"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

The Truth Behind the Closed Doors

My name is Lori Thomas and I was born and raised in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri. In 2013 I graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia and accepted a job as a farrowing manager at a sow farm in Thompson, Missouri. I learned more in one year of production than anything I ever read in a text book. To a city kid from St. Louis, this experience has changed my life forever.

My father grew up on a small farm in southern Illinois, which has since turned into rented farm land and a place for the cousins to ride dirt bikes and race go carts. My older brother followed in my dad’s steps and is now a successful engineer and I…. I just love pigs. I was pre-vet (small animal) until my junior year in college when I was offered a job working with pigs. For eight months, I helped a graduate student with data collection and daily chores of eight boars (male pigs). Upon graduation, I was still considering vet school but thought a year in production would be very beneficial. Little did I know, 365 days later, vet school was no longer what I needed to be happy, pigs were.

I am very passionate about the swine industry and because of that, I am passionate about agriculture. I want to share my knowledge about swine production and my story of what I have experienced behind the closed doors of the sow farm. I think consumers struggle to understand why we raise animals in the environments that we do and they fear the welfare of the animals. Coming from a background without agriculture, I can see these struggles and fears. I get it, but hear my story.

I spent exactly one year employed at a sow farm with roughly 10,000 sows and I was tasked with managing farrowing. To my city friends, I explained this as being a nurse to a sow and helping her deliver babies and then caring for these animals until they are weaned. What could honestly be better than playing with piglets all day? Unfortunately, it wasn’t all glamorous. There was power washing, fixing feed lines, treating sick animals, and a list that goes on forever (seriously). A normal day was a 12-13 hour shift, starting at 5:30 am. Farrowing had 15 workers plus management and we worked 12 days on, two days off. Inside the closed doors of this barn, was a family.

I learned a lot in that year that will stick with me forever. I was fresh out of college and was faced with management of people and pigs. It didn’t take me long to learn and practice patience, respect and commitment, to the people and the pigs.

Patience. It takes patience to work with animals. I am 125 lbs and trying to move a 400 lb sow into a farrowing crate (when she has ideas of her own), can be very challenging. Or the constant communication barrier I faced with most of my employees. Trying to teach a job to someone who speaks a different language than you, certainly takes patience. 

Respect. There were certainly times when your patience would spread thin. However; we never lost sight of respecting each other and the animals we cared for. For most people, this is a hot topic. What was the welfare of these animals locked inside of this barn? How was their quality of life? For the 365 days of which I was there, I think it was pretty darn good. My friends from home would ask why these pigs weren’t being raised outside, free range, instead of in a crate of any kind. I can see some of these thoughts, as I used to have them myself but at least for me, now it all makes sense. Recall, I was managing farrowing and when these sows farrowed, they were inside, in a crate. Why? With the genetics these pigs have today, they are capable of having several babies (12+, 25 in some cases). However; having this many babies without any assistance, can be challenging. By having them in crates, I am able to monitor the sow as well as her babies. We had 24 hour farrowing care, someone was always there. Not only assisting with delivering the babies (sleeving the sow, drying the babies, getting them up to mom to nurse) but also monitoring them in the days that followed. Are the piglets nursing? Is mom eating and drinking? Are the piglets warm enough? Is mom too hot? These ladies (sows) and their babies were cared for everyday in ways that wouldn’t be possible outside. Maybe having them indoors in a farrowing crate, isn’t so bad? She doesn’t seem to mind.

Maintaining respect of the animals was something we took very seriously. I always think about weaning. We had 60 farrowing crates per room and we would wean first thing in the morning. I would stand at the end of the aisle and count the piglets as the crew would remove them from the crate and into the aisle. I would get to 50 or so pigs and then we would run them out into the hallway. I remember a day when I was attempting to run them into the hall and these weaned pigs were not moving. No matter what method I tried, they were hardly fazed. It was extremely frustrating and apparently it showed. One of the guys, Auggie, stepped in and said he would try and he was instantly successful (he always claimed the pigs spoke Spanish and they weren’t moving because they couldn’t understand me). My point is we were watching out for each other. We didn’t want the others frustrations to get the best of them. We truly cared about the animals we worked with. Believe me, we spent a lot of time with them, they were part of the family.

Commitment. This was my life for a year. Remember, we are working with live animals. They don’t take holidays off. That’s right, we are open on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. These are easily still eight hour days. We would try to rotate so everyone had a holiday off but it was most certainly a challenge. Not to mention my favorite commitment of all, alarm calls. The technology that we have today is truly amazing and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but those darn alarm calls. I swear, it would always happen the second I got home for the night or the second I went to bed. Every farrowing room had a box which controlled the temperature, ventilation, water usage, heat lamps, lights, everything. If something went out of range, it would alarm. Another perk of having these animals inside. The environment was controlled and controlled to benefit them.  Most of the time, the alarms were all minor issues. However; a few were a bit more threatening. I was always on pig time. I may have clocked out, but I most definitely was always able to be reached.

My life was put on hold for this job (and I wasn’t the only one). Granted, this was a fairly large barn, and it was a new farm. We had our work cut out for us. But we did it and I don’t think I would have it any other way, with any other crew.

I would have taken anyone into our farm. I wasn’t hiding a thing. It is not all glamorous, but what job is? Agriculture is filled with many other professions outside of the pig farm, but I think the same principles exist: patience, respect and commitment. We are real people, with real emotions, who are passionate about what we do. I encourage you to ask any questions you may have about what we do, come and visit with us, hear our story.

Thank you for reading,
Lori

At the End of the Day, It's All About the People

This past weekend I took a vacation from school. Not to some exotic location with warm sandy beaches but to a place I can call home in Southwest Iowa, 4K Farms. Being an Oregon native, going to school in Kansas can be difficult at times since I don’t get to go home as often as I’d like.  However, the generosity and hospitality of the Swanson family has become one of the things that keeps me in the Midwest. That and the pigs. This Saturday was filled with pigs, puppies, and time spent with lots of good people. 


Max feeding a boar a Gatorade

When I hopped in the farm truck on Saturday morning, I knew it would be a long day of work. As Drake, the neighbor farm help, and I started in the farrowing house (where the sows and piglets are), we fed the sows and checked on the babies while carrying on a conversation on how his high school football season went. We continued from barn to barn, to the Double L nursery where we found a sick pig that would need treated. Part of being an excellent caretaker of livestock involves spotting out the animals that aren’t acting “normal” and nursing them back to good health.

I then got to climb from pen to pen with Kirk (my Iowa dad), his friend from Missouri, Jesse, and Jesse’s five-year old son, Max. We spent this time looking at the young pigs, sorting through gilts and sows, and discussing pedigrees with genetic lines that go back to the early nineties. While many people would think that sounds crazy, standing there listening to the conversations taking place, I got to see two individuals talk with passion in their eyes about the swine industry and ways to help it progress. Even little Max was in on it. He came walking over to us after looking at the pens and pens of boars to say “Kirk, you have some very impressive boars.” I just smiled and laughed, thinking that the ordinary 5-year old probably doesn’t talk about boars everyday. 

It takes many moving parts to get the best picture

The main task of the day was to take pictures of some of the elite breeding stock on the farm.  We would wash the pigs and then take them to a big grassy area to capture the perfect shot. It takes a lot of patience, creativity and perfect timing to get those photos, but the end result is highly satisfying. Several hours and over 400 photos later, it was time to call it a day for the pig photo shoot.

As the sun began to set on Saturday evening, Jerra (my Iowa mom) and I worked on feeding the pigs their second meal of the day while the boys snuck in one last picture of a boar before the sun was all the way gone.  After finishing up the evening chores, we gathered in the kitchen where Jerra had whipped up my favorite lasagna and cherry pie. Exhausted from a long day at the farm, and full from supper, we all talked late into the night about hogs, dogs and the livestock industry. One quote that resonated with me came from a conversation Kirk had had a few years back with another swine enthusiast. He said “When leaders begin to follow, the breed will fail to progress.” I think that line is one that could be taken and applied to many different aspects of life.



Kirk feeding sows at the bunk

Sunday I rode around in the farm truck with Kirk to work on morning chores before I headed back to Manhattan. The life conversations in between bedding down pens and vaccinating piglets are when some of the most valuable advice is given.

As I sit on here on Monday back at school and reflecting on the weekend, I can’t help but realize I have been blessed to have the weekend I did. It’s not very often that you find a warm sunny Iowa day in mid November, with views of harvested corn fields, all while being surrounded by people that share the same passion as you. A wise person once told me “Don’t let school get in the way of your education.” I didn’t know what that meant at the time it was said to me, but after this weekend I finally do. The classroom is a valuable place to pick up facts, but it’s the unscripted days that I have spent in Iowa outside the walls of a classroom that I have learned the most.  At the end of the day, agriculture is a way of life, and it’s the people that make it worthwhile.

Until next time,
Kiah

 

 

           

How Beef Goes From Pasture to Plate: A Video

It takes a lot to produce beef - not just in terms of hard work or lots of time, but also with reference to the number of people that dedicate their lives to taking care of livestock in order to produce healthy, safe beef.

The following is a video hosted on FactsAboutBeef.com that highlights the intricate lifecycle of a beef animal.



Additional questions about beef production? Shout 'em out below!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Family Physician vs. Veterinarian

People today are more concerned than ever about the quality of their food, where it comes from, and how it’s raised.  The world population is growing, and those people need PROTEIN! 

Animal protein is a very economical and efficient way to meet people’s needs for quality nutrition, and American livestock producers are  better at meeting this rising need than ever before.  One of the tools we as producers have to promote the health of our animals is judicious antibiotic use. 

Judicious.  Webster’s defines this as “having or showing good judgment.” Farmers and ranchers must be extremely careful about what drugs are used, which animals they’re used on, and what they are used to treat.  Not only does it makes good sense and is economical, it’s mandated legally. 

The FDA has set forth guidelines as to the tolerances of drug residue that can be left in an animal when it’s harvested for food.  This means if livestock producers and veterinarians don’t follow the rules, they can be reprimanded, fined, and lose their jobs.  The next time you hear someone talking about all the antibiotics being used in animals, just remember: your family physician has fewer qualms prescribing you an antibiotic than your veterinarian does prescribing antibiotics for animals.

Best,
John Dwyer 

Cattle Eat Hay and Grass and Turn It Into Beef

Cellulose. This polysaccharide is an important component of the cell walls of the vegetation that carpets the ground around the world – which leads it to be the polymer in the most abundance on the Earth. It even makes up 40 – 50% of wood!

So, why do I bring this up? It just so happens that the most abundant polymer on Earth is also one of least digestible polymers for simple stomach mammals such as humans, and its main purpose is to serve as a “dietary fiber.”


A field of one form of cellulose - grass hay - that has been mowed and will be baled soon.

Ruminants such as cattle, sheep, and goats, however, are able to digest various forms of cellulose due to microorganisms that live within their gastrointestinal tract. To explain in further detail, ruminants have a complex stomach that consists of four compartments: the reticulum, rumen, omasum, and abomasum. The rumen contains certain bacteria, such as Ruminococcus, which break down cellulose into glucose that can be utilized during energy production. Simply stated, cattle and other ruminants are physiologically designed to eat cellulose because they have a very small amount of the exact right kind of bacteria in their stomach.

I find this astonishing! Such a small percentage of symbiotic bacteria present in the stomach of a ruminant animal allow an otherwise indigestible polysaccharide to be degraded to glucose and utilized for the production of animal protein which can be consumed by humans and feed our families. And remember when I said cellulose is the most abundant organic polymer in the world??

This is a hay baler - it picks up the mowed hay and winds it into
large bales which are used to feed livestock and horses.

These are some pictures from my family’s operation during the hay season. Yes, due to baling hay and other feed production methods, cattle can continue to utilize cellulose to convert it to animal protein throughout late fall and winter when grass is dormant and of poor nutritional value! Long after the pastures have turned brown from the cold, cattle are eating grasses and forages that are unfit for human consumption to produce safe, healthy and wholesome beef.

Thank you for reading,

Jacob

Here is a link to a TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) video talking about the environmental conditions the world is facing and how this will affect the production of livestock.

Allan Savory is an environmentalist that has spent his entire work evaluating how livestock are bad for the planet and are part of the reasons for climate change and desertification. However after evaluating all of his work, Allan now says that livestock are the solution for climate change and determining ways to fight hunger, poverty, and violence across the world.

Take a few minutes and listen to the video which can be found here.

Until next time,

Miles Theurer

New Member Alert - Kiah Gourley

We have some fresh faces around Food For Thought these days - we held a membership drive in August and September and have some great new minds who are excited about agriculture among our ranks! Periodically, you'll see their bios here so that you can get to know them. This post is about new member Kiah Gourley, a sophomore majoring in Animal Science here at K-State.

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 Hi, I am Kiah Gourley.  I am from Philomath, Oregon.  I grew up raising pigs and showing livestock in 4-H.  I am excited to be in Food For Thought because it gives me a chance to learn how to talk to the consumer about where our food comes from. I want to get involved so I can hear from very inspirational people, and fellow peers on how to present agriculture in a positive way. I would love the opportunity to take these ideas back to the west coast, and put them into action.

Upson Lecture with Secretary Dale Rodman Tonight!

Tonight is the night!

 

Tonight we welcome Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman to Kansas State University. Secretary Rodman will be speaking on the topic of Kansas Agriculture in 2025 in the Main Ballroom in the Student Union at 7 pm. Many factors affecting agriculture and food production will be discussed and Rodman will answer questions following the lecture.

 

If you are unable to make the lecture, be sure to follow along using the #ULSRodman hashtag on Twitter. Updates will also be posted to Facebook and you can also follow the @fftgroup Twitter handle.

 

We are looking forward to an informative lecture that will shed light on the challenges that lie ahead for Kansas agriculture. Don't miss out!

 

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~



New Member Alert - Lacey Robinson

We have some fresh faces around Food For Thought these days - we held a membership drive in August and September and have some great new minds who are excited about agriculture among our ranks! Periodically, you'll see their bios here so that you can get to know them. This post is about new member Lacey Robinson, a student at the College of Veterinary Medicine here at K-State.

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I am currently a first-year student at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine with aspirations of someday serving rural Kansas as a food animal veterinarian. For the past year I have lived on a farm near Olsburg, Kansas where we raise Angus cattle, grain and hay.

My passion has always been rooted in all aspects of production animal agriculture and the well-being of those animals which we rely on for survival and enjoyment. For generations my family has been devoted to livestock production (beef cattle, hogs, sheep, horses) and the way of life it represents.

Food For Thought is a great way to bridge the gap in communication between interested consumers and livestock producers like myself. We are proud of the tasty, wholesome food we bring to your table and enjoy sharing the miraculous story of how it gets there! This blog is a welcome opportunity to take part in dialog regarding current issues in agriculture and the future of our food supply. I look forward to contributing to this worthy cause and hearing what’s on your mind.

Rain makes corn.... and is a good thing!

I've started off a rather somber post with a song - I hope you enjoy having it stuck in your head for the rest of the day - also, I LOVE the intro to this song. These farmers are really adamant about the critical role rain plays in food production.

Corn makes lots of other things besides whiskey by the way; cereals, baking powder, vegetable oil. You get the point.

As you've probably noticed, there hasn't been much rain in the midwest this year - or in general, actually. In fact, a report from the USDA as of August 1 highlighted pointed out the following sad facts:

- 65% of U.S. farms are in areas experiencing drought
- Severe or greater drought is impacting 65 pecent of cattle production, and about 75 percent of corn and soybean production.
- As of August 1, more than half of U.S. counties had been designated as disaster areas by USDA in 2012, mainly due to drought.

I live in God's country (Kansas) and we've needed rain badly for the past 2-3 months. In fact, the state of Kansas has placed all 105 counties into a drought emergency status and all but 3 Kansas counties have been declared a disaster. The good news is that it's supposed to rain tonight; the bad news is that when we really needed the rain, it was nowhere to be found.

In May, which is a very crucial time on the corn growing timeline (most corn is planted in late April), Kansas received a statewide average of 1.10 inches of rain. That's not very much to get good seedling growth started. June and July didn't treat us much better which has really had a negative effect on both corn and soybean growth.

For visual explanation let's look at this ear of corn

that came from this field near my hometown in Anderson County, Kansas. That's my husband's hand and that ear of corn is only about 4.5 inches long. This is a sad, sad sight for farmers.

Folks, it's August 8. Corn fields aren't supposed to look like this for another six weeks or so. There are just a few tiny specks of green in that field, some fields don't have any green in them and the corn stalks are half the height of this field.

Then compare to this ear of corn from Wood County, Ohio, where they've gotten  more rain this year than we Kansans- about 2.6 inches in May. That number is still a decrease from their normal precipitation but if you look at the difference that an inch of rain can have on a corn crop, that's a pretty important inch!

Here they are side by side - again, the corn from Ohio is on the left and although it's not near the size that farmers would like, it is better than our poor little Kansas ears.

            

So what does all of this rain and crop talk mean for you, the consumer? Unfortunately, food prices will likely increase in the long run and let me explain how.

Livestock producers (beef, pork) are having to cull their herds to avoid spending so much money on feeds. This could lead to a short-term increase in the meat supply which will lower costs. However, in the long run, once the shortage of corn and soybeans reaches the retail end (cornmeal, flour, cereal) we'll likely see an increase in grocery prices.

Furthermore, if producers are selling off parts of the herd now, they will have less to sell in 10-12 months which will probably lead to a long-term increase in meat prices.

So, if in the next 6 months you notice meat prices decrease only to increase again, please don't be upset with the farmer or grocery store. Farmers, especially livestock producers, are getting hit very hard this year. Many crop producers have insurance but that type of reassurance isn't available for beef, pork and poultry producers. They must feed their livestock regardless of feed prices because they're committed to utmost care for their animals. To read more about the strain on livestock producers and the perilous conditions that Mother Nature has created, you can read this blog post by pork producer, Chris Chinn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts and concerns about the drought or your situation. Leave us some comment love!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Will You Eat Beef in 2012?

I hope so. I know I will - I'm addicted and I know I'm not the only one. I live in a town with a very heavy population of farmers, farm kids and rural dwellers who are all very proud promoters of beef. Don't forget about the countless burger joints in Manhattan that are frequented by a hungry college town. However, with all the love we give beef, consumption is predicted to fall this year. Why? Instead of telling you, I'll just let you read this article.
Is Beef Still on the Table?

Within it you'll find scientific data to show that beef producers have become much more efficient with their natural resources. You'll also find out why beef consumption could decline, while pork and poultry are holding steady.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Red Meat - Green Facts

That's a fun little way of saying meat is sustainable and environmentally friendly. It's also the name of a website, which was created by Meat and Livestock Australia, that aims to "discuss the issues of sustainable farming practices." On the site you can further explore information about the "impact of farming on our environment and the proactive initiatives undertaken by farmers and processors across Australia."
One of my favorite features is a visual aid that helps consumers better grasp the supply chain from farm to fork. Check it out below:

Image courtesy www.redmeatgreenfacts.com.au

Other links include facts about reducing water usage, myth busting (similar to this post), responsible land management and school projects. The myth busting tab is one of my faves.

 

For anyone looking to delve further into the facts behind food production, I highly encourage you check out this site. Although it was developed in Australia, many of the same principles and practices apply to farmers and ranchers here in the U.S. Furthermore, it's always a bonus to learn about agriculture in other countries, because it fosters critical thinking on how the global agriculture industry can improve worldwide.

 

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

 

Beef. It's whats for sale!

If you've been to your local grocer's butcher counter lately, you've probably noticed the price of beef and other proteins is high! The All Fresh Beef price for the month of April posted a record level at $4.45 per pound.

So what's the reason for the jump in prices? While many factors have contributed to this situation, one of the biggest has been exports of our product to foreign consumers. Beef and veal exports for March were 46% higher than they were one year ago! Leading the way for this increase is South Korea which imported over three times as much US beef in March 2011 as they did in March 2010. You may recall news stories about the Foot-and-Mouth outbreak in South Korea late last year. In order to prevent the highly contagious disease from spreading, over one million head of hogs and cattle had to be euthanized. This created a huge domestic supply shortfall. South Korea has turned to foreign trading partners to meet its growing demand for beef.

And where do we go from here? Growing demand from Asian countries for animal based protein diets and a very favorable currency exchange rate point to the fact that exports will remain high. (As a sidenote, we are now exporting beef at the same level we were in 2003 before concerns over BSE shut us off from many trading partners). Fortunately for consumers, we are also coming into a seasonal period of higher beef supplies which will moderate retail prices near term.

How have higher food prices affected your grocery shopping habits?

Time to Bed Down!

It's getting cold and a lot of farmers and ranchers are starting to move some of their livestock inside for the winter and with that moves comes an increase in management.  Farmers supply indoor animals with bedding in order to make the living space more comfortable and provide warmth when it's rainy, cold and snowy.

A lot of farmers and ranchers use straw to bed down their animals. Straw consists of the dried stalks of plants, especially cereal grains such as wheat stalks or corn stalks. Straw is not hay!  Hay is used as a primary forage and serves as a valuable source of nutrients, energy and v&m (vitamins and minerals) whereas straw is used as bedding and also to assist with scratch factor in livestock. Another key difference between straw and hay is that straw is much cheaper. For example:

In Kansas an average small square bale (~65-70 lb) costs  ~$3/bale. One ton of small square bales may cost anywhere from $85-$95/ton (depending on size/price of bale).  Straw on the other hand is about $55/ton.  As you can see, it's much cheaper to use straw as bedding than hay because farmers will use several tons of straw throughout the winter to keep livestock warm and dry and those costs will add up.

Still having trouble differentiating between straw and hay? Check out these pictures:

Hay (above)

Straw (above)

Another form of bedding used in livestock operations are shavings.  Shavings are most commonly found made from pine wood. These are really prevalent in the show industry.  Here's an image of pine shavings at work.

The last form of bedding I want to discuss is sawdust. Sawdust serves the same purpose as straw or shavings but there is a downfall. Sawdust shouldn't be used in a building or area that allows strong winds to blow through - why?  Because sawdust is so fine that the wind can blow it up in the air and it can get into the animal's eyes.  You should never used sawdust in a trailer that has open sides or slats - that's just asking for irritated eyes.

Livestock aren't the only animals that enjoy warm bedding in the winter --don't forget to put some extra straw in your dog house this winter! 

Until next time,

~Buzzard~

Behind The Blogger: Hyatt Frobose

Good Afternoon!
My name is Hyatt Frobose and I am a new blogger for Food For Thought. I am a 23-year old graduate student in Swine Nutrition and the Assistant Livestock Judging Coach at Kansas State University. I'm excited to get my first post on the blog although I must admit I am far from experienced in the art of blogging.


A little more about myself: I grew up in the town of Pemberville in northwest Ohio where my family had a small cow/calf and feedlot operation as well as a couple hundred acres of corn, wheat and soybeans. My dad works as an agricultural extension agent for Ohio State University and my mother is a veterinarian working with both livestock and small animals. As they both held off-farm jobs, we spent most of our evenings taking care of the livestock or crops. Being immersed in agriculture as a young boy inspired me to get involved in youth activities like 4-H and FFA and ultimately to pursue my degree in animal science.


Hailing from a state with a much larger population than Kansas, I feel like I bring a different perspective to the table, as a passionate agriculturalist I can still put myself in the position of the urban consumer and understand their side of the coin. I am a proud livestock producer and an avid consumer of the stock I raise (ask my fiance, Brandi Buzzard, as she has to eat all the pork and beef I cook).


I want to voice my support to everyone in agriculture nationwide for mobilizing and making our voices heard by consumers everywhere. Although I know that there is alot of consumer distrust with farmers and ranchers today, to me it is more from a lack of accurate information or misrepresentation by special interest groups like the Humane Society of the United States and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.


As a consumer viewing this blog, I commend you for taking the time to learn more about those who proudly produce the food on your family's plate. I think some of you may laugh at the image below, but this was posted in an actual newspaper and it demonstrates how far some people are removed from the food they eat.

Until next time,
Hyatt

A Lesson in Resource Utilization

Anti-livestock production groups often claim that vegetarian diets are more efficient from a resource stand point. This argument has a two pronged approach. The first point is that the grain used to fatten livestock could be fed to people directly more efficiently. The other argument states that livestock, particularly cattle, graze on land that could be devoted to crop production which would also prove more efficient.

It is true that it takes more pounds of grain to create a pound of meat. However, simply evaluating efficiency on a pounds of food available basis is irrational. A more suitable approach is to evaluate food sources from a nutritional standpoint. Calorie for calorie, beef is one of the most efficient sources of nutrients available. Beef provides excellent zinc, iron, protein, and B vitamins. (Think of the total cereal commercials...I'd have to eat how many servings of corn to get the same amount of protein in one serving of beef??) Check out this site for more details. Furthermore, it is a common misconception that modern day cattle producers feed grain to cattle almost exclusively except for a few small scale grass-fed producers. In fact most cattle spend only 4 to 6 months of their life on a grain-based diet. The balance of their lives are spent grazing on grass.

The argument that livestock grazing takes valuable farmland out of crop production also needs some clarification. According to explorebeef.org, 85 percent of the land used for livestock grazing is unsuitable for crop production. Which means it might look a little like this:

As the world's population continues to grow, agriculturalists will need to utilize all of their resources effectively to meet the growing demand for food. Livestock production is well suited to play a large role in this mission. Livestock grazing enables us to take an otherwise inedible food source (grass) and turn it into a nutritionally superior food source.

Nutritious, delicious and efficient!