About the blogger: Chris Chinn, a fifth-generation hog farmer from Clarence, Mo., is a former chair of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s national Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee.

'Farmers Pay it Forward With Pizza'

My family participated in the "Ag Pizza Party" to show our support for Domino’s Pizza, which recently announced it would rely on animal experts to determine the best way to raise farm animals for food production. As a farmer, I respect Domino’s for its common sense decision and for trusting the experts in animal care. That’s why we are among the thousands of families across the nation to show a little love back to Domino’s. 

When we picked up our pizza after a 45-minute drive from the farm, we also left a thank you card with the manager letting him know we valued Domino’s support for farmers, ranchers, veterinarians and nutritionists. Our family deeply relies on these experts to take care of our hogs. They are not just animal care specialists; they are a part of our family farm management team. They know the nuts and bolts of our farm and family and they help us customize the care we give our livestock. Every farm is different, just as every person and breed of animal is different.

Our family has been raising livestock for five generations. It’s a tradition we are proud of and we hope our children will have the opportunity to one day follow in our path. Our animals rely on us seven days a week to care for them. We do this no matter the hour of the day or the day of the week. Animal care is a top priority for our family, that’s why we rely on the expert advice of our veterinarian, nutritionist and other animal experts when it comes to the daily care we give our hogs and cattle.

We use gestation stalls on our farm to protect our sows during pregnancy from larger, more aggressive "bully sows." The stalls also allow us to monitor feed intake of each individual sow and tailor nutritional needs individually. If a sow isn’t eating, we know it right away and can prevent problems from occurring. We also are able to give each sow individual hands-on care daily by using the stalls. Our animals are well-cared for, content and comfortable. Until the animal experts we work with tell us there is a better way, we will continue to protect and care for our sows in this way.

So, with the onslaught of animal rights activism playing out in the marketplace, the decision by Domino’s speaks volumes to me as a farmer. It shows the company trusts the experts I trust. And it shows they trust me. I appreciate that.

The trust demonstrated by Domino’s also shows me that the pizza company does not want to force regulations on farmers. There’s already a lot of consolidation in hog farming in America, with independent hog farmers declining the most in numbers.

We own our facilities and our animals. We have a big stake in the success of our business and in the happiness of those who buy bacon, ham and sausage made from our hogs. Mandating unrealistic timelines on family farmers regarding the animal care methods they choose could force more hog farmers out of business. I know that is not the goal of any company, but the unintended consequences of decisions like these can greatly influence family farms like mine.

Thank you Domino’s, for supporting our farm and ranch families.

About the blogger: Laurie Johns is Public Relations Manager for the Iowa Farm Bureau.      

Bullying the Farm Kid

It’s a parent’s nightmare; seeing your child bullied for standing up for his lifestyle or what he believes. When your child is targeted or ridiculed by another child, you see it as an opportunity for intervention; teach appropriate behavior so each child comes to appreciate their differences while hopefully becoming more respectful adults. 

But, what do you do if your child is bullied by an adult, an adult who disagrees with your child’s lifestyle or pokes fun at his passion? That’s what happened to Jamie Pudenz at the recent FFA Convention in Ames. 

Jamie, a shy farm kid from Carroll, is one of those rare finds; a teenager who works hard, doesn’t complain and speaks glowingly about his parents, his teachers, his fellow students. He sets the bar high for himself and constantly strives to push himself. His passion for the land and livestock is the very quality you hope all future farmers possess.

FFA Advisor Kolby Burch says when this football-playing junior takes on a new project, he tackles it with the seriousness of a preacher preparing for a Sunday sermon. It was quite a challenge for him to enter the FFA Public Speaking contest. His entry, "Unveiling the HSUS and the Need for Animal Agriculture," was written with passion. He spent months preparing and practicing out-loud. He sailed through preliminary contests, but took the stage at state, knowing it was a controversial subject for a wider audience. "I knew going to the state level, I’d face resistance; I put it in the back of my head, just went to the front of the room, took a deep breath and got started," said Jamie. 

According to the rules, the purpose of the FFA Public Speaking event is "to develop agricultural leadership, communication skills and promote interest in leadership and citizenship by providing member participation in agricultural public speaking activities." While the rules state that judges don’t need an ag background, they should all be ‘competent and impartial.’ Normally, judges are chosen well in-advance, but because of a scheduling snag, a last-minute FFA alumni from Illinois became the third judge. 

As soon as Jamie finished his speech, the volunteer judge, decked out in Birkenstock sandals, white socks, a rumpled cotton shirt and jeans, leaned forward and asked, "Is feeding cattle 100 percent efficient?"  Jamie wasn’t sure at first what to say. "I closed my speech about livestock and how we feed them corn because they can’t be sustained on grass alone, so I told him we feed them out and it’s much more efficient. But before he let me finish he said, "No, you’re completely wrong." 

He then proceeded to berate Jamie on how animals are meant to be raised on pasture and raising them indoors is a perversion of nature, horrible for the environment and the cause of all society ills. He then jabbed a finger at him and said, "And, another thing, you call this a ‘Works Cited’ page? Who taught you how to do a ‘Works Cited’ Page? This is a mess!" 

Jamie says he was surprised by the harsh tone and unsure of the implications of the comment, so he defended his English teacher who helped him with the ‘Works Cited’ formatting. 

FFA advisor Burch says the burly teen held his composure, but was choking back emotion after he left the room, his confidence shaken. 

Jamie Pudenz isn’t interested in a career as a public speaker or writer. He doesn’t dream of being a politician or sportscaster. He wants to be a farmer, just like his dad. "We need livestock production around. If I don’t start talking about the threats against us now, it’s myself, my friends, my neighbors who will pay. If HSUS shuts us down, I’m out of a job. So are so many other kids like me."

I believe, as most farmers do, that consumers should have a choice when it comes to their food and farmers do their best to provide them. There will never be a return to the days when everyone farmed the same way and consumers didn’t care for the narrative. Consumer demand for choice should be the tie that binds Iowa’s incredibly diverse farmers together. And, choosing one type of food production over another shouldn’t involve ‘shooting the messenger,’ whether that messenger is a consumer, a farmer or a child. Anything less is, well, being a bully.

But, at the end of the day it seems to me Jamie can already teach a valuable lesson to those who think it’s someone else’s job to ‘do PR.’ He won’t give up. His quest to tell the diverse story of ag is even bolder because of the resistance he met in a wider audience. He’s ready for ‘round two.’ How about you?

About the blogger: Lance Atwater grew up on a family farm located near Ayr, Nebraska. He is currently a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in agricultural economics. Lance got a start in the agriculture industry at a young age and has been actively involved ever since. He is a former 2009-2010 Nebraska State FFA Officer, which grew his passion for agriculture and leadership even more. You can follow Lance on twitter at @latwater1 or visit his blog called "A Growing Passion."

Making the Future of Ag Bright!

There is no doubt that it’s a fun time to be in the agriculture industry today. Markets are good and farmers are able to update their equipment with the latest technology. Yet, while it is a fun time to be in agriculture now, it makes me wonder what the future of agriculture holds. While I can’t predict what the exact future of the industry will be, I do have a few clues of some of the challenges that future generations will face.

The first challenge that comes to mind is managing the markets. Over the last year we have already seen crazy price swings and even record breaking prices. Yet, as prices rise, so does the price of inputs, which ends up tightening the farmers’ profit margin. Looking into the future, I expect the markets to get even more volatile as demand increases both domestically and globally. At the same time, we are also seeing increased production in Brazil and Argentina, who are competing with the U.S. in soybean production. As they increase their production, it creates more competition for the U.S., which can end up having a dramatic impact on the price of commodities. As the markets become more volatile, it is going to become increasingly important that both farmers and ranchers learn how to manage risk, especially future generations of farmers and ranchers. There was a time in history where farmers and ranchers didn’t have to pay as close attention to managing risk and could still remain in business. However, that isn’t the case anymore. If farmers don’t manage risk carefully today, they could easily find themselves in financial trouble.

Markets aren’t the only issue farmers and ranchers will face in the future. Regulations on the agriculture industry will also become more stringent. We have already seen some of the regulations take shape such as restricting who can and cannot work on a farm. Also, environmental regulations will have more of an impact on what farmers and ranchers are able to do. While I do believe there is a need for certain regulations, there is a point when regulations aren’t economical or feasible.

One of the other challenges that future generations will face in the agriculture industry is the growing disconnect between the farm and the consumer. As this disconnect continues to grow, more questions will be raised about the food that is grown by the everyday hard working farmer. The concerns could end up changing the way animals are raised or the way crops are grown. The methods farmers and ranchers are using now may end up being taken away due to the fact that consumers will demand change because they are unaware of some of the benefits of these methods, such as raising animals indoors.

Although what I just said may sound gloomy, I still strongly believe that agriculture has a bright future! Even though farmers and ranchers could face these challenges down the road, I am confident that they can overcome them because they have always overcome challenges in the past. Farmers and ranchers are some of the hardest working individuals in the U.S., and despite the challenges that they face everyday, the still manage to provide food for an ever-growing world population. So in my mind agriculture does have a bright future as long as those of us involved in the agriculture industry make it that way!

Editors note: Thank you Lance. With inspired youth like yourself interested in agriculture, we can trust the future of agriculture is in good hands. We'd love to hear from more students on their insight in what the future of agriculture holds. Email Julianne Johnston to have your blog submission considered.

About the blogger: Julianne Johnston is the News Editor for Pro Farmer in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was raised on a Hardin County, Iowa, corn, soybean, cattle and hog farm and was active in 4-H and FFA growing up. She and her husband, Terry, reside in rural Parkersburg, Iowa, on an acreage, with the goal to install the work ethics their fathers passed down to them to their two daughter, Mackenzie (17) and Addie (13).

Earlier this month I had the privilege of welcoming Bruce Vincent, a third-generation logger from Libby, Montana, to the Iowa Soybean Association's (ISA) "Ag Matters Series." Vincent shared his story on how activists attacked the logging industry nearly 20 years ago, and how it changed his industry forever.

Vincent told the audience the political environment is dictated by activists and to "get ahead of your message" through education. The events of the last couple of weeks regarding Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) are a sad reminder of how the ag industry has fallen behind in this regard.

Because of a smear campaign dubbed "pink slime," over 600 people have lost their jobs at three plants. As we (Pro Farmer) reported March 26, Beef Products, Inc. has suspended operations at three of its four plants that produce LFTB. Because of an uneducated crusade to rid the world of LFTB, food giants McDonald's, WalMart, Kroger Co. and Safeway announced last week they are removing the product from their shelves and USDA has allowed schools to opt out of using products with LFTB.

Watch this to learn more about the "truths" of LFTB:

Now the ag community faces the monumental task of getting this product back on the shelves! Vincent tells farmers that people make decisions based on what they think is true, not what is really true. He understands why forest fires are much more devastating in our generation than they were before the government became involved and made management of our forest system more difficult. "There is a thin line between environmental rules and insanity," said Vincent. "And we have crossed the line and are caving in to people's fears."

"Truth without a champion does no good," said Vincent. "There is a difference between arguing and leading. Use your tools -- provide facts to change public opinion."

That advice rings true today! Now to get the folks employed by Beef Products, Inc. back to work, we have to convince the public this product is safe -- no different than what they perceive as traditional ground beef.

Vincent urges farmers and ranchers to add ag activism to their business plan. "Spend one hour a week educating consumers -- your neighbors and community -- what it is you do and why it's important to them," he said.

"The culture is what's at stake. The industry will live on, but the question is what it will look like. If you want your industry to stay where it's at, then be an activist for it," said Vincent.

What can you do? If you haven't already done so, get a facebook page or a twitter account or both. Find articles that you think will resonate with your audience. Use this blog if your goal is to get the ag community involved in advocating for agriculture (which is my goal).

Personally, I have spent time on the "Food Revolution Community" on Facebook engaging in several conversation with folks that don't understand what LFTB really is. Be civil and educate. Don't argue, just present the facts. You CAN make a difference!

About the blogger: Michele Payn-Knoper, nationally known professional speaker, founded Cause Matters Corp. in 2001 to help people learn how to champion their cause.

"Is Agriculture Week Relevant to Others?"

Many celebrations highlighting agriculture’s contributions are happening for National Ag Week. I’ll be first in line celebrating agriculture and think National Ag Day is a great tribute. Yet I have to wonder…does any of this really matter to those outside of our business?

There’s a lot of lip service paid to going beyond the choir, yet I see few individuals exerting the effort to make this a bigger conversation with diverse perspectives. Many times farmers and ranchers question me about whether we’re preaching to the converted. I always ask them who they are preaching to, in an effort to illustrate personal responsibility. The only way "we" (big picture agriculture) will go beyond the choir is if "you" (the individual) take the risk in connecting with people different than you.

Is this uncomfortable? Probably, unless you’re not really stretching yourself. Is it annoying to have to take the time? Likely, but your future depends on it. Can it be more difficult to work with people than tending to your land and animals? We all know that answer to that one! Do you question whether you can have an impact? Be patient and know there is no one better to be talking about food, fiber, feed and fuel. And people are talking about what you do, whether your voice is in the conversation or not.

If you truly want to celebrate National Ag Week, find five people completely outside of agriculture. Ask what their interests are. Don’t launch an agricultural avalanche – listen to what they have to say. Agriculture may be your lifeblood, but it’s not who you are. Authentic connections start on a human level – not on the farm. Many folks in my workshops struggle with the concept of connecting on common values, but it’s so critical if we want to reach people’s hearts. Rest assured, if we don’t reach people’s hearts – we will never earn the right to their ears.

For example: I’m a working mom doing the same juggling act as many women. That allows me immediately to relate to other women through one of the many "balls" we have up in the air (or which one we dropped). We talk kids, cooking or shopping – not the intricacies of how their food is produced. While I love fitting dairy cattle, I talk hair and share pictures of hot shoes instead of my Holsteins. Our barn is green and white as a tribute to Michigan State University, which means I talk sports (especially Spartan basketball) with guys – instead of what’s inside of our barn.

Relate to people on their playing field – not your corn field. We’re all humans, we all have values. If you want to go beyond the choir, find people radically different than you and see if you can forge a connection. Ask some questions, listen to their responses and have a conversation around mutual interests – preferably without any mention of your vocation for the first few minutes. Once you’ve established a connection on values, you might be surprised at people’s curiosity about your work.

I’m proud to work in agriculture; the passion to help our business connect drives me to expect more than a one week celebration. More from people like you. More reaching out. And certainly more heart connections.  How are you going to do that to make ag week more meaningful?