"Fair" Information

In today’s age, information is everything. From knowing exactly what ingredients are in our breakfast to being able to look up a definition in mere seconds thanks to our smartphones, we crave info. You may even be on this blog looking for info on how to properly prepare meat or how gluten affects your diet.  Today’s consumers are looking for the information about our food, and rightly so! However, when I searched the phrase, “What is in my food” nearly 67,900,000 results were pulled up by Google. Where on earth would I start?

Well, I have a solution. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through websites, step away from your computer and head to your local, county or state fair. We are in the midst of “Fair Season” as we speak. Around the country, fair exhibitors are working their hardest to earn that coveted blue ribbon with their assortment of projects. From the outside, it may seem like the fair is simply a place to ride the Ferris wheel and get delicious cotton candy, but if you’re looking for information about what is in your food, or where it comes from, this is exactly the place to find answers. 

Photo courtesy of Central Kansas Free Fair

The youth involved in 4-H and FFA are knowledgeable students who, when asked questions, will tell you the honest truth about their projects. The internet is a bundle of info, some of it scientifically correct, and some incorrect and opinionated; it can be difficult to draw the line. Having face-to-face conversations with these youth can show you the whole picture, the good and the bad. They work year-round to ensure that their projects will be fair-ready and have seen the ups and downs of the industries they serve.  

Not only can you get info from exhibitors, but you can see the process of farm-to-fork in real time. Head to the crops exhibit to learn about the variety of grains and grasses that make up our food supply. Stroll over to the livestock barns to inquire about how students care for their poultry, beef, pigs, sheep and goats. Then head to the baking exhibit to learn about what grains and other ingredients to use to make your apple pie blue ribbon worthy. In a country where the average consumer is 3 generations removed from traditional agriculture, this is the perfect opportunity to witness the process first hand. 

A junior goat exhibitor talking to the judge during showmanship.

Don’t forget the wonderful fair food and attractions, however, like the aforementioned cotton candy and Ferris wheel. If you’re looking for info about your food, put down your technology and head to the fair. Ask questions, witness the work of exhibitors, have fun, and learn about more about agriculture.

Your purple ribbon writer, 

Kyler

3 Ways Anyone Can Agvocate

Start with keeping up on current issues in agriculture. From GMO labeling to conventionally raised vs. grass-fed beef, you want to be informed about the industry and what it is you’re trying to communicate. You can share as frequently or infrequently  as you’re comfortable with. Try starting with baby steps.

1. Share, like, reblog:

            Perhaps the easiest way to get information out is to pass on what researchers, professionals and agriculturists have published. If you like something you read, feel free to share it with your friends and followers! You can ignite more interest by adding your own opinion or perspective in a few short sentences.

http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/story/dinner_plate082714.aspx​

2. Post your favorite recipe or dish

            For me, the main reason I follow Kansas Beef Council or Kansas Pork Association on Facebook and Twitter is the recipes and pictures of yummy food they post daily. It’s a quick, easy way to share fun, new ways to prepare your favorite foods (hello, Maple & Bacon Donut Fries)!

http://ow.ly/DHYoA

3. Original content

            There are many ways you can share your own agriculture story with others. If you’re willing to take a step outside of your comfort zone, there are opportunities everywhere, from social media to real life conversations (gasp!). Next time you sit next to a stranger on an airplane or bus, strike up a conversation—who knows, maybe you’ll be able to teach them something! However, if you’re not as comfortable with that method, there is always the wild and wonderful worldwide web. Try telling a short story along with posting a picture on Facebook or Instagram. Tweet about a newsworthy event related to agriculture that you’re interested in. Whatever you do, represent the agriculture industry as best you can.

One of my favorite things to do is feed cattle with my grandpa. Rain, sleet, snow or shine, it’s always great to spend the day on the ranch when I go home. These cattle know the sound of the feed truck and wait their turn for lunch while we feed the pen across the road.

If you’re looking for some new reading material or pages to follow, some great examples of agvocating can be found here:

 
http://www.kidscowsandgrass.com
http://www.agweb.com/livestock/beef/
http://bovidiva.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frederick-Harvesting/202187356497627
https://www.facebook.com/KStateRE
https://gmoanswers.com

Thanks, y’all!
Kenzie

Have You Let Your Voice Be Heard?

I recently went to a restaurant in downtown Indianapolis with four friends, who are all involved in agriculture. While looking at the menu, we saw the wording, “farm-raised beef” and “locally raised” and chuckled. When the waiter came up to get our order, one person in our party asked him, “Isn’t all beef farm raised?” He replied that the restaurant is supplied with beef from a farm located northwest of Indianapolis. He did a really good job answering the question.  

 

There are a lot of different ways to label food products - start a conversation!
Photo courtesy: Esquire.com

 While my friend’s inquiry was sincere and non-aggressive, the waiter could have been embarrassed or thought we were trying to get a laugh at his expense. What I noticed was no one in our group tried to tell the waiter about livestock, crops or agriculture, not even me. All five of us just sat there and remained silent, listening to the waiter, when we could have sparked a conversation about agriculture.

 

What have you done to defend or promote agriculture to someone who might not be familiar with it?

Do you communicate with others about their perceptions and opinions or only communicate your own or keep to yourself? Even though we have different roles in the industry, all of us wear the hat of an agricultural communicator. We have countless opportunity to share our knowledge and technical skills with others outside of the profession – our friends, family, co-workers, etc. – about the industry.

With all that said, next time you have the chance to share with the industry we are all passionate about – do it!

 

Best,

Logan Britton

Three-foot Tall Cattle

The average American today is two generations removed from the farm. We’ve all heard the statistic, but what does it really mean? In my mind, it’s a critical junction. If you’re two generations removed from the farm, you share my experience of visiting your Grandparents’ farm growing up. This two-generations-removed group remembers the passion their grandparents had for the land and animals of which they were stewards.

The generation coming up will be three generations removed from the farm. They won’t have the same memories of spending time with grandparents in pastures, fields, and barns. Besides being end users of our products, many of them will lack any personal connection with production agriculture.

The Emporia Gazette, a Kansas newspaper, last week featured an article that provided an example of just what this removal from agriculture can look like. Hope you enjoy hearing about the three-feet tall cattle.

- Chelsea Good 

Three-foot Tall Cattle

By The Emporia Gazette

Animal rightist’s hissy fit over State Fair regulations is only their latest attempt to invade Kansas. Like our Great Plains neighbors to the north, Kansas is a state where many citizens are only a relative or two away from someone who works on a ranch, transports cattle, or processes beef.

This is a state where rodeo is an important sport. Where a significant number of farm kids learn to take care of their animals. And where 4-H kids sign an intent-to-sell form when they show their sheep at the county fairs in August.

Animal rightists occasionally come to Kansas to picket the entrances of our big meat processing plants. The truckers carefully maneuver around them and give a friendly wave or nod. After a few days of polite Kansas hospitality and absolutely nothing to make newspaper headlines, they usually pack up and go back home.

Unfortunately, times are changing. That sign about one Kansas farmer feeds a hundred and some people will have to be changed upward. Fewer kids are living on farms as our western counties are depopulating. That means that over the long term, fewer future citizens of Kansas will have their views of animal care grounded in the realities of a rural experience.

Our grandparents knew what butcher knives were used for. This first stage of food preparation was a visible and natural process. The children of China (outside of their urban areas) still witness meat processing in the street markets on their way home from school everyday. You can be sure that animal rights organizations would get little traction in your grandparent’s day, or in countries like China today.

But in America, meat processing has moved to local lockers and large assembly line plants where the process is no longer visible. Generations are growing up with little connection between the farm animal, the processing plant, and the meat on the table.

Children are particularly isolated on the coasts, where new city ordinances outlaw the sale of furs and egg farmers must uncage their chickens. Well, Kansas is not California and we are proud of that.

Kansas benefits from a citizenry that understands the role of animals. After agriculture and aircraft and military, animals are another major industry.

Stretching from Manhattan to Kansas City is a major animal bio-research corridor. Medical and pharmaceutical companies from around the world conduct required animal tests on their products right here in Kansas. The ultra-secure animal bioterrorism test facility (NBAF) was a natural for K-State since a similar small facility was already here. And one Kansas town probably is the dog food capital of the world.

Why Kansas? We know where our hamburger comes from.

Every Kansas child of the 1800s knew animals. Today, far fewer have the opportunity. If education was designed so that every child spent a summer on a farm or ranch where they could work with animals up close, there would be very few animal rightists.

One day I ended the nutrition section of my biology class by mentioning that some city folks do not know that milk comes from cows. After class, a student from a wealthy suburb came up to object: “I know milk comes from cows!”

“And where have you seen cows?” I asked.

“While I was driving down the superhighway,” he replied. “Cows are all over the grasslands.”

“And how tall is a cow?” I asked.

“About this high, I guess,” and he held his hand out at about three feet, the size of a big dog!

He may have known — in an abstract way — that milk came from cows.

But he didn’t really “know” a cow.

HANDS that FEED US

If you are interested about where your food comes from and the people who produce it. You have got to check out this blog. It's awesome!

Hands of Farmers

Reminds me of the Boots on the Ground posts here at Food For Thought! The pictures are probably my favorite, mostly because I've seen hands like that a lot during my life on the farm.

Let me know your favorite post!

Tera

Keep Families Farming...still!

I know you all read the last post about the #Keepfamiliesfarming campaign that I participated in because of the recent DOL move to remove children as workers from farms.

If you'd like to read another one, I'm going to send you to a fellow Food For Thought blogger's personal blog. Brandi Buzzard gave her two cents on the topic also.

Also, I was remembering a few things that my dad taught me growing up while helping on the farm. These safety and conservation tips were ingrained in my mind at a very young age because I had the opportunity to help him on the farm.

• ALWAYS slow down at a dirt road intersection that has corn growing on both sides. Even if there is no stop sign, you have to yield because you can't see who is coming. 
• SAFETY GLASSES are the most important investment you can make for employees because our eye sight is so precious. 
• GRAIN BINS and SILAGE PITS are the most dangerous places to be on a farm and kids simply aren't allowed there. 
• LOOK AROUND! You have to be aware of large machinery running around the farm and keep yourself at a safe distance. 
• ELECTRICITY is not a fun toy, it's serious business. We always had to check the electric fences for the cows and learned the safe way to do that. Also when working on a sprinkler for irrigation we always had to be sure the power was off.
• DIRT BLOWING means that precious top soil is being lost. Farmers are stewards of the land and do everything within their power to prevent this loss to erosion.

Food Suppliers: I'm Lovin' It

I am in love with this new ad campaign from McDonald's. Mostly I am fond of it because it's real and you get the chance to meet the suppliers of different food products that are served up at the McD's near you.

The people are real. The videos are touching. The process is transparent.

Potato Supplier

Beef Supplier

Lettuce Supplier

Farming is a family tradition and agriculture is the backbone of the nation. Farmers are truly stewards of the land. See for yourself.

Enjoy!

Tera

The Very Best Christmas Gift

The very best gift this holiday season for many people will be nourishment. According to the FAO, 1 billion people currently go hungry.

In the US, if we could spend more of the money that goes towards fighting the anti-agriculture movement and produce synergistic efforts that move forward to solve important industry issues, we could make a dent in that 1 billion. I encourage you to check out this facebook group to get involved in the End Hunger Project.

This Christmas, I am thankful for the very best gift I have ever received:

I was raised on a farm in a family passionate about serving the agriculture industry.

And that is why I'd like to share this with you. 

This is an important regulation that the US Department of Labor has proposed. I encourage you to be educated on both sides of the issue and would love to engage in conversation about your opinions regarding it. I have worked on my family's farm and ranch since before I can even remember. Some of my first memories of being on the farm with my dad include learning important safety precautions that HAD to be taken while we were outside.

The website you can visit to view the regulation is listed in the above photo. I'd love to hear from you in the comment section below!

Best, 

Tera

Excuse Us!

Avid readers of the Food For Thought Blog:

Please excuse our absence. Since most of us are students, we are knee deep in study guides, textbooks, flashcards and highlighters for the sake of the final week of the Fall Semester commonly referred to as Finals.

We're passionate about sharing the story of agriculture to consumers because it has played such a large part in our lives. When advocacy meets passion, you can make a difference without making a profit, you can dedicate time without needing recognition and you can connect with a stranger without needing a name.

Not all of us are willing or able to be farmers, but all of us need dinner tonight.

What are you passionate about? I'd love to hear from you!

Best,

Tera

Real Farmers, Real Food

Miss America says it better than anyone I've heard in a while. Join me to celebrate our plentiful and safe food supply. Check out her video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGq21MAX1eM&feature=youtu.be

Remember, she'll be in Manhattan, KS in November as our Fall 2011 Upson Lecturer. You're going to want to be a part of this!

Best,

Tera

Foodie Feature: Where are they now?

Have you ever wondered where exactly a college degree in an agricultural field will land you? I bet the common answers are: farming, raising animals, farming or maybe a veterinarian?

I ran across this blog, which I continue to check out because they are a lot like us - students passionate about agriculture, just trying to get the word out to consumers who may not have an easy connection.

They have done a great job on highlighting some Alumni members of a Junior College in Kansas that is very well known on the national level in the field of agriculture. My brother went to Butler Community College and spent some of the best years of his life being a Grizzly!

Check out the alumni highlights here. You'll see exactly where a degree in agriculture has landed these alums of Butler. Cody is now a Vice President in a bank. Christie now works with the foundation at a University. Wendy works in communications and marketing. Common theme: a degree in agriculture can send you far beyond the farm.

Have a great day!

Tera

'Cause it Matters

Have you been to this website? Check it out today!

http://www.causematters.com/

Happy Thursday!

Tera

Ask Me About Agriculture: Bluestem Bistro

I was in the coffee shop here awhile back avoiding the work I needed to do. What can I do to avoid work, I thought? Then I noticed, the coffee shop was full of sorority girls, popped collars and Polo hats. People who looked like they needed an education on agriculture – and I was just in the mood to give ‘em one.

I however was looking for a method to engage with my fellow coffee shoppers outside of accosting them. Climbing on top of the espresso machine and calling the room to attention I feared would shorten my welcome. Humm.

I will make a sign I proclaimed! It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.

I placed this beauty of a sign in view of my fellow caffeine cronies. Apparently there were others who didn’t want to be working… I was entirely occupied with conversation for the rest of the evening.

The questions were far from profound. Most people just wanted to know what a crazy man was doing soliciting conversation about – of all things – agriculture. I was a point of interest to say the least. I feel like people just want to ask questions and get answers that aren’t full of crazy science and political motive. “What was it like growing up on a farm?” it was great; let me tell you about it.

The conversations that Ag Advocates (Agvocates) are having with people need to be basic, connecting with people on a personal level. The quickest way to run someone off is to start preaching about how PETA and HSUS are ruining our lives and how veg-o’s need to go kick rocks. No matter how insignificant or kindergarten the conversation may seem to you, keep it up and be patient, it might be life-altering for someone else. The connection that you have with the person you are talking to is as important as the education.

Also, branch out! A wise man from the Judd Ranch once told me: “Love the ones who need it, not the ones who like it.” He was referring to very friendly pen bulls, but the principal works here. If you make a sign and fly it at the local coop during farmer coffee hour, you will probably be preaching to the choir. So, go to Starbucks, the mall, the park – somewhere where people aren’t wearing boots – and tell your story. Don’t be afraid of the Sperry-wearers; they are the ones who need the love. We have to educate the masses, the mainstream. We have a great opportunity, and judging from my coffee shop experience, people are willing to listen.

So make a sign and head to your local bistro. You might learn a thing or two too. I discovered this amazing little thing called espresso – it’s like black coffee only stronger!

Until next time-

B. Harder

Pasture to Plate

Food For Thought is all about getting good information about agriculture out there to consumers. You deserve to know how your food is made if you are willing and ready to see it. Food production isn't easy or glamorous, but it needs to be done because there are a lot of hungry people out there!

Here is a video that was shared by a colleague of mine. It's a great example of a man who is passionate about what he does. He takes his job seriously and understands the value of an animal's life. He is a great advocate for the meat and agriculture industry and I happily send you to this link:

http://gizmodo.com/#!5793294/watch-how-animals-turn-into-delicious-meat-plus-bonus-shot-of-blowtorched-pig

There are a lot of videos circulated on the internet that show meat packing plants in a negative light. Here's the truth, straight from a small packer in New York.

My Best,

Tera

Where were you in 2002?

Two-thousand and two. At first glance it doesn't seem like it was that long ago. Where were you in oh-2?

I was...a lanky, boy crazy 7th grade student at Satanta Jr.-Sr. High School. Fresh into a sweet, maroon, 1990 model Cadillac DeVille loaned to me from my grandfather as my first official set of wheels to take me from the farm to school and back per the farmer's permit I had obtained. George W. Bush was the President, no comment. The Olympics were in Salt Lake. After school I probably rocked out to a mix of Dashboard Confessional, 50-cent (pronounced "fiddy-cent" for you vintage readers!), and Nickelback that played on my cassette-to-CD converter on a CD I am sure was burned off of Napster downloads.

In 2002, Michael Pollan began telling the story of how food goes from farm to fork with his article, Power Steer.

And ever since then Agriculture has been fighting to set it straight. If you are interested in Pollan's article and the information presented in it, I would encourage you to talk to an actual Agriculturist. Rather than taking the word of a journalist who lives in the confines of a over-populated concrete jungle, maybe you should check out what these people have to say.

• Garden City, Kansas, missed the suburban building boom because it retained the rural lifestyle in a corner of Kansas that produces a lot of food for a large portion of our population.
• POKY Feeders is located in Scott County and is managed by Joe Morgan. My dad delivered a bull to Mr. Morgan this past Tuesday that we picked up on a trip through Nebraska. You want to learn about cattle feeding? POKY Feeders runs a fine business and you can find more out on their website - http://www.cattlefeeding.com/
• Blair Brother Angus raised the calf in the article. They would be a reliable source to hit up on all things cattle - http://www.blairbrosangus.com/index.cfm
• The Hadricks refuse to let people like Pollan tell their story any more and have done an amazing job promoting agriculture -http://advocatesforag.blogspot.com/

I guess my point is that these are great examples of people who could tell you more about how cattle go from the farm to your table. They are all accessible on the internet and would answer the phone too! I like to go to the source for my information. When I have a health concern, I don't check out the New York Times, I ask my doctor. When I have a question about clearly getting a point across to group members, I ask my mom who is an educator and is pretty good at conveying messages to others.

When you want to know more about where your food comes from, call a producer. Agriculture has to do a better job of telling agriculture's story. We have some pretty good ones to tell...

Partying like it's 0h-2,

Tera Rooney

The Farm is Coming to Town

Monsanto has announced a new Mobile Experience! The story of America’s farmers is making its way to your backyard. The America’s Farmers Mobile Experience is a 53-foot tractor trailer that folds out into 1,000 square feet of exhibit space. Step into this Mobile Experience and get a first-hand look at not only the demands global agriculture faces, but also how farmers truly are the solution. And learn it all in a mere 24 minutes.




Click here to learn more about the Mobile Experience.

Best,
Chelsea

Hormone Casserole

I've seen some prevalent advocacy being done by a veterinarian from my home county, Haskell County, Kansas, lately. Dave Sjeklocha (pronounced like "so close ya" almost missed it!) is a DVM at the Haskell County Animal Hospital and I have seen his response to hormone usage in food production to many articles on the internet. This is his response, as a licensed veterinarian, and it has been posted on several parenting sites, the Wall Street Journal, among others.

He breaks down a response to the hormone debate in a way that consumers, like myself, can easily understand! I also trust his break down because he is the veterinarian working with cattle producers to regulate the use of growth-promoting hormones in production. Great job Doc Sjeklocha!!!

• Hormones: Growth-promoting hormones used in beef production include estrogens, trenbolone acetate (TBA) and melengestrol acetate (MGA, progestin). Estrogens are the most commonly used.

• Safety: Growth promoting hormones in cattle production have been declared safe by several scientific organizations worldwide. These would include the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization, the European Commission Agriculture Division and the Codex Committee on Veterinary Residues.

• Hormone levels: Hormone levels are measured units called nanograms. A nanogram is one billionth of a gram. Three ounces of beef from a steer that was raised with growth promoting hormones contains 1.9 ng of estrogen. Three ounces of beef from a steer that was not raised with growth promoting hormones contains 1.3 ng of estrogen. Three ounce servings of other foods would contain the following levels of estrogen:
• Soybean oil 168,000,000 ng
• Milk 11 ng
• Potatoes 225 ng
• Ice cream 520 ng
• The human body naturally produces many hormones. Estrogen is just one of those hormones. Levels of estrogen in the human body would be as follows:
• Non-pregnant woman 480,000 ng
• Pregnant woman 3,415,000 ng
• Man 136,000 ng
• Male child (pre-pubertal) 41,500 ng
• Female child (pre-pubertal) 54,000 ng

• Summary: Growth-promoting hormones used in beef production have been scientifically tested and proven to be safe. When compared to levels in other foods, or to levels naturally occurring in the human body, beef hormone levels are very low. Also, the use of these hormones helps to conserve our natural resources by improving the efficiency of beef production.

I'm making a casserole tonight for dinner that contains: meat, potatoes, corn, green beans, carrots and some milk products. I might just change the name of the recipe because it is clearly a hormone casserole! Now that I have read Doc Sjeklocha's response, I know that it is a naturally occurring hormone in a lot of the foods I eat.

My best,

Tera Rooney

I am Angus | Chelsea Good

In December American Angus Association's Crystal Young, known to many as Crystal Cattle, came to Topeka to interview me about law school and how it relates to agriculture. The results aired last night in this 4 minute video that was part of the Angus Association's I am Angus series on RFD-TV. Hope you in enjoy it!

Best,

Chelsea

Get into organized agriculture and veterinary medicine

Well, Tera talked me into writing a blog. So here goes my first blog on the Food for Thought website. I speak all around the U.S. and the world on beef cattle welfare and the animal rights movement. One of the most common questions that I get is how can I help be an advocate for animal agriculture. My first response is to join organized agriculture groups. These might be a cattlemen’s organization, this might be a general agriculture organization or a professional organization. I am a member of multiple organizations such as National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Farm Bureau, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Bovine Practitioners and the Academy of Veterinary Consultants.

Most people want to get involved and going out on your own is better than nothing. But, we get organized and have synergistic activities within our producer and professional societies. These groups are always looking for volunteers within their organization. They are also organized across the United States and prevent us from duplicating efforts that conserves our human and capital resources. Get on the right bus, be active and help steer us in the right direction. Passionate people that want to serve are needed today in our producer and professional organizations.

Get on board!

Dr. Dan Thomson

Get into organized agriculture and veterinary medicine

Well, Tera talked me into writing a blog. So here goes my first blog on the Food for Thought website. I speak all around the U.S. and the world on beef cattle welfare and the animal rights movement. One of the most common questions that I get is how can I help be an advocate for animal agriculture. My first response is to join organized agriculture groups. These might be a cattlemen’s organization, this might be a general agriculture organization or a professional organization. I am a member of multiple organizations such as National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Farm Bureau, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Bovine Practitioners and the Academy of Veterinary Consultants.

Most people want to get involved and going out on your own is better than nothing. But, we get organized and have synergistic activities within our producer and professional societies. These groups are always looking for volunteers within their organization. They are also organized across the United States and prevent us from duplicating efforts that conserves our human and capital resources. Get on the right bus, be active and help steer us in the right direction. Passionate people that want to serve are needed today in our producer and professional organizations.

Get on board!

Dr. Dan Thomson