Spring is here and Midwest farmers are eagerly awaiting another planting season. I’m sure you’ve done a great job of selecting seed and planning where to plant each Latham® hybrid. Remember, pre-planning is also required for your own on-farm research trials.
Farmers are always interested in continual improvement, so it’s only natural that many are interested in seeing how new releases or experimental products will yield on their own farms. As a farmer myself, I plant some newer genetics alongside some of my tried and true favorite hybrids to help determine which products I’ll plant next season. As a member of Latham’s Corn Product Team, I also understand how important it is to properly place products in these tests.
Here are a few suggestions for conducting a fair test in your own on farm trials:
Compare similar hybrids. Make sure you’re comparing hybrids with the same trait package and relative maturity. Harvest moistures must be fairly close, so the samples are fairly consistent. You may have an average moisture but there could be some long-term storage issues if you put grain in a bin that is too wet.Also make sure you’re comparing hybrids of similar height, or at least plant enough rows of each one so you don’t have a shading effect that can reduce the yield dramatically on a shorter hybrid. Try and plant a row sequence that fits the width or number of rows for your combine header. Combines run more efficiently and the yield monitor is more accurate if the harvest width is consistent across the trials.
Plant a large enough trial to get a fair test. While many research plots use shorter rows to test several varieties in a manageable amount of space, seed companies like Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds also use testing equipment that is very specialized for data recovery. Make sure you plant enough of the new hybrid to fit your combine header in a large enough area to get a good readout from your yield monitor. Accuracy is important because you will be making next year’s purchasing decisions based on your findings.
Keep the trial on even ground. Unless you split the planter and cover the entire field, there is no better way to compare hybrids than side-by-side on a piece of flat ground to take soil variability out of the equation.
Speaking of new product testing, I’m very excited about the production plan our Latham Product Team has assembled for the 2017 selling season! As an industry-leading independent seed company, we’re able to focus on traits from all sources including GT, VT2 Pro, Artesian, SmartStax and Powercore – pending approval. Information gained from Latham SuperStrip Trials plus our own research plots across our sales footprint enables us to strengthen our already strong corn lineup.
I’m looking forward to another exciting year of plot analysis! How about you? The Latham Product Team is here to provide additional background information and insights, so feel free to call upon us!
There are so many subjects that I’d like to talk about today but I must go back to my favorite topic… pigs!
Admittedly, action by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is forcing me to advocate today! This organization has purchased a full page insert scheduled to run tomorrow in USA Today, which is our nation’s largest newspaper by circulation. The objectives of the HSUS ad buy are:
To cause concern about the care of animals raised for food.
To question animal confinement by describing it as a shift from family farms to industrial agribusiness.
To insinuate that “factory farms” jeopardize the welfare of animals, damage public health and harm the environment.
HSUS is paying to spread lies about what I do, and I take that personally! The term “factory farms” is being used because of its negative connotation, and it’s certainly a term I dislike very much. Sure, the average farm size has increased over time due to economies of scale. Economies of scale is defined as the cost advantage that occurs when output is increased and variable costs are reduced from operational efficiencies and synergies.
Increased volume (or output) is simply a business concept exercised by a lot of other businesses and industries. Retail stores use size to be more efficient. Stores use technology to be better! Why is it so bad when farmers use proven business techniques?
As I have shared many times, I have raised pigs many different ways during the past 50 years. I have been a part of this fantastic transition! In the old days, I watched sows tear each other apart when they returned to a pen after nursing their pigs. I fought blizzards to feed and water my pigs, struggling to keep them from freezing to death. I have farrowed sows in that beautiful looking pasture only to find that the sow had her pigs in a mud hole, and baby pigs don’t have good odds of surviving in water and mud! Modern production practices have allowed us to remove many variables that led to injury and illness.
Recently I returned to a full-time job in the construction side of raising pigs. My job is to improve the buildings in which pigs are housed. Getting pigs raised inside has been a huge improvement, but we don’t stop there. One thing I’ve noticed by visiting hog barns across the Midwest is that the pigs’ welfare is always top of mind. There is zero tolerance for abuse, and signs are hung telling readers to call a listed number if they see ANY animal abuse. We have even gone to having our certification meetings for Pork Quality Assurance (PQA Plus Certification®) program every year instead of every three years!
There is a lot of research going on all the time to make these momma sows more comfortable and stress free. Animals grow better and have more babies when they are comfortable and less stressed! And, yes, more live pigs per liter can lead to increased profits for farmers. This is a win, win. That’s why it’s just unbelievable to me that we get attacked for doing what’s right!
Now keep in mind that HSUS is not actually thinking about animal welfare. After all, how do you think they can afford to run such ads? HSUS is very good at raising money. In fact, HSUS raises than $100 million annually but less than one half of one percent is spent to improve the life of animals. Most of the money raised goes toward the comfort and wealth of HSUS employees!
If you happen to see the big expensive HSUS ad, please remember that my fellow pig farmers and I are the ones with the welfare of our pigs in mind!
Lathams Participate in Seed Industry Legislative Fly-in
John and I were among the 55 seed industry representatives, who gathered last week in Washington, D.C., to “Storm the Hill.” Hosted by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), “Storm the Hill” provides a unique opportunity for seed-industry partners from every sector across the nation to join together as a unified voice on Capitol Hill.
Approximately 90 visits were made to U.S. senators and representatives about a number of issues that will impact the future of the seed industry, including the efficient movement of seed across state lines and country borders. We had the pleasure of attending a Spring Break Reception (#IAinDC) where we thanked Senators Grassley and Ernst for supporting a national solution for the labeling of foods made with GMO ingredients. We also visited each Iowa congressman’s office to thank them for supporting this issue, as well as other issues that impact the livelihood of Iowa farmers and small business owners.
John and Shannon Latham joined seed company representatives from the state – and the nation – last week on Capitol Hill. They met with both Iowa senators and all four representatives including Rod Blum (R–Dubuque), who is pictured here on the left.
Last week’s congressional visits couldn’t have been better timed as they were made the day before the Senate was scheduled to debate the GMO labeling bill. Seed industry representatives called upon elected officials to prevent a costly and confusing patchwork of state labeling laws by passing a uniform, voluntary labeling bill. We encouraged them to vote “yes” for science and “no” for anti-GMO standards.
U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on March 16 released a statement regarding the Senate’s failure to invoke cloture on the Biotechnology Labeling Solutions Bill:
“For more than a year, I have called on my colleagues across the aisle to come to the negotiating table to address the problems facing the nation’s marketplace should states continue to mandate confusing and differing biotechnology labeling standards… “My approach to labeling acknowledges what many American consumers forget: our food is abundant, affordable and safe. We must continue our reliance on science and technology to ensure our continued prosperity.”
The Senate failed to invoke cloture on the bill with a vote of 48-49. However, there is still hope that negotiations will continue after the Easter break. You can bet that we’ll be following this issue, as well as several others that impact the seed industry’s shared commitment to producing better seed for a better quality of life.
Seed industry reps spent #AgDay2016 on Capitol Hill, meeting with elected officials including Congressman David Young (R-Iowa-03).
A diverse array of genetic resources are the building blocks of better seed. Sophisticated breeding programs allow the seed industry to help meet the need for a wide variety of nutritious and high quality products, while supporting sustainable agriculture practices that preserve our environment’s natural resource and biodiversity. To ensure full access to the plant materials needed for continued innovation, ASTA members last week called on Congress to pass the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and increase funding for the National Plant Germplasm System and Germplasm Enhancement Maize (GEM) Project.
Seed plays an important role in preserving, rehabilitating and reclaiming fragile lands, as well as maintaining habitat for wild species. As chair of ASTA’s Legislative & Legal Affairs Committee, John also advocated for a number of priority issues related to conservation and the environment including: Congressional oversight in the implementation of the National Seed Strategy; the importance of close collaboration between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Interior and the seed industry on pollinator strategies; continued investment in USDA Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Programs; and full funding for the USDA-NRCS Plant Material Centers.
Click here for more information on national seed industry legislative priorities.
It’s Crawfish Season, Y’all… Give “Fresh Catch Friday” New Meaning Tonight!
Just how hot are fresh crawfish in the Bayou State? The demand is so high that it’s hard to find a parking place, and even then, the evening’s Crawfish Boil might be sold out.
Crawfish harvest begins around March 1, says third generation Louisiana farmer Caleb Frey of Morganza, Louisiana. Traps are checked once daily at the beginning of the season and more frequently as the season progresses. Crawfishing runs through the second or third week of May, and then a late crop of rice will be planted in those fields where the crawfish were grown.
Sugar cane, soybeans and corn also are grown at Four Oaks Farm. The Frey family raises cattle on the levees that protect their farmland from the Mighty Mississippi. This diversified farming operation lends itself to year-round production.
“What I enjoy most about farming is the change,” says Caleb. “You might have a week or so of the same activity, like planting corn, and then it’s time to move onto the next activity.”
Corn planting was about to get underway around Natchez, Mississippi, when Franklin County Iowa farmer April Hemmes and I arrived. (April and Caleb traveled to China together as part of the United Soybean Board’s See For Yourself program. Applications are being accepted through April 1, so sign up online today to see how checkoff dollars help build markets worldwide for U.S. farm products.)
It had rained just enough the day of our visit that fieldwork came to a halt. So instead of touring the area’s beautiful pre-Civil war antebellum mansions, April and I went on a customized farm tour. Talk about luck! Here’s what we learned during our “short course” in Deep South Farming:
March:
These boats are used to check the traps and harvest the crawfish.
Crawfishing starts around the first of the month. Temperatures need to be in the 70s before the crawfish really start moving, so sometimes the season starts a little later.
Corn planting ideally starts the first or second week of March and will be complete by the month’s end. Last year, the Frey family didn’t start until March 19 and finished on the 30th.
The majority of rice acres are planted from mid-March to early April. Like corn, rice is very sensitive to high temperatures during pollination and needs adequate rainfall. The earlier it gets planted, the better the crop usually is.
April:
Early soybeans, typically early Group 4s, go in the fallow sugarcane ground around April 1.
May:
Most soybean acres are planted in May. Maturities generally range from 4.6 to 5.3.
June:
The Frey family stays busy with irrigating corn, soybeans and sugarcane, as well as spraying.
July:
Irrigating and spraying continues during the month of July as temperatures average 92 degrees Fahrenheit and the monthly rainfall is approximately 6 inches. Early rice and early corn are harvested toward the end of the month.
August:
Corn harvest is in full swing by the first or second week of August. Most of the rice is harvested mid-month, depending on the weather. If there is a hurricane threat, corn harvest is stopped so all hands can get the rice harvested before the weather hits. “Harvesting downed rice is one of the most painstaking things you could ever do in a combine,” explains Caleb. “Add mud to the mix following a big storm and it really gets interesting.”
Early soybeans also are harvested at this time, and the sugarcane planting crews typically follow right behind the combine.
September:
Sugarcane planting and soybean harvest wrap up. Sugarcane needs to grow about one year before it is harvested, so the Freys include this crop as in rotation with soybeans. Harvest begins around the last week of the month on the mature cane crop.
NOTE: The sugar cane gets a little growth on it during the fall, but it typically doesn’t get much more than a foot or two tall before frost causes it to go dormant. In the spring, the entire cane crop basically starts from the same point. It’s cultivated, fertilized, sprayed and irrigated.
Come October the “plant cane,” which is the crop that was planted the previous summer, is harvested along with the rest of the crop. Then it becomes “first year stubble,” which means it has been harvest once. Cane is typically stubbled, or harvested, three to four years before a field returns to soybeans.
October:
Sugarcane harvest cranks up and grain harvest comes to an end in October. Fall field prep is in full swing behind the combines. At this time, a maintenance shot of fertilizer is applied on all of the corn, soybean and rice acres.
November;
Typically all field work is finished by Thanksgiving, weather permitting. Sugarcane harvest is in full swing.
December:
Cane harvest is typically finished between Christmas and the first of the year, but the finish date is completely dependent upon the sugar mill. The mill determines the producers’ daily quota. Your quota is proportional to your cane acres and harvest is typically figured on a 90- to 100-day timeframe.
Additional information: During that 100-day window, each farmer gets one day off every other week. Moisture has no effect on the milling or harvest process, so harvest continues.
During harvest or “grinding” as it’s called here, cane is being harvested 24/7 from September through January. All farmers who haul a particular mill generally finish harvest on the same day, but finish dates vary across the state by a few weeks.
There are 11 sugar mills in Louisiana, and each mills sets its own schedule to a certain degree. Some have split shifts, which means half of their farmers harvest from 12 AM to 12 PM and the other half the opposite. Four Oaks Farms hauls to Cora Texas in Whitecastle, LA. This mill has all of its farmers harvest from 5 AM to whenever the quota is reach. Cane is stockpiled during the day, so cane is available to feed the mills all night long.
January;
The Frey family spends most of this month in the office, finalizing input orders and crop plans for the coming year.
February:
Planter preparation is underway in February plus corn and rice ground is burned down. If it’s dry, the Freys will till old sugarcane stubble so soybeans can be planted on that ground in April.
The Frey family raises cattle on the levees that protect their farmland from the Mighty Mississippi.
Caleb is responsible for purchasing and applying the inputs. He also helps wherever he’s needed from planting through harvest on every crop. Caleb’s dad, Marty, the youngest of four brothers for which Four Oaks Farms is named. Marty is transitioning into the role of president and also oversees the rice and soybeans in Morganza. Caleb’s uncle, Matt, primarily oversees cane production, crawfish harvest and the cattle. Mitch, the oldest of the four, takes care of all maintenance and equipment repairs. He also takes care of all the grain storage facilities plus the rice drying and storage during harvest. Caleb’s uncle, Mark, is the second oldest. Mark manages the northern farm in Vidalia where rice, corn and soybeans are grown. He also markets the farm’s whole crop. In addition, Mark helps his son sell and install irrigation pipes, wells, center pivots and moisture probes.
“I’ve had a chance to learn from the best,” says Caleb as he talks with me about his family’s farming operation. Instead of studying agriculture in college, he earned two associate degrees in Construction Management and Business Management from Baton Rouge Community College. He then enjoyed working four years as a welder and mechanic for Bengal Transportation/Crane & Rigging in Gonzales.
After learning how crawfish are raised, April Hemmes and I got the pleasure of eating this locally grown food. OH. MY. YUM!
Caleb found himself longing for the wide open spaces and the call of the wild, so he returned to the family farm in 2014. He’s had his pilot license for 2½ years and flies whenever he can. In his free time, Caleb enjoys hunting squirrel, deer and rabbit. He also enjoys getting together with friends. On any given night, one of his buddies is hosting a cookout or a crawfish boil. Today Caleb has agreed to share one of his family’s favorite recipes on TheFieldPosition.
By the way, you can most likely purchase fresh Louisiana crawfish at the supermarket in your regional trade center. April Hemmes says she found them at the Hy-Vee in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Who knew? Give “Fresh Catch Friday” new meaning this Lenten season and celebrate with Crawfish Étouffée tonight!
GMO food labeling will impact every single American. Our family-owned seed company will feel the effects, and U.S. farmers will have fewer seed options in every product guide. Mandatory food labels will impact American consumers, as well. Grocery bills are expected to increase by $1,050 annually for a family of four!
We spent National Ag Day on Capitol Hill, meeting with elected officials like Congressman David Young about issues of importance to the seed industry.
People who buy Wal-Mart brand products will be hit with even higher prices than they’re accustomed to paying since they’ll be forced to buy name brand, rather than the store brand, products. Executives from major supermarkets and Wal-Mart have already said they won’t carry their own private label foods in Vermont if that state’s GMO labeling law takes effect on July 1.
In an attempt to pre-empt the Vermont law – and to prevent additional states from enacting similar laws – yesterday my husband and I were among 55 seed industry representatives who made approximately 90 visits to congressional offices in Washington, D.C.
Our message to elected officials was clear: We support a uniform, national food labeling standard. Vote “no” for the alternative bill that was introduced last week to protect state-level GMO laws. This alternative bill is backed by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Vote “yes” to Senator Roberts’ bill, which would create a voluntary USDA labeling standard for GMO foods and prevent states from creating their own labeling standards.
Can you believe that day some elected officials yesterday actually said they don’t care if people are starving because they’re being denied GMO foods? They’d rather people starve than be “subjected to GMO foods.” (This sounds like American lawmakers are taking notes from Zimbabwe government officials who would rather see people starve than eat genetically modified foods.) Say what?! Not one person has died from eating GMO foods but about 2 million deaths could be prevented annually if Golden Rice were available to those living in poverty stricken countries!
If there are no known hazards —after 20+ years of study—and a host of benefits including lower food prices for Americans, why is there so much controversy around GMO food labels? I believe America’s food fights stem from “fear of the unknown.” Here’s what I’d like Americans to know:
Foods derived from GMO crops pose no threat to human health, and they’ve been studied by virtually every scientific and regulatory agency.
GMO crops also have a positive impact on the environment, allowing farmers to fight soil erosion by planting high-yield crops that grow more food on less land while using less water.
As I write this blog on National Ag Day, I’m thinking about more than my farm. Agriculture is more than one small farm. Agriculture’s importance in providing food, fiber and fuel is being greatly overlooked in this country. Farmers here are doing such a great job of producing food and keeping grocery prices cheap that most people just take it for granted!
Traveling across the U.S. and even to other countries really opens one’s eyes to the challenges of feeding a growing world population. It also opens one’s eyes to the diversity of agriculture. I’ve witnessed farming in Eastern Europe. I spend a lot of time traveling the Midwest for my job, and over the weekend, I drove to Oklahoma. What strikes me most is the diversity in agriculture! In Ukraine, I saw everything from backyard farms to a farm that covered one million acres! The political climate was the most limiting factor for Ukrainian farmers because one-size-fits-all rules and regulations did not fit such diverse farms.
The amount of regulation coming down on U.S. farms from the federal government is also staggering. I have farming friends in all 50 states, and no two farms are the same. Farming operations are even diverse within our own county. My farm, for example, is surrounded by other farms that raise corn and soybeans. Some of my neighbors also raise hogs and cattle. Others have chickens. Pumpkins, apples, sheep and goats are also raised in this county.
Each crop and livestock operation has its unique qualities, but the difference doesn’t stop there. There are thousands of different soil types. Different soil types create different challenges. I have deep black and clay soils, so I am challenged with “puddle farming.” The ground is fairly flat, so ponding is common. Without tile to drain away excess water, crop yields would be very poor. But with proper management, however, we can raise fantastic crops.
Ten miles away, there are very sandy soils. This means the soil particles are very large, while mine are very small. This type of soil cannot hold water in reserve as well as mine, but these farms can also grow terrific crops if managed properly. Farmers with sandy soils use different methods than I do, even though our farms are very close together.
Now imagine a farm a couple states away… They grow crops different than mine. They might grow wheat, rice, cotton or peanuts. In other areas of the country, agriculture is dominated by nut trees and vegetable crops like potatoes or onions. The climate is totally different across our nation, and some places are made just right to graze cattle. Their soils are very different. The landscape is very different. This again takes different management! As a result, conservation practices must be very different.
My point is that not one type of farming works across one county, the nation or even across the world. The same goes for regulations and farm programs! One size does not fit all.
During National Ag week, let’s celebrate the diversity that feeds our world. Let’s not regulate ourselves into starvation!
New Orleans Melds Cultures into Unique Regional Cuisine
More than 8,000 farmers gathered last week in New Orleans for America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused trade show and convention. Open to all “friends of corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum—from growers to member associations to agribusiness to farm media,” the 2016 Commodity Classic boasted an impressive schedule of presentations and events designed to get attendees jazzed about agriculture.
There was so much to get jazzed about from the seeing state-of-the-art planting and fertility equipment to presentations by yield guru Dr. Fred Below and UAV guru Chad Colby. I enjoyed walking around the tradeshow, catching up with old friends and meeting new acquaintances. I stopped by booths to learn more about what our industry partners are doing to advocate for the next generation. I talked with farm broadcaster Duane Murley of KWMT in Fort Dodge about exciting projects that Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds has underway with the Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Food & Family Project. (You can bet I’ll be blogging about those soon!)
The booze is the most crucial ingredient. Be generous.
There was simply more to see and do that I could squeeze into four very full days because I also needed to get outside the convention hall to enjoy the beautiful weather, see a few sights and eat a lot of great food. One highlight of my week in the South was a visit to the New Orleans School of Cooking. (Thanks to Carol Coleman for the invitation to join her and several other Iowans for this fun time!)
Our cooking instructor, a former kindergarten teacher and certified tour guide, was a walking encyclopedia of Louisiana history plus a colorful storyteller. We learned how Spanish explorers, French settlers, Canadian immigrants and African slaves influenced the Cajun and Creole dishes for which New Orleans is famous.
You can see inside the pans using the mirror above the instructor’s head!
What’s not to love about a history lesson that takes place over a four-course meal? As our class began, we were served hot buttermilk biscuits with cane syrup. (Before I made this trip, I assumed everyone ate maple syrup. We know what we grow, right? It only makes sense that cane would be the syrup of choice in Louisiana.)
The Southern menu demonstrated during our cooking class included:
Corn & Crab Bisque – Oh. My. Yum. This is one dish Iwill make at home! (Even though it wasn’t on our menu, I’m linking to gumbo because it’s a signature dish in New Orleans.)
Shrimp Creole – This is another southern specialty that’s oh so good! Be sure to mix it all together before taking a bite. (Our instructor said she can always tell the northerners in the class because they leave the gravy on top of the rice. “Mix it up, y’all!”)
Bananas Foster and Pralines (pronounced here as praa-leens) – Talk about indulgent! We were treated to both desserts plus ice cream.
Did you know that New Orleans (#NOLA) is the birth of Bananas Foster? I found it fascinating to learn this dessert was born out necessity. Here’s why… New Orleans was the major port of entry in the 1950s for bananas shipped from Central and South America. Owen Brennan, owner of Brennan’s Restaurant, challenged Chef Paul Blange to find a use for surplus or ripe bananas. Decadent Bananas Foster was created and named for Owen’s friend, Richard Foster, a local civic and business leader. Each year, Brennan’s flames 35,000 pounds of bananas for the famous dessert.
Get a taste of the French Quarter at home by recreating these classic recipes at home!
There is a college fit for everyone, and I can confidently say I found mine. Because I’ll be graduating in May, I find myself appreciating my experiences at Iowa State University a little bit more every day.
Looking back on the last four years, there are a few things I wish I would have known earlier:
Buy proper attire for ALL seasons.
There are countless joys to living in Iowa, including the weather. There’s no denying that Iowa experiences weather as hot as Texas and as cold as Alaska. You’ll be a lot more comfortable if you prepare for it all! Buy a winter coat, boots, umbrella and comfortable walking shoes. With those options in your closet, you will be set!
The Parking Division is pitiless.
Nothing is more disappointing than walking to your car and finding a little yellow envelope with a ticket in it. The parking division is fierce! Parking on campus is very limited, and the parking division offers no pity when writing tickets. My best advice is to take advantage of the CyRide Service, and avoid parking on campus.
Study abroad early.
Because you get busier each year, study abroad during your first two years of college. I will be studying abroad for the first time in May after graduation! I couldn’t be more excited to do so. So many times I’ve wished that I had given it a chance in my first year of college. Time goes quickly, so live in the moment.
ISU Campus is not as big as it appears.
Attending a school that is 4.5 times bigger than my hometown was most intimidating! Once you know your way around campus, it makes the experience a lot more comfortable. This year ISU has a record enrollment of 36,001. View this number as an opportunity instead of a scare; that is 36,000 other people you can interact with and learn from! Once your major is declared, you’ll meet more people who share your same interests. Campus clubs are another great way to create a smaller environment.
Campus dining is the ticket to quick and tasty meals.
There is a smorgasbord of both dining centers to choose from, as well as options inside each dining center. My favorite dining hall is Conversations. It is a smaller scale dining center that usually features meals that are made right in front of you! Even with the smallest dining package, I still had ample amount of meals left over! After freshman year, you’ll have the chance to cook for yourself. Think about simple meals you and your roommates could make together!
My time at Iowa State has served me well. I’ve formed so many relationships and have had so many great experiences. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, and I’m especially grateful that attending ISU helped me find my career path. I’m really looking forward to starting full-time in May with Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds!
Pig farmers from across the U.S. met March 3-5 in Indianapolis for the Pork Industry Forum. Elected representatives for our grassroots organization get together annually to make pig farming better. Like any organization, not everyone agrees all the time. Last week, however, there absolute agreement by all delegates on one issue.
Let me first provide a little background information…
When you hear, “pork,” chances are that you think, “The Other White Meat.” A study conducted by Northwestern University found The Other White Meat to be the fifth most memorable promotional tagline in the history of contemporary marketing. This tagline successfully positioned pork as a healthy, lean protein that is versatile and easy to prepare. Six common cuts of fresh pork are leaner today than they were 15 years ago. In fact, a 3-ounce serving of pork tenderloin contains only 2.98 grams of fat and a 3-ounce serving of skinless chicken breast contains 3.03 grams of fat.
This sounds like a great success story that should be included in textbooks, right? Unfortunately, the success of this marketing campaign drew unwanted attention from the Humane Society of the United States. HSUS announced in September 2012 that it was suing the USDA over the payments the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) receives via the national pork checkoff.
Why sue? Checkoff money is collected by a board, and the USDA oversees the collection and spending of checkoff funds to provide programs that will increase demand for farmers’ products. Checkoff monies can fund marketing tools such as promotion, research and new product development.
Increasing pork consumption is just the opposite of what HSUS wants to see happen. Truth be known, HSUS would like to end animal agriculture. HSUS also wants to end hunting and animal circus acts, as well as close zoos. Anyone who thinks the $18 per month he or she donates will help save cute little puppies or kitties is sadly mistaken. Only one half of one percent of HSUS funds raised go toward animal care! (Donate to local pet shelters instead.) Most HSUS donations are used to influence political agendas and the media, and HSUS is trying to trap the pork industry in a web of activities.
You see, the National Pork Board (NPB) and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) used to be one entity. Checkoff dollars were being used for “The Other White Meat” campaign, so the NPB leased the other white meat tagline to NPPC. After several years, it was agreed that NPPC should buy the tagline instead of leasing it. Appraisals were done. The necessary approvals – including from the USDA – were granted. This arrangement worked well until HSUS filed a lawsuit against the USDA.
Instead of defending what it had approved, the USDA appears to be caving to a special interest group. Sec. Vilsack, during a U.S. House Agriculture Committee held last week, said the decision to settle the lawsuit was made with pork industry officials. During the annual pork industry forum, however, not one pork industry representative says he or she was contacted by the USDA about the settlement. As a result, pork industry officials cried foul over the USDA’s move.
Every delegate to the Pork Forum wants this lawsuit fought to the fullest extent of the government’s power. Not one single delegate agreed with Sec. Vilsack!
“In an action for the record books, delegates of the NPB — appointed by the USDA — not only unanimously approved the advisement but also unanimously co-sponsored the petition [of Secretary Vilsack to preserve and defend National Pork Board statutory authority and independence]. One strong voice with true grit signaled the industry is prepared to fight against any entity trying to damage the ability to exercise its judgment in marketing pork.” writes Cheryl Day on the National Hog Farmer blog.
We must keep an eye on government agencies, even if they’ve been given the power to oversee us! As with all government agencies, look for connections. Connect the dots. Follow the money. Consider the source. Find the motive.
There is an election on the horizon. Read. Learn the issues. Talk to people who actually farm and learn how they take care of livestock. We want to share what we do every day, and we can explain why we care!
West Central Iowans Revisit Scandinavian Roots in Uganda
When Steven and Charlene Sandven of Humboldt got married in 1982 and moved onto a West Central Iowa farm, they had no idea its history would lead them to Uganda as they celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary. Their story is one that weaves together two families across three different continents.
Steven’s great grandfather, Magnus, borrowed money from Lars Mandsager to emigrate to the United States from Norway. Magnus helped Lars farm, plus he worked as a tailor’s apprentice in Fort Dodge to earn additional money to pay back the loan. This tract of land transfers back and forth between the Mandsager and Sandven families throughout the years.
Fast forward to Fall Harvest 2015. Steven and Charlene are in the midst of harvesting soybeans
Tilling, planting and harvesting is all done by hand at ChildVoice Uganda
when they received a call from Conrad Mandsager, CEO and Founder of ChildVoice. Conrad and his younger brother, Neil, were born in Cameroon where their father was a medical missionary. Conrad graduated from Marshalltown High School and played football at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Conrad returned to his family’s Humboldt County farm, but his entrepreneurial drive led him to explore farms in the Northeast. He’s now a consultant in New Hampshire, and the Sandvens rent the Mandsager family’s Iowa farm land.
Regardless of where Conrad is hanging his hat, his heart is with people in Africa. He was moved by the women and children whose voices were silenced by war in Uganda. “The Lord’s Resistance Army began kidnapping children to become soldiers and women to be used as sex slaves. For 20 years, the rebels abducted an estimated 30,000 children from their homes in Northern Uganda and forced them to commit violent acts upon villagers.”
In 2006, ChildVoice pioneered a unique community model to provide hope and opportunity for adolescent girls in northern Uganda because returning child soldiers and sex slaves were not welcome in their home villages. Years of war had left their home communities traumatized and facing abject poverty. “The second generation impact of war remains,” read the organizations website, “and our young students today still face many challenges.”
One challenge is making the model community self-sustaining. Several fields, or large gardens, have been tilled and planted. The women primarily grow peanuts and vegetable crops like white sweet potatoes, beans, potatoes, okra and white, waxy corn that they call maize. They also grow watermelon. A few local men are hired to raise some chickens and a few pigs to supply ChildVoice with meat and eggs. A fish pond also has been built to raise tilapia, so they can raise their own fish as well as sell some.
Another challenge is teaching these women and children life skills, so they can become self-supportive. Women living in the village become apprentices in one of these areas: cooking for a restaurant, which is referred to as a hotel there, hairstyling or tailoring (seamstress). The Sandvens hope farming may be added, so the women may choose grain or livestock farming as a life skill. (As a sidebar, click here to read how one Iowa farm women has helped female farmers in Uganda.)
Steven and Charlene Sandven greeted upon arrival at ChildVoice Uganda
During their two-week stay last October, the Sandvens helped make physical improvements to facilities around the mission. Steven and Charlene also used their farming skills to evaluate the maize program. They learned the maize is yielding only about 10 bushels per acres! The maize is being planted in hills at a plant population of about 18,000 per acre (although the local measurement is hectares).
To demonstrate how more plants – and higher yield – could be achieved, the Sandvens taught the women how to plant in rows. They demonstrated with sweet corn, planted at a population of 32,500 plants per acre. They formed one measuring stick that was about 8 inches long for seed spacing and a 20-inch stick for row spacing.
Soil fertility is also key to improving yield, so soils have been tested on the ChildVoice farm. The next step in achieving higher production is going to be adding nutrients to the soil. Plans are in the works to begin using nutrients from the rabbit hutch and fish pond as fertilizer.
Of course, higher yield also means the villagers need to look at developing infrastructure. All labor is manual at this point. Should they consider oxen and equipment or purchase small farm machinery? Should they expand their land base? These are questions being pondered now by the ChildVoice board of directors, four of whom traveled with the Sandvens in October to Uganda along with five representatives from Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines.
This group also traveled to nearby villages to see how well graduates of ChildVoice were doing on their own. One graduate had opened her own bakery next to another woman, who sells beans and rice that is delivered by a farmer in bulk bags. Then locals use measuring cups to buy what they want from the roadside market. Another ChildVoice aluma works as a cook in a hotel, or what Americans would call a restaurant. A third graduate has her own salon, and a fourth graduate married a farmer from another tribe.
“It was so rewarding to teach them things they could use to improve their lives,” says Charlene. “We hear the expression, ‘Another day, another dollar.” We’ll it’s true for these ladies! They earn so little, but they’re learning how to take care of themselves and their children.”
In honor of the Norwegian heritage that brought together the Mandsager and Sandven families three generations ago, today we’re sharing a recipe for Kringla. Kringla seem to magically appear on the tables of those with Scandinavian heritage either on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Sandvan family enjoys these pretzel-like pastries so much that Charlene freezes them to have on hand throughout the winter.
As empty nesters with four adult children, Charlene says having casseroles and desserts in the freezer is a real life saver. Their oldest daughter, Brandy, lives nearby with her husband, Cody, who farms with Steven and Charlene. Brandy and Cody have two children. Brittany and her husband, Reed, have one son. The Sandven’s daughter Chelsea is a senior at the University of Northern Iowa, majoring in in Criminology and Psychology. Their youngest son, Skyler, is freshman in Aerospace Engineering at Iowa State University.
Both Steven and Charlene’s families come from Norway, so today their sharing their recipe for one of their favorite comfort foods with us!
seeing how new releases or experimental products will yield on their own farms. As a farmer myself, I plant some newer genetics alongside some of my tried and true favorite hybrids to help determine which products I’ll plant next season. As a member of Latham’s Corn Product Team, I also understand how important it is to properly place products in these tests.
is forcing me to advocate today! This organization has purchased a full page insert scheduled to run tomorrow in USA Today, which is our nation’s largest newspaper by circulation. The objectives of the HSUS ad buy are:
representatives about a number of issues that will impact the future of the seed industry, including the efficient movement of seed across state lines and country borders. We had the pleasure of attending a Spring Break Reception (#IAinDC) where we thanked Senators Grassley and Ernst for supporting a 
Louisiana farmer Caleb Frey of Morganza, Louisiana. Traps are checked once daily at the beginning of the season and more frequently as the season progresses. Crawfishing runs through the second or third week of May, and then a late crop of rice will be planted in those fields where the crawfish were grown.
one small farm. Agriculture’s importance in providing food, fiber and fuel is being greatly overlooked in this country. Farmers here are doing such a great job of producing food and keeping grocery prices cheap that most people just take it for granted!
