Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
Hey, I found your blog in a new directory of blogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, anyway cool blog, I bookmarked you. :)
Submitted by: GeneTinsley on October 9, 2009 08:41 PM
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Felled by the flu last week, I missed the launch of USDA's new Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Web site, the Department's virtual town hall on issues relating to food, agriculture and local and regional food systems.
Maybe, then, this is all old news to you, but I'm guessing there are still a few of you out there who don't know the scoop on KYF2.
The overarching initiative shines a light on local agriculture. It looks to develop local and regional food systems, spark economic growth and strengthen rural areas. It also works to support healthy eating and protecting the environment. And it seeks to do all this through existing USDA programs that are innovatively applied.
KYF2 also seeks to open up the doors on this Department to let in more ideas and more perspectives. The new Web site's Ideas and Stories page, though not yet fleshed out, will be the hub for that. And the invitation there is quite compelling:
This is the start of a national dialogue between the USDA and you - farmers, ranchers, businesses, community organizations, governments, schools, consumers. Government doesn't have all the answers - the issues that we're addressing require local solutions and local resolve. That's why we need your help. Send us your ideas and stories about food, agriculture, and local and regional food systems and we'll share them. Call, email, write, videotape, photograph, you name it, and thank you for taking the time.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Do you remember the first Farm Aid benefit concert in 1985? Organized by musicians Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, it brought attention and a cash infusion to family farms struggling from the financial crisis that rocked the early 1980s.
But the impact of that crisis was felt far beyond the farm gate. Entire rural communities teetered, and as a result, the USDA crafted rural development policy to support more than just farmers.
While keeping the farmer ever in mind, the "people's department" must now turn its attention to the farmers' neighbors -- to Main Street, U.S.A.; those neighbors that buy the farmers' products and sell him most of the materials needed to produce them. Their financial health is influenced by the farmers' economic well-being. . . . All parties with an interest in the future of rural America have to look at strategies that will diversify the rural economy. [H. R. 2026, 100th Cong. 1st Sess. (1987)]
Key to that diversification was fast, accurate, authoritative information, something difficult to come by in rural areas not yet touched by the expanding information infrastructure. So, the Department established an information clearinghouse here at NAL with a toll-free number and experts schooled in funding sources, community services and community development.
It was 1987, and the Rural Information Center was born, arising out of the same rural crisis that launched Farm Aid. Public officials, community leaders and rural residents now had a place to go for timely information on topics of significance to rural communities, from housing, health and education to utilities, transportation and telecommunications.
And now, President Obama has made rural revitilization a priority. The current Rural Tour supports that, sparking discussions across the country and online about how communities, states, and the federal government can work together to help strengthen rural America.
What do you think needs to be done to revitalize rural communities? Share your thoughts or tell us your story below.
And take the time to get to know your farmer, know your food this week. Change begins with awareness and every little bit counts.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
@FarmerHaley's simple birthday wish that people use #moo in their posts that day -- and the way that request spread quickly thanks to the magic of social media -- propelled the topic to the fourth spot on Twitter's trending list by late that afternoon. In the process, it heightened people's awareness of what our nation's dairy farm families are facing, namely, low milk prices and mounting losses.
Cool, eh?
But really, I can't tell this story better than those involved, so head on out to blogosphere for the real scoop:
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Wow, the folks downtown have been busy, and I hate to admit it, but I have not been paying them enough attention. Time to make up for that.
USDA recently launched a new Web site, RuralTour.gov, that lets you know where Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has been and where he's going on the Obama Administration's Rural Tour. He'll be joined by a variety of Administration Officials and Cabinet Secretaries as they visit rural communities asking for people's thoughts on how to best rebuild and revitalize America. They're definitely seeking input, feedback and opinions, so if you can't make one of the tour's stops, you can submit your ideas online. The tour also has a Twitter feed, so check there for the latest info fresh from the road.
Secretary Vilsack has also committed a lot of time and attention to the new Food Safety Working Group, a team he co-chaired with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The Working Group has been formed to coordinate Federal food safety efforts and develop short- and long-term agendas to make food safer. It released its key findings just last week, after which the co-chairs participated in a online chat about the results and related food and public health issues.
Another new Web site highlights the Department's efforts to spark economic recovery and restore jobs. This site, http://www.usda.gov/recovery, also serves as a venue for Americans to share stories and provide feedback about how USDA stimulus funding is impacting their community. The site delivers a slick interactive map that allows anyone to see where and how those funds are being invested across the country.
The folks at Headquarters have also planted their flag on YouTube, establishing a USDA channel on the popular video site. That ag channel, part of the larger U.S. Government channel, currently hosts 55 videos, but that number is expected to grow quickly, so keep checking back.
And speaking of planting and growing, the Department is also nurturing what they've called The People's Garden, an organic garden on the grounds of the Whitten Building, adjacent to the National Mall. The garden is both beautiful and productive -- harvests are donated to a local food bank -- but it is primarily intended as an educational tool, demonstrating the simple ways we can all support healthy eating and a healthy environment. The garden is also playing host to a series of "Healthy Garden" Workshops every Friday from noon to 12:30pm through September 25th and is offering tours every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00pm through the summer, the latter according to the People's Garden Twitter feed.
Does this list jibe with your priorities for the Department? Anything missing?
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
Well great if this tour is to really create good, however the bills before the house say otherwise, not to mention the leaders advising the president. The problem with the Us Agricultural sector is GMO's Monsanto and all the other Chemical Companies who have poisoned the food, the water , destroyed the environment and created such sickness in once a great bountiful country. If you are serious about doing good then the only way to go is to honour the farmer, get rid of Monsanto & all other companies who are so violent and destructive to life. Respect Mother nature and care for her then people are healthy the environment is healthy. The only true way forward is sustainable farming practices who respect mother earth, Biodynamics is the only way forward which will clean up the devastation wrought by these destructive companies, providing highly nutritiuos food which in turn creates healthy people. Every farmer respected, big business out of farming chemicals banned,GMO's banned, food commodities out of the stock market. The natural cycles respected.
Then & only then will you have a chance of creating a healthy environment with healthy people who will be free of this chemical cocktail and the drug drip system of big Pharma. So you also create a situation where the health system will be free of these parasites who create the sickness to begin with. We can only hope you do the right thing, we would like to see this reflected in the bills before the house and you free this country of this sick cartel of the chemical , GMO drug and weapon companies. They should all be banned then the natural environment & man can have a chance.
So take your wifes Organic Garden out to the wider farming world. Biodynamics is somewhat more sophisticated and very potent form of Organic farming. I suggest also stop the chem trails, Haarp, and all the other destructive devices at use in that country all of which have a negative effect. Get back to life, stay away from death.
Submitted by: Anonymous on July 28, 2009 09:27 AM
Mary Ann,
Thanks for providing a synopsis of what's going at HQ - we have little time to wade through all this information so your efforts to summarize are appreciated.
When I first heard of the "People's Garden", I did not realize that they were donating the produce to a local food bank. Perhaps that is "food for thought" for us to follow suit and produce a garden to benefit a food bank here in our Beltsville community.
Submitted by: Lori Finch on July 28, 2009 01:06 PM
There is some some really good and serious information here; Biodynamics, Organic farming, sustainable farming practices, healthy environment Human Health are all linked.
[gratuitous link removed]
Submitted by: steve stamos on July 29, 2009 05:30 AM
Going to head on over to RuralTour.gov and see what that's all about.
The Green Team
Submitted by: Brian on August 10, 2009 07:53 PM
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack likes to call USDA the "every day, every way" department. As Vilsack explains, "There's virtually no part of a community that's not impacted by USDA's investments."
The reach of USDA becomes clear in this video from C-SPAN in which the Secretary visits Kentucky to listen to residents' concerns and to assess how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is making a difference in these communities.
The hour-long video follows Vilsack as he holds a town meeting and tours a hospital in Harrodsburg, meets with a family in their home in Shelbyville and visits a food bank in Louisville.
The Kentucky trip comes as part of the Secretary's multi-state "listening tour" in rural America. In addition to Kentucky, he has already visited Colorado, Missouri, Georgia, Illinois and Indiana.
Coincidentally, NAL has also reached into these states, as well as most, if not all, of the 54 others, through the work of the Rural Information Center. Talking with RIC is certainly not the same as having the Secretary in your living room, but I think you'll find the exchange just as rewarding, particularly if you're looking for rural resources or funding sources.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
I caught wind of a new ag community forming on Twitter, thanks to the AgWired blog.
This past Tuesday, a group of passionate participants had the first of what are planned to be weekly #AgChats on Twitter, getting their questions, comments and jokes across in 140 characters or fewer.
The exchange was both structured and free-flowing. Questions were sporadically tossed out to the audience -- what are the most pressing issues in agriculture? how can social media help put a face on farming? how can producers reach out to school children? -- and the audience, an apparent mix of front-line farmers and ag info types, eagerly chimed in.
Telling agriculture's story, growing ag visibility and correcting misperceptions appeared to be recurring themes.
"Solid message sent out across social media channels can reach millions. That can turn into 'see me, ask me.'"
"Agreed. Massive proliferation of misinformation is happening via SM. If ag doesn't participate, we have NO voice!!!"
"Simply visiting a school classroom goes a long way and is very simple for someone who isn't used to speaking about issues."
The threads can sometimes be a bit hard to follow or ideas a bit too cryptic, but the exchange still delivers insights. I encourage you to check it out.
Since old tweets are archived, you can review the full discussion even if you missed Tuesday's chat.
If you prefer to tweet live with this group, check back on Twitter each Tuesday, 8:00pm to 10:00pm EDT. Just log in and type in #agchat to follow along.
I'll definitely be checking back. I'm eager to see how this community grows and where the tweets take them.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
i was gifted with 2 yearling longhorn steers. Keep'em in a 10 acre pasture. Very rambunctious. Is there a worm medicine that can be added to their feed?
Submitted by: wallace henderson on May 7, 2009 12:20 PM
Mr. Henderson:
Please complete the Library's Ask a Question form, so that our crack team of reference librarians can get you the information you need. Here on the blog I can't always get from you all that's needed to answer the question accurately, and we can't even be sure you'll get the answer. Filling out the form and giving us your contact info is the best way to go on something like this.
I will give my colleagues a heads-up that you'll be contacting them though.
Thanks for stopping by.
Mary Ann
Submitted by: Mary Ann on May 7, 2009 12:50 PM
#agchat is one of the now 50 chats available through the Twitter Chat List
Tweet the list: http://bit.ly/oXBBu to help them all grow.
Submitted by: Swan on July 9, 2009 08:25 AM
Swan, thanks for the list of other Twitter chats. I do see there that another one that might be of interest to InfoFarm readers is #foodchat, "a monthly conversation between people concerned about food and those who produce it." It's held the the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 7-9pm CT.
Note to readers: To access the full list, you must have a Google account (e.g., gmail), since the file resides in Google Docs.
Submitted by: Mary Ann on July 9, 2009 03:02 PM
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Yesterday, the Senate held its confirmation hearing for Gov. Tom Vilsack, President-elect Obama's pick for the next Secretary of Agriculture.
The hearing touched upon the most, if not all, of the major agricultural issues facing the new administration, including renewable energy, food safety, sustainable ag, rural development, trade issues, farm subsidies and commodity programs.
But some of the most enthusiastic language came in support of childhood nutrition and school lunches.
We can work with our schools to make sure fruits and vegetables are available. . . . We will be very aggressive in this area. . . . It’s going to be important for us to promote fresh fruits and vegetables as part of our children’s diets. . . . That means supporting those who supply those products.
Such ideas are in keeping with Obama's plan to work through the USDA's various nutrition programs to end childhood hunger by 2015.
The hearing, which ran just over two hours, is available as a Webcast from the Senate Ag Committee's site.
From all reports, Gov. Vilsack is expected to be confirmed as the new Secretary of Agriculture as early as Tuesday and sworn in soon after.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
Will my daughter eat fruits and vegetables? Nutrition is good, as a small farmer I really would like more support. How are they going to get kids to eat fruits and vegetables though?
Submitted by: BradJ on February 26, 2009 05:51 PM
In the next administration, I would like to see a stronger push for organic produce at affordable prices. We need to support small farmers who choose to produce organic crops. Currently, the Agricultural Management Assistance Program reimburses 15 states in the cost to attain organic certification. However, more needs to be done, and I hope the reappointment of the National Organic Standards Board will help get the ball rolling in the non-pesticide direction.
Submitted by: Jessica G. on March 16, 2009 09:13 AM
Very nice site!
Submitted by: John1410 on May 19, 2009 07:47 AM
Terrific info! will come back...
Submitted by: immutleReully on May 20, 2009 06:44 AM
Outstanding page. i will definitely come back again soon.
Submitted by: saunseetherma on May 21, 2009 06:30 AM
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
What is the connection between what you eat and how you feel?
Does the way an animal or crop is raised impact its nutritional value?
How are farming methods contributing to environmental problems and human health issues?
These questions and others like them represent the crossroads of agriculture and public health, that complex interdependency between what we eat and how it is raised with our individual and collective well-being.
They are the kinds of questions that seem to be popping up more and more, from the mainstream press to scientific journals and trade publications.
But clearly the frequency of the questions does not mean we have answers. In fact, as any researcher knows, most so-called answers just lead to more questions, more debate and more avenues for research.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
Hey! What a rich and inviting pool you left for exploration here. Thanks!!
These connections are not new. JI Rodale started "Prevention" magazine - then soon added "Organic Gardening." This witnesses his belief in food production and health outcome relationships.
Thanks for these neat notes!
- Karl
Submitted by: Karl Schneider on November 4, 2008 09:55 PM
I take your point, Karl, that the ag-health connection isn't new, but I do see these recurring ideas as falling along a spiral. That is, we've not come back to the same point so much as we've spiraled upward. The view from here is similar, but we are further along -- at least I trust that we are.
Submitted by: Mary Ann on November 5, 2008 11:23 AM
Great point, MA! Good idea the spiral! Not in the same place, but with progress we cycle. Thanks for that positive note, :).
- K
[Note: Karl's response was originally posted as a comment to the following post on "Ag at the Polling Place." I've moved it here to continue the thread to which he is responding. -- Mary Ann]
Submitted by: Karl on November 6, 2008 10:00 AM
The gateway provides a central starting point for anyone interested in exploring the ag-public health connection. Keep up the awesome work, dude.
Submitted by: Water Damage on November 21, 2008 08:12 AM
I would like to encourage young farmers to consider diversifying their operations by adding a hydroponic green house. Growing food locally is a massive trend in the food production industry and it is being supported by corporate power houses like Walmart and many other grocery chains. Hydroponic growing uses 1/10 the amount of water and 1/10 the amount of land required to produce traditional field row crops. You can produce a crop all year long and smooth out some of the volatility that you are exposed to in other markets. I am not suggesting you change your whole operation, just trim off an acre.
Alex Tiller
http://blog.alextiller.com
Submitted by: Alex Tiller on November 26, 2008 01:42 PM
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
I'm turning the blog-waves over to USDA today to help get the word out about the upcoming Agricultural Outlook Forum, February 26-27, 2009, in Arlington, Virginia.
This year's presenters and break-out sessions will deliver on the theme "Global Agriculture & Rural America in Transition."
You'll hear scientific, policy, business and marketing perspectives on a range of ag issues, from food safety to food security, from rural America to world markets, and from conservation efforts to developments in biotechnology.
The then Secretary of Agriculture will give the keynote, with an as-yet-unnamed distinguished guest speaker to follow.
Got any ideas who that distinguished guest speaker should be? I'm collecting suggestions below. Who knows, the conference planners just might listen.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
I wait, when can you send me more information about health?
Submitted by: jhjityiity on October 30, 2008 09:58 AM
For health info, you can start by checking out the "Food and Nutrition" entries on this blog, or visit the following sites:
Submitted by: Mary Ann on October 30, 2008 10:13 AM
Just to make it interesting, how about Mr. Pollan. :-)
Submitted by: Bill Harshaw on October 30, 2008 12:27 PM
Bill,
That was the first name that came to mind when I answered my own question. I didn't want to sway the input by mentioning him though.
I agree that Pollan would add an interesting element to the day.
Submitted by: Mary Ann on October 30, 2008 02:13 PM
Wow, Polan, sure... How about some of the folks from JHU "Ag and Public Health" -of Nov 4 post, here.
How about Pollan for Sec of Ag?. Who would *he* invite, :)
- Karl
Submitted by: Karl Schneider on November 4, 2008 10:29 PM
Great question! Who would Pollan invite?
Submitted by: Mary Ann on November 5, 2008 11:31 AM
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For those who like football, we've got a big week coming up. College football got underway last night with a handful of games, but things will really get rolling over the weekend. Then the NFL kicks off its season on Thursday.
All that, coupled with it being a Friday before a long weekend, and I'm thinking it's a good time to talk pigskin (and ag, of course).
First, let's acknowledge that the term "pigskin" is a misnomer. For the uninitiated, the word is slang for a football, but those are actually made from cowhide, not pig skin. More specifically, according to the New York Times, "the footballs [used by the NFL and most colleges] get their start on the backs of cows taken from feedlots in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska," with lean steers preferred. (Their leather stretches less.)
And did you know that all Wilson footballs used in NFL and college games are made in a single factory in the small town of Ada, Ohio [pop. 5,500]? A video of the process, complete with the resonant tones and stirring music reminscent of This Week in the NFL, tells the tale.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
South Carolina Gamecocks
South Florida Bulls
Texas Longhorns
Texas A&M Aggies
Virginia Tech Hokies
Wyoming Cowboys
What have I missed? What about the smaller schools? Or the NFL?
And how strong is the correlation between ag nicknames and the land grant universities (PDF | 67KB)? Anybody care to study the matter and report back? That'd be a good way to put halftime to good use.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
Don't forget, Delaware's name is the Blue Hens, and WV State Univ. and Ga. Tech are Yellow Jackets.
Also Boise State and Western Michigan Broncos, Buffalo Bulls, Colorado Buffaloes, New Mexico State, UC Davis, NC A&T and Utah State Aggies, SMU Mustangs, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Rhode Island,
Shepherd and Winston-Salem St. Rams, Bucknell, North Dakota State and Howard Bison, Jackson St. Gamecocks and McNeese St. Cowboys.
NFL: Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos.
Submitted by: Woody Woodrum on August 29, 2008 10:57 PM
From Woody's post, for those who don't know, a chanticleer is a rooster.
Thanks, Woody!
Submitted by: Mary Ann on August 30, 2008 07:51 AM
I always thought a chanticleer was a type of wood. I was way off!
Submitted by: Jake on September 26, 2008 02:22 AM
How about the term "farm team" (as in baseball) as a agriculture term that has stuck in our vocabularies through the years?
Nate, a red-blooded Nebraska Cornhusker football fan
Submitted by: Nate on December 10, 2008 11:26 AM
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Want to take advantage of some of the great ag resources I wrote about yesterday (and most every day) but lack the connection speed? You're not alone.
According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, rural Americans still lag behind their urban and suburban counterparts in high-speed Internet connections. As of March 2007, just under one-third (31%) of those in rural areas have broadband connections at home, compared to 47% of the non-rural types.
The good news: the numbers for rural communities are growing at a faster pace than average. Pew data shows broadband adoption stood at 18% in 2005 and 25% in 2006, on its way to the current 31%. That last period, 2006 to 2007, translates to a 24% growth rate for rural Americans, compared to 18% for urban and 7% for suburban residents.
So, we've got a positive trend. Can we keep it up?
The site seeks to be a central point for authoritative broadband info, from background on the various technology platforms to sources of government funding, relevant USDA and FCC proceedings, and data on broadband deployment. It also provides instructions on how to locate licensed companies capable of providing wireless services in or near rural communities, in addition to a range of helpful links.
Here's hoping it works.
I do believe in the power of broadband to transform a community. Its impact can reach deep, improving education and healthcare, expanding business opportunities, sparking personal productivity and offering new avenues for connection. And sure, broadband connects you that much faster to all the wackiness on the Web as well, but I still think it's a good trade, don't you?
But there's more to all this effort than I can cover here, so jump over to NAL's own Rural Information Center to peruse the links they've pulled together on telecommunications for rural communities. These links tap the best thinking from across federal, educational, and non-profit institutions to help local officials and rural citizens assess and bridge the digital divide.
And if folks use them wisely, you should be getting your InfoFarm at lightening speed in just a short while.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
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This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
I don't know about you, but I spend a good chunk of my day sitting at a computer. Turns out farmers, ranchers and other producers are doing so more and more as well.
Last month the folks running the extension service at the University of Missouri hosted their twelfth annual conference on computers and farming. Sessions covered topics for experts as well as beginners, addressing subjects as diverse as global positioning systems, digital photography, Web site design, blogs and podcasting, precision agriculture and farm management.
That last topic, an obvious nod to the big business even the smallest farms have become, helps with the numbers, from analyzing the cost of production to calculating profit ratios and estimating the amount of feed needed for a herd. Nothing like a spreadsheet to handle the dollars and cents, right?
Knowing the truth in that, and to make easy work of complex calculations, those same extension folks at Missouri collected around 200 spreadsheets and programs that either they or other farmers developed and set up a Web page to share them. The page comes with the obvious use-at-your-own-risk disclaimers, but even if only 20% of the list proves helpful, it'll deliver tremendous time savings to those whose days are already too short.
Meanwhile, in other corners of the world, a range of organizations are also using the Web to reach farmers and to share improved production methods.
Digital Green has set up an extensive database of agricultural videos in an effort to reach "small and marginal farmers in India." There, with literacy less than 60%, video demonstration works, particularly since their approach emphasizes local relevancy. The recordings "are shown to individuals on laptops, small groups using shared TV and DVD players, and communities through the village cable network."
FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, has long used the Web in its efforts to defeat global hunger, but now, like Digital Green, it is using video to deliver its message. They now have their own channel on YouTube, where, at the moment, you can catch eight different videos detailing their successes and struggles in improving the lives of those living in developing regions.
Also, in an effort to use technology even more effectively, FAO has also established e-agriculture.org, a global project set up to share experiences in using technology to improve agricultural education and farming practices.
And the great thing about e-agriculture? You can contribute. Add to the blog or forum discussions, or just browse their bank of resources.
And be sure to check back often as the site grows. Technology is only going to become more important to farms and farmers everywhere.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
More information on precision agriculture can be found through Water Quality Information Center's landing page, Precision Agriculture.
Submitted by: Stuart Gagnon, WQIC on February 6, 2008 09:26 AM
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Next week, mixed in with the last of their holiday cards and the first bills of 2008, farmers and ranchers across the U.S. will be getting their packets for the 2007 Census of Agriculture. The folks at USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service are dropping them in the mail today.
NASS conducts the survey every five years to count the nation’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Census questions cover land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, crop yields, livestock count, and machinery used, along with income, expenditures and other topics.
Maybe this is where that old game "Duck, Duck, Goose" got its start -- farmers counting their animals for the annual ag census. Okay, I admit that's not likely, but you do have to report your poultry numbers on the survey, so there actually might be folks mumbling that very phrase to themselves as they walk through barnyards across the country this January.
But lest you think the ag census is equally silly, let me assure you that the reponses provide vital information that factors into a range of decisions, from crafting agricultural policy like the farm bill, to making funds and services available to rural communities. Businesses might use the information to determine the locations of facilities serving agricultural producers, while the farmers and ranchers themselves can use census data to make informed decisions about the future of their own operations. (More ducks, perhaps? Or maybe more geese? Hmmm, let me run around in a circle while I think about it.)
So, when that envelope arrives next week from the government, don't just toss it into recycling. Open it. Look it over. Fill it out. Or grab your Census ID from the mailing and click your way to the online response version.
After all, filling out the ag census is not only a good idea, it's the law (Title 7, U.S. Code), regardless of the size or type of your operation. Fortunately, the same law makes your responses confidential and limits their use to statistical purposes, so no worries that your survey will be passed along to the IRS or your local inspectors.
Instead, think about getting yourself counted so that decision-makers know you're out there. If nothing else, it'll be a great way to spend a cold January evening, right? Right? Um, right?
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The economic impact has been devastating, but perhaps even more costly is the associated emotional toll on farmers and their families.
"It's going to get colder, the nights are longer, all the bills are starting to come in. It's hard to be joyful and cheery when you're going through this," commented Richard Jameson, a 53-year-old Tennessee farmer in a recent Associated Press article on farmers' mental health.
But no one must struggle alone. Confidential help is often just a phone call away.
Seven states -- Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin -- offer rural hotlines through a nonprofit corporation called AgriWellness. Other states, like Tennessee, reach out through their university extension programs.
Regardless the source, the message remains the same: Help is available, and seeking it shows strength, not weakness. Especially now, as we head through the holidays, remember that there are people nearby to listen and lend a hand.
Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on InfoFarm until they have been approved.
This blog does not represent official communications from the National Agricultural Library, the Agricultural Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Felled by the flu last week, I missed the launch of USDA's new 
Do you remember the first 
It seems I'm always a day late to the really cool stuff. Or, in this case, two days late.
Wow, the folks downtown have been busy, and I hate to admit it, but I have not been paying them enough attention. Time to make up for that.
I caught wind of a new ag community forming on 
Yesterday, the Senate held its 
What is the connection between what you eat and how you feel? 
I'm turning the blog-waves over to USDA today to help get the word out about the upcoming 
For those who like football, we've got a big week coming up. College football got underway last night with a handful of games, but things will really get rolling over the weekend. Then the NFL kicks off its season on Thursday.
Want to take advantage of some of the great ag resources 
I don't know about you, but I spend a good chunk of my day sitting at a computer. Turns out farmers, ranchers and other producers are doing so more and more as well. 
Next week, mixed in with the last of their holiday cards and the first bills of 2008, farmers and ranchers across the U.S. will be getting their packets for the 
2007 has delivered to farmers more than their share of struggles.
