Guest blog post by Sally Hollis of Lanehaven Farms

What answers do you get if you ask someone to list STEM careers?  My guess is you may hear things like mechanical engineering, architecture, medicine, computer programming, or research analyst.  I doubt you will hear farming very often.  However, STEM is a large part of everyday farming in the 21^st century!

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. You don’t have to look far to find STEM in everyday farming. Here are a few examples:

• SCIENCE – Midwest farmers will soon be planting #crop15, and one area that has seen a lot of science improvements is the seed that is planted.  Scientists are constantly working to improve seeds to better withstand different weather conditions (e.g. wind and drought) and overall improve yield.  Farmers do a number of scientific tests throughout the year to ensure all of their management practices are optimal.  These tests include things like soil samples, water quality samples, moisture testing harvested grain in the fall, feed particle size for livestock operations, and the list goes on.
• TECHNOLOGY – You can hardly open a farming magazine today without an article on new technology.  Precision farming technologies are being used in much of the equipment today to auto-steer equipment and attachments with increasing precision and accuracy, vary the rate of seeds and fertilizer, and send alerts or messages to farm managers.  Drones are being used for crop scouting and monitoring farm areas more efficiently.  Technology has also increased for livestock operations with hardware and software to monitor everything from feed ordering to building maintenance issues.  A number of farmers are also looking at installing solar panels around their operations for energy.
• ENGINEERING – Engineering is designing and building a new or improved product or process.  Farmers do this on a regular basis.  They may modify a tool bar to better meet their needs, design a new grain leg, or modify a sprayer to plant cover crops.  Farmers are also documenting their processes and looking for ways to improve efficiency.
• MATH – Math is something that is definitely used on a daily basis.  Farming is a business which requires solid financials to remain competitive in today’s environment.  In addition to financial performance farmers are constantly doing mathematical calculations to determine everything from acres of coverage to bushels of grain.

The future is so exciting! Science, math and engineering are applicable to nearly every career. That’s why I believe STEM education in Iowa elementary and secondary schools is so important.

As high school graduation approaches for many, I want to remind leave them with some great advice that was given to me 25 years ago: “If you like science and math, consider a STEM career in the field of agriculture

Farming can be an emotional roller coaster. Spring is a season of excitement as the weather warms up, and the grass turns green. I always look forward to a new planting season. Planting season is a high point, but I’m bracing for the lows that are sure to come. You never know when weather, weeds or bugs will change the fate of one’s crop. Yes, farming is filled with peaks and valleys.

Recently, I’ve been moving grain to town. I enjoy hauling grain, but the current market prices are a serious downer. More ups and downs…

The past week has been filled with more highs and lows. On April Fool’s Day, I enjoyed reading about the pranks being pulled. Cristen Clark shared how she celebrates April Fool’s Farm Style. Another prank I enjoyed was a video about a marshmallow farmer talking about his ruined crop. As my wife Janice and I watched that video, she reminded me that many people will believe it’s true.

Going from the high of enjoying the joke to the reality that we have not informed people how we grow food was another “roller coaster moment.” I couldn’t help but remember Desmund Adams asking me why we don’t we take Ag in the Classroom to Chicago because he grew up not knowing meat comes from animals.

Last Tuesday in my blog post, I shared how the way we care for livestock has changed throughout the years. In the “good old days,” we raised pigs outside in extreme cold or heat. They were exposed to disease and insects. Baby pigs were often sunburned because the momma sow was trying to stay cool in a mud puddle rather than seeking shade.

Contrast the methods of yesteryear to today’s climate-controlled hog barns where there’s a barn designed to meet the pigs’ needs from the time they’re born until they’re shipped to market. Pigs in my feeder operation are content. When it’s below zero outside, my pigs are warm inside. When it’s rainy and damp – like this week’s forecast for North Central Iowa – my pigs don’t get chilled and they stay dry. When it is 100 degrees in the shade like it is during many summer days, my pigs stay cool and don’t suffer sunburn.

I can see the huge improvements to animal agriculture made during my life time! Yet, comments left under my blog last week attack the way I farm! Situations like this make me doubt the price of advocating… Is sharing my story worth the ups and downs?

Agvocating, just like the rest of my “chores,” is full of ups and downs. I know those comments on my blog came from the anti-animal groups. All of the talking points were the same old points, which tells me they were given to people to use that have never been on a farm! Nonetheless, advocating is definitely an emotional roller coaster.

When I did my first “big” newspaper interview about antibiotics in animal agriculture, I almost said enough is enough! The reporter had his story written before he came to talk to me. He just needed to “interview” a real pig farmer to make it seem like he had researched pig farming. Of course, nothing I said was in the story. He only included my picture holding a pig! Since that first newspaper interview, I’ve learned to use pictures of pigs to my advantage! People love pictures of pigs. Highs and lows…

Now I’m working to get my current group of pigs to market. Two pig barns will be emptied this week, and repairs will be needed. Each barn must be cleaned and disinfected before new pigs arrive. I always look forward to bringing in cute little pigs, and I’ll receive a new group this Thursday. That’s a time I enjoy, but the pigs can also develop problems.

All I can do is try my best, and I was reminded of this “life lesson” in church on Sunday. Without the pain and suffering that occurred on Good Friday, we wouldn’t experience the joy of Easter morning.

Life’s low points definitely make you appreciate the highs. That reminds me of a short story, “I Wish You Enough,” which I recently read on Facebook:

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain, so the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

The Iowa Food & Family Project is showcasing how farm families are covering Iowa – literally! From now through Earth Day on April 22, submit photos that show practices you have implemented to improve soil and water quality.

“Iowa’s landscape is being transformed with the construction of modern livestock barns and the implementation of more soil conservation practices in more locations,” said Aaron Putze, coordinator of the Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP) and communications director for the Iowa Soybean Association. “With the added interest in the topic of water quality this spring, providing a forum for farmers to showcase the many practices they’re using to cover Iowa takes on added importance.”

Farmers like Carl Roberts of Belmond, Iowa, use conservation tillage to protect against erosion and to preserve water quality. Larry Sailer of Iowa Falls has installed buffer strips and restored wildlife habitat. We know many other dealers and customers of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds also have practices in place – planting cover crops and maintaining grass waterways – to conserve soil and preserve water quality.

Show us what you’re doing on your farm! Snap a photo of a conservation practice or landscape and post to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #FarmersCoverIowa. Please identify the practice and the county in which it’s located, so we can help educate non-farmers about all that Iowa farmers are doing to keep soils productive and our water quality high. An ongoing album of photographs of how farmers are covering Iowa will be featured on the Iowa FFP Facebook Page.

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is a proud supporter of the Iowa FFP, which champions the continuous improvement of Iowa’s farm families and their dedication to providing wholesome food for everyone. The Iowa FFP, which involves nearly 40 farm and foodservice partners, proudly serves as presenting sponsor of the Iowa Games and supports Live Healthy Iowa.

Guest blog post by Nicole Jonas of Red Granite Farm

With the recent warm spring weather, home gardeners are getting eager to get their hands in the dirt. April is National Gardening Month after all! Perhaps you’d like to celebrate by planning a new garden space or refreshing an existing space that will be more inviting to your feathered friends.

The plants you choose will be dependent upon which birds you want to attract. Some families of birds will remain around your feeder all winter long, but most backyard birds will fly south when the Midwest weather turns cold.  If you plant a food source for birds, however, they are more likely to find your backyard on their migration pattern and return year after year.

Two things are essential for attracting and keeping birds 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. A diverse combination of plants – perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, vegetable and even herb plants – can provide a year-round habitat and year-round food sources for many of our favorite backyard birds.

When planning a year-round habitat, it’s important to consider garden design. Select trees, shrubs and perennials that will provide flowers and fall color for aesthetics, as well as fruit and cover for the birds. Some of my favorite trees and shrubs that can give you this include Serviceberry, Crabapple, Barberry and Chokeberry.

The main foods of backyard birds include insects, seed (including nuts), fruits, berries and nectar. Because of their beak size and structure, some birds will be able to eat larger and tougher fruits while others will only be able to eat mushy fruit and smaller seeds from perennials and annuals. NOTE: Hummingbirds are in a class all their own. They sip sweet nectar from many perennial and annual flowers, especially those with a trumpet shaped flower.

Ornamental grasses can be a good choice for attracting birds, as well. When left standing into the fall and winter, grasses provide the birds with cover and the seedheads can provide a food source.

Even if you have a diverse plant pallet, you may still need to attract birds to your backyard with a feeder.  Woodpeckers especially love a suet feeder in the winter; a feeder of sunflower seeds attracts cardinals. In the summer months, you will find finches flocking to a feeder full of thistle seed. Orioles, however, will only stop if you have grape jelly and oranges ready at just the right time in May.

Have particular questions about making your yard more enticing to birds? Feel free to leave comments on this post or send me a message on Facebook.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nicole earned a degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Iowa State University (ISU). Her husband, Steve, earned a Horticulture degree from ISU in Fruit and Vegetable Production. On their farm near Boone, the Jonas family produces vegetables, fruits and perennial plants. Red Granite Farm will open May 1. Choose from more than 200 varieties of hardy perennials, vegetable and herb starts plus succulents. Red Granite produce is available at the North Grand Farmer’s Market in Ames. Farm fresh eggs from free range chickens are available at Red Granite Farm, Story City Locker and the Gateway Express station in Ames.

It has been awhile since I’ve written about what I like to do every day… Take care of pigs! This week I have my first meeting to gather information about my next group of pigs. They will nurse on the sow (the female that gave birth to them) for three weeks, and then spend seven weeks in a nursery facility. When they are about 10 weeks old and weigh an average of 50 pounds, they will be transported to my finishing barns.

Each type of barn has been designed to meet the pigs’ needs at a particular age. In the farrowing barn, a farrowing crate keeps the piglets safe from being laid on or stepped on by the sow. This environment has proven to take the very best care of pigs because the farrowing barn is warm, clean and free of disease. It’s also safer and easier for workers to do their best work. 

The baby pigs are weaned at about 12-15 pounds and are moved into the nursery barn. Here they receive fresh water, fresh air, and the perfect feed ration to get them off to a good start.

The pigs grow from about 12 to 50 pounds in the nursery barn. When they’re about 10 weeks old, they’re transported to a finishing barn. This is where I come in! Pigs arrive on my farm in a semi that has been cleaned and disinfected, complete with bedding and ventilation to keep them comfortable inside. To make sure the pigs have the best trip possible, the semi driver has been certified in the Trucker Quality Assurance (TQA) program. This is similar to the Pork Quality Assurance Plus program under which I am certified.

I start planning for my next group of pigs before I’ve even finished with the pigs in my barn. As I mentioned, later this week I will have my first meeting about the next group of pigs I will receive. Next week I should have all of the current group finished and off to market. Then I’ll make needed repairs to the facility before cleaning and disinfecting it. Then it’s time to bring in the new pigs!

The last group of pigs I finished had a daily rate of gain of two pounds per day. Their feed efficiency, or the amount of grain they eat to gain weight, was 1 pound of gain for 2.35 pounds of feed. Usually feed efficiency decreases as the pigs grow larger. When pigs are giving you numbers like 2.35, you know things are working well!

Today’s pigs gain more weight but eat less feed than in the past. In fact, my pigs use only ¼ of the crop land that was used when I started farming. We’re raising twice as much corn per acre as when I started farming, and the pigs use only half as much now to reach market weight. Talk about an efficiency increase!

Farmers have definitely improved and strive to be better. We will take even better care of the pigs and our farm ground. That’s what farmers do – and this is sustainable agriculture.

To learn more about #RealPigFarming, follow along with me and these producers:

• Farm Girl with Curls – Lauren incorporates great photography and videos into her blog.
• Food and Swine – An award-winning baker and cook, Cristen shares her recipes as she tells how her family raises pork.
• Minnesota Farm Living – Wanda explains “the how and why” behind pork production on her family’s farm. She has a unique ability to explain complex issues like “Why we use individual gestation pens” and “What you really need to know about the use of antibiotics in livestock production.”

Guest blog post by Sally Hollis of Lanehaven Farms

Twenty-five years ago I received excellent advice as a high school student, exploring potential careers! “If you like science and math, you should consider a career in engineering.” I didn’t know anything about engineering and I didn’t even know an engineer. Because I was intrigued, I attended a summer engineering camp at Iowa State University (ISU) that ultimately inspired me to study engineering.

STEM EDUCATION
An interest in science, math and engineering is now commonly referred to as STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. STEM education is a hot topic because STEM careers are globally in high demand. “In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy. To succeed in this new information-based and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past,” according to the National Science Foundation.

I believe a focus on STEM education is beneficial for any career as we look to the future. It helps create individuals who can think creatively, solve problems, and innovate for the ever changing demands each career will face in the future.

AGRICULTURAL CAREERS
Today, I have some excellent advice for those exploring potential careers: “If you like science and math, you should consider a STEM career in the field of agriculture!” While I knew nothing about engineering 25 years ago, I did know a little about agriculture. I grew up in a rural area where my grandfather farmed. Nobody advised me to consider a career in agriculture, but I am pretty sure I would have dismissed it at the time. I am lucky now to have experienced both STEM and agriculture! I graduated from ISU with a degree in mechanical engineering, married a farmer, worked for John Deere for 15 years and now work on our family farm full time.

I believe a career in agriculture is something all students should consider, especially Midwesterners! The Midwest IS the Silicon Valley for agriculture. Those of us fortunate enough to call it home live on top of some of the best farmland globally where outstanding crops and livestock are raised to help feed the world. Our youth have a unique opportunity to learn about agriculture firsthand as they prepare to save the world. Yes, I did say save the world.

The STEM Food & Ag Council published its first annual report last October. It includes excellent information on the global challenge ahead of us, and the many opportunities for millennials in agriculture. The report quotes Dr. David Acker, associate dean in the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). In the article he states agriculture means offering solutions to the world’s toughest problems, like mitigating the effects of climate change and providing enough food to sustain a population quickly approaching nine billion.

And as the field of agriculture takes on a new focus, it also comes with a brand-new slogan: Save the world.  Dr. Acker goes on to say more and more young people are studying agriculture at ISU because they realize what a pivotal role agriculture will play in the future of human existence.

SPREAD THE WORD
Last weekend I attended a TEDx event at the University of Northern Iowa.  The theme “Charting Destiny” was intended to launch conversations and inspire positive growth for individuals, institutions, and for our culture.   Encouraging youth to explore STEM careers in the field of agriculture is an idea worth spreading. Please help spread the word and inspire someone’s destiny!

The public comment period has been extended through May 8 relating to proposed updates to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that call for reducing red meat intake due to saturated fat levels and environmental impact.

As a Weight Watchers affiliate, I appreciate the DGAC’s efforts to emphasize eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These are things I’ve strived to implement myself in my three-year health journey with Weight Watchers. As someone who has been raising beef in North Central Iowa for 15 years, I am disappointed that “dietary guidelines” question the sustainability of production practices.

Below are three main points I will address in my comments to the federal government:

1. Keep the focus on food nutrition, not on production practices.

The call for a reduction in red meat consumption is based on the claim that a plant-based diet reduces the carbon footprint. Please remember that major agricultural states across the Midwest have about a six-month growing season. Right now my garden is frozen tundra. Does their study account for the carbon needed to transport fruits and vegetables to areas where they aren’t in season?

I’ve been involved with the Weight Watchers organization for more than three years and have lost 54 pounds on the program. The program teaches members to enjoy all foods in moderation with emphasis on incorporating more servings of fruits and vegetables into daily choices. Because I’m a beef producer, the protein accompanying fruits and vegetables on my plate is usually beef. I’m on year two of maintaining my weight loss and enjoying great reports from the doctor. My focus is on balance, and I’ve learned to make great food choices. I don’t need another label on food to help complicate that decision. The dietary guidelines should focus on healthy foods, and lean beef is a healthy choice.

2. Beef is an excellent source of lean protein and other important nutrients.

Today’s beef is leaner than ever. According to a Fresh Beef Marketing Group survey, nearly 70 percent of all beef cuts sold at the grocery stores are lean. Popular cuts fitting this category include Top Sirloin, Tenderloin, T-Bone steak and 95% lean ground beef.

Consuming beef daily as part of a heart-healthy diet can lower LDL cholesterol levels by as much as 10 percent. Beef is a primary source of monounsaturated fat, the same type of heart-healthy fat found in olive oil. Most importantly, lean beef is one of the most naturally nutrient-rich foods with 10 essential nutrients including protein, zinc and B vitamins for less than 10 grams of fat per serving.

3. Farmers already incorporate sustainable practices to raise lean beef. While I don’t believe sustainability has a place in dietary recommendations, I’d like to point out that farmers are indeed implementing sustainable production practices. On my farm, we embrace a series of sustainable practices to raise our cattle and corn for feed.

• During the summer and fall months, we graze our cattle on land that is not suitable for crop production.
• We follow a rotational grazing system, which allows proper regrowth and recovery for the grasslands each season.
• During the winter months, when our herd is housed in the barnyard, manure is collected and applied to corn acres as organic fertilizer. All of these measures ensure integrity of the land is maintained while reducing our need for additional fertilizers to raise the corn to feed the cattle.

Let’s keep the focus on helping Americans select healthy, wholesome foods for their diet. Leave the task of implementing sustainable practices to provide those healthy foods in the hands of our farmers. If you’re a farmer, I urge you to submit comments by midnight May 8. If you’re a consumer with questions about cattle production and sustainability, I urge you to engage in a conversation with a farmer like me!

Guest blog post by Annette Sweeney, co-chair of America’s Renewable Future campaign

My husband and I still live and work on the farm where I grew up and where we raised our two sons. Both of our sons are pursuing careers in agriculture, and we want to help make it possible for future generations to have this option. That’s why it’s so important that Americans elect a president, who values on our way of life and understands the value of U.S. agriculture.

Agricultural issues impact on our economy, and there is no single issue that merits more discussion and support than the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Although the RFS has been in headlines recently, ethanol has been used as a fuel for more than a century.

The battle between Big Oil and ethanol dates back to 1826 when Samuel Morey used alcohol to fuel the first internal combustion engine prototype. Henry Ford, who founded Ford Motor Co. in 1903, was a big proponent of what he called “the fuel of the future.” Ford’s first “flex-fuel vehicle” was introduced in 1908 as the Model T could run on ethanol or gasoline. It was cost-effective and convenient for farmers to make their own fuel, but “homegrown fuel” was considered to be too much competition for those with oil interests. Prohibition in the 1920s was not so much about keeping Dad or Grandpa out of the tavern as it about creating demand for oil and bolstering gas prices.

Protecting Big Oil interests continues be the impetus of the battle being waged today. We’ve got a fight this election cycle against the monolithic and powerful outside influences of the likes of Big Oil that will pour millions upon millions of dollars to defeat the RFS and smear this successful policy with their lies. In 2013, anti-ethanol influences spent almost $70 million in advertising and promotion and over $9 million in lobbying.

We must make sure our side of the story gets told because the Renewable Fuels Standard is American success story. The RFS is the only major U.S. policy that is reducing harmful greenhouse emissions, and it has already displaced millions of barrels of imported oil. Ethanol is perfectly safe for engines and actually provides higher quality and higher-octane fuel that improves engine performance. Ethanol is better than traditional fuel, which is precisely why NASCAR runs on American-made ethanol.

The Renewable Fuel Standard, which was originally mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2007, requires renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel to be blended into transportation fuel by an increasing amount each year. Despite its lack of statutory authority to do so, the EPA last year proposed cutting minimum ethanol use.

The EPA has yet to issue a final decision, but we’re already seeing the effects of the uncertainty surrounding the RFS. Corn prices are lower and many ethanol plants have decreased production and employment. We must help protect 73,000 jobs in Iowa plus 400,000 related jobs nationwide that are related to ethanol production. Protecting the RFS is about protecting farm income plus promoting homegrown renewable fuels instead of conflict-ridden foreign energy sources.

I urge you to stand with me! Please pledge to stand by a presidential candidate who will be a true supporter of the RFS. Together we can protect our livelihoods and our Iowa way of life by standing behind the RFS this election.In the words of Governor Terry E. Branstad at the first-ever Ag Summit, “Don’t mess with the RFS!”