Consumers continue to have questions about how pigs are raised, and no one knows the answers better than real pig farmers, says Claire Masker.

As public relations manager for the National Pork Board, Claire’s main responsibilities are to create positive outreach materials for the U.S. Pork Industry and Pork Checkoff programs. Last month Claire invited me to talk about #agvocacy with a pioneering group of pig farmers from across the nation, who are participating in The Pork Checkoff’s new social media outreach program through #RealPigFarming.

“We want to empower producers to have meaningful, impactful conversations on social media with consumers about what happens on their farms,” explains Claire. “The hashtag (#) before Real Pig Farming helps people search social media posts with the same phrase, making it easier for them to follow conversations.”

#RealPigFarming brings together pig farmers, academics, youth, veterinarians and allied industry members to discuss key topics in modern pork production. Everyone with a passion for agriculture or a positive story to share about real pig farming is invited to use the #RealPigFarming in status updates, tweets, Instagram photos, blogs, vlogs and other social media updates. Visit www.facebook.com/RealPigFarming, or follow @RealPigFarming on Twitter.

“I have a passion for helping farmers and those involved in the food and agriculture industries tell their story,” says Claire. “We have a great story to tell about what farmers are doing to raise food for neighbors. As Kid President says ‘Create something that will make the world awesome,’ and I like helping farmers show the world all the awesomeness they create every day on their farms.”

Claire also puts #RealPigFarming into action. You can follow her on Twitter @ClaireMasker and on Instagram @ClaireMasker. Growing up the second of five kids on her family’s farm in Neola, Iowa, she always has a story to tell.

“My siblings and I had the ‘opportunity’ to work on our family farm. We raised row crops, cattle, hogs and sometimes had chicken and turkeys.I’ve done just about every job on the farm from walking beans and scooping out bunks to feeding livestock. I’ve also tried my best to operate a tractor and grain cart. There were times that I was jealous of all my ‘city’ friends. Now I look back at everything I learned and realize how blessed I am. I learned about hard work, as well as learned to respect animals and the land.”

After graduating from high school, Claire attended Iowa State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education – Communications Option and Animal Science. She also earned a Masters of Science in Agriculture Education. While earning her masters, Claire worked for the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence. She then went to work for the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board as the communications manager where she managed the I-LEAD program and assisted with the Collegiate Advisory Team.

Today Claire is promoting the industry she loves by sharing one of her family’s favorite #pork recipes with us. Enjoy this recipe and remember to #ThankAFarmer! If you’d like to learn more about #RealPigFarming, here are links to a few blogs that I enjoy following:

• Musings of a Pig Farmer
• Corn, Bean, Pigs & Kids
• Food & Swine

In the past, I’ve written before about how people have different perceptions of farming based on their background and experiences. I’m bringing it up again because perception is becoming a very important word in the food debate. Just the other night, I heard someone say that our food is too cheap and that’s causing us to make poor food choices. The last I heard, 6.6% of American’s disposable income is used to buy food. That is much cheaper than any other country, but is food really too cheap? I’m sure a young, single mother trying to feed her kids will have a different perception of food costs!

Animal welfare is another area where perceptions often vary. The group of pigs I am now taking care of, are not the healthiest pigs I’ve had. Because of PEDV virus, it has taken an entire month – and 8 semi loads – to fill the barns. The first two deliveries brought me pigs that were very uneven in size, but the pigs appeared healthy enough. When I unloaded the last bunch of pigs, however, I knew immediately that I was going to have problems because I recognized symptoms of the PEDV virus.

This is a bad situation for so many reasons. First of all, receiving three different loads of pigs makes it difficult to reach of goal of being “all in, all out.” This means all the pigs from the same source come to us at the same time, at the same age, at approximately the same size, with the same disease pressures. Because they basically have the same needs, they’re ready for market at the same time.

The last two weeks have been rough because that third shipment of pigs brought sickness into my barns. I’ve been busy treating pigs individually with a syringe. With some extra care – combined with all the feed they want, plus fresh water, and the ideal temperature and fresh air – these pigs are getting healthy again.

Now there is a perception that raising pig indoors isn’t the best way. Some folks believe pigs should be rooting around outside, but I can tell you from experience that my hog barns have kept these little pigs very comfortable as I treat them. Regardless of how or where a pig is raised, there are always going to be some that get sick and die. It’s just a fact.

Ever since I’ve been raising pigs, I have tried my best to save every one. Sometimes no amount of treatment will ever heal an animal, so farmers must decide how we’re going to handle the situation. Should we let the poor animal suffer until it dies a natural death, or should we take it out of its misery?

It’s very difficult to watch an animal suffer, knowing there’s nothing you can do to help it. That’s why I don’t! When a pig is suffering and has not shown any improvement within 48 hours, I do euthanize that pig in the most “humane” way possible. I believe I must do what’s best for the animals in my care – regardless of others’ perception.

Sustainable and sustainable agriculture can mean different things to different people. So can “climate change.”

Last week I was invited to a three-day conference entitled, “Resilient Agriculture: Adapting to a Changing Climate.” Honestly, my shackles went up when I read “changing climate.” I believe the climate is always changing, but unlike the opinion column printed Aug. 9 in The Des Moines Register, I don’t believe agriculture is destroying our environment.

The Register’s opinion page makes it sound like nothing is being done to protect our air and water, as well as prevent our top soil from washing away. Anyone who attended last week’s conference, however, can tell you that’s simply not the case. Massive amounts of research is underway to raise corn more efficiently, which will be a huge benefit as we strive to feed a growing world.

The Sustainable Corn Project is moving new technology forward at an amazing pace. I compared this type of research to the space program. I’m not sure going to the moon helped mankind much, but the technology from the race to the moon certainly did.

Likewise, researchers are studying ways to apply nitrogen and other fertilizer so nutrients are applied when the plants need it. I learned about an app has been developed to tell me when and how much nitrogen my crop needs. This will result in plants getting more “food” and less fertilizer will up in the Gulf. Win-win.

New computer apps, as well as new machinery and new plant genetics, will make huge changes in how we farm. Drones and powerful cameras will give farmers tools to see what’s happening in fields, and tell us when and how much water or plant food or treatments the crops will need.

It took three days to present all of the new technology during this conference, so I don’t have the time or space to go into in today’s blog. Fortunately, the conference was recorded and should be accessible online soon at sustainablecorn.org.

I listened during last week’s conference and came away with some outstanding information. I wasn’t alone. Researchers and scientists from most land grant universities, research companies, conservation groups, and new startup companies also were in attendance. Even companies like Pioneer, Monsanto, John Deere and groups like the United Soybean Board were involved in last week’s conference. It appears this USDA project is meeting its goal of working with farmers, teachers and students to find agricultural practices that:

• are resilient in times of drought;
• reduce soil and nutrient losses under saturated soil conditions;
• reduce farm field nitrogen losses;
• retain carbon in the soil; and
• ensure crop and soil productivity.

Whether or not I agree with global warming, I can find common ground with these stated objectives. It’s going to take an industry coming together to meet them.

Records were made to be broken, and a fund-raising record set last year was shattered Saturday during the Iowa State Fair.

The 2014 Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show raised $225,350.00 for Ronald McDonald House Charities, which serves families whose children are hospitalized with serious health issues in one of these three Iowa cities: Sioux City, Des Moines and Iowa City. Money raised at 2014 show and sale bested last year’s record of $183,000. More than $2.2 million has been raised for Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa since 1983 when Gov. Terry E. Branstad first joined forces with the Iowa Beef Industry Council to sponsor the Governor’s Charity Steer Show.

Youth and celebrity participants for the 2014 show follow:

Congratulations to all of the Iowa youth whose steers were selected for this year’s show! It takes a partnership between the youth, who raise and show these cattle, sponsors and buyers to contribute to such a worthy cause. Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is proud to help sponsor the steer owned by Kenderick Suntken.

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Interested in learning where your food comes from? Visit the 2014 Iowa State Fair in Des Moines from August 7-17. Nothing else compares!

Started in 1854, the Iowa State Fair hosts about a million visitors a year. It’s the single largest event held in Iowa each year. This event is well worth a google search… I learned things about “America’s classic state fair” that I did not know – and I’ve lived in Iowa for more than 60 years! There are so many things to see and do. If they held the fair every weekend of the year, you couldn’t see it all.

Three movies, a novel plus a Broadway musical have been written about the Iowa State Fair. But the main reason I believe it’s so important to attend is because there are “real” farmers there! You can eat a pork chop on a stick, prepared and cooked by pig farmers, and then talk to them as you stand in line. These Iowa pork producers are willing to take time away from their farms to appear in public and talk with consumers about how they farm. Feel free to ask them how and why they raise livestock the way they do.

What Farmers Grow, Makes Iowa Grow. Walk through the livestock barns and see how our young farmers are taking care of their animals. Stop and ask them questions because this is an opportunity to learn where your food comes from and how it’s raised.

But if you’re looking for a farmer on the fairgrounds, just don’t look for an old man wearing bib overalls and a straw hat. Look for a young lady, who’s feeding her cattle. Walk through the aisles of goats to find out why show numbers are on the rise. Look for a young college student, studying the new machinery and technology on display. These are the people that will most likely be raising the food we will eat.

Take a look at the machinery displays yourself and imagine – or better yet, ask – what these huge machines cost. Find out what these machines are used for and gain a better understanding of the decisions farmers face every day to remain competitive and to stay in business.

There are many informational displays about farming. Horticulture exhibits are on display inside the John Deere Agriculture Building. (Yes, raising flowers is farming.) Look at the veggies on display. Learn about honey and the bees that make it.

New this year in this building is an interactive display called Farm with Us. Located in the John Deere Agricultural Building, Farm with Us will allow visitors to see growth stages of the plants and experience what a bushel of corn and soybeans looks and feels like.

While browsing through the Agriculture building, be sure to view the butter cow. Each year approximately 600 pounds of pure cream Iowa butter are used to sculpt a life-size butter cow, measuring about 5 ½ tall and 8 feet long. Sculptor Sarah Pratt is also creating a sculpture this year to recognize the 25^th anniversary of the Field of Dreams movie.

Kids of all ages will enjoy the sights and sounds of the Iowa State Fair. Feel the squish of grapes between your toes during the Grape Stomp, which is held daily at 11 a.m., plus 2, 3 and 6 p.m. More Grape Getaway Kids’ Activities are held daily at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. in a tent north of Grandfather’s Barn.

In the Paul Knapp Animal Learning Center and Christensen Farms Hall, you can see real animals. Baby animals are born daily. Plus you can watch shows on stage, including my friend Rhonda Ross who performs her “Thank a Farmer” magic show that teaches young folks about farming and ag products. Did you know lipstick is made with by-products of pigs?

You can even find me, working in Farm Bureau Park, if you visit the fair on Tuesday, August 12. I’ll be there all morning, sharing what I have spent my whole life learning and doing… farming! Farm Bureau Park is daily, and each day, different farmers volunteer to talk about their operations. You can learn about many different types of farming, so be sure to ask lots of questions.

Another good place to ask questions about farming is the interactive exhibit hosted by the Iowa Food & Family Project inside the south atrium of the Varied Industries Building. Shannon Latham will be working at that exhibit on Friday, August 8, when the “Iowa Girl Eats” Kristin Porter autographs the popular “Let’s Cook” cookbook. You can meet Kristin this Friday from 1-3 p.m. and on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon.

There is so much to see and do at the Iowa State Fair. I hope to see you there!

I attend a lot of meetings. Some keep me informed about new regulations. Some keep me informed about the weather. Others try to help me figure out how to market what I raise. This past week, however, the Farm Bureau Economic Summit covered it all!

The first slide shown during the opening session was of a toilet plunger. Talk about a wakeup call! Market prices for my crops are in the toilet, yet there was much optimism during this conference.

Speakers covered exciting new uses for technology. For example, unmanned flights commonly called drones has great potential on my farm. One use that came to my mind is conservation. A drone could look over my farm ground for damage after huge rain events like those we received this past spring. By literally showing me how the water moves across my ground, I could see where tile is needed and how to construct better water ways. Based on the data I receive from drones, I could select different crops or event select different crop varieties as different genetics handle different types of weather.

Different soil types and different types of stress… The potential of these little machines is just starting to emerge. My fear, of course, is government regulations. Will the potential for good be stopped before we really get it off the ground?

Another interesting technology presentation covered apps. Now we all know about apps for social media, but I now have the means to observe my livestock from my smartphone as I sit in a meeting! I can adjust how my barns operate sitting at my desk. I can check my grain bins while I’m sitting in my tractor. If you can dream it, there’s an app for it!

Conservation and sustainability are topic concerns that can be addressed by today’s apps. Irrigation systems can be monitored from a phone. Farmers can remotely tell how much water a crop needs, and give them just the right amount!

Now you can see why my farm really isn’t Old McDonald’s Farm. Old McDonald was not an efficient farmer, and there is a need for efficiency in agriculture today. I look for ways to grow more with fewer inputs, including water and fuel. I also look for ways to improve my farm, so I can leave it better than it was when I started farming. I’m striving to be better, and the things I learn from meetings like the Farm Bureau Economic Summit help me do just that!

I had a great at the Franklin County Fair this past week, talking with friends, meeting new acquaintances and promoting pork! I started by grilling bacon pork burgers Tuesday night during the fair parade as I was riding the Republican’s float themed “party party.” Thursday we grilled 500 pork burgers for Farm Bureau Day, and Saturday we donated grilled loins that were donated and served for lunch in the 4-H food stand.

During the fair, I even had an opportunity to talk to someone whom I’ve been trying to get together with for months! I’ve been chatting online with a woman in charge of the menu for a school system in my area. One of my biggest pet peeves is recent changes to the school lunch program, and I’ve been trying very hard to “listen” to someone with hands-on experience with this program. I was so glad to talk with her face-to-face and see her emotion. This woman certainly cares about the kids in her school, and she is obviously concerned for her job!

We talked as her young daughter enjoyed the rides at the fair, and she told me of her personal experience. She said this young girl was coming home from school starved and looking for something to eat. Now just think about this for a minute… the daughter of the person responsible for the school lunch content was coming home starved!

She said would then try to let her daughter eat an after school snack that wouldn’t ruin her appetite for the evening meal. If they eat the evening meal too late, how does that affect her daughter’s health? I could see the concern not only for her own child but also for the other school kids like the athletes, who come in at 7:30 AM to lift weights. How hungry they must be by the lunch time! These athletes get served the same lunch as all the rest of the kids, yet after school, they have practice that keeps them from getting that after school snack!

As I was listening to how the same portions are served to athletes as to the rest of the school kids, I was reminded of this Trent Loos’ statement: “Only Michelle Obama would feed the herd to meet the fattest 10% nutritional requirements.”

Those of us who raise livestock understand that you have to feed each animal a ration that is high enough in protein and fat to aid in their growth. High-performance animals, like dogs that jump from docks or horses that jump fences, have specially designed diets. Nutritionists help dairy producers design rations to keep their cows healthy and producing high-quality milk.

In my hog barn, we bring in pigs that are close to the same size. That way their feed requirements can be adjusted as they grow. However, the school lunch program is designed for the smallest kids. One size does not fit all kids! Let’s quit being this nanny state that tries to make every decision for every person!

Let’s quit dumbing down our society, so citizens don’t “need” to think!

The First Lady says she is going to battle opposition to the new school lunch rules to the end because “experts” design this program. If FLOTUS is “listening,” I hope she’ll take regional food differences into consideration. The way we eat in Iowa – and in the Midwest in general – is certainly different than it is other regions. For example, you don’t see black eyed peas or collard greens regularly on the dinner tables here. You’re not going to experience a lobster boil or a clam bake unless the seafood is flown in special for the occasion. We can’t raise citrus fruits here either. But this time of year, you can feast on the nation’s most delicious sweet corn and tomatoes. We’re also known for producing high-quality pork and delicious corn-fed beef.

Why not let concerned “local people” like head cooks at “local schools” choose the best food for their areas? “Fresh and local” is one of the hottest food trends after all! Let’s educate today’s school children about choosing a healthy diet and help them learn the correct portions to eat. If they aren’t starving when they get home, they just might eat healthier in the evening. Let’s empower them to make the right choices!

How can we make changes to the school lunch rules? I guess we keep talking. I guess we need to keep pushing and hope someone is listening!

P.S. It’s so ironic that as the number of calories are being reduced in schools, the amount of food that is wasted is no being reduced! Food wastage is the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Why aren’t people outraged by this stat? Just because you put a whole apple or a whole orange on a kids’ plate doesn’t mean she’s going to eat it. Restore sense to the school lunch program!

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In this past Monday’s post, we introduced you to author and economist Jayson Lusk.  Jayson is a food and agricultural economist and author, was in Iowa to speak to an invited crowd at Iowa State University this past week. Latham was among the sponsors of Lusk’s Iowa State appearance.

Lusk’s book “The Food Police: A Well-Fed Manifesto About the Politics of Your Plate” debunks many criticisms of modern agriculture — from claims of environmental plunder and cruelty to animals to recklessly using GMO crops and creating a “toxic food environment” — and warns against the rise of what he calls the “food police” and “food elite” who seek to use government power to damage consumers’ freedom of food choice and farmers’ freedom to operate.

Here is Part 2 of our recap of Jayson’s speech on how to counter criticisms of conventional agriculture:

Even though some of conventional agriculture’s harshest critics seem to be the least reasonable and open to discussion, Lusk urged farmers and ag advocates to not shy away from entering the arena.

“You are being talked about. You might as well be part of the conversation. I know that is hard because you have a full-time job you don’t have time to do this kind of stuff,” said Lusk. “And it’s also a little uncomfortable. As someone who has written a book (defending modern agriculture), I get a lot of hate email, and I would be more comfortable if I didn’t get that hate email.”

The key is to remember that authors of books that denigrate modern agriculture are a tiny minority, and that most consumers (and voters) are open to hearing what farmers have to say for themselves.

Among the tactics Lusk suggested was offering to speak to school classes from elementary through college, reaching out to those who blog about home and family issues and using social media to put out positive messages. He praised efforts like the Iowa Soybean Association’s “Iowa Food and Family Project” which connects farm and non-farm families to create better understanding of the truth of American agriculture.

“You don’t need to engage with people who don’t want their mind changed. You’re not going to change some people’s mind. Those aren’t the people you want to talk to you. You want to talk to people who are there who really want to listen to you.”

During the past 10 years, Lusk has published more than 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals on topics related to consumer behavior, as well as food marketing and policy. Learn more about Jayson Lusk at his website, JaysonLusk.com. Lusk’s appearance at Iowa State was sponsored by Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, the Iowa Soybean Association, Farm Credit Services of America, Nationwide Insurance Agribusiness and the Iowa Poultry Association.