In the “good old days,” people received local newspapers weekly in rural areas and daily in the cities. Radio made news in the 1920s, and television nightly national news was introduced in the 1950s. It could take months to disseminate information about “current events.”
It’s been difficult to narrow down today’s blog topic because there are so many “current events” from across the world that impact my life on a daily basis. The more I read, the more I see. Studies estimate that we’re bombarded with anywhere between 3,000 and 20,000 messages daily! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to stick your head in the sand and ignore it all?
Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away, so today I’m going to key in on the issue of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the condition of the environment. Many people have jumped on the wagon of climate change in recent years. I know… I know. There is “evidence” that proves this theory, but even National Geographicwarns that information in charts can be misleading; charts can be manipulated to make a desire points. According to the guy who reportedly invented the Internet, the polar caps should have all melted away and New York City should be under water by now!
There have been and continue to be “doomsday” theories, but great improvement has been made and will continue to be made! I agree that everyone in this world can – and should – do a better job of managing resources from the amount of water they use when showering to reducing food waste. Farmers also should take advantage of new farming practices and technologies that allow us to better care for the environment. But do we need to break our economy and the businesses that are pushing our economy ahead by making laws, rules, and regulations that in theory may help the climate?
Pope Francis also writes about the waste in today’s affluent countries, and I think he may be on to something here. We live in a throw-away society where it often costs less to replace rather than repair something. Our landfills are unbelievable. Recently, I visited a landfill on Des Moines’ east side and was flabbergasted by the vast quantity of garbage going into that place. Just think how much waste must come from a larger city like Chicago or New York City!
What happen to all of this trash? At one time, big cities loaded barges with garbage. They can’t still do this, can they? (I’m seeing another research project here.) Sanitation and clean water systems are definitely key infrastructure needed for a healthy country. A healthy, steady food supply is also important to a country’s health and stability. (This reminds me of National Geographic articles I read recently about What the World Eats and Where The World’s Hungriest People Are.)
Kathie Obradovich did a nice job in her opinion piece, “Pope’s message challenges caucusgoers, candidates, in The Sunday Des Moines Register. We can all live a simpler life by making do with fewer things. But let’s not let government break the bank with untried, unproven technologies, pushed by people with nothing to lose but have a fortune to gain on our tax dollar!
School’s Out Now but “Life-Long Lessons” Still in Session
Last Friday on TheFieldPosition.com, we shared how Andrew and Jennifer Holle spent their senior year of college planning to fulfill their dream of returning to his family’s dairy. As new college graduates and as newlyweds, they purchased Northern Lights Dairy in 2003. Jennifer shared how she climbed the ladder of responsibility until finding her niche as the calf manager.
Like their mother, the four Holle children are working their way up the ladder of responsibility.
“We are all so excited now that school’s out for the summer!” says Jennifer enthusiastically. “I LOVE having my kids home because summer is a time where we work hard as a family but we also play hard. Each morning we start in the calf barn where they help: re-bed the stalls with straw, fill up the waterers, get baby calves up and put them in the auto-feeder, feed calf crunch, clean, and whatever else is needed. Then we head to the office where I do all my computer work and they either mow the lawn, clean the office area, pick-up the yard, or other tasks. From there, it depends on the day. Sometimes we sort heifers on 4-wheelers or on horseback, run into town for parts, or take the semi-truck to get a load of feedstuffs. They really do everything we do on the farm.”
Andrew and Jennifer Holle are living their dream being able to raise their children on a family dairy near Mandan, ND.
Northern Lights Dairy is truly a family farm. Andrew is the General Manager. Jennifer says, “My husband multi-tasks so many different aspects of the farm that it blows my mind! My father-in-law, Kenton, lot of the truck driving and feed hauling. He also travels frequently for various boards like National Dairy Board and the Mid-West Dairy Association.”
Jennifer shares her father-in-law’s passion for promoting dairy. She serves on American Dairy Association District 3 Dairy and Promotions Board. She also is Board Director of the North Dakota Dairy Coalition.
“I want consumers to understand that dairying is something we live and breathe, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This is what we were born to do,” she explains passionately. “Farmers were made to take care of God animals, the environment, the planet, and the people around us. We care about each and every animal on our farm. We care about each acre that we farm. We care about everything we touch. We understand the level of responsibility we have. There are 1,200 animals depending on us to feed, care, and nurture them each and every day.
Our mission statement is, ‘Northern Lights Dairy is an efficient, innovative, and profitable family dairy business always producing the highest quality milk.’ To produce the highest quality milk, we must take the best possible care of our cows. Every decision we make is always based around the cows.
If it’s 2 a.m. and we see a cow needs help giving birth, we go. If it’s minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit and we’re so cold that we feel our body, we have to bed the heifers with fresh straw so they are warm. If there is a pre-mature calf struggling to breathe, we go sit with them and in any way we can. If hay is ready to be baled but we have a prior commitment, we go make hay. This is not just a job, this is how we live.”
Because of her involvement in the industry and in promoting dairy products, Jennifer was named Midwest Dairy Farm Mom, 2014 Northwest Farm Mom of the Year by “America’s Farmers” and the 2014 Farm and Ranch Guide Country Woman of the Year. Also in 2014, she was name the ND State Soccer Association Recreational Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.
Extracurricular activities continue even though the kids Holle kids a break from school in the summer. They’re active in sports, church, 4-H, scouts and rodeos. Jennifer, who played soccer in college, coaches all of her kids’ teams. She also plays on a soccer team and is an avid runner. She enjoys being a part of Team Dairy, a group of dairy enthusiasts from across Midwest Dairy Association’s 10 states who enjoy running. Jennifer’s family members also love to run, so they often meet up in various cities to complete races together. Last fall they met in Washington, D.C. for the Marine Corps Marathon. (Click here to read Jennifer’s blog about that experience.) She enjoys traveling, too.
“God made an amazing, beautiful world and I love to see and experience it! I live life to the fullest extent. When I get up to heaven I want to be flying in at 100 mph, burning rubber, and say, ‘Wow… what a ride!” So go out there and have a great ride. Leave a legacy that you are proud of. Make a difference, for you were created to be great. Go be GREAT!”
Make it a great summer! You can celebrate June dairy month by downloading one of the Holle family’s favorite recipes from TheFieldPosition.com. Plus, the newly published Dairy Good Cookbook also features 100+ recipes inspired by America’s dairy farmers including the Holle’s.
Family Climbs “Ladder of Responsibility” at Northern Lights Dairy
Most seniors spend their last year of college, polishing their interview skills and pressing their suits. But Jennifer Holle and her husband, Andrew, spent their senior year meeting with financial analysts, bankers and architects as they pursued their dream of owning a dairy farm.
“We were trying to decide whether to expand the 125-milk cow facility to support two families or to build a brand-new one,” says Jennifer. “During that process, our banker called and asked if we’d be interested in looking at a foreclosed dairy farm that was about 45 miles away from the family dairy in New Salem. So we loaded up the pickup and took a ‘tour.’ The foreclosed dairy farm was basically an empty-shell of a facility, but its 36-stall rotary parlor was a huge upside. We then shifted gears and decided to move my husband’s 4th generation dairy farm to Mandan and expand to 600 milk cows.”
Andrew and Jennifer Holle feel blessed to have their opportunity to raise their children on a family dairy near Mandan, ND.
So how does a self-described “city-girl” with bachelor’s degree in Equine Industries Management fit into a dairy operation? Jennifer grew up in a North Dakota town of about 1,800 people where her father was a Lutheran minister. Most of her friends lived on farms where they raised beef cattle and row crops, so she had spent a great deal of her childhood on farms. Plus, she spent many weekends helping at the Holle family dairy throughout her college years.
“I started dating my husband early into our freshman year at University Of Minnesota-Crookston,” says Jennifer. “I knew from Day 1 that he was going to move back to his family’s generational dairy farm and farm with his father. Farming is in his blood, and it’s his ultimate dream in life. On the weekends, we would make the 5-hour drive back to his farm. I would spend the weekend helping Andrew. If he was cleaning barns, I would open the gates so he didn’t have to get out of the bobcat. If he was milking, I would help him milk or bring in the cows for him.”
When Andrew and Jennifer bought Northern Lights Dairy in 2003, she says she continued being his “helper.” Then she climbed up the ladder of responsibility to parts-runner. When they moved into the new facility, she started working in the milking parlor full-time because they were milking three times daily. She says she even kept milking full-time with a baby on her back.
“I did every job on the farm that you can imagine. I climbed the responsibility ladder before falling into my niche,” says Jennifer. “When the calf barn was experiencing death loss that was higher than we wanted to accept about 4 years ago, my husband basically asked me to manage the calf program. It’s a natural position for me because a baby is a baby whether it is a horse or a cow. And as a mom, I have a sixth sense for animals that are not feeling well or just need a little extra attention.”
Jennifer oversees all calves from newborn to breeding. In addition to serving as calf manager, Jennifer serves as office manager. She handles the farm’s daily paperwork, keeps daily records for cows and calves, plus handles employee training. The one duty that takes more time than Jennifer imagined is serving as the family dairy’s public relations specialist. She gives group tours, grants media interviews, writes blogs/articles, and plans their bi-annual “Breakfast on the Farm.” In addition, Jennifer still runs for parts or does whatever else is needed on any given day like sorting heifers.
“When I sit back and think about what I really love about living on a dairy farm, it’s the fact that I always dreamed of being a wife and a mom. Being a farmer allows me to work with my family, and I get to watch them grow and thrive every single day! My husband and I are basically inseparable, and I absolutely LOVE that! We all eat, sleep, work, play, breathe, and grow together side-by-side.”
She says, “We really believe in letting children experience life so from a very young age, so they have helped us do all aspects of the dairy.” From the time they were babies, they were bouncing on the floor of the tractor in their baby seats. They help vaccinate the cows, and they know how to move heifers safely. They help calves be born. They all have their stethoscopes on to help Andrew ‘ping’ a cow to evaluate a DA.” (A displaced abomasum is when one of the cow’s four stomachs twists. To diagnose it, you thump on the side of the cow. If you hear a “ping” through the stethoscope, then the stomach has twisted and surgery is needed to fix it.)
“There is no better place than a farm for kids to learn life’s lessons,” adds Jennifer. “They learn to value and respect life. They learn how to accept loss when a crop fails or their favorite dog dies. They learn to appreciate teamwork and to respect employees because we all depend on each other. They learn the circle of life and all its aspects. There is so much value in growing up on a farm that it is really hard to put it into words, but there is no place I would rather be than raising my family on the farm.”
“The blessings of living this life are so many that I have an extremely hard time putting them into words or even writing them down so that people can understand. How do you express how it feels the very first time you catch a calf as she’s being born? How do you put into words what it feels like to as you’re fighting to keep a sick animal alive for hours – and everything you do is futile because you see the life fade from its eyes? How do you talk about the overwhelming sense of pride you feel when watching your son learn to drive a tractor and a smile is beaming across his face? How can you explain the overwhelming heartbreak when so much snow accumulated on the barn roof during a blizzard that beams started breaking and one-fourth of your barn falls down?”
“This farm is not just job. This is our livelihood. This is our dream. This is our heart and soul poured into every aspect of it. It has our blood, our sweat, and many of our tears wrapped around our laughter, our cheers, and our immeasurable joy! To say that it is all worth it is a complete understatement… instead I will say, this is what I born to do.”
To be continued…
Be sure to check out Part II of this story Monday on TheFieldPosition.com!
In the meantime, check out this delicious dairy recipe from Northern Lights Dairy.
This is a special week for supporting pollinator health. Latham Seeds accepted the White House Garden Challenge back in 2015 to increase pollinator habitats in urban, suburban and rural areas.
These 22 organizations have formed the National Pollinator Garden Network that is promoting the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. Every American can join the cause simply by planting pollinator habitat, from window boxes to patio containers to home gardens, to city parks and roadside prairies to acres of meadows.
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is pleased to be a part of a positive initiative that is seeking to increase pollinator habitat in urban, suburban and rural areas. Even though these pollinators are small, they play a valuable role in the gardens!
Attract pollinators by planting specific flowers to draw in birds, bees and butterflies. There are two main essentials for attracting birds and keeping them in your backyard: (1) an environment that is attractive to insects, which is a main food source for birds; and (2) cover, which is a place for them to live and build nests.
Similar actions can be taken to attract butterflies and bees. Know the 3 P’s to plant a pollinator-friendly garden: Plan, Plant & Provide. There are various phone apps and planting guides available to help narrow the search of which plants to use in your garden based upon regional needs; such as soil, amount of sunlight, preferred type of pollinators and flower color. Remember, you can always alter the type of plant you grow, but you can’t change the soil type or sunlight, so check out the guides to ensure success in your garden.
Become a part of the buzz and start planning a pollinator friendly garden! This can be a great family activity as well as an effective way to reach out to your community. Happy National Pollinators Week!
Guest Blog Post by Kilah Hemesath
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Intern
While consuming a gallon of milk with supper is not unusual for some families in Iowa, there are many children across our state who suffer from milk insecurity. Milk is one of the most requested items by food banks, according to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.
On average the Food Bank of Iowa can only provide those in need less than one gallon of milk per year. The recommended milk consumption per person is significantly higher at 68 gallons/year.
In accordance with June Dairy Month, Feeding America is hosting a Great American Milk Drive throughout the month of June. The Food Bank of Iowa was one in 10 food banks across the U.S. chosen to compete in the Great American Milk Drive!
You can offer support to this organization by incorporating #MilkDrive and tag the Food Bank of Iowa into tweets and Facebook posts. The Food Bank of Iowa will share your post to spread the message about milk insecurity throughout Iowa. Each post will generate points towards the Milk Drive competition.
The winner of the Great American Milk Drive will receive $10,000 towards milk purchases to help supply milk for children, families and seniors in Central Iowa. 95% of food banks say they don’t receive enough milk to meet their clients’ needs. Contribute to this cause by simply mentioning the Food Bank of Iowa in a post or tweet using #MilkDrive.
June 16th is an important day for this cause. The Great American Milk Drive will MATCH DONATIONS towards this cause, and provide DOUBLE POINTS towards the national contest for posts and tweets composed by people like you!
You can make a difference by donating directly, or sharing your message with the click of a button. Help those in need who miss out on the 9 essential nutrients provided by milk. Find The Food Bank of Iowa on Facebook and Twitter and start posting!
Let me get this straight… The world’s top book publisher is banning the word “pork.” Oxford University Press is also reviewing the classics and deleting any references to “pig” and “pork products.”
We certainly wouldn’t want to offend someone who doesn’t eat pork! Right?
I truly don’t understand why Muslim’s preference trumps a Christian’s. Without bringing religion into this conversation (because we know that’s wouldn’t be PC), why can’t we let people exercise their freedom to buy. If they’re offended by children’s books with pictures of pigs, for example, there are certainly several thousand other books from which to choose.
At what point does this PC absurdity stop? Being an old white male who lives in the middle of Iowa, I know that I don’t have the “right” to be offended. My status as “majority” only affords me the ability to offend. There can be no prejudice against me… after all, prejudice and discrimination can only happen to minorities. (Oh my! I have a feeling that wasn’t a PC statement.)
Today’s society seems to have a need to blame everyone for everything that is wrong. We nit-pick about certain laws and regulations. We’ve declared War on Lemonade Stands. Over the weekend, two Texas girls were told by police they had to shut down their lemonade stand because they lacked the proper permit. The girls, ages 7 and 8, were attempting to raise $105 for their Father’s Day gift. All they really wanted to do was earn enough money, so they could take their dad to Splash Kingdom.
Whatever happened to letting kids be kids? Whatever happened to igniting that entrepreneurial spirit and encouraging youngsters to pursue the American dream? Whatever happened to taking pride in hard work and being rewarded for it?
There are several “socially acceptable” situations that made headlines both across the state and our nation over the weekend. Quite frankly, I found each one of them offensive. But I’m supposed to be tolerant and accepting. Why? Why should their freedom of choice trump mine?
I think every American should celebrate the freedom to worship. I think we should celebrate the freedom of expression, even if my thoughts are not your thoughts! Since I can’t solve the world’s problems alone or overnight, I’m just going to have some bacon and celebrate that I still enjoy the freedom of food choice!
Guest post by Kilah Hemesath, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Marketing Intern
With nearly all of the soybeans for the 2015 planting season in the ground, crop scouting becomes a necessity. Early soybean pests and diseases can create issues for newly emerged soybean seedlings. Becoming knowledgeable on what to look for in a field can make identification of these pests and diseases simpler.
As soybeans emerge, the bean leaf beetle may make a presence in your fields. This pest is distinguished by a small black triangle located at the base of the forewings. Adult bean leaf beetles are approximately ¼-inch long. They feed on the cotyledons, stems, unifoliate leaves and emerging trifoliates. Discolored, moldy, shriveled or diseased beans may be the result of bean leaf beetles in your field.
Even if seedlings are emerged, stay on the lookout for Pythium. Pythium can cause post-emergence damping off under wet conditions. This disease commonly occurs during wet and cool conditions, particularly in poorly drained fields with compacted soil. Properly manage soil drainage in your fields to combat this issue.
Septoria leaf blight, more commonly known as brown spot, is a soybean disease that spreads from the soil to the soybean plant by splashing rain. The infection of the soybean plant will leave small, irregular brown spots on the lower leaves. Favorable weather for this disease is warm, wet weather. Brown spot can move up the plant, causing leaves to turn yellow and drop. It is necessary to be aware of this disease and what is going on in your fields.
Not necessarily a disease, iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is described as poor condition between the soil and plant. If your fields have a history of high pH and without enough iron to grow a healthy plant, the best decision is to choose an IDC-resistant seed brand.
At Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we make it easy to choose such brands by designating them as IRONCLADTM. Latham® IRONCLAD Soybeans include exceptional genetics and industry-leading protective traits, battling against yield-robbing threats from pests and diseases. To bear the IRONCLAD distinction, each soybean brand must be Soybean Cyst Nematode resistant and carry an Iron Deficiency Chlorosis rating of 2.2 or better.
Also remember to watch for aphids, too. Latham Product Manager Mark Grundmeier stresses the importance of crop scouting regularly from within the field, not just a drive-by. To inquire about soybean pests or diseases in your area, contact your local Latham® representative by calling 1.877.GO.LATHAM (1.877.465.2842)
Just as the expression “to sail the seven seas” signified nautical skill in ancient time, the 7 Cs Dairy in South Central Minnesota has charted its own course.
“A 4-H project gone wild!” is how Christina (Tina) Vinkemeier describes her family’s dairy operation in Norwood Young America. Her husband, Jeff, grew up on his family’s dairy farm that was homesteaded in 1860. Fast forward nearly 20 years and now the operation has nearly doubled as their six children have become involved with 4-H and the family dairy.
Here’s a breakdown of everyone’s involvement:
Oldest daughter, 24-year-old Courtney, has her own hobby farm where she raises horses and fainting goats. She and her fiancé have a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.
Daughter Carley 18, helps Jeff do the evening milkings. They milk 125 cows in a double 4 step up parlor. She’s also responsible for registering all the cattle. (Side bar: Carley just graduated high school. This fall she will attend Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar for Dairy Science and Ag Business, so 7 Cs is looking to hire a full-time milker.)
Sixteen-year-old twins, Collin and Caleb, are relief milkers when Carley or Jeff needs to be gone. They both work for neighboring dairies, plus they help Jeff with breeding cows and doing field work.
Canton, 12, is the first one to check on the newborn calves. He enjoys feeding the calves and also helps milk when his older brothers aren’t available.
Cadee, 11, likes to help Carley milk and feed calves.
Jeff was milking grade Holsteins when he and Tina moved onto the home place in 1997. Now their herd includes mostly crossbreds along with registered cows of several breeds including Brown Swiss, Jersey, Guernsey, Milking Shorthorn and Ayrshire. Because their children have developed preferences for certain dairy breeds, the family had farm shirts made that read, “Add some color to your barn.”
Carley and Cadee have Jersey cattle. Caleb has his own Ayrshire cows. Collin likes the Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorn, Jersey and Guernsey. Canton enjoys showing all breeds, but he owns Ayrshire. Cadee also enjoys showing. She showed her first spring calf when she was just 3 and couldn’t wait to join the Benton Hilltoppers 4-H Club with her siblings.
When I asked them what they enjoyed most about 4-H, the Vinkemeier children told me showing cattle and dairy judging. Last year Carley, Collin & Caleb were on a 4-H dairy judging team with Jeni Haler, who is currently serving as Princess Kay of the Milky Way. With Jeff as their coach, they placed second in the state in 2014 and earned a national trip to Harrisburg where they placed third.
“We hope at least one of our kids will want to continue this legacy,” says Tina. “Regardless of what they decide to do in the future, they’ve learned life-long lessons working on our family dairy.”
Tina said that although she grew up in town, she really enjoys raising her family in the country. She says her children learn how to prioritize at a young age. They’ve developed a strong work ethic. They’ve learned how to work together, and they’ve learned how to answer questions about how food is produced.
Carley Vinkemeier, of Norwood Young America in Carver County, is a finalist for the 2015 Princess Kay of the Milky Way. The 2015 Princess Kay will be crowned at the Minnesota State Fair. On behalf of Minnesota’s dairy farmers, Princess Kay helps consumers understand how animals are cared for and how wholesome, nutritious and affordable dairy products are produced. 2015 Princess Kay Finalists include from left to right: Rachel Stender, Morgan Uphoff, McKinzie Smith, Samantha Keller, Maggie Mills, Kallie Baker, Jeni Haler (2014 Princess Kay), Kyla Mauk, Michele Green, Kylee Fernholz, Jennifer Oelfke, Carley Vinkemeier and Ellen Sheehan.
So what do these dairy farmers wish consumers understood about milk production? Carley, one of 12 finalists for 2015 Minnesota Princess Kay of the Milky Way, was the first to respond by saying, “I really wish they understood how well we treat our animals.”
Jeff added, “My dad always said, ‘You take care of the cows and they’ll take care of you’.”
Tina said, “There are so many misconceptions about hormones in milk, the use of antibiotics and GMOs. BST is a naturally occurring hormone in milk. We only use antibiotics when our animals are sick, and the milk from animals under treatment does not get consumed. There are 17 milk tests, so there’s no chance of antibiotics being in milk that gets sold in a store.”
Got questions about milk? Talk directly to dairy farmers like the Vinkemeiers. You can reach out to other farmers across the U.S. by finding Common Ground. In addition, Best Food Facts provides answers from experts to the most frequently asked questions. There are many resources available to help you get the “Real” facts on dairy products, so you can feel comfortable making dairy a part of your family’s diet.
Today the Vinkemeiers are sharing a few of their family’s favorite recipes with us.
Everyone has heard how our elected officials are being stalked by lobbyists. Sometimes this is even a good thing! Our representatives in Congress need help understanding all the different issues. But lately, I’ve been disturbed to see how much “lobbying” goes the opposite way.
We’re being bombarded by information – maybe a better term is propaganda – to influence public opinion. Unelected bureaucrats, social media campaigns, commercials, TV talk shows, and all ways imaginable are being used to convince the public of problems that bureaucrats think they can solve.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chief Gina McCarthy, for example, says Americans must “just trust us on climate science.” She maintains the EPA’s so-called “Clean Power Plan” will signal to the world the U.S. is serious about global warming.
Trust the EPA’s 44 years of experience dealing with environmental issues, she says. “We can speak to the science because it’s complicated…”
This once again reminds me of the old saying, “I’m from the government. I’m here to help you!”
Now don’t get me wrong, I believe in climate change. I always have and always will. But why trust the EPA to spend billions of tax dollars, deciding which “green” businesses will thrive and stimulate the economy? This is our government!!!
The new WOTUS rules are even a bigger story. Ironically, the EPA’s water rule is likely to slow to adoption of conservation practices. These rules are almost certain to create new burdens by adding permitting requirements for normal farming practices like fixing or installing grassed waterways. As the Farm Bureau blog states, “Lipstick can’t dress up EPA’s troubling waters decree.”
Such actions overstep grassroots lobbying efforts. Let’s review the making of a law… after our elected officials pass a law, it goes to a rule-making committee. The committee is usually made up of unelected official appointees, or bureaucrats. This committee makes the rules by which the law is enforced. It’s their interpretation. Then there are the agencies, like the EPA, that enforce the law. Agency officials again interpret what they think the law means. Any thought as to why a rule needs to be hundreds of pages? Then, of course, we have the “we must pass it before we can read it” Obamacare rule!
Another big debate now is the use of antibiotics in the livestock industry, and it was certainly a top issue last week at World Pork Expo. Even though there is absolutely NO PROOF that antibiotic use on farms causes ANY resistance, our current administration is pushing forward with banishing it! There’s no proof, yet our “government” must fix it!!!
Last week I heard that 29% of an American’s income goes to cover regulations. That means 29% of your income goes to pay a hidden expense that raises the cost of everything you buy!
Think about all the regulations that impact our live:
There’s No Time like the Present: Scout Fields Now
Black cutworm moths have made their appearance across Latham Territory. Now is the time to scout your fields to determine if an insecticide application is the best economical decision for your particular circumstance.
Black cutworm moths gravitate towards green vegetation for egg laying, so they will first appear in weedy fields and ones that are next to natural vegetation. Poorly drained, low laying fields also have a higher risk of black cutworm damage. Black cutworm moths travel in from southern states, laying eggs in the field, then producing black cutworm larvae.
Damage from these insects usually begins above soil service. Newly hatched black cutworm larvae will leave small, irregular holes in the leaves. When walking fields, scout for feedings off the corn plant, which will become more substantial as the worms mature. Black cutworms can cut off young corn plants and reduce crop stands. It is advised to watch for signs of cutworm damage beginning when the corn emerges.
The map below shows the predicted black cutworm cutting dates, provided by the Iowa State University Extension, based upon research performed throughout the state.
This year, the pattern of the black cutworm moths has been irregular. This makes scouting even more essential.
“With the recent cooler temperatures, emergence of both cutworms and army worms has been delayed,” said Jerry Broders, Latham® Regional Sales Manager for Eastern Iowa.
The cutworm and armyworm are comparable in appearance with similar economic thresholds. The variance in eating patterns is where these insects differ. Black cutworms chew off more mature corn plants, whereas armyworms feed on the leaves.
“My advice is to spray fields as soon you see these insects,” Broders said. “ I have seen cutworms take out a field overnight. They can do severe damage when seedlings are emerging.”
Trait selection is no substitute for scouting, Broders said. He advises that farmers continually scout for insects, because it is going to be a dense year. Download the spreadsheet here to help with black cutworm management decision.
Broders advises all farmers to continue scouting their fields and apply insecticide if necessary. Contact your Latham® Dealer or Regional Sales Manager to discuss the management decisions for your fields.
