More than 90 percent of Iowa’s land is devoted to farming, which is the most of any state. To help showcase what makes Iowa unique, the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) has launched a fun, interactive national campaign built around the theme, “It Starts in Iowa”.
The campaign will kick off New Year’s Eve when Iowa farm families will be showcased during a video message that will air on the giant CBS Jumbotron screen in New York City’s Time Square. (I love that Iowa farms and faces will be center stage among all the excitement in Times Square! How cool is that?) The video focuses on the dedication and integrity of Iowa’s farmers and the pride they take in providing safe, nutritious food, as well as the general message of “healthy eating means healthy living.” Click here to see the video on YouTube.
You can visit the website, www.ItStartsInIowa.com to learn more about the campaign and to participate in the “Be Our Guest, Be a Farmer” contest. The winner will receive a four-day, three-night trip to Iowa in August that will include guided tours of several Iowa crop and livestock farms, an opportunity to feed cattle, drive a tractor and enjoy a home-cooked meal prepared and served by a farm family. To top it off, the winner and guests will receive red-carpet treatment to the 2011 Iowa State Fair.
Fun Iowa Farm Facts:
- Nearly 96% of Iowa farms are owned and managed by families.
- Iowa has at least 11,000 different soils that make up some of the richest, most productive land in the world!
- Around 15 billion eggs are produced each year in Iowa – enough to provide every American an egg for 47 days. If Iowa was a country, the state would rank 11th worldwide in number of eggs produced.
- The average size of an Iowa farm is around 350 acres (an acre is about the size of a football field, less the end zones).
- Iowa produces the second most wind energy in the nation, helping generate enough electricity to power several hundred thousand homes each year.
(Source: www.ItStartsInIowa.com)
How are you “agvocating” for Iowa?