By Kilah Hemesath, Marketing Intern, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

“Being a woman in agriculture means being a minority in an industry I am passionate about. It means proving that I am just as hardworking, dedicated and experienced as the next guy,” says Danisha Pladsen, from Shellsburg, Iowa.

Founded in 2013 to update the image of agriculture to include women through imagery, FarmHer has become a multi-faceted source of inspiration and connection for women in all types of agriculture. FarmHer gives women in agriculture the chance to connect, inspire, communicate and gain knowledge, while becoming successful leaders in agriculture.

Agriculture is built on the foundation of farmers around the world filled with hard work, persistence and determination. I grew up on a grain and livestock farm with four brothers. My brothers and parents served as role models while I was growing up and they continue to do so. They helped me discover my interest in agriculture and taught me to never let the “status quo” affect my goals.

While attending Iowa State, I’ve been able to meet and become close friends with students who share my same interest. It is rewarding to meet other females who share my love for agriculture as I do. I would classify these ladies as FarmHer’s ready to achieve their goals.

FarmHer is hosting an inaugural “Grow by Future” event on Friday, October 13, at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. The event will include a variety of topics including STEM, producer’s perspectives and international agenda. The agenda includes presentations by several Iowa women who have blazed trails in agriculture include: Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, Endowed Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University: Iowa Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds; and Franklin County (Iowa) farmer April Hemmes, who has been a full-time farmer in Franklin County for more than 30 years.

In honor of tomorrow’s #Grow15 event, I found it appropriate to share the story of two FarmHers I have met at Iowa State University. Andee Hammen, a junior at Iowa State University majoring in Agricultural Communications, shares a similar passion for agriculture. She says, “I am blessed to have the opportunity to grow up on a farm and someday I hope to transition into operating the family farm alongside my father.”

Being a FarmHer has given Hammen the chance to find her passion and strive to turn her dream into a reality. She has been actively involved in her farming operation back home in Jolley, Iowa, ever since she was young. Involvement in 4-H and FFA helped further her interest and provided her with opportunities to reach her goals as a FarmHer.

Pladsen has a goal of returning to her family farm, raising cattle and starting a soil sampling business. It’s easy to see Pladsen’s passion for agriculture when she talks about her new heifer.

“Most students might want a new car or house accessory for their graduation gift,” Pladsen said. “When I received my registered shorthorn heifer, I was overwhelmed with excitement. This is my chance to start my herd and live the dream.”

For more information on FarmHer, visit the group’s Facebook page and get involved!

WANTED: ARMY OF PEOPLE TO SEARCH FOR LOST SERVICE DOG        

Faith. Family. Farming. Friends.

These aren’t just words on plaques that hang in the homes of many rural America residents. These are values that embody rural America. They’re the values that prompt friends and neighbors to gather and harvest the crops of a sick farmer. They’re the values that bond a community, whether community is defined as the people who live in one town or a group of people from a region who share similar interests like hunting or farming.

That’s why today, on Veteran’s Day, I’m making a heartfelt plea that extends to everyone in the Upper Midwest. We need everyone to be on the lookout for Latham, the black Labrador Retriever that is part of the program at Retrieving Freedom Inc. (RFI) in Waverly, Iowa.

Veteran’s Day, as you know, was established for Americans to publicly honor U.S. veterans. For the volunteers and staff at RFI, however, Veterans Day is every day. They work tirelessly to train dogs to provide veterans with a new sense of freedom. In many cases, a trained service dog makes it possible for veterans to feel safe again in public settings. Service dogs also help open doors, turn on lights and perform tasks for veterans with mobility challenges. Dogs trained by RFI also aid children with autism, as well as children and adults with diabetes.

We simply need to expand our search outside of the Iowa borders. Please share this page with friends and family members. Any and all help we can get will be greatly appreciated! If anyone has a lead on an approximately 1-year-old, male Black Labrador please contact 319-493-2046. ‪#‎BringLathamHome

In last week’s blog post, I expressed my concern that Americans are no longer encouraged to accept “personal responsibility.” I referenced an article in The Des Moines Sunday Register about a women who said she was having a hard time finding a job due to a felony conviction. Today I need to revisit this issue because there is a movement to remove the consequences of inappropriate behavior.

President Obama is directing federal agencies to “ban the box,” prohibiting them from asking prospective government employees about their criminal histories on job applications. This week The Des Moines Register ran an editorial, stating that Iowa needs to “ban the box.” An excerpt from this editorial reads:

 
Over the past 20 years, government authorities have made 250 million arrests. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has more than 77 million individuals in its master criminal database and adds about 10,000 names each day. 

 
Here’s the deal… I’ve been listening to the sermons lately as I have been attending church on Sundays. Saul, a very nasty man who was totally against Christians, became Paul, the man that started our tradition of organized churches. Talk about second chances!

I truly believe in second chances, but I believe being clear and transparent is the best way to start again. People make mistakes. If that person who made the mistake really wants to turn his life around, hiding his criminal record is not a good start!

We can’t all have a transformation such as Paul, but we should at least try. Making excuses or hiding information doesn’t make a person responsible for his actions. Lowering our standards and expectations doesn’t empower people nor motivate them to try harder or become better. This society has been going the wrong direction for quite some time, and it’s time to take personal responsibility!

I’d like to talk about personal responsibility, which can cover anything I have ever talked about in this blog! Personal responsibility relates to how I take care of pigs and how I treat the people I work with. It includes what I choose to eat, as well as my actions and behaviors.

Let’s bring it back to what I love to do for a living and that’s taking care of pigs. Rather than doing chores daily as I have for more than 50 years, my new job has me taking care of pigs by taking care of the facilities where pigs are raised.

“We care every day” is the theme in our livestock operation. I take pride and ownership in what I do; doing anything less wouldn’t be right. Does this mean I get everything done perfectly and on time? Of course not! I admit that I try to do too much. I see such a need to volunteer that I stretch myself much too thin. I’ve given up many jobs I am still passionate about: volunteering with hospice, speaking for the National Pork Board and grilling pork burgers in Franklin County. These volunteer opportunities were all very important, but trying to do all at a high level was taking a toll.

Why do some people see a need to help others while others look for ways to help only themselves? I believe the American culture is changing, and personal responsibility is being taken away from us. Government entitlement programs are building a class of citizens that has no sense of responsibility.

Some people have learned they can make a better living off the government than they can by earning a living. This is why I have a problem with the minimum wage and food stamps (SNAP). The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cost almost $80 billion in 2012 – twice the amount it cost just five years prior!

Making Americans dependent on social programs and using taxpayer money to advertise welfare programs won’t lead to government efficiency or to a more productive society. Socially equality reduces the will to work. I can see the point of such government programs like minimum wage for entry-level jobs, whether by a young person or by someone getting back on their feet. When a job turns in to a career, however, a person should be paid what he or she is worth to that business!

How can we teach work ethic and empathy when today’s kids receive ribbons and awards just because they participate? Does giving them an award for “showing up” teach them to try their very best, or does America’s trophy culture teach kids that working hard doesn’t matter because everyone gets treated equally?

Today’s kids must develop critical thinking skills. 4-H and FFA have been fantastic training grounds, and these programs are not only for kids who grow up on farms! Learning the process of setting goals, planning, executing, and finishing a project are lessons that will serve these kids all their lives.

Government regulations have gotten to the point where everything Americans do is regulated. We have so many rules that 37 cents of every dollar we spend pays for those regulations! If Americans would accept personal responsibility to understand what foods are good and which aren’t, would we need all the extra health care regulations and added expenses? If people researched what they’re buying, would we need so much regulation? If parents held kids responsible for their actions, would we have the problems we have in schools?

I read an article Sunday in The Des Moines Register about a lady who is having trouble getting a job due to a felony on her record. She admitted to making some bad decisions in the past that are now keeping her from getting the job she wants. Do you think employers should not hold her personally responsible? She may very well be the best person for the job, but how does the HR department know that? There was even talk that that type of question shouldn’t be on the employment form. Is that really being responsible?

Our founding fathers developed a system of government that would give opportunity to everyone without guaranteeing everyone would be treated equally. The U.S. government was created to be a representative democracy, not a communist government in which all members of that society are treated equally.

Life is not fair, people! Rather than taking everything so personally, Americans must take personal responsibility. Part of accepting responsibility, in my opinion, is exercising your right to vote. Today is Election Tuesday. Remember, whom we elect makes a difference!

It’s so difficult to choose a topic each week for this blog. Honestly, it’s tough for me to pick just one! That’s why this week I’m going to touch on several subjects:

First… Ag in the Classroom. Do you know what your children or grandchildren are really learning in school? You might be shocked to learn The Omnivore’s Dilemma is being used as a textbook for all subjects – even art – for sixth graders in the Mason City public schools! Not only is this book very critical of modern farming, but Omnivore’s Dilemma is filled with half-truths and misinformation.

Last September I found myself facing a dilemma: Should I combine my soybeans or head into the classroom to try and dispel the myths and correct the misinformation contained in that so-called “text book”? I whole-heartedly believe that concerned citizens, including farmers, must get involved in classroom education. So last fall, and again last Friday, I joined staff from North Iowa’s Ag in the Classroom program to meet with Mason City sixth grade students.

Ag in the Classroom does such a great job of getting into schools throughout the region that most of these kids were very familiar with our program, and many students recognized Linda and Brenda right away. The students asked great questions again this year. One question stood out this year. One young lady asked if I’m lonely out there on my farm. I couldn’t help but wonder if she’s seen a television commercial for that “Farmers Only” dating site!

I had a great time talking with the kids, and I’m encouraged that this school system will consider using “No More Food Fights!” as a textbook in the future. Written by food and farm advocate Michele Payn-Knoper’s (pronounced “Pain – Ka-nope-r”), “No More Food Fights!” is the first-ever book to speak to all sides of the food movement in an attempt to bridge the divide between farmers and consumers.

Second… Empty pews in Iowa churches. In last Sunday’s The Des Moines Register was an article about empty pews in rural Iowa. The number of people who said they patronize a local church or place of worship declined in 96 of Iowa’s 99 counties from 1994 to 2014!

The country church my wife and I attend is experiencing just the opposite of what this article reports. In fact, we’re in the process of finishing a new addition to handle all the people! Growth is truly a great “problem” to have.

Our youngest granddaughter was baptized on Sunday, Oct. 25. During the service, the kids performed a song with the bell choir and sang two more songs. The front of the church was almost wall-to-wall kids! I’m not going to even guess how many kids were in attendance under one year of age, but let me just say, it was a noisy service! But believe me, I’m not complaining about such joyful noise. After all, “If you don’t hear crying, your church is dying.”

So why is it that so many churches are quiet? The percentage of Americans who identify themselves as “Christian” dropped from 78.4 percent in 2007 to 70.6 percent in 2014, according to the latest survey on religion by the Pew Research Center. During this same time period, however, the number of American unaffiliated with any organized religion rose from 16.1 percent to 22.8 percent. Non-Christian faiths rose slightly, too.

I wonder if some of the problems this country is facing today are are related to those empty pews. If I were a betting man, I’d bet there is a direct correlation!

Third… The World Health Organization (WHO) made a claim that processed meat “definitely” causes cancer and red meat “probably” causes cancer! People really need to read more than just the headlines of these stories! While this WHO claim sounds alarming, it’s important to distinguish how confident the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is that red and processed meat cause cancer, not how much cancer they actually cause. To really understand what this means (and doesn’t mean), a blog posted yesterday by the Cancer Research UK advises us to understand the categories of risk.

For example, salami, sausage and smoking all received a “1” level of risk for causing cancer. However, 86% of all lung cancers have been linked to smoking while 21% of bowel cancers have been linked to eating processed and red meats. (It makes me wonder how low the risk really is when “processed” is separated from “red” meats. Yes, even data can be interpreted to influence public opinion!

Linking bacon to smoking is really absurd! What nutrition is there in smoking?

“Research has continuously shown that beef can and should be part of a healthy balanced diet,” posted agvocate Ryan Goodman on I Am Agriculture Proud. The available scientific evidence simply does not support a cause and effect relationship between any type of red or processed meat and any type of cancer.”

Healthy humans need to consume many kinds of food, and eating red meat definitely has nutritional benefits. I will definitely write more about this topic in the future!

Fourth… Climate Change. An Oct. 24th article by Richard Oswald in Iowa Farmer Today outlines how climate change will affect family farmers! As I have always said, “The climate is always changing!”

Although Osward makes it sound like all change is bad, I don’t view it this way. Warmer temperatures help plants emerge from the ground quicker, and later frost dates can help more plants reach full maturity before harvest. A longer growing season could lead to higher yields, which are needed to #feedthe9. With our world population predicted to hit 9 billion people by 2050, how will there be enough food unless yields increase so we’re able to produce more food on less farm land?

Farming practices have evolved over time, and changes will continue because technology is always evolving. Remember the so-called “good old days” when farming required lots of manual labor from lots of family members because we didn’t have modern technology? Plowing the ground black was somewhat a source of pride as you were considered doing a bad job of farming if there was a corn stalk showing after you plowed! Lots of manure was spread back then, and most of it was spread close to the barns because it took too much time with horses or slow tractors to haul it to fields that were further away. No manure management plans were written. We needed lots and lots of tillage to control weeds because there weren’t herbicides and pesticides.

By revisiting the past, we can gain appreciation for the future. Change – and adapting to change – is a constant. We must change with it. For the governments of the world to break many great businesses or force entire industries out of existence because their computer model says certain thing might happen is ludicrous!

There’s a lot of information out there. Sort through it, question it, and do some research. Most importantly, use common sense when making decisions for yourself and your family!

As I sat in front of my computer in an attempt to put thoughts together about last Tuesday’s announcement by Subway to source meat from animals that have never received any antibiotics, irony struck me. That same day my son was home sick because he had a sore throat. The soreness worsened and he developed a fever, so my husband took him to the doctor. Our son was diagnosed with strep throat. Obviously, a prescription was in order to get him on the mend.

The safety and wellbeing of their children is the #1 priority for parents. Because you can empathize with other parents, you want to quickly stop the risk of your child spreading the illness. The same feelings are shared by livestock producers, who strive to be the responsible caretakers of their herds and flocks.

Raising crops and livestock is something we take personally! My earliest memories include wrapping newborn lambs in blankets and placing them under heat lamps when they got chilled on a cold Iowa winter’s day. We’d sometimes bring sick lambs into the porch, so we could nurse them back to health.

Last fall my favorite doeling became deathly ill, so I called the vet. Although I gave her medicine and prayed for her to get better, Bambi’s life didn’t have a storybook ending. I’ll admit that I cried when my dad buried her. Again this spring, one of my daughter’s newborn goats caught pneumonia. We treated her the best we could and we willed her to get better.

When you spend that much time and energy taking care of something, you’re bound to be personally invested. That’s why when farmers’ motives or priorities are questioned – when their methods are criticized by non-farmers who haven’t even engaged in a conversation – advocacy is in order!

My Facebook news feed last Tuesday (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) was filled with personal experiences of my farmer friends, as well as related blog posts from industry advocates. Here are just a few posts that recap the situation and give personal insights into family farming operations:

• 5 Things Subway Customers Need to Know
• Following Up on Subway and Subway Announces Bullet is Their Treatment of Choice
• Subway Updates Its Statement on Antibiotic Use and Subway Removing Antibiotics and Facebook Comments

After receiving public comments, Subway issued a revised policy:

Our goal is to reduce and eliminate the use of antibiotics in the food we serve. Elimination of antibiotics use in our supply chain will take time, but we are working diligently with our suppliers to find quality solutions that also ensure our high quality and food safety standards are upheld and not compromised in any way. Our plan is to eliminate the use of antibiotics in phases with the initial focus on the poultry products that we serve in the U.S…

That said, we recognize that antibiotics are critical tools for keeping animals healthy and that they should be used responsibly to preserve their effectiveness in veterinary and human medicine. Our policy is that antibiotics can be used to treat, control and prevent disease, but not for growth promotion of farm animals …”

I can support Subway’s revised policy, which basically requests its suppliers to follow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s guidelines. It also requires their suppliers to consult with a veterinarian before implementing antibiotic treatments, as well as keep accurate medical records. Subway can “save face,” but even nine-year-old 4-H members are taught to follow withdrawal periods before animals are sold for meat, and “recordkeeping” is a paramount on a farm of any size.

Food Labels & Other Marketing Tactics

Subway’s recent announcement certainly isn’t the first time that shrinking margins, declining sales or a need to keep a company’s marketing campaign “fresh,” prompted a food company to succumb to pressure from activists. Last spring you might recall Chipotle implemented a few scare tactics of its own. A series of distasteful videos called into question how to humanely raise animals. In the spring of 2015, Chipotle made a misstep when it announced its ingredient list would no longer include GMO ingredients. That anti-GMO campaign led to a lawsuit for misleading claims.

Food scares and food labeling confusion made headlines in 2013 when Panera Bread Company ran its “All natural, antibiotic free” poultry campaign. As Dairy Carrie wrote in response, “The problem isn’t [Panera] using chicken raised without the use of antibiotics; the problem is using a marketing campaign that uses fear to sell sandwiches.”

There has been – and continues to be – so many food-related marketing tactics that even farmers are becoming confused by all of the food labels, says sixth generation North Iowa farmer Kody Trampel. “To help you choose nutritious food for your family, Kansas Pork Farmers published “How to Decode Dinner.” They teamed up with Janeal Yancey, who has a Ph.D. in meat science and authors the Mom at the Meat Counter blog. I encourage you to share this particular post with friends who want to feel confident the pork they’re feeding their families is really nutritious.

In an attempt to help calm mothers’ fears, last fall I published “Tips for Choosing Safe, Healthy Foods for Your Family.” Realizing that consumers have questions about the food they’re feeding their families, more farmers are sharing their personal farming stories. I regularly read blog posts by farmers who raise type of livestock that I don’t, and I find their stories fascinating.

Engage in conversations about food and farming with groups like CommonGround^TM, AgChat and the Iowa Food & Family Project.