From the time they’re in diapers, many farm kids are driving tractor. They push scale model toys across kitchen floors and “rip” through living room carpets. After years of just pretending, many farm youth are excited when they finally are given the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the real deal.
Not properly operating big equipment, however, can have big-time consequences. Just ask Trevor Hoff of Maryland, who was 14 years old when he was run over by a tractor while on his way to feed cattle in the pasture.
Trevor put his tractor in park and jumped down to open a gate. Upon climbing back into the seat, he put the tractor in gear. A few seconds later he heard a bang and realized the gate had swung shut. Without a second thought, Trevor slid out of the tractor seat. And just as his foot hit the ground, the tractor started to roll. He’d forgotten to put the tractor back in park.
“I can still remember the tractor tire going over my face,” he says in a Herald-Whig article. “It broke every bone from my chin to my eye socket. I have seven plates and 37 screws holding my face together, a couple of plates and screw in my hips.”
Eighteen hours of surgery later, the 14-year-old was told he’d never walk again. Amazingly enough he survived. His mom calls it a miracle. Click the video link below to hear his story.
If past performance is an indicator of future success, then there’s much to be optimistic about regarding agriculture! Corn production has nearly doubled since 1980 while the amount of nutrients used to grow it has declined by more than half.
The numbers speak for themselves. Nearly 30 years ago, America’s farmers harvested 6.64 billion bushels of corn and used 3.9 pounds of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) per bushel to nourish it. In 2010, farmers harvested 12.45 billion bushels of corn while using 1.6 pounds of nutrients per bushel.
Similar trends can be found in soybean, beef and dairy production. For example, since 1987, producing a bushel of soybeans uses 26 percent less land, 61 percent less energy and 20 percent less water. Similarly, a gallon of milk is produced today using 65 percent less water and 90 percent less land than in 1944 while each pound of beef requires 14 percent less water and 34 percent less land.
Why the improvement?
Better feed, seed, livestock facilities and farm equipment. Advancements in all phases of agriculture have helped farmers optimize the use of each acre of land and raise livestock, dairy and poultry that’s healthier and achieve market weight sooner.
Eating healthy is always a favorite topic around the New Year when people make resolutions, but have you ever considered the importance of providing a well-balanced diet for your corn crop? After all, corn plants are living, breathing organisms! They have needs, too.
Dr. Fred Below, plant physiologist and professor with the University of Illinois at Champagne-Urbana, says 50% of corn yield is determined by weather and nitrogen. We can all agree that weather greatly affects nitrogen usage and efficiency. While no one can control Mother Nature, Dr. Below says farmers can manage nitrogen to have as much impact on yield as weather.
Nitrogen is a mobile nutrient, so the timing of fertilizer application is critical to meet a plant’s needs. The plant’s biggest need for fertilizer is between V12-R1. With this in mind, Dr. Below asks why so many farmers are applying nitrogen seven months before the plant needs it. Consider this analogy:
You want to throw a party during the third week of June 2012. However, canned beverages can be purchased cheaper in early November 2011. You stock up on drinks and store them, on the edge of your field, near the road for seven months. Will those beverages still be located in the same spot on June 22, a hot, dry day when you’re especially thirsty and want to drink 7 cans?
Instead of providing a feast or famine situation for a corn plant, Dr. Below says farmers can benefit from controlling the release of fertilizer and by managing micronutrients. During a presentation to a group of farmers and Seed-2-Soil® clients in Clear Lake last Thursday, he showed how taking a system approach that combines seed technology with fertilizer technology can significantly – and consistently – improve corn yields.
Have you set a goal of consistently raising 250- or 300-bushel corn? Nitrogen management is key, but it’s not the only factor influencing yield. Click here to see Dr. Below’s 7 Wonders of the Corn World, which are the seven factors that have the most influence on yield.
Achieving your New Year’s resolutions to boost health and have more energy is as easy as eating more. Yes, that’s right. Instead of worrying about what not to eat, focus on adding more nutrition powerhouses (like lean protein, fruits and vegetables) to your meals.
Even better, you’ll never feel deprived, if you do it right. This is an insight I’ve learned from the talented home cooks, chefs and dietitians whom I’ve interviewed through my work as an ag journalist and marketing specialist.
These health professionals and culinary experts have taught me that satisfying, nutritious, home-cooked meals don’t have to be time-consuming to prepare. (Check out my easy recipes for Pork Milanese and Orange and Cashew Lettuce Salad below).
At my house, “fast food” often starts with pork. Did you know that pork tenderloin is as lean as skinless chicken breast? The dietitians at the National Pork Board also note that today’s most popular cuts of pork have 16 percent less total fat and 27 percent less saturated fat than they did 20 years ago.
The key to a great pork meal is not to overcook this lean protein. New guidelines from U.S. Department of Agriculture show that pork can be consumed safely when cooked to a lower internal temperature of 145° Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest time.
These are just some of the many handy cooking tips I’ve gleaned by writing about food and farming. I love spreading the word to help others make the farm-to-fork connection. After all, if you eat, you are a part of agriculture.
Pork Milanese
Ingredients:
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
½ cup Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
1 ½ pounds of pork loin, sliced (pound each slice to a thickness of 1/3 inch)
Salt
Black pepper, or lemon pepper
Olive oil
Directions:
Combine panko and Parmesan cheese and place in a large shallow bowl or pie plate. Lightly beat the eggs in another large shallow bowl or pie plate. Sprinkle pork slices with salt and pepper or lemon pepper. Dip the pork, one piece at a time, in the egg. Then dredge the pork in the panko/Parmesan mixture. Coat completely. Place the pork on a small baking sheet.
Heat oil (approximately ¼ cup) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork slices to paper towels and drain. Then transfer pork slices to a clean baking sheet and keep them warm in a 200-degree oven. Add more oil, as needed, to the skillet and finish cooking the remaining pork slices.
Darcy Maulsby is based in Lake City, Iowa, where she runs her own marketing/communications company. She assists clients in agriculture and other industries with magazine articles, sales materials, newsletters, website articles, photography and more. Darcy, who is also an avid home cook, invites you to follow her food and ag updates on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/darcy.maulsby and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/darcymaulsby.
Today marks the two-year remembrance of the 7.0-magnitude quake that devastated Haiti, killing tens of thousands and leaving more than a half-million people homeless.
“Special Delivery” campaign co-chairs Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Ag Secretary Bill Northey will join representatives of GCN, Iowa FFP and Iowa Soybean Association on today’s Jan Mickelson Show from 9-10 a.m. (listen in at 1040 on your AM dial).
The USDA, on Dec. 16, 2011, announced it had deregulated the biotech trait MON 87705, which is found in Monsanto’s Vistive® Gold soybeans.
Many Latham customers are familiar with the first generation of Vistive (low-linolenic) soybeans that produced an oil which reduced the trans-fat levels in food products. This new wave of soybeans will produce an oil that is more similar to olive oil in its content and usefulness, yet will be much easier and cheaper to produce.
In addition to maintaining next-to-zero trans fats in their food products, Vistive Gold soybean oil will allow food companies to significantly reduce saturated fats. As an example, French fries cooked in the fry oil/shortening commonly used results in 23.4% saturated fats and 15.7% trans-fat. Using oil from Vistive Gold soybeans will lower those numbers to 13.2% for saturated fast and 0.3% for trans-fat! Additional testing within the food industry has shown that Vistive Gold soybean oil also has excellent stability and flavor.
This new oil from the Vistive Gold soybeans will enable U.S. soybean growers to compete once again for food oil business while also helping provide a healthier lifestyle for themselves and for consumers. Over the past several years, other vegetable oils including palm, sunflower and canola have taken away a fairly large portion of the global food oils market that soybean oil once held. This was, in large part, due to the heart-healthy consciousness of the general public and the FDA’s mandate for displaying the percentage of trans fats on food product labels.
Soybean varieties that carry the Vistive Gold trait are currently in the Phase 4 (pre-launch) stage of development. Monsanto has also announced that this new trait will be combined with its current Genuity® Roundup Ready® 2 Yield technology, giving farmers soybean varieties that deliver excellent agronomic and yield performance.
Keep watching our website and our blog, TheFieldPosition.com, for updates on this exciting new “golden opportunity”!
There’s a new worker at our plant in Alexander. This one can work nights, weekends and never ever needs a break!
December 1 was the first day on the job for “Willard,” as we’re affectionately calling our new robot. Willard was installed by Chantland Company of Humboldt, Iowa, and Latham crew members spent five days learning how to program the robot and to integrate it into our bagging system. Willard does some heavy lifting! It can stack 18 bags of soybeans per minute, which greatly reduces the amount of physical labor required to move seed from the bagging line to the warehouse.
The addition of Willard frees up team members to complete other tasks, thus increasing our efficiency. Another benefit of Willard is built-in safety. Its electronic eyes will see when a foreign object (like someone’s hand) ventures into the work area; if so, the robot automatically and immediately shuts down.
When your Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans get delivered in 2012, know they were probably stacked by “the new guy.” To see video of Latham’s robot in action, go to http://youtu.be/6IyB97uF2nI.
“Taking the bull by the horns” is modus operandi for Annette Sweeney, a native of Buckeye, Iowa. This third generation farmer and cattle producer has developed a reputation for researching issues and addressing problems in a straightforward manner. She’s passionate, caring and compassionate to boot. As a result, Annette Sweeney has become one of Iowa agriculture’s biggest advocates.
“Agriculture is truly the backbone of many rural communities, and too many people have the wrong impression of farmers,” says the 56-year-old wife, mother, entrepreneur and former teacher. “I want to provide a voice for agriculture, rural areas and small schools. I also want to make sure decisions are based on science.”
She’s taking her convictions to the Hill. When the Iowa Legislature convenes on Jan. 9, 2012, Rep. Annette Sweeney will resume her duties as chair of the House Agriculture Committee. She says the Legislature’s priorities are jobs and budgets, and she wants to make sure agriculture is at the forefront of those discussions.
“We need to remember that agriculture is a business – a $77 billion dollar business for Iowa. It’s too important to overlook,” says Annette, who learned the business of farming first-hand – literally – through blood and sweat and a few tears.
After the untimely death of her father in 1983, Annette moved from Illinois where she was teaching middle school English and speech/drama, to her native Iowa. She took over the family’s 1,350-acre row crop and purebred Charolais cow/calf operation.
“I put my nose to the grindstone and did everything I could to keep our farm afloat. I was driven to succeed because I didn’t want to have to sell off anything that my family had worked for,” she explains. “My dad didn’t have any life insurance, and at the time of his death, there was no spousal exclusion. The tax burden was horrendous. We had 90 head of seedstock, and the crop needed to get planted. The spring of 1984, I literally grabbed the owner’s manual off the shelf for the planter and headed for the field.”
Fortunately, the determined 26-year-old was blessed by help and counsel from trusted family friends and advisors. Steve Mayo, manager of the elevator at Buckeye, graciously spent three days teaching Annette the basics of grain marketing. Attorney Carl Letz of Eldora spent another week – free of charge – going over tax codes and giving tips. A CPA friend helped Annette understand W2’s and other employment forms. Dr. Gerald McDaniel from Radcliffe didn’t charge to teach her how to vaccinate cattle. In addition, Annette went to school and learned how to AI (artificially inseminate) cows.
With experiences like this, it’s no wonder Annette relates so well with Iowa farmers!
“I’m really enjoying my position as House Ag Chair and the opportunity to meet more farmers across the state,” says Annette, who’s running for re-election in House District 44. “It continues to amaze me how many Iowans have a drive to succeed, not only for themselves, for the benefit of their communities and for their state.”
For updates from the Iowa Statehouse, “like” Rep. Sweeney’s legislative Facebook page. It will help keep you updated on issues affecting the state of Iowa, as well as some issues across the nation as Annette Sweeney is representing Iowa agriculture on the national level.
When her schedule allows, Annette enjoys gathering with family and friends around the kitchen table. The Sweeney family’s favorite meals are beef roast with vegetables or steak on the grill. But in honor of January Soup Month, today Annette shares one of her family’s favorite chowder recipes.
During a live broadcast this week, the following question was posed to Franklin County farmer Larry Sailer: How are you using social media to assist with farming? Facebook, Twitter and blogs have become virtual coffee shops.
Advocacy – helping others understand farming practices and educates the masses about important issues impacting agriculture and farmers.
Community Building – connects consumers with producers; helps farmers connect with the people their feeding; and connects people who have similar interests.
Relationship building – getting better acquainted with people you already know and meeting others with whom you can network and work together for a common cause.
Farmers Do Text. (In fact, I set up all of the farm stops for the WHO Radio 2011 Crop Tour through texting!) They also tweet and post status updates on Facebook, too.
“Twitter and Facebook are popular,” agrees Deb Brown of Debworks, a marketing organization based in Hampton, Iowa, that uses traditional and new media to help businesses get noticed. “Fifty-seven percent of Franklin County residents are on Facebook; it’s the new ‘party line’.”
I just love Deb’s sound bite but can’t help but wonder how many politicos connected “party line” to Democrats v. Republicans rather than the shared telephone lines that were common in rural areas when I was a kid.
Aren’t double entredrés great? The more I think about it, the more fitting I find it that social media has become the new party line. Rather than “drawing a line in the sand,” we can use social media to connect “two or more users in an exchange” of ideas. Regardless of whether people or Democrats or Republican, we can unite around common interests including family and community, food and fun!
Social Media is New "Party Line" during Iowa Caucus
Naturally, all Americans look forward to the time between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s often filled with rest, relaxation and anticipation for the future. Even if adults are working that week, it reminds me of taking summer classes while a college student: You do the work but the atmosphere is a lot more relaxed.
That is unless you’re an Iowan and it’s the week before the first-in-the-nation caucus! Then your telephone rings several times a day – even interrupts family gatherings as you celebrate the holidays – with political candidates trying to win your support. (On the upside, it beats having bill collectors call!) You can find 24/7 news coverage of the upcoming landmark political event as even the “local news station” is providing its own angle.
But I’m not complaining! I honestly believe it’s an honor for Iowa to host the caucus. We have the privilege of exercising our freedom to vote, take part in the political process, plus showcase all that Iowa and its wonderful small towns have to offer. And that’s exactly what happened when CNN’s Starting Point with Soledad O’Brian rolled into the Hawkeye State.
CNN producers met right before the New Year with Franklin County residents including Larry Sailer, farmer and Franklin County Farm Bureau member, and Deb During Brown of Hampton, founder of Debworks, who specializes in using traditional and new media to connect people.
“CNN found more stories about our bloggers tour,” writes Brown in a Dec. 30 blog post. “Residents of Franklin County were actually using social media! Suddenly the topic changed from politics to how rural communities were using social media. Larry Sailer – a farmer in the county, myself, Claire Celsi – businesswomen and blogger from Des Moines and Michael Libbie – advertising man and blogger will be on a live panel Monday morning. Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien – here we come!”
Click here to watch a news clip of Franklin County residents and bloggers, who were interviewed Monday on CCN’s Starting Point.