Musings of a Pig Farmer
by Larry Sailer

Over the last decade – most likely a result of fewer people being personally engaged in production agriculture – there has been a growing trend for consumers to know where their food comes from and how it was raised.  Recent food controversies have brought this issue to light once again.

A headline in yesterday’s issue of The Des Moines Register read, “More consumers asking for details about their food.”  The article goes onto to state, “If it is meat, many want to know where the animal was raised and how it was fed. If it is produce, they want to know what, if any, chemicals were used to grow and ship it or whether a local farmer tended the fruits and vegetables on their plates.”

As an Iowa pig farmer, I’m happy to meet with groups about how and why I raise livestock.  Talking with consumers to foster understanding is the primary reason I’m active in Operation Main Street, a speaker corps for National Pork Board, which controls pork check-off funds. Funds are raised when pork producers give a small portion of their income from selling hogs for three things: promotion, research and education.

Operation Main Street speakers have given 5,352 speeches to 156,711 people in nearly every state. I’ve been a member of the group for five years and have given over 50 presentations to Iowa civic groups.  In just the past week, I’ve spoken with groups in Green Mountain and Waterloo, Iowa.  The folks have always been very receptive of the information and when I explain why I raise pigs the way I do they understand why I do what I do.

It’s a lot of fun learning about many civic groups that I didn’t even know existed. (Yep, I need to get off the farm more!) A few of the groups I either have spoken or would like to speak to include: Lions Clubs International, Optimist Club, Rotary International, Kiwanis International, Civitan, Jaycees, Exchange Club, Ruritan National, Community Club, Sertoma, Ambucs, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Associations (NARFE), Chamber of Commerce, Masons, High 12 Club, Iowa Dietetic Association, veterinary schools, high school food classes.

I’m impressed with the number of clubs that exist to do good deeds and want to hear me speak, but my job is not yet done.  As The Register says, more people than ever are taking an interest in learning where there food comes from and how it’s produced.  That means I must give a lot more speeches.  I’m looking forward to it because that also means I have more friends out there to discover!

Guest blog by Tracy Schlater, Marketing Director for Farm Safety 4 Just Kids

Children are naturally curious, especially younger children. There are certainly a lot of things to be curious about on the farm, but that curiosity can unknowingly lead children into dangerous places.  A safe play area is a great way to ensure the safety of kids on the farm.

Here are a few tips to help you establish a safe play area:

• Separate from traffic and work areas.
• Include easily identifiable boundaries. Fences are ideal.
• Select an area that may be easily supervised, such as looking out a back window.
• Keep it free from dangerous debris.
• Provide plenty of room to run and explore.
• Install safe and age-appropriate play equipment.

If you can’t fence the play area, use landmarks such as trees, bushes, a pole, or a driveway. Walk the boundary with your children. Explain that the boundary is important because it keeps them safe.  Make sure to explain the consequences of breaking the boundary rule. Keep in mind the boundary is only your first line of defense. Supervision is critical, and not just for play areas without a fence.

Give children reasons to stay in the identified play area. Play items like swings, a sand box, or playhouse make the play area appealing to children. If the farmstead is more enticing than the designated play area, your efforts may not be effective.  A safe, outdoor play area should be located away from livestock, traffic and machinery.

Let’s keep our next generation of rural children safe!  Celebrate Playground Safety Week, April 23-27, 2012, by taking a look around your farm and assessing what improvements can be made to create safe play areas for your children or grandchildren.   Resources to help you get started include:

• http://www.marshfieldclinic.org/NCCRAHS/
• www.playgroundsafety.org
• http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2010-04-22-EARTH_GreenPlaygrounds22_ST_N.htm
  

Also keep in mind that Farm Safety 4 Just Kids awards $250 to 10 farm families to conduct safety projects on their farm.  Contact Shari Burgus, education director, for more information at fs4jk@fs4jk.org or 515-331-6506 or 800-423-5437.

Musings of a Pig Farmer
by Larry Sailer

I felt like a fish out of water while visiting a city that eats a lot of seafood!  But one thing I have learned is that we must make our voices heard in the center of government.  That’s why I traveled recently to Washington, D.C., with a group of 70 state Farm Bureau leaders and spent four days talking to our elected officials.

You find out real fast in D.C. that everyone has an agenda and often times you don’t agree with it! I was reminded of this lesson on our second day in Beltway when we met with a group from Missouri and listened to Scott Faber from the Environmental Working Group. Although I did not buy into what Faber was trying to sell, it’s always good to listen to someone whose ideas are quite different from your own.

Next we had a question and answer session with two Senate staffers, Joe Schultz and Tara Smith. The Senators for whom both work serve on the Senate Ag Committees, one from each party.  It was interesting hearing each party’s viewpoint on the new Farm Bill and what it might include.

Of course, a lot of what the Farm Bill looks like depends on how much money gets appropriated to various programs.  Bill Hoagland from CIGNA met with us about the Federal budget. There’s not much to tell about that meeting as not much happening is happening there!

Next we watched Mike Adams host a live radio show, AgriTalk Live. He interviewed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and Iowa native, Tom Vilsack.  We finished off Day 2 with some briefings from Farm Bureau staff on issues that we wanted to discuss with our congressmen and senators.  A few issues of particular interest to me were child farm labor, taxes, The Clean Water Act, antibiotics and animal housing.

The next morning we loaded into buses for a tour of the Embassy of Australia.  I always enjoy learning about agriculture elsewhere, and it was very interesting to find out how and what another country is trying to get done in D.C.  We had two speakers, Dr. Chris Parker, Minister-Counsellor for Agriculture, and Cathy Raper, Minister-Counsellor or Trade.

Over lunch in the Russell Senate Office Building, we listened to the House Ag Chairman Frank Lucas from Oklahoma.  Sen. Lucas said he thinks the Farm Bill was maybe the only bill that has much of a chance to pass before the fall elections! However, many of our group members remain doubtful.

We split into Farm Bureau districts after that and visited the offices of our Congressmen. I was with a group that had a good visit with Congressman Latham, who is a farmer from my home county and we agree on most issues.  Later that afternoon, we visited our two Iowa Senators, Grassley (Republican) and Harkin (Democrat).   As you can imagine we heard two opposite stories!

On our final day in D.C., we had the kind of meeting that gets you fired up!  Gail Hansen from the Pew Charitable Trust shared her views on the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture.  Dr. Rich Carvevale from the Animal Health Institute was also there with an opposing view.  This meeting gave me a lot to ponder during the plane ride home.

Upon reflecting about my time in D.C., I realized just how slowing the wheels of change turn – especially during an election year!  We didn’t come home with any hard and fast answers as no one wants to make a mistake or even take a chance of a blemished record.  But, we did have a chance to make our voices heard and to provide them with viewpoints from the farming community.  Everyone needs to voice his or her opinion in a democracy to make the system work!

by: Bill Latham

Ever since the Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks reports were issued last Friday, March 30, we’ve been trying to analyze the situation. Like many of you, we’re trying to decide how this news – and its impact on commodity markets – might impact our business.  This could certainly be another roller coaster of a ride!

American farmers are expected to plant 95.9 million acres of corn this spring, which is above the market expectations of 94.7 million.  In fact, this would be the largest number of corn acres  planted since 1937, so the expected yields are multiples over the 1937 crop.  North Dakota leads the “prospective plantings report” with a amazing 1.7 million acres of increase.  Minnesota is up 600,000 acres.  Iowa is up 500,000 acres, and Nebraska up 450,000 acres.

Barring weather problems, we’re in for a monstrous corn crop, especially with our new genetics and traits.  But there is also a lot of demand for this crop.  It’s a hungry world out there coupled with ethanol usage.  Markets seemed to absorb the news Friday with futures increases.  Even though local new crop prices at just over $5 are more than a dollar less than last season, the upside price potential may not be very good.  Even though we need to replenish supplies, this is a lot of expected corn, folks.

The  soybean situation is quite bullish at 73.9 million acres, below the market expectations of 75.4, and the resulting market is reflecting this.  That is about 1 million acres less than last year, and experts tell us that is almost a one-to-one switch to corn acres.  One would think this would mean local new crop prices north of $13, but so much depends on other factors such as weather, South American production, world economies, currencies, etc.

I’m always amazed and impressed with the adaptability of American farmers to react to conditions each year.  Give them a challenge, and they will make the adjustments and come through!  We’ll see what role Mother Nature plays in turning planting intentions into reality.  Thankfully, we have a full lineup of top-shelf Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids and Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans to meet your needs… even if those needs change in-season.