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.