who would surface as this year’s top four finalists. For those not familiar with the Young Farmer and Rancher contests, this is a great way for our members to show off their speaking skills, and test their knowledge of pressing issues that affect the agricultural industry.

As I watched the contestants go head to head, I was impressed by the professionalism and confidence that each participant brought to the table. However, some were more prepared and better trained to face their opponents and block any jabs that came in their direction. Others, unfortunately, found themselves up against the ropes and struggling to find the right words to keep the discussion moving forward.

After the first round, the contestants went to their corners to strategize how they could go the distance. They knew they would have to stay on their toes and be ready to stick and move when the timing was right. Contestants anticipated the moves of their opponents and the discussion moved swiftly. Topics such as immigration reform, food safety, environmental regulations, and the public’s perception of American agriculture all made their way to the table.

By the final round of verbal sparring everyone was mentally exhausted. In some cases the 15 minute bell couldn’t come soon enough. Those who weren’t as prepared didn’t even know what hit them, but fortunately no one ended up throwing in the towel. Meanwhile the more experienced and seasoned contestants looked onward with the hopes of taking home the purse.

After going to the scorecards the judges came to a majority decision on the four finalists that would journey to the state finals this December in Rochester, NY.

This is obviously an exciting time as hundreds of young farmers and ranchers across the nation are preparing to participate in this year’s state leadership competitions including the Discussion Meet, Excellence in Agriculture Award and the Achievement Award. Congratulations to all those who are advancing to the next round, and thank you to those who were brave enough to step into the ring.

I recently read the following tweet on Twitter, “It makes me sad when farmers attack other farmers because of different production methods. Come on people we are in this together!!!” I couldn’t agree more. There is room for all sizes and types of agriculture. Production methods may vary, but all farmers have the same goal and that is producing the best product they can.

This afternoon I purchased some corn fed beef at the grocery story. Why? Because my family raises corn-fed beef. Despite my preferences, there are other folks out there who may prefer grass-fed beef. I have many friends who raise grass-fed beef, and I’m glad that there are folks out there who want to buy their product. So it is truly sad when one kind of farming attacks the other. I realize we are all trying to promote the products we grow; however, there are positive ways to do that without attacking the other’s production methods.

With the world’s population expected to exceed 8 billion by the year 2025 all types, sizes, and production methods of agriculture will be necessary. To face the challenges that lie ahead we must stand untied, for as the saying goes, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

A recent article in the New York Times, "Farm Bureau Aims to Kill Climate Bill," takes issue with the Farm Bureau for opposing “Cap and Trade” legislation with the “Don’t CAP Our Future!” campaign. The comments posted online for this article claim that Farm Bureau is out of touch with the family farms and only concerned about large “factory farms.” I was surprised to see how many comments had been posted and that most of them were very negative towards Farm Bureau and agriculture in general. Where are the farmers and ranchers telling our story? There were a few very good comments, but not nearly enough. The following is the response that I posted. My thanks to Chris Chinn for alerting me to the article through Facebook (I don’t usually read the New York Times).

Cap and trade will harm all farms, not just the so called "factory farms." As the owner of a small family dairy farm I understand that the current cap and trade legislation would most likely force my family out of business. If we run farms out of the U.S., the millions of people who depend on American farmers for food, will be forced to get food grown in other countries, countries that do not meet the rigorous environmental standards we as American farmers meet. The end result will be to increase, not decrease the "carbon footprint" of the food we eat.

I applaud the Farm Bureau for standing up and fighting for all U.S. farms. Cap and trade is not only bad for farmers, it is bad for our environment and bad for America.

This week "CSI: Miami" falsely portrayed agriculture to millions of viewers, implying farmers and food-industry professionals don’t care about the health or even the survival of consumers. As Tim Burrack, a farmer from Iowa, put it in a recent blog post, "It was malicious propaganda based on distortions and lies about the common practices of modern agriculture. Call it “un-reality TV.”

More and more we see the media portraying agriculture in a negative light. Tim's comment about 'un-reality TV' really stuck with me. Reality TV has become overwhelmingly popular in the last few years. You can find a reality show about anything you want, from college life to family life, from being a survivor or being the biggest loser, but I don’t recall seeing one about farm life.

Why isn't there a "Reality Farming" show? There’s plenty of excitement on a farm or ranch, and each day is always different. A reality farming show would allow our consumers to see first-hand what we do on a daily basis to protect our food supply, livestock and environment. And it would definitely be entertaining. Don’t believe me? Watch a husband and wife sort hogs, or work cattle. Or better yet, follow the blood-soaked farmer to the emergency room after he is knocked down by a cow. Now there is some real life drama! If you prefer looking at metal, there are plenty of tractors, combines and equipment that needs worked on; some days you even have to dig them out of a muddy field! If you prefer drama in your reality TV, there is never a dull moment when you work side by side with your family trying to beat the weather to plant or harvest a crop! And last but not least, there are numerous lessons to be learned from being on a farm or ranch.

Instead of watching "un-reality TV," or CSI: Miami, I'm ready to watch Reality Farming! I wonder which network will make my dream come true?

Fire Safety Week was celebrated the week of October 4th - October 10th and was studied in numerous schools around the United States. My daughter’s preschool class was no different with the whole week being centered on fire safety. She has been talking about the “real-life fireman” that came to her class for the past couple of weeks. She was blown away by meeting someone that risks his/her life to save someone else. The ironic thing is that her father is also a volunteer “real-life fireman,” but he does not seem to be as interesting as other “real-life firemen.” This brought me to the question…How many people know a “real-life farmer?” I asked my daughter’s preschool class and not very many of the children said yes, even though we live in a very rural community and every one of them does actually know at least one agriculture producer with some even having a parent involved in agriculture. With more and more people being generations removed from the family it is becoming more important that “real-life farmer” is more in the public eye telling his/her story.

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan is helping people put a face with a “real-life farmer” with the USDA's "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative to help develop local and regional food systems and spur economic opportunity, which is all part of the 2008 Farm Bill. The concept of knowing the farmer that produces your food is certainly an opportunity to restoring the link between consumers and local producers. This will give the consumer the opportunity to see how nutritious our products are and meet the farmer who is providing for their family.

It has been my mission to try to allow as many people as possible to meet me…a “real-life farmer” that raises very tasty and nutritious beef for their family to have on the supper table. I challenge you to meet a “real-life farmer” if you haven’t already or as a “real-life farmer” to take the opportunity to meet someone that may not know someone that has the opportunity to grow products for them to consume.

Do you know what your physician thinks about the food we produce as farmers and ranchers? This week I visited with my physician about our farm and the food we produce. My physician told me she only purchased her meat from a local butcher shop. I asked her why she made that choice. She told me it was because a colleague had told her all the meat found in grocery stores was packed full of antibiotics and hormones. She said farmers give their animals hormones that make the animals sick, which required the use of continuous antibiotics.

I was shocked to hear my physician say this. I explained to my physician that this information was inaccurate. I told her about the care we give our livestock on a daily basis and how our livestock didn’t carry health insurance and medication was expensive. I explained to her modern technology had enabled us to give our livestock better care and hands on treatment which prevented many diseases and illnesses. I told her we only used medicine when necessary because we couldn’t afford to misuse it. I also explained to her that we purchase all medicine from our veterinarian under his direction, which was exactly how she cared for me as a patient. We follow strict guidelines as set forth by the FDA when using medications. I also explained to her how we tracked the usage of all medicine on our farm and that our records were audited by the purchaser of our livestock. If we misused medication, we wouldn’t be able to sell our livestock to processors.

I also told her that my family ate the same food as other consumers, and that I only wanted the best for my family. My family is like 99.9% of farmers, we all know healthy animals produce healthy food. We can’t afford to misuse medications or abuse our livestock. When I was through telling her about my farm she shook her head and told me she should have thought more about how farmers care for their livestock and raise our food. She said while I was talking reality sank in for her. She said she knew farmers didn’t make much money and she also knew how expensive medicine was. She said it made perfect sense to her that our veterinarian gave us the direction of when and how to use medications.

My physician suggested farmers and ranchers needed to write weekly columns in urban and rural newspapers and talk about how we raise food. She said she had no knowledge about the measures we took to protect our livestock and food supply. She also said when she questioned her colleague about his source of information he said it came from a book he read. She was very excited to have information directly from a farmer. She promised to share her information with her colleagues and family.

The next time you visit your physician, take the time to ask them if they know how food is produced in America. Take the time to tell your story. Our physicians deserve to hear directly from farmers how our food is raised.

Hunger is a reality for many families. Realizing this and thinking of those less fortunate the New Hampshire Young Farmer Committee donated a locally raised 4-H lamb to the NH Food Bank last week.

Food pantries across the New Hampshire are experiencing record numbers of people needing food for their families. With that in mind, the NH Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer Committee wanted to help out those in need as well as a local 4-Her.

Many Young Farmers were 4-H members themselves at one time and know the great value in the program. Arrangements were made to purchase a market lamb at the Hillsboro County 4-H Market Lamb Sale on September 13. The lamb will be donated to the NH Food Bank in Manchester were it will be distributed across the state. For more information about this project, follow this link.

Life is full of opportunities you just need to find them and take advantage of them. A past boss and friend of mine, Jay Wilson, had an awesome opportunity a few weeks ago. He received a phone call that Martha Stewart wanted a picture of a Berkshire pig for her show. Jay offered her a picture of one of his pigs, but also offered her the opportunity to have one of his piglets on her show. She took him up on his offer.

Jay, his wife Abby, three children and two piglets were on the way to New York City. Jay and Abby didn’t get much of an opportunity to share their story about agriculture while the show was taping. But they did get to talk with Martha after and invite her out to their farm. So let’s hope she takes them up on their offer.

• http://www.marthastewart.com/article/meet-a-berkshire-pig
• http://www.mapleshadefarmny.com

Yesterday the topic of Larry King's show was the safety of our food. I have to admit that I did not see the show, but I did engage in chat on his website. Over and over mentions of "factory farms" were made and they were blamed for the ills of food safety.

The term "factory farm" is one of the favorite propaganda phrases used over and over by groups such as HSUS and PETA. Make no mistake this is a play on words meant to sway the tide of public opinion and is used to present a negative image of some of our most conscientious family farms.

Often the farms mentioned as factory farms are pork and poultry producers. I have visited many such operations and they are the farthest thing from a factory. Most of our farms are family operations. Each farm is operated by men and women who truly care for the livestock on that farm and do everything they can to insure the health and well-being of their animals. The animals are checked on a regular basis, their nutrition is carefully taken care of and they live in a climate controlled environment free of the stresses of nature. In short, the animals on a modern livestock farm have every need taken care of.

The other criticism I often hear is about the danger they pose to the environment. I can also tell you this is absolutely not true. I work with these producers on a regular basis and I am a neighbor to one. They are the most heavily regulated group in agriculture, but that is not why they take care of our natural resources. They take care of the land because that is what farmers and ranchers do. They have nutrient management plans designed by consultants paid for by the farmer. Every bit of animal waste is caught and accounted for and it is used as fertilizer often replacing petroleum based man-made fertilizers. They simply do not and cannot make mistakes when it comes to the land and water that we all share.

I hope this sheds some light on the family farms that are often maligned by those who would like to remove meat from your dinner plate. I hope you will become more educated about modern livestock farms. Come to think of it, don't take my word for it, give a local farmer a call and talk with them about their farm.

It's no secret that farming has its ups and downs. For livestock farmers, especially pork and dairy, it seems like we have been living with turbulence for quite a while now. Sometimes it feels like you are stuck in a cycle of never-ending 'down' days. No matter how hard you work, or how many changes you make, you just can't find your way back to the top.

Yesterday morning my eight year old son put farm life back into perspective for me. He and I were looking at the calf he is bottle feeding and we were discussing how much it was growing. Out of the blue he told me to look at the leaves on the trees which are turning beautiful shades of gold, orange and red. He said, "Mom, life doesn't get any better than this magic show here on the farm." I looked at him with a puzzled look on my face and he went on to explain what he meant. He said, "We can watch the leaves turn colors and fall to the ground but next year the leaves will magically come back. We don't have to worry about having naked trees for long because the leaves will always come back. It's magic."

It took an eight year old to remind me that better days are ahead, and just like the leaves on the trees, they will return when it’s the right time. The ups and downs are just part of life on the farm. It doesn't matter how you farm or where you farm, or if you farmed in the 1970's or if you are farming today. Farm life has its ups and downs. And when you are having down days, just keep on going because brighter days always come around again, just like leaves on a tree.

In the midst of a down economy, I have found myself struggling in a downward spiral of worry and stress. When the outlook on so many things in our economy is dim I have found it hard to be the optimistic person I normally am. I have been worried about off-farm job security, high input prices, and low farm receipts. I have stressed over what will happen to my family’s farm if these trends continue.

But today, I am happy to report a smile is back on my face! I am no longer hanging my head low; instead I am looking forward to the future more now then I have in along time. Why the sudden change? I caught something that is very contagious. No, I am not talking about the flu, but something much more pleasant. I am once again infected by excitement for the many opportunities in agriculture! Yes, even in the midst of trying times it is possible to catch such excitement and enthusiasm.

I am very thankful I had the opportunity to attend a Collegiate Young Farmers meeting at Virginia Tech this past week. The room was filled with young people excited about agriculture. I have been to many such meetings before, but this time it was different. It is hard to explain how motivating and refreshing it is to me to witness the enthusiasm of these young people in such trying economic times. Several students told of their love for agriculture even though they did not grow up on a farm. Many of the students want to pursue careers in agriculture while others are already starting their own farm operations. They told how they know its not going to be easy but they know being involved in agriculture will be worth the effort. As the students discussed this year’s Discussion Meet questions, their solutions to challenges facing the agriculture industry made every issue seem more like a positive opportunity than something negative. I begin to look at all that has been worrying me as an opportunity instead of a challenge. What a difference one word and one thought can make!

The students reminded me that there are great opportunities for people to enter the agricultural industry (over 200 careers), that there is growth potential in production agriculture and that together we can make a difference. In fact, agriculture has the potential to help be a solution to many of the problems our economy is facing. What an exciting thought! New jobs created by producing more clean energy, farmers expanding production to include crops for bio-fuels, and more bio-technology to use agriculture products in the medical industry. The renewed sense of optimism that I caught from the Young Farmers at Virginia Tech is contagious! I hope you catch it too and help spread it around!

This week every year is one of my favorites every year as the World Dairy Expo takes place in my backyard. The show is always an exhilarating week for the dairy industry, with a chance to connect with many friends and acquaintances I have gotten to know over the years. Dairy leaders from all over the world come to speak the common language of agriculture. The week always leaves me recharged and enthused for the dairy industry.

The buzz around the show this week was about a story that was run in the New York Times on sexed semen (from "Science, Plenty of Cows but Little Profit"). The story alleges that the milk price crisis that the industry is currently facing is caused and will continue to be plagued by dairy farmers’ adaption of sexed semen. Sexed semen seems like an easy target; however it is one small factor in the whole complex market of the dairy industry. Gloom and doom has plagued sex semen before it even hit the market, and the price collapse happened before first heifers from sexed semen where even milking. The story is yet another example of how the media has taken a beneficial technology available to farms and spun it into one of the many perceived evils of agriculture.

Don’t get me wrong. The dairy industry has some serious problems right now. Dairy farmers and their families are making some of the most difficult decisions they have ever had to make in their careers, just to keep milking their cows. The stress is intense and it is easy to point fingers. But attacking the tools and technology available to farmers hurts all farmers. While not every technological breakthrough will benefit every farmer, farmers should have the ability to choose which technologies and methods they use on their farm. Unfortunately, we are already seeing farmers in a fight for their rights as practices like farrowing crates, antibiotic use, and genetically modified organisms have come under assault.

As I left the show this week, I couldn’t help but reflect how much many dairy farmers have already lost financial, yet how much more all farmers have to lose. The silver lining is that each and everyone involved in agriculture can make a difference. We need to share with our friends, neighbors, and anyone who will listen how we use technology and how it helps farmers. By sharing this message everyone wins.

An interesting article appears in the Columbus Dispatch about Issue 2 in Ohio. Farmers are continuing to educate themselves and others when it comes to protecting our livelihood! It is important that people understand that the majority of animal agriculturists properly and respectfully care for their livestock and would not do anything to purposefully harm what supports them and their families. Residents of Ohio need to support Issue 2 and save agriculture in Ohio. Read the article here.

I check the MSN homepage several times a day and this morning was a featured article on 10 different jobs that are worth the stress.

Standing next to the headline is someone in agriculture and farming is listed. It is a short article, but well done. It simply states how I feel about the occupation we choose to have. This is what it said about farming:

3. Farmers
Why it's stressful: Physical labor plus anxiety about Mother Nature equals stress. You start work early and stay late, all while being outside. That is if bad weather doesn't ruin your crops. Not to mention the variety of economic pressures for small farms that face competition from large businesses and manufacturers.

Why it's worth it: Farmers are among the few workers that every person in the country relies on for survival. How's that for job satisfaction?
How much you'll earn: Varies

You can read the full article here.

Thanks MSN and Careerbuilders for spotlighting our career!

When we speak on behalf of agriculture, we need not forget that we speak for all of agriculture. I had the great privilege of joining Texas Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers last weekend on their annual fall farm tours in beautiful Fredericksburg, Texas, just outside of San Antonio.

Much like the state I hail from, Florida, Texas is rich with diverse sectors of agriculture. The three-day visit was jam packed with tours to a number of cattle ranches, peach orchids, wineries, and wildflower farms, just to name a few. Being a vegetable producer myself, all of these locations was an opportunity for me to learn more about the industry I work in and to realize how little I know about the sectors of agriculture that I don’t work in.

I feel as though too many times when we look at agriculture we only see the sectors of ag that we as individuals are associated with and fail to reach out to others; for example, as the vegetable farmer to the fruit grower to the cattleman to the swine producer to the large commodity grower so forth and so on. We are all agriculture and we should all be supporting oneanother.

I assure you that the HSUS's and PETA's of the world have united with the Environmental Working Group and Physicians for Responsible Medicine groups of the world to ensure their objectives are met no matter at whose expense...unfortunately, many times it's agriculture's.

Farm Bureau is the largest general agricultural organization in the nation. We have vast amounts of knowledge amongst our members concerning so many different commodities that I think it would be a shame not to educate oneanother on our respective sectors of ag. I say this because I have gotten into many a discussion with folks about ag issues other than vegetables, land rights, water rights, and conventional versus organic, all major issues pertaining to growing fruits and vegetables in Florida, that I can honestly say that I am not as versed in swine production or milk production or maple syrup production or catfish production, for example, as I should be in order to be the best advocate I can be for agriculture.

I believe just as important as educating the general public about ag, we need to educate ourselves as well. Even though I grow vegetables I still need to be able to speak intelligently and effectively about other sectors of Ag in order to accurately educate the general public.

I am not asking anyone to become an expert for all sectors of agriculture by any means, but I do challenge you to become familiar with the issues, other than your own, that affects the commodities in your area. This way when you find yourself in a conversation with someone who is interested in this great industry we work in you will be the able to speak confidently and factually about the subjects that arise.

We should feel proud that we are the 1% of the American population that puts food on the tables across this and many other nations. If we fail to educate others when given the opportunity because we have failed to educate ourselves, the misinformed media will most likely do the educating for us...and this is a cost none of us can afford to pay.

The story of Dr. Neal Dow hits close to home for every farm or ranch family.

Dr. Neal “Doc” Dow, a retired veterinarian and full-time rancher in Post, Oregon, says the future of his ranch is pretty cut-and-dried. Upon his passing, the ranch he and his late wife Anna cared for will fall outside the reach of his family, due to the estate tax. Dow recounted his personal situation in a guest column posted this week at Agweb.com.

The Dows paid off one estate tax burden over 18 years of hard work and loans. Now, it does not appear their children will even be able to afford the same option.

“By the sweat of our brows, we paid off this loan,” Dow wrote. “But it took 18 years to do so. I worked as a veterinarian by day and as a rancher at night and on weekends, while on call around the clock to help save a pet or deliver newborn livestock. Anna worked alongside me at both the clinic and the ranch. We became accustomed to sacrifice, forgoing weekends with friends so we could develop water springs, install pipe lines, build roads and improve wildlife habitat and cattle grazing areas on our ranch. It was tough and exhausting, but we did it with relish in order to achieve our dreams of full-time cattle ranching.”

After that, their work continued to expand, improve and care for their ranch, with their children and grandchildren playing integral roles in the process.

“Anna passed away in 2008, and now it’s just me,” he wrote. “I intend to keep on ranching and die with my boots on. At one time I would have assumed that the legacy we spent 60 years building would be passed down to my children. I now realize that federal estate tax law – the hated “death tax” – is all but designed to prevent it. The fact is: My children will owe the government so much money when I die that the ranch will die with me.”

Dow said his story and struggle are not unique. “Some 24 million American families own businesses of every kind, including some 2 million family farms and ranches, like mine,” he wrote.

You can read his insightful column here.

I was watching the 10 o'clock news tonight when one of the "headlines" caught my attention. They were talking about how a farmer that came across some medical problems in the last few weeks, ended up getting his crop harvested by a group of neighbors pooling together and working to get it done. With the 14 combines, they were able to complete the harvest in a day. The reporter made mention as to how rare it is to see such a feat.

I started thinking about that, and realized that's not exactly true. When the chips are down, the ag community pulls together frequently. The only difference is, most of the time it happens without calling in a camera crew and team of reporters to cover it. Neighbors quietly come in, finish the work and leave, without giving it a second thought.

Where else, but in the ag community, would you see such a thing happening?

I'm pretty sure that I won't be seeing any footage of a team of 30 doctors pooling together to complete a colleagues full-day schedule of physicals because one of them found out he needed by-pass surgery. No, outside of agriculture, for the most-part there are sick days built in. Days where you're still guaranteed not to lose money if you take care of yourself.

That's not the case in agriculture. If you can't get your crop harvested, you don't get paid...again, for the most-part, there is an exception to every rule. If you don't harvest a crop this year, it's pretty hard to plant one next spring, and your career as a farmer will probably end.

That's why I thank God every day that we are who we are...farmers, ranchers. We live in a place and work in a profession where neighbors take care of neighbors, knowing that the same will be done for them if ever needed. Hardships are felt not by families alone, but by the communities as a whole.

You see the work being done in the fields, on the farm, with the cattle, the sheep or any other livestock. Needs are met, the work is completed and farms are saved.

It may have made the news tonight, but I guarantee that somewhere, some place, it will happen again tomorrow.

It's finally here for some of us and coming quickly for others. It's Harvest Time - the three months for which we - corn, other grains, and cotton producers - prepare all year long.

The crop year actually starts in the winter with repairing and preparing equipment for the busy spring ahead. We also use those cold, wet, winter days to go to meetings or conferences to learn better methods of growing our crops.

Slowly, about February, the ground starts to dry, and we become anxious to being working the land. We start by making land improvements like repairing drainage ditches, leveling land, and preparing seed beds.

In April, the planters start rolling. We place the seeds at just the right depth and supply them with nutrients it takes to grow and produce. We pray for good weather and wait for the first seedling to pop up through the ground. Farmers have faith that the Lord will take care of things. We don't just plant a few seeds and wait for them to come up and then plant a few more. Most of the time, the entire crop is planted before the first plants have emerged.

Summer time comes and we watch the crops develop into their different stages. This time is spent tending to the crops every need. We scout for weeds, insects, and disease and rid the field of them if any are found. We apply nutrients when there are deficiencies. We pray that the hot summer days are not too hot, too wet, or too dry and that our crops can grow and mature.

Summertime also allows us to spend time with our families going to little league ball games or maybe even a trip to the beach!

As August approaches, we have the harvesting equipment ready and are geared up for a big crop and a busy harvest season. That day has come. Harvest time is here!

One of my favorite channels to watch on TV is The Food Network. They have some great shows and I am always interested in a new recipe, or getting a new idea on how to cook up the regular just with a new twist.

I love that on every episode the chefs will be using some kind of meat, dairy and/or grains product. I know this statement sounds too simple, because without the above mentioned, what would they cook? Without those essentials there would be no Food Network because there would be nothing to create.

It shows how important all of those key ingredients are. Fundamentals really. They are the core to our survival and existence. Protein in the form of beef, chicken, pork and lamb are good for us and it is the way nature intended. Same goes for the dairy and also the grains.

So, keep it up all you chefs out there. I love your good work. You know how important protein is to us, and thanks for all the great ways you prepare it.

Every time Paula starts her recipe with a cube of butter, or the Neely’s fry up a juicy hamburger, I am loving it. Thanks, and keep supporting the ones who grew/raised it!

Every time I sit down to write on our blog, I am hit with this wall of writer’s block. Maybe I shouldn’t say writer’s block, but this need to write something profound and uplifting about agriculture...and I've got nothing.

As I sit in my shop well into the evening on a Friday night listening to my mill run, I start to think about the bulk of it all. How I would much rather be a high school football game tonight and would prefer to not go to my farmers market tomorrow because of the holiday weekend and I have many other things that could be done. I begin to think about how there are so many other jobs out there that pay well and even at this point, pay regularly. So why don’t I go out and get one of those regular paying jobs? Why work these long hours just to end up tired and just getting by at the end of the week?

I find that I am constantly battling with staying the course or changing directions and settling for one of those stable secure jobs. Do I abandon all of my efforts to this point in the name of a paycheck? Will I be able to find a paycheck that allows me the contentment that I currently receive or will I just be doing time each day? Do I want to become one of those people who forgets that Labor Day is a day to be spent working (because why else would it fall during harvest?)?

I guess the obvious answer to all of this is that I am glutton for punishment, but the real answer is that I and my husband love providing people with a quality product. We love to hear the amazement in our customers’ voices when they found out that “we do this ourselves,” that this is our business. A small reward for us is when people ask how we find time to do it all and our response is “we just do.” We find time to make this work. We know that deep down we are doing something good and something that people are truly interested in.

As we choose to stay the course, we find that for every positive voice encouraging you, there will be twice as many nay-sayers. It sometimes feels like you can’t tell if people are happy to see you trying to make something or if they are just waiting for you to fail. This can begin to weigh down on you if you are grappling with the above mentioned questions, but you can’t let it. At least I know that I can’t let it guide my decisions. And that is the most important answer of all.

And sometimes after a good solid session of verbal bloodletting, I look back at what I have written and though it may not be profound, I know that there is someone else out there pondering these same questions. Not that I have all of the answers, but I hear that misery loves company and that maybe it can provide that person with some comfort knowing that they aren’t the only ones asking. And that maybe with that comfort, they can begin to find their own answers.

And then possibly share them with the rest of us!

November will be an exciting time in Ohio. Voters will decide whether or not to form the Ohio Livestock Care Board. This board will be composed of three family farmers, two veterinarians, a food safety expert, two members of statewide farm organizations, a representative of a local humane society, the dean of an Ohio agriculture college, and two Ohio consumers. Ten members will be appointed by the governor, one each by the House and Senate, and the chair of the Board will be the director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

These appointed people will be in charge of setting standards for the Ohio livestock industry. This board is important because the people setting the standards are active with livestock, they realize the realistic care that is needed to produce the most affordable food for not just Ohio consumers, but for consumers nationwide and worldwide. I think it would be better for Ohio to set its own standards than to have an outside group with a larger impractial agenda to set standards for us as producers.

I hope the voters in Ohio take this opportunity that has been given to them to set the standard for animal care in our state. I also hope this issue is a serious one to the voters, since they will essentially control the outcome of animal agriculture in Ohio. We hope they make an educated decision on an issue that is a main factor in the leading industry in Ohio, since Ohio is a leading producer of eggs, turkeys, and hogs.

Check out www.ohiolivestockcare.org for more information.

Today, like most Sunday’s I did chores by myself. I do this for a couple of reasons. One, I try to let the kids sleep a little later and two, I like the solitude. It is almost like a prelude to worship for me. This past week, a columnist called into question the soul of agriculture and the soul of the farmers and ranchers of this great nation. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I thought I would give you an idea of how my faith and agriculture go together.

First, I believe that God has given farmers and ranchers the duty of feeding the world. He has given all of the tools to do so. I have no problem with organic, but I feel that it is my duty to feed as many people as I can with the gifts I have been given. I believe the technology that we use on an everyday basis is a gift from God. Do you really think we could genetically modify plants or clone animals on our own. These technologies and all the others we use were given to us to feed a growing population.

Since, this land I am on is given to me by God, it is my duty to take care of it. I want to leave this land for my children and my grandchildren to feed their worlds. Therefore, I must do everything in my power to leave it in better shape than I found it. The water must be cleaner, the top soil must be deeper and the grass must be in better health than when I started.

Finally, I believe that God made all the plants and animals in this world and gave man dominion over all of it. That means he put them on this earth for our use, they are not our equal. We need to take care of their needs while we have them make sure they are comfortable, healthy and well-fed. But the bottom line is that their ultimate purpose is to be used by man, i.e. food.

This is a statement of my religious beliefs, it is why I do what I do. Again, I can only speak for myself, but most of the farmers and ranchers I know are people of deep religious faith. It is hard work in the beautiful fields and pastures we spend our days in and not believe in God. Farmers and ranchers do have souls, we care about other people, the animals in our care and our world.

Over the last week agriculture has had two very negative, very misinformed articles written about it in Time and The New York Times. So I thought I would tell you the truth about how we produce our corn on our family farm. I will take you through our year and right up to the point the corn goes to our friends who raise the hogs. From there Chris Chinn will take over and continue the tale of our corn crop.

The process of growing corn starts long before the seed goes into the ground. In the fall we take soil samples from each field. The samples are sent to a lab and the nutrients are analyzed. We then have the results of those soil tests scrutinized by a trained agronomist who provides us with a targeted, specific recommendation for that field. Those recommendations take into account the nutrients the crop will use and replenishes the soil.

We follow those recommendations and apply our fertilizer in two applications. We only apply what is recommended. The two applications is also important, this insures that the fertilizer is taken in by the soil. Fertilizer does us no good if we over apply it or if it washes out of the soil. And as you will find out later, our fertilizers are not always a man-made petroleum product.

Then it is time to plant the seed. Our seed comes from corn specially raised and developed to help us grow it more efficiently with less impact on the environment. Over many years highly trained scientists have helped develop corn hybrids that require less fertilizer, herbicide and water.

Many of us plant our corn utilizing a method of planting called no-till. That means exactly what it sounds like. We do not till our soil, but instead we plant directly into the residue (stalks) from last year’s crop. This helps keep our precious top soil on our fields and not in the rivers and streams that run through our farm. It also improves the soil quality and lessens the need for fertilizer and herbicides.

Soon the corn starts to sprout and we spend many days walking through the fields watching for unwanted weeds and insects. We often consult with trained agronomists (someone trained in the production of crops). When it is determined that herbicide is needed for weeds or insecticide is need for insects, we only apply the minimum amount needed. The person spraying must be licensed by the state department of agriculture. We adhere to strict restrictions on the use of these pesticides.

Finally it is time for harvest. We harvest the corn in the most efficient manner we can. We make sure the grain is dry enough that it can be stored with a minimum amount of drying in the storage bin. Drying the grain takes energy and we are very mindful of that. We also make sure the soil is dry so that we do not compact it. The soil must have air pockets in it to allow for root growth. Then we haul the crop to grain storage facilities were it is used by our fellow food producers to raise their livestock, ethanol producers for fuel or it may be made into food for you.

As you can see we utilize the advances in technology, not only to produce more corn, but to preserve our precious natural resources and insure that the world we live in has a safe, healthy environment. Those advances require a team of the brightest researchers at our universities, private companies with cutting edge technology and our farmers and ranchers, many of whom have advanced degrees and all of whom care for their farms, their neighborhoods and their world. Now I will hand this story off to my good friend Chris, who’s family takes that corn and turns it into protein.

Before we purchase any corn, we test every load for quality, moisture content and aflatoxins. We want to ensure that the corn is dry so it doesn't encourage fungus growth. This is another reason corn farmer's work hard to harvest their corn at the right time, hog farmers do not feed high moisture corn to their livestock. We also make sure the aflatoxin (naturally occurring mycotoxin produced by a fungus in grain) is within an acceptable level for our hogs to eat.

Once we verify the corn is of good quality, we grind it to a specific particle size, generally between 600 - 680 microns. Once the corn is ground to specifications, we have a swine nutritionist who designs our diets with the hog's well-being as the top priority. We blend the corn with soybean meal, vitamins and minerals to ensure our hogs are receiving adequate nutrition to provide safe food for your family. For each stage of a hog's life, we have different feed rations to meet their nutritional needs. We closely monitor how many pounds of each ration a hog gets to ensure they are not over fed or under fed. This close monitoring enables us to see how our hogs are eating, and if there is a problem, we know it immediately and with the help of a nutritionist or our veterinarian, we can head off problems before they start normally. But the life of that kernel of corn doesn't end here.

The manure from our hogs is used as natural fertilizer to enrich the soil which then produces corn or soybeans. We test our manure to determine its fertilizer value. Once this is known, we test the soil as Glenn mentioned to determine the needs of the soil. We then apply the fertilizer at the appropriate rates to once again grow a bountiful crop to help feed the world.

With this the cycle will start all over again. I hope from this you will be able to see how farmers apply the latest technology available to them to not only grow the abundant food we all rely on but to protect the environment at the same time.

The New York Times ran an Op-Ed piece titled “Food for the Soul” (Aug. 22) which misrepresents agriculture today. Being a 5th generation family farmer, I have first-hand, present-day knowledge of how a farm works. I farm because I love what I do, I love caring for my livestock, my land and providing safe food for my family, and your family.

Modern technology empowers farmers to better protect our environment and livestock so the next generation will be able to live off the land. Our goal is to leave our farm in better shape than we received it. Our farm is the lifeline of our family, and our nation. American farmers use technology on their farms to feed a growing population, we are an important part of solving hunger in our world today, and we take that responsibility seriously. Farming is a labor of love, no matter what size your farm is. Not only are our souls embedded in our farms, so are our hearts.

We don’t pollute the environment; we drink the same water and breathe the same air as our neighbors. We are the people who go out in the middle of the night to check on a cow giving birth. We are the people who miss our children’s school play because there is a sow that needs our help to give birth. We are the people who miss our son’s little league game because there is a rain coming and the hay needs to be baled. On Christmas morning, our livestock are fed before our children open presents. Are these the acts of people with no souls? Our spirit embodies and our families personify the livelihood the New York Times Op-Ed brands as soul-less.

Farming today doesn’t look like it did 40 years ago when Mr. Kristof, author of the Op-Ed piece, was growing up. An important reason for this is because each American farmer is feeding more people today than we did 40 years ago – 155 compared to 73 – and we are doing it on less land. If agriculture is forced to downgrade to practices of 40 years ago, who will decide the 73 people who are allowed to eat and the 82 who are not. Only after a body is fed, can a soul flourish.

Feeding people is my business. It is my calling. It is my belief. The soul of my modern family farm, like many others across our nation, is renewed every day by each ounce of passion, energy and commitment I pour into producing food for our hungry and growing world.

The Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher committee that Mark and I serve on has some of the nation's finest ag producers serving on it. Everyone brings something unique to the table, and it makes for a very diverse, yet highly talented group. It's amazing that an organization can bring together all these different backgrounds and experiences and meld them into one solid committee that can tackle anything that comes its way.

That seems to be the challenge for agriculture as a whole. We see different aspects of ag being attacked, and if it isn't something we're familiar with or well-versed in, we step back. We can't do that anymore. We need to step forward and come together if we want to make it as an industry, just as we do on the committee.

Throughout my experiences on Facebook, Twitter and blogging, I've come to realize that you only get one shot at trying to change someone's preconceived notions. If you're not prepared with a quick response (a "sound bite," if you may), you will lose your opportunity.

Now, I'm not saying that everyone needs to have textbooks and websites in front of them, ready to go into a battle of words with anyone who says something negative about agriculture, but we can no longer afford to just let those moments pass us by. When there are articles in the paper or online or in a magazine that are incorrect, we must let them know what IS correct...when there is a museum display that has misinformation, we must strive to try to correct those inaccuracies.

No matter what you feel your role in agriculture is, whether it be a crop producer, a livestock producer, and/or a consumer of all, we must come together and show those that would like to see the industry fall just how strong we are.

I am blessed to be on a committee that has given me the tools and the confidence to be prepared to take on such responsibility...but you don't need media training and endless resources to start the battle at home. Start with your local papers, your local stations, your local schools...make sure that THEY have the story right. Be open to visit with local reporters when they have questions, let your schools know that you're willing to come and answer questions for the students, write letters to your editor.

Agriculture is facing a new opponent. One that has not only seemingly endless monetary resources, but has a vast network of people out there spreading their version of the "facts." It's not going to be an easy task to take on, but as I've learned through life, together we can make it happen. We've been stepping back for long enough, it's time to step up.

The “dirty dozen” is just as safe and nutritious as their organic counterparts.

As many of you may have seen last week in the news there seems to be this misconception surrounding the “dirty dozen” (the 12 fruits and vegetable considered by some to contain the highest levels of pesticide residue) and pesticide usage on fresh fruits and vegetables. Let me assure you that conventional growing methods produce fruits and vegetables that are as safe, if not safer, and as nutritious, and wholesome as those produced otherwise.

Per the Florida Department of Agriculture, domestic produce are “tested for as many as 150 different chemical residues. Approximately 50 percent of the food samples analyzed did not contain ANY detectable pesticide residues. The majority of detected residues are below established tolerances and guidelines” set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Our methods of testing have gotten so sophisticated that we are able to test to limits as small as parts per billion (ppb). To put that into perspective that’s 1 drop of chemical to 13, 209 gallons of water or 1 second in 31.7 years, and if residue is detected at all, even ppb, it is considered “trace” amounts.

To fully understand the conventional methods of growing, one needs to understand the chemicals in use today. The chemicals used today are far more superior to those of even 5 to 10 years ago. They are much more efficient, environmentally friendly, safer for human handling, and are very insect/target-specific, thus minimizing the amount of chemical required. For example, a chemical commonly used in conventional growing today is Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt). Bt’s are soil-dwelling bacterium, commonly used in chemicals and are considered environmentally friendly and human and wildlife safe(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis).

A number of the chemicals used in conventional growing today are certified as organic chemicals as well. There are two terms very familiar to all farmers, both conventional and organic: Re-entry Interval (REI) and Pre-harvest Interval (PHI).

Re-entry Interval is defined to be the amount of time from when the chemical is applied to when workers are able to re-enter the field to continue work. This allotted time is determined to ensure the complete safety of the worker. Pre-harvest interval is the amount of time from when the chemical is applied to when the product is legally able to be harvested and consumed. This time period is to ensure the safety of the consumer. Once the PHI has expired the product is safe to consume.

Many of the products used today have re-entry intervals of a couple hours and pre-harvest intervals of zero (0) to one (1) day; this as the result of engineering very short half-life chemicals making them safer and more environmentally friendly. These time periods are determined through extensive tests ensuring the safe handling and consumption of the produce as determined by the EPA and the manufacturer. The factors that determine the longevity of the chemical are driven mainly by UV light and weather. The hotter the day, the higher the UV intensity, the quicker the structure of the chemical is broken down or in the case of precipitation, the more rain the chemical is exposed to the quicker the chemical is broken down.

Rest assured, however, all factors are taken into consideration, in additional to a safety buffer, by the EPA and the manufacturer to ensure the safeness of the domestic food supply. As mentioned earlier, once the PHI has expired the product is safe to consume, but keep in mind that many of you do not receive your produce at the moment the PHI expires.

Once the PHI has elapsed, the product is harvested, shipped to the packinghouse, cooled from ambient temperature to ideal storage temperature, placed on a mode of transportation for shipping, and a day or two later it is found in your grocery store where you purchase it and use it that night or days later.

The point being made here is that there are hours, if not days, in between when the product is safe and ready to consume to when the product is actually consumed. In addition, please remember no matter what the method of growing, I would encourage everyone to make it a habit to wash your fruits and vegetables to ensure cleanliness of any contaminate that may have been introduced in the many intermediate handling steps, such as the grocery store or in shipping, prior to consumption.

To really put things into perspective, approximately 1 percent of all imported food is inspected at the more than 300 ports of entry into the United States. I’ll leave you with one final thought, “Are imported foods from other countries held to the same food safety and growing standards as those produced here in the United States?" Keep in mind, approximately 1 percent of the imported food is inspected at ports of entry.

Fall is in the air, we had our first frost, and teams are running through practice getting ready to kick off their football seasons. In Philadelphia, the Eagles have a new member, Michael Vick.

I enjoyed watching him play at Virginia Tech and at the Atlanta Falcons. I love a “running” quarterback who can get outside the pocket and make a play with his legs. Michael Vick was an impressive player and I hope he can become the player he once was.

People might think, this is an agriculture blog, not a football blog. That is true. But, what Michael Vick did next affects me and all my fellow agriculturists.

This man paid his debt to society. He is rehabilitated and ready to get his life back on track. I commend him for this and wish him all the best. What worries me is his new “partnership” with the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States). I continue to be amazed by the number of people who think the HSUS is the “puppies and kitties shelter” organization. Looking at their opening web page you see a cute kitty and a young boy petting a dog. What you don’t see is this organization’s agenda to make this a meat free society. “Reduce, Refine, Replace” are the three R’s they profess as a method to transition a person into a vegetarian diet.

So, Michael...I hate to see you being the HSUS fundraising piñata that Wayne Pacelle is hitting and hitting hard. Contributing and giving back to your community is great and admirable, but learn more about your causes before you saddle up with them.

After all, football fans, just like me, appreciate those hard working farmers/ranchers who supply our country with nutritious, healthy, safe, and delicious meat products. Football fans love their hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza. Mike, what you’re doing is mighty counterproductive.

Sunday on Twitter farmers and farm supporters spent the day educating the public about #oink. The goal of #oink is to inform people that pork is safe to eat, and to encourage the media to use the correct term for the flu, H1N1. Farmers drove home the message that pork does not cause H1N1, and that you can't get sick from eating pork.

Nearly 2,300 people sent 8,950 Tweets with the hastag #oink during the initial H1N1 “Leave the pigs out of it!” push on Sunday. When you consider how popular “re-tweeting” (forwarding messages with attribution) is on Twitter it’s clear the compounded outreach of this effort to the non-farming public was tremendous.

On behalf of farmers across the United States, thank you for helping make #oink a trending topic on Sunday. Please continue to add #oink to your tweets so people will remember to "Leave the pigs out of it!"

Call it H1N1, please!

Call it H1N1, please. The last week of April 2009 will be a week hog farmers will never forget. The week changed our lives and not in a positive way.

The last week of April is when the H1N1 flu outbreak became news. Most media outlets tagged an inappropriate name to the flu virus. The unintended consequence of calling H1N1 the informal name “swine flu,” has been devastating to all farms that raise hogs, including my family farm.

Because of the unfortunate name choice, exports of U.S. pork have dropped, eliminating a key market rally that is typically seen each summer. This summer’s rally was especially crucial; hog farmers have lost money since September 2007. In fact, hog farmers have lost more than half of their accumulated equity since September 2007. Hog farmers desperately needed a summer rally to return profit to our farms. The other name for H1N1 stole this from us.

Call it H1N1, please. There are many important facts about H1N1 that help set the record straight – a matter especially important now that H1N1 is once again rearing its ugly head and the unfortunate moniker is creeping back into the news media.

The H1N1 flu virus is not in pork. H1N1 influenza is not a food-borne illness. The safety of pork and pork products has been affirmed by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has said that U.S. pork is safe to eat. His statement is supported by recent research conducted by the National Animal Disease Center and international researchers.
Influenza is a respiratory disease and the virus is not found in the blood or meat of healthy pigs or in pigs that have recovered from the illness. Of course, sick pigs are never allowed to enter the food supply. Hog farmers have protocols established for caring for animals that develop illness. Ill pigs are not sent to market. Just like humans, pigs can get ill, but like humans, they recover.

Call it H1N1, please. My family consumes the same food as other Americans. I want to ensure my family has a safe food supply that is raised in the United States. The best way to help ensure the safety and security of our domestic food supply is to support the U.S. hog industry. Buy and enjoy U.S. pork and encourage your lawmakers to support trade agreements to open export markets. U.S. pork is safe and nutritious, and hog farming contributes needed jobs in the United States.

So, do your country and U.S. hog farmers a favor – call it H1N1, please.

Remind the news outlets you rely on for timely and accurate information – it’s H1N1. Together, we will beat this bug, and with your support, U.S. hog farmers will survive until our markets turn around. Eat pork, and call it H1N1, please.

This past week I was privileged to return to my county fair and judge the senior swine division of the round robin showmanship contest. It brought back many fond memories of my childhood, and left my Mom and I reminiscing.

It was great to see the kids show all the different animals and see their knowledge of the species. It is awesome to see our youth excited and energized about Agriculture. Both 4-H & FFA teach our youth important and priceless life skills. I am a few years removed from these programs, but, still remember the lessons learned. Kids learn at a young age the importance of responsibility and chores. They are solely responsible for the care of that animal project. Each morning and evening they have to feed, water, and care for that animal. They learn bookkeeping skills and to make wise financial decisions. Children also learn about the purpose of their animal, for food. I always enjoyed understanding what it took to produce the best market hog for the dinner table.

So, I congratulate all participants at my county fair on a job well done. I also encourage all to attend our state fair this week. Go out and see these fine youth exhibit their animals. Ask them about their projects. These are the people who will be feeding America for many years to come.

This weekend the South Dakota Young Farmer and Rancher Committee is hosting a weekend on the Missouri River. We will be camping below Oahe Dam, one of the largest earthen dams on the planet.

It's a great chance for young producers to take a short break from the daily grind and bring their families out for some fun on the water. There will be a pontoon boat for us all to enjoy along with plenty of food. After a great day on the river we will be finishing the evening with pitchfork fondue and smores on the campfire.

In Farm Bureau we spend a lot of time working on very serious issues that affect America's farmers and ranchers and our ability to produce food in this country. But there is another important aspect to this organization, and that is the relationships we build with other people in our profession. It's that common bond of agriculture that helps us build friendships with people from all over the country. That aspect of our organization needs to be celebrated too, and that is exactly what this weekend will be about for the young farmers and ranchers of South Dakota.

Have a great weekend! I know we will!

Our county fair kicked off on Wednesday with a great farm/city breakfast, as it does every year. The Niagara County Fair is a Youth Fair that focuses on the members of the local 4-H program and their projects and accomplishments (being a youth show, the exhibitors are aged 8 to 18). Both my husband and I have participated in this fair for many years, in fact Jim is still an active volunteer leader for the Livestock Judging competition.

Friday night, the Niagara County Fair will have its annual Livestock Auction where the youngsters will auction off their prized animals. All animals are measured, weighed in, and have to earn a blue (first place) or red (second place) ribbon in their respective auction classes in their species show during the fair to be entered. This is a grand tradition at the fair and is exciting for not only the participants, but also the spectators and buyers, as well. We sell beef steers, market lambs, hogs, and meat goats. There are only a limited number of “spots” in the sale for each species.

Yesterday, exhibitors had an opportunity to show their animals in the pig show. The youth are responsible for purchasing, caring for, grooming, and showing the animals for themselves (of course some have a little help from their families). Most of the children who participate come from families that we know very well. We have witnessed these kids put many hours into getting ready for the big day of the show. An independent judge from another county was brought in to officiate the show. During the auction class, six of the twenty-two entries received a white ribbon. In giving out white ribbons to these six animals, they are now ineligible for participation in the auction on Friday.

I am no pig judging expert, so I can’t say why the judge made the decisions that he did. But, I can say, after looking at the animals, that none were malnourished or “damaged” or unfit for sale/consumption.

So, does every child deserve a blue ribbon? Will those who got the white ribbons try harder next year? Will they decide to show again? We didn’t hear any complaints from parents or from the breed leader or the participants themselves. This is the first time, in all of the years that I can remember, that an animal in an auction class received a white ribbon.

Last Sunday was kind of a bittersweet day for our family. It was the last day of the County Fair and the final event was the livestock sale. The fair and ultimately the sale were something my kids had been preparing for all year, but it still was not easy.

My kids sold a steer (male beef animal) and a wether (male sheep). Both animals came from our farm and they were extremely proud of them, but that did not make selling them any easier. Throughout the year we talked about the purpose of animals and why we raised them and ultimately what would happen to them. That is what made Sunday bittersweet. It was the culmination and celebration of a lot of hard work, but it was also the end of the road for an animal that you spent a lot of time with. However, that is what makes the 4-H experience so valuable.

Each morning my kids would get up early and go care for their animals and see that their needs were met before they did anything else. The kids learned that we must keep our animals healthy and comfortable even knowing that ultimately their purpose was for food. They learned the importance of feeding a balanced ration, the critical nature of fresh water, keeping an animal cool in summer heat and warm in the cold of winter. However, most importantly they learned about the balance of life and the difference between humans, pets and livestock.

That is a line I think we as a society have made blurry. The humanization of animals have caused a whole generation of people to be confused as to why we raise livestock. Pigs don’t talk or have human-like thoughts like Wilbur. They are animals who should be cared for but they are only animals. Don’t get me wrong, we care for our livestock like we care for our pets and most of the time we take better care of livestock than we do ourselves. However, we know their purpose on this earth is for food and when the time for that comes we are proud of the wholesome product we raised.

Have pride in your profession, take good care of the livestock intrusted to you and be very proud of the fact that you feed the world. That is the lesson my kids learned on Sunday.

My wife Stacy and I were in Chicago this past week attending a Young Farmers and Ranchers committee meeting. We went in a day early so that we could see some of the sights in town. Only one other time had we been to the Windy City, but on that first trip we visited the Chicago Field Museum. I really enjoy visiting museums and so we decided that was going to be the first stop of the day. The other reason that we liked this place is because it houses one of South Dakota’s most famous and oldest residents. Sue the T. Rex is one of the most complete dinosaurs of her type that has ever been discovered. She was found about 80 miles northeast of where we live so we always figure that she wouldn’t mind having some visitors from back home.

The museum regularly features some traveling exhibits and one of them right now is an exhibit about water. So we bought our tickets and that was our first stop. Part way through the exhibit it talks about water usage for agriculture. Some of it was worded a little strange but nothing totally out of line. But then I came across a display that was hard not to notice. The title on the display board was “The Thirstiest Crop of All…Beef.”

I stood there stunned at what I was reading. There was plenty of misinformation being touted as the truth at a very respected museum. Among the many claims were things like it takes 1800 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef, it talks about grain feeding our cows, and that industrial beef waste easily spills and pollutes ground and surface water. Of course the answer to all of these problems is to grass feed cattle.

As I was trying to soak this all in, a family walks by with two teenage girls. One of the girls mentioned to her parents that this is why she doesn’t eat beef. Hearing something like that, I jumped at the chance to tell them the truth about beef production. Unfortunately, they walked away from me without giving me a chance to hear my story, but the next several people that stopped by know a lot more about beef production now. After talking to several visitors about why this exhibit was wrong, I decided that I needed to talk to a museum official about this issue. Come to find out, that’s harder than it should be.

Everyone that works on the floor of the museum is a volunteer. And to boot, none of them could offer me anything other than filling out a comment card. There was a phone number on their brochure that I finally called. When answered they run you through a maze of options, but none of them was one that I needed. I wanted to speak to a real person. Well, one of the options was to push 3 if you want to make a donation. I know that money talks, so I figured when that button gets pushed it gets somebody’s attention. And it did. They transferred me to guest relations where all I could do was leave a message.

I didn’t hear back from them until after we returned home. I actually visited with a very nice lady who explained to me that the exhibit originates from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. After listening to all of my concerns she seemed eager to take my case to the next level. She sent an email to her contact at the musem in New York and they are looking into it. However, she feels that it would help if they actually heard from me directly. This exhibit is scheduled to travel around North America for at least the next year. So there is still plenty of time to get this corrected. But I am sure that they are going to need to hear from more people than just me.

Follow this link to see exactly what the exhibit says about beef production.

Here is the address of the Director and museum in New York that is in charge of this exhibit.

Ray Salva
Director, Traveling Programs and International Partnerships
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th St.
New York, NY 10024 – 5192

He can also be contacted through email salva@amnh.org.

I have no doubt that we can get this changed, but it will take a group effort as usual. I know that everyone is busy but we must always ask ourselves if we can afford not to act.

For roughly 8 hours this past Sunday afternoon, #moo was trending on Twitter, a popular micro-blogging website. For the non-tweeting among us, that means that the phrase "#moo" was repeated so often in people's Twitter posts that the system took notice.

The term itself was intended as a show of support for America's dairy farm families while they try to survive this current cycle of prolonged and painfully low milk prices. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of many within the online agricultural community, with Ohio grain and cattle farmer Mike Haley (@FarmerHaley) and California dairyman Ray Prock (@RayLinDairy) leading the charge,#moo began to catch the interest of Twitter users from all walks of life. Over time the momentum built and #moo was popping up all over the system. By Sunday evening, more than 3,000 different users had combined to use the term over 6,000 times that day, with #moo climbing as high as the 4th most talked about topic on Twitter at one point.

So what does this mean? I wish I could say it was going to trigger a significant spike in sales of dairy products, but that's not likely to happen. That really wasn't the point, anyway. From my vantage point, I see two big positives that came from #moo's big day.

First and foremost, people who may have never given a passing thought to where their dairy products come from were given the invitation to learn more. The term's popularity on Twitter was sustained in large part because people asked what it meant, and many ag-types were quick to tell the story behind #moo. In essence, consumers were invited to engage in conversation about food production directly with the people who produce it. How many will take advantage of this is yet to be seen, but I dare say a couple of thousand people now know for the first time that there are producers willing and available to talk with them about food and agriculture via this format.

The second big accomplishment in my mind is really an extension of the first...the success of #moo validates the use of social media by agriculturalists. While websites such as Twitter and Facebook can never match the effectiveness of our proactive, personal engagement of people in conversations about our operations and values, they do give us a forum in which we can reach a wide and culturally varied audience. Social media and blogs give us the opportunity to quickly talk about our farms and ranches between chores or from the comfort of our home office,and they also give us access to people who live in places we may never have the time or means to travel to.

Thanks to #moo's big day on Twitter, I know that there are a lot more people aware of what I do this morning as opposed to yesterday morning. That gives me more of an opportunity, or maybe even more of a responsibility, to continue to speak about life on the farm and our commitment to care for our cows, our land, and our consumers. I encourage everyone in agriculture to stand up and speak out, both in the real world and the online world, because we each have a great story to tell.

And who knows, maybe one day soon the Twitterverse will be #oink -ing or #cluck -ing!

Interested in learning more about #moo? Start following Will Gilmer (@GilmerDairy), Mike Haley (@FarmerHaley) and Ray Prock (@RayLinDairy) on Twitter (twitter.com) today.

Today my family had the awesome opportunity to give a tour of our family farm to one of the candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives' seat for our congressional district. We normally do not give tours of our family farm due to biosecurity issues, but we felt this was an opportunity to tell our story that we could not pass up.

Our current congressman has been in office for many years and has often been a friend of Farm Bureau and agriculture in regards to his voting record on policies affecting agriculture; however, over the past few years he has started attending many HSUS events due to his adult granddaughter's love of horses. Needless to say this is just one reason why we would be excited to have some new blood in DC representing us. Currently, several individuals have thrown their names into the hat to run against him in the primary in May 2010. Fortunately, we have had the opportunity to get to know one of these candidates.

The candidate we have had the pleasure of meeting grew up in a rural community and lives in a rural community to this day, but he doesn't have a huge ag background. I decided it was up to us to help give him one. Today, we were able to take him on a tour of our hog facilities and explain each step of production and the who, what, and why of what we do every day on our farm.

My husband and I have voted in every possible election since we turned 18, but we have never really had the opportunity to get to know a candidate on a personal level especially one running for the U.S. Congress. I don't know what the outcome of the upcoming election will be, but I think the hour we spent with him today was time well spent.

We always talk about the importance of telling our story, but sometimes, we need to take it to the next level and invite people to the farm to truly help them understand, especially those that will possibly be able to have a hand in writing future government policies that impact agriculture.

What a great day we had spending an hour with a candidate for the U.S. Congress telling our family story and educating him about agriculture!

As summer was quickly winding down for this scool-based speech pathologist, my husband thought it would be necessary to spend a day at the cow sale. I thought it would be simple. We would load the cows up (if we have any to go) around 11, drop them off at the stockyard, head over to the "Steak House" for a great lunch, then back to the sale. Not this time! Of course everybody wanted to go to the cow sale one more time before school started back!

It started very EARLY Tuesday morning around 6:30 (need I remind you that this is my SUMMER!) we headed out to gather a pair (cow and calf) to go to the sale. As usual when on a farm something else always comes up. Leighton decided to spray the cows with fly spray since we had them all in the corral. Why this couldn't wait, I don't know. Time got away and 9:00 rolled around. We headed home to get dressed for Leighton to go to a local school to give a motivational spill to all the returning teachers at 10:00 (I work in a neighboring county). We made it and he did a wonderful job! We headed back home to change clothes again for the cow sale. By this time we had a few more "buyers" wanting to tag along. Leighton's nephew Judd-4, cousin Michael-9, and cousin Kade- almost 2. My nephew Taylor also wanted to tag along, but there was no more room in the truck. We rounded the kids up and headed back to the farm where the cows we penned were waiting patiently. On the way we stopped to pick up Pa, Leighton's grandaddy. He informed us that the local market was off and we didn't need to sale any cows. With Pa being one of the smartest "buyers" and "sellers" I know, we took his advice. Nobody likes giving cows away. By this time it was 12:00 and we were running a little late, but that was okay because we usually were.

With a full truck and empty trailer we headed for the sale. Luckily, we were still able to make it to the Steak House. After all, that is one of the major perks of going to the cow sale. Arriving at the cow sale right on time, Pa sat right down front in his regular chair. Only this time he had 4 grandson's hanging all over him asking if he was "going to by that cow?". While sitting back a couple of rows, it was interesting watching how much they all favored in their mannerisms. Of course the 2 year old found that going up and down the stairs was way more interesting after the first 5 cows went through the ring. Michael and Judd eventually slipped off to the nice lady that works in the office to find her stash of suckers.

Finally, it was time to head back home. Once again we had to round up the kids and load up the cows Pa bought. What started out as a good plan moved into a hectic morning, but finished as a fun-filled day at the cow sale. Life as a farmer doesn't always go just as planned, but we are often given the opportunity for great memories.

The epidemiological study that came out two years ago and declared that there was "convincing" evidence to link consuming red meat with cancer, specifically colorectal cancer, was flawed, and now, the author of the report has admitted it and has promised to write a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture saying so. To learn more, click here.

This is news that probably won't make it to the major networks but farmers & ranchers need these networks to begin telling the real story. Our story is a great story, and a story only we can tell.

This week I have read some crazy headlines in the media. They range from neighbors suing each other over livestock odors to an activist group wanting to put a warning label on hot dogs claiming processed meats contain nitrates/nitrites which may cause cancer. But it doesn’t stop with a warning label; they want to sue the makers of hot dogs as well. Where has common sense gone in this country? It seems society is more concerned about suing people than feeding a growing population.

Our bodies create nitrates, and green leafy vegetables have more nitrates than processed meat products. Spinach has 85 times more nitrates than a hot dog. If we allow warning labels to be attached to hot dogs, will we also have warning labels on our vegetables as well? Where does it stop?

Suing neighbors over livestock odors is something our founding fathers would have probably laughed at. If livestock were being housed in an urban area, I can understand people being upset. Livestock barns are built in the country though, where livestock are supposed to be raised. If you move to the country, whether it was 30 years ago or last week, you should expect to smell the country air, which includes the odors created by livestock. Today, thanks to technology, farmers are housing their animals in climate controlled barns to protect their livestock from the elements of the weather, disease and predator attacks. Because of these barns, farmers are able to manage the manure and recycle it as fertilizer to protect our environment better than ever before.

Every time a farmer or rancher is sued, not only do we jeopardize our food security, but we also increase the cost of food for every American. These frivolous lawsuits cost each of us, even if you are a vegetarian. As I sit and read these headlines, I can’t help but wonder who stole common sense from America? I also wonder what our founding fathers would think about farmers being sued for feeding an ever growing population.

I have just spent the last five days with some of the best Young Farmers and Ranchers that I know at the American Farm Bureau's Young Farmers and Ranchers Summer Committee Meeting. I have the great pleasure of chairing this group. As a first generation farmer, I enjoy the opportunity to learn from the other members of the committee and how they run their operations. I believe that this is true for all Young Farmers and Ranchers across the country, we all enjoy the opportunity to share and learn from one another. The committee participated in many great events these past few days. Those events ranged from touring the Case Tractor Plant in Racine, Wisconsin to going though Media training exercises. Somebody once asked why I am involved in Farm Bureau and the Young Farmers and Ranchers Program, and my answer was simple “PEOPLE”.

- Farm Bureau is committed to making sure agriculture is able to Feed the people of this great country through modern agricultural practices.
- Farm Bureau brings the people of agriculture, young and old, together to network and learn from one another.
- Farm Bureau trains leaders to lead agriculture into the future
- Farm Bureau educates people about agriculture and where their food comes from.

That is way I am involved in agriculture, Young Farmers and Ranchers and Farm Bureau. “PEOPLE”.

Today the national YF&R committe had the opportunity to visit with a strong supporter and sponsor of the YF&R program, Case IH. We were able to tour their Magnum factory in Racine, Wisconsin and then had lunch at their corporate headquarters and interacted with several colleagues from their marketing and sales teams. What impressed me the most was that they kept thanking us for making the time to spend our day with them. The truth is we were thanking them for all they do for the YF&R program. On the national level, Case IH sponsors prizes for the national finalists in the Achievement Award and sponsors a luncheon at our National YF&R Leadership Conference. We are very lucky to have supporters and sponsors of the YF&R program like Case IH. Without them, our program would just not be the same.

Please be sure to take every opportunity you have to thank those that support our YF&R programs on the local, state, and national levels. They are very critical to our future and success.

Saturday night we were planning to have a quiet evening on the farm. We were going to barbeque pork chops and have a picnic with the kids on the patio. Little did we know our livestock had other plans for us.

One of our heifers decided it was time to deliver her first calf a month early. Kevin called to tell me not to fix dinner and to come to the pasture as soon as I could with a few supplies he needed because it appeared the heifer was having difficulties giving birth. The kids were already starving, and were less than thrilled to learn dinner was not going to be ready anytime soon.

When we arrived to the pasture, the heifer was very nervous and was not fond of anyone or anything being near her. Kevin carefully moved her to a corral so we could separate her from the other cattle. The heifer kicked at us several times and our kids decided at this point they would watch from the other side of the fence. They also decided Kevin needed more help than just me, so they ran to find Grandpa.

Kevin and his father assisted the heifer in giving birth to her calf. Once the calf was delivered, the once nervous heifer instantly became calm and nurturing to the calf. Even though I have witnessed livestock give birth thousands of times, it is still amazing to witness the miracle of a life being born. Our kids were also fascinated by what they were seeing even though hours before they were starving and couldn’t wait to eat. Their eyes were glued to the scene before them and they were very anxious to help with the heifer and calf.

Hours after we had planned, our family gathered around the kitchen table instead of the picnic table, and we enjoyed a frozen pizza instead of porkchops. Even though we didn’t get to have our picnic, the kids agreed it was the best family night we have had in a long time. They learned a valuable lesson that night about living on a farm; it was that our livestock’s comfort and care comes before our own. "Even if you have a starving stomach," as Conner says! They also were reminded that livestock are still animals, and even though they can be calm and gentle, they can also be aggressive and wild.

Recently I had a friend ask me why I was so upset about the misnaming of H1N1 as the “swine flu”. Well recently the reason has become painfully clear. In the past couple of months and really the past couple of weeks three family farms in my county have decided to quit raising hogs and they are just the three I have heard about. All three are good, hard-working family farms, two of the three have been on the same farm for five or more generations and currently have three generations employed on the farm. This is a trend I fear is only going to increase.

Earlier today I posted an article published in the Kansas Farmer and written by Rhonda McCurry about one of the farms and this weekend I had the chance to talk to my neighbor who owns the other farm. My neighbor told me that the economics of hog farming had made it necessary to liquidate their pigs. I am sure it was more than just the H1N1 scare that caused this, but I am just as sure it was the last nail in the coffin. The term “swine flu” unnecessarily scared consumers and caused pork consumption to fall and along with it the pay my friends receive for their hard work.

The National Pork Board, the American Farm Bureau and individual producers put together a great educational campaign aimed at alleviating those unfounded fears. However, many media outlets continued to use incorrect information and caused damage to family farmers like my friends (I do want to make sure FOX is complimented on their coverage, their stories refer to the virus as H1N1).

I work and live with these families and I can tell you they are good, hard-working family farmers who pay taxes, live modestly and are active in their communities. Did they ask for help like the auto industry. No. Did they pay themselves big bonuses and live above their means. No. Was any of this their fault. No. That is what makes this so painful.

Why should the loss of three farms be so alarming? Agriculture is the backbone of the U.S. economy. Less than 2% of our population is involved in the production of our food and fiber and that means even the smallest loss can lead to the erosion of our sustain ability. We do great things because we do not have shortages of food. In the words of my friend Ben Boyd, “If you like being dependant on foreign oil, you’re going to love being dependant on foreign food”.

We all need to include pork on our menus to help our hog farmers through this tough stretch. But the bigger issue is that we need to support our agricultural community and be sensitive to attacks, intentional and unintentional, that cause damage to the system that provides our food and fiber.

Today I had the opportunity to share my part of the world with four students from Kansas State. Three of them were from out of state. They were part of a team counting pollen in pond sludge. Yes, I said counting pollen in pond sludge, and you thought you had a bad summer job. But that is not what I want to tell you about.

The pond I took them to was on the land my family had homesteaded. I told them about how it had been in our family for five generations and I pointed out the ruts from the Oregon Trail. They were amazed that a single family would own a piece of property for over 100 years. They also marveled how well cared for the land was.

I explained to them that the land was part of my heritage and I was very proud of that heritage. My family had taken care of it and the land had provided a living for them since the 1880s. I shared that I know every part of that little piece of the Flint Hills like I know my family tree and it is just as big a part of who I am.

It is really hard for those of us in agriculture to explain to other people how deeply we care for our land. Just as the generations before us, we use the latest technology to not only produce more food but to also take better care of that land. I would guess it is the hope of every generation to preserve that land and that heritage for the next generation.

I suspect I am no different than any other farm kid. Too often a distorted view of agriculture is presented. We are portrayed to use science to squeeze every drop of production out of abused land to make money. I hope that these four students left with a better idea and more appreciation for agriculture. I wish more people would get the opportunity these college students had to learn about farmers and ranchers love of the land and the great care they take of it. I can’t speak for everyone in agriculture but I would like to extend the same opportunity to everyone reading this, just contact me and I would be happy to spend the day with you on my family’s farm.

I just got finished watching the Corn Education on The Modern Marvels Program seen on the History Channel. This is the second time I have seen this program and it is so interesting! I cannot believe how much we depend on corn. So much of what we use every day comes from corn.

I find it amazing that scientists have been able to take a piece of corn and turn it into so many different useable things! We have everything from various foods, to fuel, to household products, to medications, the list goes on.

I can't imagine what our lives would be like without the development of corn. We need this crop to survive! My favorite - high fructose corn syrup. It's in all the foods that I love to eat!

Anyway if you see this airing sometime on the History Channel, take a minute and watch it, it's well worth your time!

I Farm. You Eat.

Is it really that simple? It should be this simple. We are lucky to live in a country where a very small percentage of the country has chosen to be American Farmers so that everyone in this country and the world can eat. Yet, it seems that since this country is full of people that have truly never experienced hunger or a food shortage that the American Farmer and what they provide has been taken for granted.

Worse than being taken for granted, there are groups out there that think they know more about how our livestock and crops should be raised than those of us that make a living from it. Somehow the image of the modern farmer does not resonate with the general public. It appears that the general public wants every part of our lives to evolve and embrace technology except for agriculture.

Well if we want to continue to eat we need to embrace technology and the knowledge of today's farmer and put our trust in them. We can not farm like we did 50 years ago and still feed the people of this country and world.

The American Farmer truly knows best when in comes to taking care of their livestock and crops and they do all of this so that they can provide food for the masses and I for one am thankful that I am part of a fifth generation farm family that farms so that WE CAN ALL EAT!

So as you have a fun-filled cookout this weekend with your family and friends to celebrate this wonderful country, please be sure to thank the American Farmer and put your trust in them.

I Farm. You Eat. We Eat.

With the warm weather, I know that my family has been outside more often. We have been walking, biking, and taking care of yard work. We will soon start the process of making hay. This is a great opportunity to remind everyone to be careful and mindful about rural roadway safety.

Many of our communities do not have sidewalks, but have narrow roads, with little or no shoulders. These are the roads where our children learn to ride their bikes and walk down to meet up with their friends. Please remember to slow down and move to the opposite side of the road (if it is safe to do so) if you are driving past pedestrians and bicyclists.

This is also the time of year when there is an increase in the amount of farm equipment and machinery traveling the roadway. Even though most equipment is outfitted with lights and slow moving vehicle (SMV) signs, please keep in mind that tractors with implements may need to slow down or make turns into fields. We are not trying to hold you up while traveling; we are trying to operate safely to get back home to our families at the end of the day.

Please help us to keep our children, husbands, parents, siblings, and friends safe while on rural roadways this summer.

These are the unspoken words being told agriculture. Congress is pushing at warp speed to forever shackle our industry to the regulatory whims of EPA and FDA.

In the name of global warming, clean water and safer food they boldly charge. What is our response? "The costs of these burdens will be unbearable."

Congressional leadership, soccer moms and Joe six-pack don't care! We need to vividly explain to them this avalanche of regs and costs will ultimately mean their children and grandchildren will be dependent on imported food. Then in 25 years when they ride their mopeds through the trees where food once grew we can politely tell them "We told you so."

It's the time of year when we are all busy working long hours in the unrelenting heat. Thad and I had the opportunity to take a short break and entertain a few teachers from South Carolina. Well actually, it was 50 teachers and they were participating in the SC Farm Bureau Ag-Institute.

We agreed to host the afternoon portion of the farm tour these teachers took part in. We started around noon and provided a meal for the teachers. Remember the key to good listening is good food so we wanted to start things off right! After lunch, we started the tour. We migrated first to our cow pastures where our friendly herd watched quietly as they were being observed by a large group of spectators. We answered many questions and even asked some of our own. It was amazing to find out how many people had never been this close to real live cattle.

Our next part of the tour took us right across the road to our farm shop and office. We had the equipment arranged in the order that it would be used from planting to harvest. Thad gave a brief summary on what each piece of equipment was used for. You could hear the comments swarming as he talked about the ways we work to conserve our land, and the good practices we use to ensure a safe, affordable food supply. I overheard one teacher tell another "Gosh, farming is really up to date and high tech". We let them look at the different seeds that we plant on our farm and then spent a brief period answering their questions.

We spent the last part of the tour doing a field demonstration. We walked as a group to a nearby field and observed the cotton and soybeans that were planted. We showed them how crops are sprayed and also let them look at one of our irrigation systems. The questions just kept coming. Before we knew it, our time was up and they had to board their bus to get to the next part of their tour.

Needless to say, it was a fun, rewarding day. We got the chance to share our story with people who probably would not ever get the opportunity to hear it otherwise. The whole tour from start to finish took about two and one half hours but will be long lasting in the minds of these teachers. It will certainly be one that Thad and I will talk about for many days to come.

I encourage all farmers reading this blog to take a few minutes to share your story.

In agriculture, there seems to be an opposition in all aspects. There is either too much rain or a drought, or there are low commodity prices courted by high input costs. Whatever the case, it seems that rarely things go as planned.

Case in point, June is normally the driest month of the year for us. So when it is time to cut the first hay crop, the weather forecast said scattered showers for a couple of days - that was three weeks and 4 inches of rain ago. Not good for the cut hay that is now turning black with mold. On the other side, the pastures have never looked so good.

The fact is that in agriculture some things can't be fixed or at least fixed the way we would like it. So how do farmers and ranchers stay so optimistic when the ag industry can look so gloomy and is controlled by so many things so out of their control?

The answer: They are some of the best people in America who take pride in what they do. And what they do is feed and clothe the world. There isn't anything much greater than that, is there?

So, I ask, can you fix it? Well if it's broke, give it to a farmer or rancher and they can fix it or make do with what they are given. They do it everyday!

Agriculture is under attack. No it isn't an attack by insects, droughts or other pests. Those attacks we can fend off on our own, we are used to things out of our control. No, this attack is in the form of a movie called "Food Inc." It is a sensationalized, full-on attack of the farmers and ranchers who utilized modern technology to produce the most wholesome, abundant supply of food in the world. If you a member of the agriculture community I am asking you to share our story with your non-ag friends and associates. Education is the key to stemming this tide mis-informed, anti-ag messages.

For those of you who do not have close ag ties, I want to tell you about my neighbors and myself. Most of us have farming and ranching deeply in grained in our roots. In many cases, we have owned the land for several generations and there are as many as three to four generations currently working that piece of land. We have grown-up working alongside our parents and grandparents and now work everyday with our children.

All of my neighbors have a deep love of the land and strive to be the best stewards of it. We seek out the latest methods of conserving and protecting our lands and saving them for the next generation. We take great pride in the beauty that surrounds us on a daily basis. In short, farmers and ranchers are the ultimate conservationists.

While we revel in our past and the history that surrounds us, we also realize our commitment to society. We utilize the latest technology to produce more food and fiber with less land and fewer inputs. Advances in technology actually make us better, safer (both for humans and the environment) and more efficient. We realize we feed all of humanity and take great pride in doing so.

We are the ones who provide the income and the tax base for most of our rural counties, who in turn provide much of the support for all of the United States. We cannot continue to prosper without a strong agricultural base in this country. In the words of Ben Boyd, a peanut farmer from Georgia and a good friend, "If you like being dependant on foreign oil, your really going to love foreign food".

So let's stand up to the people who created this piece of fiction and to the celebrities who endorse it. I would venture most of them have never known what it was like to go without. We need to make sure that the story of agriculture is told by those who know and understand. If you do not know a farmer or rancher, I encourage you to take a trip and visit one of my friends and truly listen and watch them. I guarantee that you will have a whole new appreciation for the food on your table.

When I go to the doctor, I don’t ask to be treated with methods from 1912 because I know science and technology have improved medical practices throughout the years. The same is true today with agriculture. Thanks to technology, farmers and ranchers are better able to produce safe and abundant food for our growing nation. This week there is a movie being released in cities across the United States that misrepresents how farmers and ranchers produce food in this country. After reading several reviews of the movie, I am disturbed by the one-sided information being spread about how farmers and ranchers produce food. This movie is an assault on food production and agriculture. No matter the size of your farm or ranch, if you are a modern farmer, using science-based production methods, the messages of this movie are an affront to you staying in business.

As a farmer, agriculture is my life calling, and I have dedicated my life to producing safe, nutritious and affordable food. Our farm operation revolves around my family, and we manage every aspect of our farm in a socially responsible manner so we can pass it down to our children. Animal agriculture is the backbone of my rural community and many other rural communities across this country. I understand that contemporary agriculture doesn’t look like it did in the past. But agriculture is like many other industries that have had to become more efficient to survive. If our farm was not efficient, we wouldn’t be able to stay in business or provide for our children. The production practices I use are ethically grounded, scientifically verified, and economically viable.

Makers of the movie attempt to paint me and other farmers like me as victims of an evil food system. Nothing could be further from the truth. I freely choose the technology I put in place on my family farm, and I am grateful for it. I decide what works and what does not. Ultimately, my goal is to safely, efficiently and humanely produce food for Americans. The practices I employ to do that are all geared toward protecting the well-being and health of our animals so I can produce healthy food for consumers, and sustain my family’s ability to live on and care for our land and raise our animals.

Our farm is our sustainable legacy and we have an obligation to our family, neighbors, community and animals. We wouldn’t be in business today if we didn’t provide our animals with a safe and healthy environment in which to grow. My family breathes the same air and drinks the same water as our neighbors. Our farm makes it a priority to protect our environment, not just for my family, but for my community and for future generations so they have it as good, or better, than I do. There are very strict standards in place for nutrient and waste management, and we respect, support and abide by these standards. We do this because we care about providing safe food for our family, and your family.

As a consumer, please do not buy into scare tactics that aim to put modern family farmers and ranchers out of business. Contact a farmer or rancher who uses science and technology; learn more about why they use it and how it works. And, while you’re at it, you might want to check out the Web site www.safefoodinc.org. It sheds light on specific issues raised by the movie and provides facts about agriculture, not fiction from the silver screen.

Does a potential tax on health care benefits affect farmers and ranchers? You bet it does as many farmers and ranchers use what is known as a Section 105 medical reimbursement plan, which is a health care benefit of their operation. Using these plans can reduce rural health care costs by as much as one third for a married couple working on their farm or ranch operation due to tax savings.

Starting a medical reimbursement plan for a young farm family is not as easy as filling out a form and turning it over to your human resource person. There are a few hoops to jump through, the biggest is that you really need to be married if you are a sole proprietor – I'm really not making this up. And I would recommend the guidance of a CPA or accountant to navigate the rest of the payroll and reporting requirements. However, saving one-third of your medical expenses can easily make the difference today in a young farm family being able to stay in agriculture.

Instead of taxing health care benefits we need to simplify the rules so that all farm families and individuals qualify for these benefits. It is all to common to hear that one spouse has to keep their "town job" just for the health care benefits. From experience I know that having my wife not tied to a job for health benefits has not only increased our operations productivity but also makes our operation safer for myself and our family. Having an extra pair of eyes or an extra hand can definitely reduce the risk of many farm tasks such working with a cow and her newborn calf or on machinery.

Having a daughter myself with medical issues, I know that I could not have survived financially without having a medical reimbursement plan as part of our operation, as we saw some years medical expenses exceed net income. Today we are still an independent operation putting money back into our local economy which in turn provides jobs to my neighbors. So let's use tools we already have and remove barriers so that all farms and ranches can participate thereby making our rural health care system stronger.

I was recently approached by a woman in our community who asked if I could help unload a truckload of food for our local food bank. Like any other farmer at this time of year, I was hesitant because of all the things that needed to be done at home in the fields; but I agreed to help. When the day arrived, it had already been one of those crazy mornings when nothing seemed to go right. In order to speed things up, I decided to take one of our employees along to help. On the way to town, Nate and I talked about the food bank and programs like America’s Second Harvest and how Young Farmers and Ranchers across the nation participate and volunteer their time and energy to help people in need. After thinking about it for a bit, his response was, “Kind of cool to think the people that grew it are actually helping to give it away." How true of a statement is that!

By this time, I had started to forget about how crazy the morning had been and started focusing more on unloading the truck. When we arrived, we were greeted graciously by the two women in charge of the food pantry and were given our unloading instructions. Cereal here, potatoes there, green beans over here…"Green beans," I said. “We raise green beans.” So I looked at the can to see what kind they were. Nope, not ours; but that sure did start the questions flowing about our operation and what we did.

They were amazed at all the things (technology, record keeping, effort, care) that we put into raising our crops and animals. Later that night, I was thinking about how we often take for granted that people – even in our small communities (many we already know) – understand how and why we do things. It is our responsibility as young farmers and ranchers to be available and willing to answer their questions. If we do not, who will?

John F. Kennedy stated in his Inaugural, January 20, 1961:

"I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath ourforbears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago. The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life." John F. Kennedy continued: "Yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears foughtare still at issue around the globe - The belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God."

Writing to Brazil's President, Janio da Silva Quadros, January 31,1961, John F. Kennedy stated: "Once in every 20 years presidential inaugurations in your country and mine occur within days of each other. This year of 1961 is signalized by the happy coincidence. At this time, each of us assumes challenging duties... To each of us is entrusted the heavy responsibility of guiding the affairs of a democratic nation founded on Christian ideals."

I got thinking about that message and its so very true. Do you suppose our grandparents and great grandparents held the same challenges that we do now? I often wonder what it was like then??

I have to admit that I am breaking one of my self-imposed rules. I am writing about something that I am currently mad about. A wise man once told me not to be mad when you are mad, meaning to always be under control. This, however, is the exception to that rule.

Why is it that the media continues to use the phrase “swine flu” instead of H1N1? I am not sure if it is sloppy journalism or wanting to create sensationalism and get better ratings but it is affecting farmers directly and for me it has gotten personal.

Recently I talked to a friend of mine who is (or was) a swine farmer. He told me he was getting out of the business because of the low pork prices and the fact that he could not make a living or even break even. This is a good, hard-working farmer who has a full-time off-farm job. He often worked late into the night and then was up, well before dawn, taking care of his pigs before he left for his “paying” job.

Last summer he lost a couple of sheds to a storm that came through, this would have been a devastating blow on its own. This was closely followed by commodity prices that rose rapidly last summer in response to the increase in fuel prices and the demand for ethanol. Being a good business man, he contracted his corn and bean meal. However, the corn and soybean markets collapsed this fall, leaving him holding the bag with high priced feed inputs.

The final blow was the H1N1 outbreak (and I use the word outbreak sarcastically) and the media referring to it as the “swine flu.” The hysteria around the news caused an already slumping pork market to fall even harder and forced my friend’s hand. Keep in mind, no hog has ever had H1N1 but that didn’t stop the media from using and continuing to use the term “swine flu.”

I am not telling you this story to generate pity for my friend. Although I find it ironic that in a time that we are bailing out Wall Street and the auto industry from self-made disasters caused by mis-management and greed, that we cannot find a way to support our swine farmers. I would guess he has worked without pay for many years, quite a contrast from the bonuses top executives were paying themselves. Rather, I want to point out how a simple phrase, used carelessly by the media, can wreck the business and dreams of someone who has no control over the situation.

Finally, it is my hope that the media will stop referring to H1N1 as the “swine flu” period. No more, “H1N1 more commonly known as the ‘swine flu.’” All references to the “swine flu” should be wiped out immediately and replaced with H1N1. I also hope each of you reading this will put pressure on the media to do this.

I will ask for one more favor, make sure you stop by the grocery store and buy some safe, nutritious pork. Now pardon me while I go throw a pork chop on the grill and support my friends who worked hard raising it.

Its Memorial Day weekend, a time when many people relax with friends and family around barbeque grills to enjoy friendship and great food. Many people have a long three day weekend planned to kick back and relax.

For farmers and ranchers, there is no such thing as a three day weekend. Livestock still need to be fed each day, crops need planted and fences won’t wait until Tuesday to be fixed. And of course, a farmer’s equipment always breaks down on the holidays when there are no stores open to get parts. When this happens, the frantic calling begins to find a neighbor who may have the part you need. Fun and relaxing around a grill with friends and family waits until the sun goes down and the day’s work is finished.

This is only a small glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes to produce safe food for our country. When you hear a news story that portrays agriculture in a negative manner, think about the dedication farmers and ranchers have to feed this country. Farmers and ranchers dedicate their lives to caring for their livestock and being great stewards of the land, and their dedication doesn’t stop for a three day weekend.

As a family hog farmer, I work long hours every day to produce a healthy food product for consumers all over the world. When a visitor drives on to our farm, they will notice a sign that reads “Do not enter, Disease Control Area.” To ensure the highest health possible for our pigs, all employees on our family farm are required to wear coveralls and foot coverings when entering our barns. When pigs are removed from a barn, the barn is thoroughly washed and disinfected before new pigs are put back into the barn. Screens are put over all openings to keep birds and rodents from entering the barns.

As farmers we know we have a responsibility to provide a clean, healthy environment for our pigs. We also have a responsibility to be a good steward to the land and water that God has entrusted to us. We take those responsibilities very seriously. We use the most modern technology, combined with animal husbandry skills that have been passed down through the generations.

As a farmer, who has my own family to provide for, I am deeply disturbed how groups like HSUS are trying to use the current H1N1 flu outbreak to further their political agenda to eliminate animal agriculture in the U.S. Don’t believe them. Trust in the care and commitment of farmers who’ve spent generations putting safe food on their family’s table—and yours.

As a young producer in the nursery business, I could not be more excited by the number of American's gardening today for the first time!

What I've discovered is an INCREDIBLE opportunity to better connect folks to their food and where it comes from. After all, in addition to Michelle Obama, we now have Brittany Spears gardening for the first time.

The lessons in science and math are unbelievable for the average family. The psychological and therapeutic benefits are numerous as well! If you have not started even a small container garden with herbs or a tomato plant, now's the time!

We're talking about an invaluable lesson in American Agriculture that benefits everyone involved!!!

“I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists…”

For many of us who were members of the FFA organization, we will recognize these words as the beginning to the FFA Creed. Last week I had the opportunity to represent my company at the Chapman FFA Recognition Banquet. These words never rang more true than for this chapter. Almost a year to the date this small Northeast Kansas was devastated by a tornado. All but wiping out the high school along with many of the agricultural buildings. Walking into this banquet (once held in the auditorium but now held in the gym-one of the few buildings still standing) you never would have known the challenges these students had to endure over the last year. So much enthusiasm coming from these students! They continued to grow their chapter, continued to compete in contests, continued to live their passion for agriculture!

I know as I drove the 2-hours back home I felt confident in the future of agriculture and was amazed that after the year these students have had to face they continued to have optimism and faith in agriculture. A true achievement!

The media misrepresentation of H1N1 has had a negative impact on the hog industry. Pork is SAFE to eat, and hogs in the Untied States do not carry the flu virus that has infected less than 275 people in the United States. This news obviously hit during a slow news week, the normal flu season has over 35,000 deaths from the flu virus but you really don’t hear about it on the news. Right now, the US Pork industry has taken a real beating for something that isn’t the fault of the farmer.

While I was at church yesterday, a lady asked me if there was anything the government could do to help the hog farmers in this country. Hog farmers do not receive government subsidies, so when we lose money as we have in the last 19 months; we have to borrow money to make ends meet. However, if the government did want to help, one avenue would be to negotiate more Free Trade Agreements (FTA) immediately. This would be at no cost to tax payers, but it would open another market for our products. Just by completing a FTA with Korea, the US Pork Industry could gain almost $10 per hog. Free Trade Agreements with the country of Columbia could add another $1.63 per hog, while a FTA with Panama could result in an added $.20 per hog.

As a hog farmer, I know first hand how tough the last 19 months have been on our family and farm. The passage of these three Free Trade Agreements would bring us closer to a break even. These Free Trade Agreements can help keep millions of families on their farms, and their employees working. We are determined to weather this storm. We are proud to produce safe and nutritious food for our family, and yours.

You can also play an important role in providing America with safe and nutritious food, contact your Congressman or Senator and encourage them to pass and implement the Korean, Columbian and Panama Free Trade Agreements immediately. In the meantime, support American hog farmers by purchasing pork to grill the next time you are at the grocery store. Pork is healthy and affordable!

Spring is finally here and it is time to start planting. Although the weather was a little uncooperative, we finally got started and are well on our way. We just finished getting our corn crop planted and have started on cotton and soybeans.

We have a busy summer planned between work and family but are looking forward to a productive season. We will host a farm tour in June which will involve 50 teachers who are attending our state Farm Bureau's Ag in the Classroom Teacher Institute. These teachers will spend part of the day touring our farm to see the day-to-day operations of "life on the farm." We will also be going to the local Child Development Center in our hometown during the month of June to showcase farming and teach kids about what takes place daily on the farm.

Our state Farm Bureau recently introduced an Ag-Simulator which we will use to show the children about planting, harvesting, etc. This Ag-Simulator is a mobile combine. The children will be able to ride through virtual fields of corn, cotton, and wheat. We will finish our day by handing out ag education materials (activity books related to farming and soy crayons) and enjoying ice-cream.

I know we all lead very busy lives but telling our story is the only way the public will get the real facts. It is rewarding and I encourage each of you to get involved in sharing your farm story. Stay tuned for an update on our June activities.

Recently I was reading the Hickman’s Family Farms Newsletter that included a story about their experience with the television show, Dirty Jobs. The Hickman’s have been raising chickens and selling eggs in Arizona for the last 65 years. The quote in the story that caught my attention was the following, “…they thought our farm was “too clean”; what a great thing for us to hear about where we house over 3 million hens AND a fertilizer plant!” There is no doubt that farmers and ranchers get dirty, as there is a lot of dirt and sweat involved in our professions. And for anyone raising livestock there is manure involved too. It’s fantastic, that the Hickman’s process the chicken manure into fertilizer, and I am sure that is a bit of a dirty job.

The “Egg Farm” episode will be re-airing again this week, May 7th, on the Discovery Channel. Check it out! If you can’t wait that long to watch the episode on TV, you can view it at the Hickman’s webpage.

What happens when some spends time and finds muscles that when separated and sliced in a certain way are tender and tasty enough to be sold as a steak or roast. New cuts of beef are developed. Many of these cuts were previously used to make ground beef, now they can be used as steaks and roasts. This year, the Beef Check-off program, which financed the meat study, will introduce five new cuts from the chuck and four cuts from the round will be rolled out in 2010. Click here to read the full article.

The distinction between livestock and pets is important and a fact I learned early on. I owe this in part to my growing up years on a hobby farm in rural Idaho. Although my father worked full time, he still managed to raise and care for a herd of sheep. In addition we had chickens and pigs to supplement our food supply. My brother and I were told from the time these animals arrived that they were not pets and would one day be on the table. Later in life I raised steers as 4-H and FFA projects and learned first-hand the responsibility of caring for my livestock, but I was also fully aware that I would be selling them come fair time. Case in point, my steers were not pets they were raised for beef.

Although I had pets growing up, I had a different attachment to them, a realistic one. I still remember coming home to find my poor dog had been run over by a car. As Brent Murphree, a former farm kid himself, put it, “One of the first things you learn is that when the old farm house is close to a section line dirt road with no speed limit signs, speeding cars and any number of animal species are attracted to each other like magnets. Family pets are not excluded.” Although it was tragic to lose a pet, it was also an important lesson to learn that we only have our pets for so long and that we have to learn to deal with death and move on.

Fast forward to 2009 and my family farms full time in Arizona, and we still raise the occasional chickens and pigs for our own food. My brother has a family of his own, and I am the proud aunt of a niece and two nephews. Recently, one of our roosters became very aggressive and it was time for him to become “sopita” (that’s Spanish for soup – chicken soup in this case). My niece and nephew were on hand for the processing and were fascinated with everything, including the way in which the feathers were plucked. My mom also spent quite a bit of time explaining the anatomy of the chicken as she cleaned it.

I am grateful that the art of raising livestock is being passed on to the newest generation of my family. In addition to raising livestock, my niece and nephews are learning to care for pets and have already had to deal with unfortunate loss of the family dog…yes, it was run over by a car. Most importantly though, they are learning that everything has a purpose and that everything lives and dies.

~Farming for Life~

You couldn’t turn the television on the last few days without hearing the words Swine Influenza. One of the most important facts about Swine Influenza is that it cannot be spread by food. You cannot become infected with Swine Influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and products is safe. What can you do to prevent swine influenza?

-Wash your hands
-Stay in good general health
-Get plenty of sleep
-Be physically active
-Manage your stress
-Drink plenty of fluids
-Eat Nutritious food

These are all practices we should all follow to live a healthy life. For more information on Swine Influenza, visit National Pork Council and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The weather here the last few weeks has been interesting, to say the least. In North Dakota we had two big blizzards in March, one in April, flooding that wiped out an estimated 90,000 head of livestock across the state, and yesterday it was 86 degrees…dang hot for North Dakota in April. Today it was 36 and we had near-white-out conditions at times. Apparently our summer season lasted all of 20 hours this year. It was nice while it lasted, I guess.

It’s one of those things that as a farmer/rancher you have to just deal with. There are very few professions in the world where you have so little control over your actual bottom-line. Yes, you can work up a great business plan and have your marketing figured down to the last grain of wheat. You can get your rations figured out so that your calves are gaining at the best rate possible, breeding your cows to the best bulls and keeping a healthy and happy herd.

Yet, when it comes down to it, we are still at the mercy of power that we will never be able to control. Some of the cattlemen around here woke up in the middle of the night to find that their calves had all been swept downstream, in areas that had never flooded before. Farmers are finding their fields under many feet of water, where rivers diverted in ways that science cannot explain.

The greatest thing about our way of life is this…we will rally around. The next calf crop will come and those fields that are able to be planted will be. Seeds will be put in the ground, with no guarantee that all of our hard work and time will actually produce anything. Or that the crop will be harvested without enduring the hardships of flood, drought, hail or wind.

Why do we put ourselves through all this? We do it because in my mind there is no better way of life. We are doing what we love, and producing the best, safest product that we can. Our children are being raised in a way that we feel blessed to be able to offer them, with experiences that are second to none. And somehow, through all of the trials and turmoil, the bad publicity and people that condemn our way of life without understanding it, we continue on.

It’s what we do.

“Out of the mouths of babes…” I’m pretty sure that we’re all familiar with the quote. Those of us who have the privilege and duty of being parents, we live by it. My husband, Mark, and I are blessed to be expecting our fourth child any day now. (I’ve been hoping sooner, rather than later, but this child already has his father’s sense of time.) With the weather being as lousy as it’s been here, the boys and I have been spending a lot of “quality” time together indoors. I have to say that I’ve been blessed to hear some pretty interesting thoughts that come from children raised on a farm in a very rural area.

For example, the other day my oldest (6) was putting on a puppet show for our youngest (2). As he was slipping on the puppet, he looked up at me and said, “You know, this is kinda like how Dad helps the cows have their calves.” As he went about his play, I was trying to recover without offending him.

I guess I take for granted what it is that my children are exposed to on a daily basis. Yes, I didn’t quite intend for him to see “all” that the farm has to offer, but I knew that he would always know that burgers come from our cows and bacon comes from pigs. He knows that chickens are needed to lay the eggs he so loves and that dairy cows are different than our beef cattle. (He also knows that bulls don’t have udders and are NOT milked…no matter what you see in cartoons.)

I was a little leery about him being too involved in viewing much of calving season this year, due to my own situation. I get enough comparisons between my pregnancy and calving season from his father; I don’t need to hear from my 6-year-old about the importance of using calving sleeves and the grossness of afterbirth. I also was trying really hard to avoid any public references to either. (Church is always a really great place for these “ponderings” to be said out loud, especially during the sermon, when the rest of church is sooooooo quiet!)

But through all of my worries and concerns about my own comfort, I forgot to take comfort in knowing that my son doesn’t have to learn all of this in a book. He will never have to wonder what it feels like to be kissed by a new calf, or if calves really do frolic and play like they say in the books. And for that, I’m eternally blessed.

Everyday I hear of economic despair and businesses of long term closing because of the lack of revenue generated. Recently I saw a sign that said "It's been real....It's been fun...but it's real times and we can't keep going." So it brings me to the question is this a good time to start or enhance business? OR should we take cover and hope for the best? OR is this the perfect opportunity to grow a business in this climate? Prices are dropping and it seems that supply is there and possibly a surplus. Luckily, Maine Maple Sunday at our sugarhouse in North Baldwin, Maine, was a fantastic day and there were no signs of a recession, but we also didn't gross a million dollars either. Are we ever going to go back to the same financial standard that people are used to, or are we going to have to adjust our lifestyles and businesses to accomodate the new economy? I hear people say...the economy isn't doing anything...well...is the economy doing this job? Is every business suffering?

I think this whole economic situation is the road that might lead people back to their foundations. Let's just say a person makes $2500 a week and then loses their job. Does this person take the risk and go into business or do they take unemployment? Which would work better for the "system"? I would rather see jobs created by the private sector rather than paying out unemployment. Is there a place for this type of situation?

Do you think agriculture plays a huge role in this whole senario? Where do we go from here? Let's talk shop.

Recently, Dustin Pedroia, a local boy and second baseman for the Boston Red Sox, was quoted saying that his hometown was “a dump.” Within two days of the story running in local papers, Dustin retracted his comment stating that it was taken out of context and that he was only joking around. This got me thinking about how careful we need to be when speaking with the media.

Those of us in the know are the spokesmen for agriculture. It is a huge responsibility that really should be taken seriously. For some of us, me included, we use humor to relay our message. Most often, humor is great way to get our point across. We are able to talk about the stresses and concerns that we have about our operations and our livelihoods. Humor is a fantastic tool to use when talking with people who have an understanding of the subject at hand. But when we are expecting a reporter to know what we meant, there is a good chance that we are going to be misquoted.

Being misquoted or appearing to be “the idiot” talking to the news reporter is what keeps many of us from sharing our stories. These stories are the stories that need to be told; the everyday chores and responsibilities that we think are mundane. So much of our country’s population longs to hear stories from the farm; they long to know how their food is produced and who is doing it. So why not share agriculture’s story? Find positive ways to share what we are doing to better our world by feeding it and clothing it.

And if you are like me, might I suggest jotting down a few important things you want to say before actually talking with the reporter...it tends to cut down on those “idiot” moments.

My husband grew up around agriculture - his grandparents farmed when he was little. So naturally, when he got old enough, he wanted to farm, too. At this point in time, we farm because we want to raise our children in an agricultural lifestyle, not to support our family (both my husband and I have off-farm, full-time jobs).

Our lifestyle farm mainly consists of purebred, registered shorthorn beef cattle. This past fall, I convinced Jim that we needed to expand and diversify our operation. I had this great idea, that if we purchased a dairy cow, we could use her milk at home and make cheese, butter, drink fresh milk, etc. After going online to Ebay to purchase all of the required equipment (bucket milker, 2 gallon pasteurizer, butter churn, cheese press, etc), Dolly the Holstein cow arrived and became part of the family.

When we bought her, Dolly was bred and close to the end of her production cycle. She was producing about five gallons of milk each day, and we could barely keep up processing and drinking! I knew that once she calved, we would never be able to use all of her milk ourselves, so we decided that we would purchase some calves to feed as veal.

Currently, Dolly is feeding three calves. Our first calf goes to slaughter at the end of next week. Although our children have named all of the calves, they understand that those calves will all leave the barn eventually, and make room for new animals that will be born.

Yesterday afternoon, as we entered the barn to do chores, we spotted four new animals in the barn - one of our cats had kittens - right in Dolly's stall.

It's all part of the circle of life.

Last night I stumbled upon a commentary in the Columbia Tribune which attacked modern livestock farming practices. The commentary started out attacking Sen. Bond for supporting a $250,000 public investment to research odor abatement on livestock farms. But the commentary talked very little about the study. Instead, the commentary claims modern livestock farms increase child abuse, spousal abuse and crime rates. It also claims modern livestock farms are a "disaster for rural economies." As someone who lives on a farm and in a rural community, I know first hand the inaccuracies of this commentary.

I live on a modern livestock farm with my husband and children. Our family farm employs local citizens who were born and raised in our community. Additionally, we purchase corn from more than 200 local farmers to feed our livestock. This is an added market for area grain farmers. It supports prices and puts more money in their pockets. Our farm purchases our farm supplies, fuel, and electricity locally. My family farm contributes to the local economy by paying local property taxes on our farm, equipment and livestock. The property taxes from our farm help to pay the salary of one teacher in our school district.

Our family livestock farm has no influence on local residents to abuse their children, spouses or to commit crimes.

The results of this odor abatement study will be used by the entire livestock industry, including family farms, to ensure livestock farms are good neighbors. Rural economies deserve the same economic development dollars as urban communities.

American farmers and ranchers work diligently to produce safe food for Americans while protecting our environment, our land and our livestock. Americans spend less than 10 percent of their disposable income on food, while other countries spend over 20% of their disposable income on food. Public investment in agricultural research, such as the odor odor abatement study Sen. Bond is supporting, and ongoing work at the University of Missouri, is one of the reasons we have a safe and nutritious domestic food supply. Our state’s hard-working farm families are another. They deserve and are thankful for your support.

I read the following article from Time Magazine online: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1883742,00.html

I am outraged. I can't believe that someone would say that they are so pro-animal rights, yet be so hypocritical. The individual in the piece, "Pete," admits that he has crossed the line and actually abused animals himself during the course of employment at some farms. He also expects us to feel sorry for him, because his chosen this line of work that causes him to be a habitual liar. He says he moves frequently and doesn't have a social life. Boo hoo.

As an employee of a poultry farm, I know that our employees go to great lengths to care for our animals. Every individual who works at the farm is advised of our animal care procedures during orientation and is required to sign guidelines on animal care that we call our "pledge of excellence." Each cage is checked on a daily basis to make sure the chickens have everything that they need. The chickens are our livelihood. If they are not happy, healthy, and well-fed, they will not produce.

I wonder how much of what is seen in the videos that are taken undercover are actually true. Yes, there are "bad eggs" out there, but they are few and far between the successful producers who care for (and about the health of) their animals.

The United States of America is a great nation!! There is no doubt about it. I feel so incredibly blessed to call it my home!

One of the many reasons that make America great is our safe and abundant food supply. The American farmer is one of the most innovative and productive people. In 1940, one farmer produced enough food and fiber for 19 people. Today he provides enough for 143 people, with fewer farms and less acreage.

America is such an agriculturally diverse country. Looking at a map detailing all of our commodities, I am impressed. Some of our top states in their respective categories are - hogs of Iowa, cattle of Texas, wheat of Kansas, dairy of California, broilers of Georgia, and potatoes of Idaho.

My chapter in American agriculture is that of a cow/calf producer. As I was out today, checking our cows and watching the newborn calves, I thought about all of the other ranchers out doing the exact same thing. The first step in the production of our nation’s beef is crucial to the overall beef supply. If it wasn’t for hardworking ranchers giving it their all, regardless of the weather, time, conditions, or economy, America wouldn’t have meat in the meat counter.

As we sit down this Sunday with our family and friends, I first hope you will give thanks to our Wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope you also say a prayer for the American farmer, the one who produces the food which graces your table.

Happy Easter to Everyone!

This morning we woke up to a mixture of rain, sleet, snow and a North wind that was blowing hard. In short it was a really nasty start to the day. As I waited for the sun to come up, I heard the sleet hitting the windows and really didn't want to go outside. But any of us who have livestock know that is not an option. So at 6:45 a.m., I put my chore clothes on a headed out.

During my rounds I came across a calf that was born two days ago, laying all by herself with no mama in sight. The easy thing to do would have been to go on, but again we all know that is not what we do. So I went to the place where I had unrolled a bale to provide place that was warm and out of the wind for the cows and calves to ride out the storm. I found the wayward cow and started to drive her into the wind toward her calf.

As the sleet stung my face and the wind went right through my layers of clothing, a thought occurred to me. Where are all the "animal welfare advocates" of the HSUS, PETA and related groups. My guess is they were at home, probably asleep and not giving animals a second thought.

Before we start calling certain individuals (Carrie Underwood for one) advocates for animals and their welfare, they should have to prove themselves like the hard working men and women who spend their lives attending to the health and well-being of the animals on our farms and ranches. It is easy to talk a big game in the climate controlled comfort of an office or a meeting room, but entirely something different to spend a morning like this proving it.

That is why we as producers need to open our farms and ranches to the public. That is also why those who don't live on a farm or ranch need to go visit one.

As a livestock producer and resident of Wyoming, I have heard many wolf concerns and experienced some myself. Did we lose any cattle/sheep to wolves? Are they interfering with my breed back? Why are some of my bulls missing their tails? Do the wolves have my stock so stirred up that they can’t gain weight? Can the kids safely play outside? Why is wildlife absent from some areas with pitiful reproduction rates? These are legitimate and real concerns of my fellow Wyomingites.

About a year ago, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service published the final delisting of the wolf making it a trophy animal in the Greater Yellowstone Area and a predator in the rest of the state. Then, last July, Judge Molloy published a temporary injunction, putting the wolves back on the endangered species list. He claimed the wolf recovery standards hadn’t been met, including interbreeding of wolves among the states, to insure healthy genetics.

Fast forward to April 2, 2009 - The Fish and Wildlife Service removed the wolf from the endangered species list in Montana and Idaho, but left Wyoming out in the cold, despite their above goal recovery numbers and a wolf management plan supported by the state legislature and approved by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Wolves in Wyoming currently remain protected throughout the state. Wyoming's agriculturalists can applaud the numerous groups and individuals diligently working on the delisting issue.

Bringing the story back to the home front, I am left wondering what the people of Wyoming are to do. Sound science is on our side. The government needs to let Wyoming manage the wolves as needed, returning them to a dual status in the state. Wyoming’s agriculture community shouldn’t have to live in fear that their pocketbook and lifestyle will be wrecked because of politics and personal beliefs.

As a new parent, I wonder exactly what the future will bring for our son. Being married to a fifth generation farmer, we have chosen to diversify in order for the farm to support our five families. Starting with row crops, and diversifying farther to incorporate straw and hay, and even farther to bring in hogs and cattle, we have seen our farm change so much in just the seven years that I have been around. With teaching our children responsibility along with accountability, farming is not just a job, it’s a way of life.

Yes, it is a different and at times difficult life. There is no such thing as a 9-5 day. You may be eating family meals at 9:30 at night, or in a tractor cab, or in a dusty shop as you are dumping grain. You may go 2-3 days without seeing each other, unless you are fortunate enough to be able to do it together. But how rewarding it must be, thinking about how in 50 years you can look at your grandchildren and tell how much things have grown and changed in your lifetime. And how exciting it is to think that they are farming your ground, and carrying on your family traditions.

So what can we do to be sure that our children and grandchildren can continue this life that we were so fortunate to be apart of, and more often than not take for granted? We need to be sure to speak up and speak out about what we so firmly believe in. We also need to educate outsiders and criticizers about why we do what we do, that way some day our children can continue this way of life.

Well, once again the egg industry is in the spotlight in Maine. Quality Egg, which was formerly known as DeCoster Egg Farms, hired an undercover worker from Mercy for Animals who came into their hen houses and taped secret footage about the mistreatment of hens in their cages.

For the past 20 years I can remember this egg farm being in the news for one reason or another. Does this treatment happen at other farms? Does Grandpa's Eggs, Dorothy Egg Farms and Radlo Eggs have the same issues? I would hope not. How come I have never seen much of anything in the news about them? Why does this facilty seem to always make the news? Could they be a "hot spot" for activism? Do you think there are specific places and animals that are targeted by animal activists or is the farm being negligent and not in compliance?

So, where do we go from here? If at the end of the investigation there is mistreatment found, does the farm shut down? Where do we go from here because the show doesn't seem to want to end. Here is the link to the article: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=248558&ac=PHnws.

Times are tough on the dairy farm these days. Our milk price is so low, the word "low" doesn't do it justice. Feed and fuel costs have dropped but are still hammering our pocketbook, and it seems as if working 60-70 hours a week is only about half enough. The weather is both our best friend and our worst enemy; it's growing a very good spring forage crop but the frequent rains could really impact our harvest and our summer plantings. Add in the fact that the hot, humid, milk-zapping Alabama summertime is only a couple of months away and you can see that there's plenty to be stressed about around here.

But despite it all, I'm blessed almost beyond words to be a dairy farmer.

My day starts off with the opportunity to gaze into a beautiful early morning sky full of stars. My workspace isn't confined to a cubicle, but rather is spread across 600 acres of rolling Alabama countryside. I can take my kids on a tractor ride anytime I want to, and I know that they'll have experiences growing up that many of their friends will only dream of. And when I lay my head down at night, I can take pride in knowing that my farm provided about 25,000 people with a tasty, nutritious glass of milk that day.

Yeah, times may be really tough in the dairy business right now, but life on the dairy farm is really good! I guess you could say my teat dip cup runneth over.

I'm surprised, but intrigued whenever I have the opportunity to speak to young people about agriculture. Last week I visited three third grade class rooms at our local elementary school and shared with them what it was like being a chicken farmer. I realize that they are only third graders, but I was surprised at how unaware kids are of where their food comes from.

During my thirty minute visit I was able to explain the process of raising a one-day old chick to a seven week old bird that is ready for processing. I explained that after processing, the meat is shipped to grocery stores and restaurants all over the world. The kids were surprised to discover the amount of work that goes into the chicken their moms buy everyday at the supermarket. They were amazed to hear how technologically advanced the chicken houses operate. I was proud to be able to explain the care and comfort that a chicken house can provide for a chicken no matter how severe the weather outside.

As a third grader, I had a knowledge of our food supply. Growing up on a farm kept me aware of how our nation's food arrives at a grocery store. Before my visit, very few of the kids seemed to have an understanding of their food source. Amazingly, after thirty short minutes of sharing, they had a better understanding. I realized that the main reason these kids were so uninformed was due to the fact that they had never realy been informed.

Just like these kids, most of the people we interact with everyday know very little about the process of producing food in America. Americans do not realize that we are blessed to have the safest, most abundant food supply in the entire world. Some have heard, but don't believe. Most don't know, because they've never heard.

While the humane treatment of farm animals has been a hot button issue as of late, it’s long been a priority for American farmers. Those of us who raise our nation’s livestock strive to provide our customers with high quality products, and we know that raising healthy, well-cared for animals is the foundation for accomplishing that goal. We draw upon our own experiences, expert advice from veterinarians and animal nutritionists, university and private-sector research, and even customer expectations to continually review our farms’ management practices to make sure that our animals are getting the top-notch care they need.

In my opinion, that’s what humane treatment is all about…using our knowledge, experience, and accepted agricultural/veterinary guidelines to maximize the health and comfort of our animals so as to optimize their purposeful benefit to humanity.

Not all agree with this definition. There is a push by some within our nation to systematically end animal agriculture and create a meat-free society. To advance their agenda, they seek to redefine “humane” treatment into something closer to “human” treatment, giving animals equality or near-equality with people. But animals are not human, and replacing “humane” care for “human” care would endanger both the health of our livestock and our national food supply.

Today’s American consumer has the luxury of selecting nutritious, safe, and affordable meat and dairy products thanks to the humane treatment farm animals receive from their owners. This will continue as long as society can make the distinction between “humane” and “human” treatment. Choosing the former gives the consumer a wide variety of quality products to choose from when they go to the grocery store. Choosing the latter will ultimately lead to empty shelves and empty stomachs.

The choice is yours, America. What say you?

This past week was our County Livestock Show's Steer weigh in. Our daughter is showing for her second year in 4H. Her steers weighed in at 845 lbs. and 881 lbs. Both a little heavier than we guessed. We are feeding them 20 lbs. of grain and all the grass hay they can eat. Our goal by August is to have them finished; they need to weigh over 1133 lbs.

They are halter broke and led across the scales. Our daughter handled them well, with a little help. It's funny to be present at this weigh in because some steers lead very well and other steers are the ones leading their owners, and some just find the first exit and get away!

In the end the kids have a good time, and the parents and leaders catch up on all the lost stories since the last time they all met. Everyone leaves with a smile. It's a great annual event that we enjoy being a part of.

I think we are going to try showing lambs also this year. We don't know alot about lambs, but were going to give it a try. We figure if we are already there, we might as well show both animals. My daughter really wants to raise one, and my son will be able to show them in the open class too. So, hope all goes well there.

4H is a great program. It is something that our whole family gets involved with and that we enjoy doing together. What better way to spend time with your kids than 4H!

Mark and I live in southeast North Dakota. We're not used to getting much attention up here, but unfortunately, we're seeing a bit more of the spotlight these days.

We live 2 hours from Fargo, and our flooding took place over the weekend. We had water in our barns, but lost no cattle, even with it being the middle of calving season. We were truly blessed.

Unfortunately I've been informed that HSUS is now going to use ND as a media tool: http://bit.ly/3bmmIu.

Sorry, HSUS, but we've already got it taken care of: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/235329/group/home/.

See, this is North Dakota. We take care of our pets, just the same as we take care of our livestock. Neighbors help each other and we do what we can, all without fanfare.

So to those coming from HSUS, unless you have with some extra clothes to get dirty in, know how to fill a sandbag and plan on leaving some of your millions to help rebuild the infrastructure, please, stay where you are. We've got it covered.

Mark and Val Wagner

My daughter had to do a Science Fair project over the last month. She chose to grow Winter Wheat Seeds in little bags to see which environment they grew best in. I assumed that they would grow best in the bags that had the most light. To our surprise, the ones that grew the best were simply the ones that were in a warm location.

It was a fun project to do, and we all found ourselves looking at the bags each day to see which one had grown since the day before. It was a simple project that anyone can do with their kids. Just take a wheat seed, a wet cotton ball, place them in a ziplock bag, and watch it grow!

It is always amazing to me to watch something grow from a seed into a plant. The whole process is a miracle in itself, a plant grows from a seed to a plant that we put to use, and all over again!

If anyone would like some seeds, let me know, I would be happy to send you some.

Currently in NC, there is a debate over the building of a waste-to-energy plant in Sampson County, one of the larger poultry producing counties in the state. Three Fibrowatt plants where chicken and turkey waste would be used to create energy are slated to be built in three different counties. Defenders of this project met last week with NC legislators to show their support for the plants. Not only would the plants serve the purpose of making a useful product out of waste, but they would employ approximately 100 people.

Opponents met the very next day with the same lawmakers. The opponents requested that legislators repeal a law which encourages the construction of the plants that was written to aid NC in getting more of its electricity from renewable resources. Opponents say that the plants will emit toxins that will pollute the air and surrounding farmland.

According to the Fayetteville Observer, the CEO of the company trying to build the plant stated that the opponents “claim that our emissions are dirtier than coal-fired plant emissions, and it’s completely nonsense. It’s not true,” He asked opponents to contact the people who live currently near another Fibrowatt plant in Minnesota and three in the United Kingdom.

You know, it’s a funny thing to me. We hear and read all about needing renewable energy. Yet, when there is actually the opportunity to take waste from animals to create that very thing, the opposition is so strong that in many cases it is too much of a hassle to do so. Is there a solution that will appease both parties? Opponents fight passionately for sustainable energy, yet when farmers find a way to make this possible, a whole different fight begins. I feel the only way a solution can be reached is if both sides of the disagreement to work together. Farmers have decided to work towards sustainable energy, now the people who pushed this need to compromise, as well.

Recently there was an op-ed ariticle published in the NY Times which suggested antibiotics used in livestock caused methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This is not accurate.

Through science, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) detected in communities and health-care facilities is DIFFERENT than the strain found in pigs and that recent community-acquired infections are clearly of human origin.

There is no scientific association made between MRSA and the use of animal-health products on farms. Fewer than 5 percent of animal antibiotics sold in this country are used by livestock producers to improve nutritional efficiency. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approve antibiotics for four purposes: treatment of illness, prevention of disease, control of disease and nutritional efficiency of animals. Antibiotics are perfectly safe to use on food animals.

The FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with the veterinary community, animal health companies and producer organizations have put in place several layers of human health protections to reduce any risks associated with antibiotic use in animals. Antibiotics in feed help animals by controlling the bacteria that can interfere with their ability to absorb nutrients. Animals become healthier and stronger, and fewer animals contract serious diseases. Healthy animals mean healthy food for you and your family.

Further, a 1999 ban in Denmark on such antibiotics had no effect on MRSA cases. Today's food products are safe and reliable. I feed my family the same food I raise for consumers, I wouldn't feed my family something that wasn't safe. You can rest assured that the food produced in the United States is safe for your family.

Today is St. Patrick's Day and many people will be celebrating the day in various places and times. When I was doing some research I found some interesting things about St. Patrick's day. Did you know that the first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States? Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots. In 1848, several New York Irish aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants.

Each year, nearly three million people line the one-and-a-half mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades including between 10,000 to 20,000 participants.

It only took one parade to make a difference...it only takes one farmer to make a difference. It's time for all Farm Bureau members to parade through the streets. Stand up, Stand tall and Stand Proud because you are a Farm Bureau member, and if you are Irish, today, is even better!

MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, Ning, blogs. Welcome to the world of social networking. Even I struggle to wrap my mind around all the possibilities of using these technologies to tell agriculture's story.

For the last year I have been in several meetings of different organizations trying to determine how they could utilize such things. Some ideas will be more effective than others, but here is the one thing I know for sure. There are a lot of groups that would like to export agriculture out of this country and they have done a good job of spreading the misconceptions about ag by using these tools. Likewise, we can do a good job of telling the positive story of food production in this country by using those very same tools.

So the next time you are at a Farm Bureau meeting and you are trying to make a decision about how to tell ag's story, just remember where our story is being told for us. And that will tell you where we need to be.

The public has been made to believe that most family farms are factory farms. What some feel are large factory farms are really just family farms that are using safe farm practices of today's agricultural industry.

Most families have had to grow their operations so that they would be able to add the next generation and still be competitive in the marketplace. Today's practices, that some feel have turned the farm into a factory, have allowed less than 2 percent of the United States population to feed this country and the world. And, 82 percent of U.S. farm products are produced on farms owned by individual farmers, family partnerships or family corporations. Non-family corporations produce only about 18 percent.

What the American public needs to understand is that farmers care for their animals. Our animals are what we depend on to raise our families. The other thing consumers need to realize is that organizations like the Human Society of the United States (HSUS) are not after animal welfare but a MEAT-FREE society. Animal welfare is just a tool they are using to reach a meat-free society.

Since this country was founded, our country has had many heated debates over different genders and races being equal. Thankfully, I have always had the right to vote and can't imagine what it was like when as a citizen of this country you might not have had the right to vote.

Over the past few years, the animal rights movement has been gaining lots of traction and for many reasons. One of the issues that has stemmed out of this movement is giving animals the same rights as humans. I don't even know how this is possible, but it does seem to be at the root of the issue for some of those opposed to production animal agriculture.

Costco is running a poll on its website which allows visitors to vote on this specific topic. Currently, the "NO" vote is in the lead with about 94% of the vote. I do find this encouraging, but still encourage all of you to visit this website and read the comments that have been left by both sides and vote.

Who would have ever thought we would be voting on a poll with this type of question?

Since my first lobbying trip to D.C. back in 2003, I have always been told that hearing from one constituent may be enough to sway the vote of an elected official. This weekend our county will test that theory.

Our county Farm Bureau has been working on a Third House Session for our state senator and representative. A Third House Session is basically a meeting in the district for us to interact with our senator and representative on issues important to us. Due to a miscommunication, the invitations to our general membership for this event did not get sent out. When I informed our county president today, he wanted to cancel the event. I encouraged him not to because I feel that we are at a very critical point in the our state's legislative agenda and what kind of message would we be sending to our elected officials if we cancelled the event. I know our county president was hoping for a large crowd and is disapointed that we might not have a large crowd, but I think 5 voices is better than no voices. Personally, I think we will have more than 5 voices there, but only time will tell.

But this does beg the question, can a few voices have just as big of impact of a large crowd? We will also be using this theory to get people there as we are now relying on email, Facebook, and word of mouth to get people there. Should be interesting.

Last week I had the opportunity to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee at the South Dakota Capitol in Pierre. They were going to vote on HB 1146 that was being pushed by the Humane Society of the United States that would change the penalties for animal cruelty.

As someone who has been around livestock my entire life and have studied animal husbandry, I will be the last person to defend someone who has abused an animal. However, this bill didn't do enough to protect agriculture from being prosecuted for practicing normal animal husbandry procedures. The current law had been formed 18 years ago through a cooperative effort by agriculture, researchers, veterinarians, and local animal shelters. And for 18 years, it has worked well. However, HSUS thought they could shove this through our small state without the input of most groups that would be affected. Fortunately, they were wrong.

After the testimony of livestock producers, veterinarians, dog breeders, and ag organizations that exposed HSUS for who they are and what they are trying to accomplish, the bill was effectively killed by a unanimous vote of 12-0.

The major problem I had with the bill is that HSUS has been trying to redefine normal livestock practices as cruel, torture and accusing us of mutilation. These were offenses that were spelled out as being a felony offense in the proposed bill. I am not a felon. The practices we employ on the ranch are ones that benefit the animal. In turn, these practices also let us produce a safe, affordable beef supply for this country.

This was an obvious attempt by HSUS to further their radical animal rights agenda in South Dakota, and I am proud to say that the citizens of our state overwhelmingly rejected their efforts.

I feel I need to respond to an article I recently read: "Hamburgers are the Hummers of Food in Global Warming: Scientists."

First, let me introduce myself. I am a fifth generation farmer and rancher in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, on the edge of the Flint Hills. My wife, father and children produce corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and yes, beef. We are a small family farm and we are in the process of launching a beef business where we sell locally raised beef to our friends and neighbors.

Let me also preface this by saying I am also the Ag and Natural Resources Agent for Pottawatomie County. That is why some of the misinformation in the article bothered me.

First, it is mis-representation to say that the livestock sector or even the entire ag sector is responsible for 18 percent of the total greenhouse emissions. Pierre Gerber, a livestock policy officer who co-authored the UN report, agreed that 18 percent was a generalization and not accurate in terms of ag producers in the United States.

In April the U.S. EPA released a report called the "Inventory of U.S. Grennhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006." In 2006 the EPA reported that U.S. agriculture (not just livestock) was responsible for only 6 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Even more important is the fact that when broken down even further, the livestock sector (not just beef) was only responsible for 2.58 percent of the total. This information was found in an article titled "Livestock's Shrinking (U.S.) Shadow."

While I personally doubt that food is the third leading contributor to the average U.S. household's carbon footprint. Let us consider a couple of things. First, the U.S. ag producer is the most efficient producer of food in the world, therefore, fewer inputs are needed to produce more food. Second, if our U.S. ag producers were not as efficicient, more fragile lands such as rainforests would be consumed to produce food for a hungry world.

Finally, if I concede food is the third leading cause, I would guess it is a long way behind number 1 and 2.

While it is true most cattle consume a grain ration for several months before going to market, prior to that most of those cattle are raised on many acres of land and pasture that would not be useful for any other food production. Lean beef is a nutrient rich healthy food. If we look at the increase in population over the next several decades, we will need all of our livestock sectors just to feed this ever-increasing demand.

As a U.S. producer of livestock and grain, I must say I take great pride in being a good steward of the land and environment and I also take great pride in feeding 144 other people around the world.

HSUS is moving to Illinois and Ohio with their legislation and ballot initiatives which would ban egg laying hen cages, sow stalls and veal stalls. HSUS claims these methods of production are not humane. I respectfully disagree.

Humane farm animal care is an issue all farmers should be talking about. In fact, we should own the issue. Whenever the issue is addressed by someone without the knowledge of modern agriculture and the ethics of animal care that guide modern farmers, we first must listen to the concerns, and not just blow them off.

But after, hearing, we must respond by sharing our PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT OUR CARE OF FARM ANIMALS and why we use modern animal production methods.

As a farmer, my top priority is the care I give my animal. I know a healthy animal produces healthy food. My kids and I eat the same food I raise for consumers; I wouldn't feed my family anything that wasn't safe. Farmers use these methods of production to PROTECT their animals from each other, predators, disease and the elements of the weather.

As a hog farmer, I know my hogs can not sweat, which means the hog doesn’t like physical activity because the hog can’t cool their body down. Because of this, my hogs lay down and rest, they only get up to eat or drink. Hogs also do not have necks, they don’t like going someplace if they can’t see where they are going, thus, they do not like turning around. Hogs prefer moving forward, that is why my barn is designed to meet this need and we have no sharp turns or angles which would cause stress for our hogs during movement. Our stalls create a stress free environment where the sow can lay down, eat or drink without fighting for food or water or being stepped on by another sow. Our stalls provide PROTECTION for our sows.

I know on my farm I am providing the best care for my animals and they are content and comfortable. I can tell this by their body language, as can every farmer who raises livestock.

Farmers and ranchers have a great story to tell, please go out and share your story with others. And if you don’t raise livestock, you can still tell our story, talk about your neighbor who raises livestock and the humane care and respect they give their animals.

Farmers and ranchers provide the best care for their animals based off years of experience, sound science and responsibility to provide healthy food for our families, and yours.

"Can you be a leader if you don't hold a title in an organization?" I was asked this question not long ago and my answer was yes. Each day it is my responsibility to be a leader for agriculture to ensure the next generation can return to our farm. My passion is agriculture and I make it a priority to tell agriculture's message on a daily basis. Whether it is talking to a stranger in the grocery store or responding to an online news article, it is my responibility as a farmer to tell our story. By doing this, I am representing agriculture and setting an example for others to follow.

Leadership is finding your strengths and using them to move your organization or cause forward. You don't have to hold an office to be a leader, you can lead by promoting your cause on a daily basis and letting your passion for your cause be your motivation.

Each leader has their own strengths, some are good at surfacing ideas, others are good at bringing opposing sides to a consensus, others are good at communicating. Whatever your strength may be, use it on a daily basis to benefit agriculture. We don't have to be the President or Vice-President of our local Farm Bureau to be an effective leader, we can use our leadership strengths in everyday life to ensure a positive future for the next generation in agriculture.

We had a great time at the YF&R Leadership Conference that was held in Sacramento, CA. this past week. We met so many outstanding young farmers & ranchers from all over the nation. I am impressed by the people that we met. What a wonderful group of people to be associated with! I am so proud to be a part of Farm Bureau.

Thanks to the California YF&R who all went out of their way to host us and show us an excellent time at the closing reception. Thanks for an awesome conference to everyone that came!

A friend sent me a link to the Beef Daily Blog today and there is a post written by Amanda Nolz about an article she recently stumbled upon in SELF magazine titled "Veg Out."

"Veg Out" defines the different types of vegetarianism, which include being a vegetarian, a vegan, a pescatarian, a fruitarian, or a raw foodist. It also offers vegetarian diet menus and recipes. (Check out Amanda's post to read more about the article).

The part of the article that really misses the mark discusses Ethical Eating 101 and it detailed ways to lessen your impact on the Earth by minimizing your meat intake. The article said, "Transporting cattle, farming grain for feed and cows’ own emissions of methane and nitrous oxide (farts) are major greenhouse-gas producers. If every American had one meat-free day a week, it would have the same impact as taking 8 million cars off the road, according to the Environmental Defense Fund in New York City."

This article was a six-page spread in the magazine, and even portrayed Hollywood Stars and what their eating habits were. Carrie Underwood was portrayed for her vegetarianism and Jessica Simpson was also portrayed on the other side wearing a “Real Girls Eat Meat” t-shirt.

Amanda Nolz, the author of the blog post, is asking the agriculture community to stand together and tell our story. Please help Amanda by taking a few minutes out of your busy day to contact SELF and let them know the truth about meat and dairy products and how farmers and ranchers are caring for the environment.

"Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country." -William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), Speech at the Democratic National Convention, Chicago, 8 Jul 1896

There is a lot of talk right now about a new economic stimulus package and how the money should be allocated. The quote above by William Jennings Bryan expresses where the money needs to be allocated to help our economy.

Agriculture is the backbone of our nation and many industries rely on the success of agriculture. Every household in the United States depends on agriculture's success to meet their nutritional needs. We need the economic stimulus package to be devoted to rural America for transportation infrastructure -- roads, bridges, locks and dams -- and broadband internet access availability. Each of these things would help bolster the economy of agriculture and rural America, which continues to be the basic foundation of our nation's entire economy.

Contact your Congressman or Senator today and let them know how important agriculture is to our economy!

We have all watched HSUS and other groups opposed to modern animal agriculture production push for tighter regulations in states where agriculutre may not be a main industry. They have had success in most of the states with the passage of Prop 2 in California this past election being the most devastating to date in terms of what it will do to the layer industry in California as well as the hog and veal industries. We have all wondered when they would try to hit a midwest state.

I can't say if Indiana is going to be their next state, but in the last few months, HSUS has opened an office in Bloomington, Indiana, home of Indiana University, one of the non-ag universities in Indiana. I just heard yesterday that HSUS has a lobbying day planned at our state house on February 10th. They are claiming that their agenda will be in regards to dogs and cats, but I would be willing to bet that livestock will be somewhere on the agenda.

I don't know what the future holds for Indiana or for other states, but it just reminds me that we must all continue to work together to take a hands on, personal approach to educating our legislators and neighbors. Our future may be in their hands.

Being from the Midwest I tend to first think of agriculture as Corn & Soybeans and Hogs & Cows. However agriculture encompasses diversity as wide as the product range of your local supermarket, because all of those products started out on a farm or ranch. America's Heartland television show features stories about the people responsible for producing America's agriculture products and the activities they are involved in.

Maybe it is just a curiosity I have to know more about how the peanuts I buy get into that jar at the grocery store. But I find the stories on America's Heartland both entertaining and educational.

On a recent family vacation from Iowa to Florida by car, we took the opportunity to visit a couple of friend’s farms in South Carolina. Those couple of days experiencing a different farming lifestyle became the highlight of the trip for my wife and me. Since not everyone can visit a farm in every state, America's Heartland can do the driving for you and bring a taste of every state's agriculture lifestyle into your home.

For program scheduling information or to view past episodes visit America's Heartland website www.americasheartland.org.

My family had the sad task of saying goodbye to my grandmother recently. She was the main land owner of our family farm. Everyone dislikes the headaches of filing all of the paperwork to start the transfer of the estate to those who will inherit, but for a farm family it becomes a very nerve racking time. Questions start flying, will there be enough funds to pay the estate taxes on the land and equipment? How will the land be divided up? Will the business be able to survive? For those in agriculture estate taxes are a huge burden. The assets that are being passed on are what the farm families depend on to stay in business, and are usually what they have worked for all of there lives.

Our family was thankfully prepared for the passing of my grandmother. Everything was planned accordingly and put into a trust which made the transfer very easy. I encourage each farm family not to wait, but to plan ahead now for the transfer to the next generation. The amount of farms are dropping everyday, please don't lose yours to estate taxes.

My grandmother Roselyn Sease will be missed very much, but there is comfort in knowing that our farm will be here for my daughter to grow up on and have the love of agriculture passed on to her one day.

Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of of sitting at my doctor's office for over three hours as I had the 3 hour long gestational diabetes test. For anyone that has ever been through this, you know how much fun it is. For those of you that have not had the opportunity, just imagine sitting in the doctor's waiting room for 3 hours and having blood drawn 4 different times over the course of 3 hours. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to the experience; however, the experience proved to be very important as I had the opportunity to tell my story to someone in the waiting room.

The was a couple sitting across from me and somehow we got to talking with each other and got on the topic of me living on a grain and hog farm with my family and the fact that I sell swine pharmaceuticals for a living. The husband had grown up on a farm and thought it was a great way to raise children, but he was a little concerned about all of these "corporate hog farms." As our conversation progressed, it came out that he thought in these "corporate farm" situations that the farmer leased their ground to the company and had nothing to do with the building, the hogs, etc... they just got a check for leasing their ground.

I used the opportunity to tell him how the farmer retains ownership of the building, borrows close to $1,000,000/building, and is usually responsible for all of the work and care of the hogs. The company simply owns the hogs. He then asked me if the company helped build the barn. I told him that usually the company is involved with the design of the building, but the farmer is solely responsible for borrowing and building the building and maintaining it in the future. He had just told me how he would really like to farm with his siblings and I told him this contract finishing situation was actually a great way for people like him to get involved with the farm. He was completely blown away and he had no idea that is how it worked.

It just completely amazes me how mis-informed the general public is. I mean here is a man that lives in the country and even knows several people that have built a contract finisher, but he had the completely wrong perception of how it worked.

I definitely was not looking forward to yesterday morning, but I realized that my time was well worth it just because I had the opportunity to educate one couple.

Please remember to tell your story whenever the opportunity presents itself... and remember, it may not always be when or where you expect it.

In a new Farm Bureau ad campaign in Virginia to launch SaveOurFood.org, a man tries unsuccessfully to order a New York Strip steak and New England clam chowder. The waitress explains that these things no longer exist but he is welcome to try the Honduran strip and Newfoundland chowder. In an effort to rally support for local producer markets and at the same time drive up membership rates, this campaign shows early signs of doing just that. The website is full of information about how to support local agriculture and about the many benefits membership in our organization has, regardless of status as producer or associate.

Our nation changes leadership today and hopes abound that our people will be more secure and self-sustaining than ever. Part of that mental peace is, for many, knowing where our next meal is coming from and that consuming certain things is safe and will bolster our local and national economies. For others, there is knowledge gap when it comes to exactly how things make their way to our pantries and plates.

Although there are many ways we can promote support of our local farmers and ranchers, linking consumers and producers in a way to positively promote the many facets of agriculture and increase awareness is one of the most direct and achievable. After all, don’t they say that the way to man’s (or woman’s) heart is through his stomach? The statistics about what it will take to feed the world over the next several decades are sobering. It is imperative that we do what we can now as young members of our industry to reach out and empower others to make wise food decisions that support our local farmers and ranchers, economy, and security, now and in the future.

The temperature in Missouri yesterday morning was 6 below zero, and this morning it was 1 below zero. Several area schools were cancelled due to the severe wind chill factor.

Area farmers have struggled to keep their equipment running in the extreme temperatures while tending to their daily livestock chores. A blessing for our farm was that our hogs were not enduring the extreme temperatures outside. Our hogs were safe and sound inside our warm barns, where the temperature was around 72 degrees fahrenheit. Piglets were nursing on the sows just like it was an ordinary day, the sows were content and had plenty of food and water at their disposal, they didn't have a care in the world.

This is one of the main reasons our family has invested millions of dollars in modern livestock barns, we want our livestock to be well cared for and safe. The cost to operate our farm would be much less if our hogs were not housed in modern livestock barns, but we want our livestock to be comfortable 365 days a year, not just 180 days. Our pigs are not struggling to survive the cold temperatures, they are thriving in a warm climate that is safe, clean and comfortable.

As farmers, our top priority is to provide quality care for our livestock so we can produce quality food for our families, and yours! This is why farmers make improvements on their farms and increase their debt from lenders to provide quality care for their livestock...our nation's food security depends on it!