Agriculture is Using Social Media, How and Why John Blue
Yes, people in agriculture are using social media. This presentation highlights how agriculture has expanded beyond just growing corn and pigs to a broad ecosystem that spans farms to fork. This presentations also outlines several examples of people in agriculture using social media and why they are using it.
This is a presentation that I prepared for the the National Agri-Marketing Association conference on "Trends in Agriculture" in Kansas City, Missouri on November 11, 2009.
The content is primarily based on a case study surrounding my family's 2009 Harvest of our pinot noir grape crop in Oregon's Willamette Valley (just outside of Junction City).
It has been wonderful to combine my current vocation as a digital / social media strategist with the ability to help my family both on the farm, as well as from a distance.
Using Social Media to Advocate for AgricultureCari Rincker
This presentation was prepared for Oneida County, New York 4-H program and includes primarily screenshots of examples using social media platforms to be an advocate for the agriculture industry.
Agriculture is Using Social Media, How and Why John Blue
Yes, people in agriculture are using social media. This presentation highlights how agriculture has expanded beyond just growing corn and pigs to a broad ecosystem that spans farms to fork. This presentations also outlines several examples of people in agriculture using social media and why they are using it.
This is a presentation that I prepared for the the National Agri-Marketing Association conference on "Trends in Agriculture" in Kansas City, Missouri on November 11, 2009.
The content is primarily based on a case study surrounding my family's 2009 Harvest of our pinot noir grape crop in Oregon's Willamette Valley (just outside of Junction City).
It has been wonderful to combine my current vocation as a digital / social media strategist with the ability to help my family both on the farm, as well as from a distance.
Using Social Media to Advocate for AgricultureCari Rincker
This presentation was prepared for Oneida County, New York 4-H program and includes primarily screenshots of examples using social media platforms to be an advocate for the agriculture industry.
Creative Organizing for Aurora InterfaithTom Tresser
This presentation is by a student from "Acting Up - Using Theater & Technology for Social Change," part of the online education program at The School for New Learning. Tom Tresser, instructor - http://www.tresser.com
I created this presentation to present the need for use of social media in our cancer center. It is specific to this center but can be easily adapted. The similar presentation is more general and has some copyrighted material in it. There is no copyrighted material in this despite my forgetting to take that notation out of the last slide.
Superstorm Sandy & the Red Cross for AMA AtlantaTerri Thornton
Ruben Brown of the American Red Cross and I presented this to the nonprofit SIG of the American Marketing Association's Atlanta chapter on August 27, 2013. It has tips that other nonprofits can use to promote their causes on social media.
John Blue - Why do farmers and ranchers need social media? With notes.John Blue
Why do farmers and ranchers need social media? - John Blue, shared as an introduction to why agriculture & social media is important. This presentation also shares examples of how farmers, ranchers, and ag media are using social and digital media. Contains talking point notes on each slide.
Presented proprietary data about women's use of social media and their interest in politics and news content in Washington DC, both at the Obama White House, and to Republican party staffers.
Mary will discuss the Pew Internet Project’s latest research on Americans’ use of social media, including how different demographic groups use various platforms. She’ll also present findings from a recent report looking at the phenomenon of “Facebook fatigue,” and help us to understand how usage patterns might be shifting in the future.
This is a presentation I prepared for a program at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. I pulled together social media best practices and tried to map them to the phases of the emergency management cycle. The presentation ends with a "To do" list for government agencies and recommendations on how to design a social media strategy that fits into each of the phases to create community and interaction when it is needed
Overview & selected highlights of Women and Computers course at St. Cloud State University. Gender, Race & Class Perspectives. How Social Justice Activists use the Web. Computer skills, free software & online Web tools.
Creative Organizing for Aurora InterfaithTom Tresser
This presentation is by a student from "Acting Up - Using Theater & Technology for Social Change," part of the online education program at The School for New Learning. Tom Tresser, instructor - http://www.tresser.com
I created this presentation to present the need for use of social media in our cancer center. It is specific to this center but can be easily adapted. The similar presentation is more general and has some copyrighted material in it. There is no copyrighted material in this despite my forgetting to take that notation out of the last slide.
Superstorm Sandy & the Red Cross for AMA AtlantaTerri Thornton
Ruben Brown of the American Red Cross and I presented this to the nonprofit SIG of the American Marketing Association's Atlanta chapter on August 27, 2013. It has tips that other nonprofits can use to promote their causes on social media.
John Blue - Why do farmers and ranchers need social media? With notes.John Blue
Why do farmers and ranchers need social media? - John Blue, shared as an introduction to why agriculture & social media is important. This presentation also shares examples of how farmers, ranchers, and ag media are using social and digital media. Contains talking point notes on each slide.
Presented proprietary data about women's use of social media and their interest in politics and news content in Washington DC, both at the Obama White House, and to Republican party staffers.
Mary will discuss the Pew Internet Project’s latest research on Americans’ use of social media, including how different demographic groups use various platforms. She’ll also present findings from a recent report looking at the phenomenon of “Facebook fatigue,” and help us to understand how usage patterns might be shifting in the future.
This is a presentation I prepared for a program at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. I pulled together social media best practices and tried to map them to the phases of the emergency management cycle. The presentation ends with a "To do" list for government agencies and recommendations on how to design a social media strategy that fits into each of the phases to create community and interaction when it is needed
Overview & selected highlights of Women and Computers course at St. Cloud State University. Gender, Race & Class Perspectives. How Social Justice Activists use the Web. Computer skills, free software & online Web tools.
John Blue - Why do farmers and ranchers need social media?John Blue
Why do farmers and ranchers need social media? - John Blue, shared as an introduction to why agriculture & social media is important. This presentation also shares examples of how farmers, ranchers, and ag media are using social and digital media.
How small charities can apply the techniques of big campaignsKnowHowNonProfit
Presentation given at #nfpsm convention in London, June 2011. Using examples of UK charities to inspire others to use social media in their campaigns. By Madeleine Sugden and Damien Clarkson of KnowHow NonProfit.
Optimum Scale: how to apply the techniques of big campaigns to small organisa...Aspire Knowledge
Damien Clarkson, Marketing and Communications Manager, KnowHow NonProfit
Madeleine Sugden, Content Manager, KnowHow NonProfit
Learn the techniques of the big campaigns in digital fundraising, social media campaigns and digital communications and how to apply this to your small organisation
Explore the leading practice small organisations who have successfully applied digital communications and social media to increase their supporters and fundraising
Ben, Kristen and I presented the basics of social media to the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce. These are our slides - the last bit includes images of how we're socializing news coverage in the Lawrence community.
Learn more about how nonprofits are using Facebook to connect with donors, volunteers, members and other constituents in this presentation prepared by Susie Bowie of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and Suzanne Dameron of Lime Communications.
Social Media: Strategic Shift or Tactical Tool?craig lefebvre
Overview of social and mobile media with an emphasis on how the communication paradigm we use has to change to use them most effectively. This version was presented in the course "Pass It On – Health Communication and Marketing in a New Age" and Institute 2010 on 4 October 2010 in Atlanta GA. It is based on an earlier version presented at the International Nonprofit and Social Marketing Conference in Brisbane, Australia in July 2010.
Social Media and Agriculture: From Experimentation to Real ROILeslie Bradshaw
This is a presentation that I adapted from my Trends in Agriculture presentation from November 2009. The audience was comprised of state-level representatives to the U.S. Wheat Associates Communications Working Group and was delivered on Saturday, January 24, 2010.
Many thanks to Steve Mercer (Director of Communications for the national U.S. Wheat Associates), with whom I have now worked on a number of ag / social media communications presentations since first being acquainted in 2009.
The ecosystem of nonprofits is exploding, yet the problems society faces are larger than nonprofits, said Allison Fine, on the Care2 webinar The Networked Nonprofit. The solution? Networking. This was one of the key takeaways during the webinar presented by Fine, Beth Kanter, Danielle Brigida of National Wildlife Federation, and Mark Sirkin of Austim Speaks. “Nonprofits are fortresses trying to manage the message. Free agents will free you from your cage,” said Kanter. What’s a free agent? They are volunteers in your network. People who are passionate about your nonprofits issues and who want to make a difference! “Invite them in,” said Kanter. Brigida agreed. A truly "networked nonprofit" realizes that help is reciprocal and this is something the National Wildlife Federation is embracing in their constituent engagement strategy.
Sirkin said that nonprofits are too focused on ROI – Return on Investment, something many of us in the nonprofit community have been discussing as we continue to develop metrics to help measure social media’s impact. “We need to be focusing on ROE - Return on Engagement," said Sirkin
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
13. Harness the power of SNS 1 Cell Phone Text Utterli Utterli Twitter and Wordpress Twitter Facebook
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30. Questions? Connecting Today’s Technology Tomorrow Dennis Kahl UNL Extension [email_address] THANK YOU ! ! Ag-ceptional Women’s Conference
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Editor's Notes
Source: comScore Media Metrix – Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
The power of Twitter is in the conversation and community. The conversation is happening with or without agriculture. Communities are being engaged around issues such as animal rights, organics, GMOs, CAFOs sustainability, environmental regulations and other issues relevant to your business. Misinformation about modern agriculture is being proliferated, such as a self-proclaimed farmer in NYC . In the last 24 hours, I’ve– (Michelle Payne-Knoper) had a lively discussion about “factory” farms with people in the UK, L.A. New York City and Virginia. Are we going to change the minds of the extremists? No, but we can at least get agriculture’s side of the story told far more effectively than what we have in mainstream media. I’ve spent 8 years trying to help agriculture find its voice – and honestly can say I’ve never seen the engagement of different perspectives in the conversation like what has happened on Twitter. Twitter is pretty simple – you find people you’d like to learn more about and “follow” them. You have 140 characters to communicate the info you want to share. Farmers tweet from their tractors and barns, ag media people are tweeting the latest news you need, academia are sharing technical information and commodity groups are spreading information about the value of farm products. If you need some help, just come on over to one of my new “Techniques for Ag Tweeps & Tweets” webinars. Or, connect with me on Twitter . To tweet or not to tweet – it’s up to you, but if you’re in agriculture, I’d suggest you jump on the train before you look back and realize it’s run with conversations running rampant that further misconceptions of our business. The power is in the people – and you hold those reins. Get started now…. http://twitter.com Source: Cause Matters Twitter: Twitters Business Value in Agriculture – Michelle Payne-Knoper When this question was posed on Twitter, “Why do you think Twitter is valuable to agriculture? Asking for responses back in 30 minutes, these are some of the responses she got back…. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
In the last year, many farm lobbying groups have established a presence on Facebook and Twitter in an effort to reach out to farmers. Americans farmers are old and getting older, with an average age of 57.1 in 2007, up from 55.3 in 2002. Social media, like most technology trends, is still thought of as the domain of young people, but the two fastest-growing age demographics on Facebook are 35- to 54-year-olds and those 55 and above, according to a Jan. 2009 analysis by iStrategyLabs, an online marketing company. "Every single advocacy group is thinking about how they can [use] social technology and social media to engage people who are passionate about their causes," said Peter Corbett, CEO of iStrategyLabs. "We don't have an excuse to think, 'We don't need to focus our marketing campaign there because our audience isn't there.' Because it is." Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
Before you wave it off as youth fad, the numbers below tell you that people 35 and older are driving the success of Twitter as a business tool. According to ComScore, college age and teenagers are 12% less likely to tweet than middle agers. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
SCS – Social networking site Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
Dennis will demonstrate this. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
"A lot of people are confused about how to get value out of it." But the Ohio bureau has seen a surge in activity due to a controversial proposed amendment to the state constitution which would create a board with the power to regulate animal care of livestock. The ballot initiative is favored by farmers who see it as a safeguard against tougher animal care regulations proposed by organizations like the Humane Society. "We're seeing, on Facebook especially, members are becoming very, very active," Toland said. "More people are posting pictures of their 'Vote Yes for Issue 2' signs." OFBF posts videos of ads and announcements about upcoming rallies on its wall. and encourages people to post their own photos from rallies. It this kind of direct contact with supporters that makes social media an important and effective organizing tool, farm groups said. "We can write letters to the editor until we're blue in the face," said Tracy Grondine, director of media relations at the American Farm Bureau. "But it's a lot more efficient and effective to post directly on someone's site." Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
The ballot initiative is favored by farmers who see it as a safeguard against tougher animal care regulations proposed by organizations like the Humane Society. "We're seeing, on Facebook especially, members are becoming very, very active," Toland said. "More people are posting pictures of their 'Vote Yes for Issue 2' signs." OFBF posts videos of ads and announcements about upcoming rallies on its wall. and encourages people to post their own photos from rallies. It this kind of direct contact with supporters that makes social media an important and effective organizing tool, farm groups said. "We can write letters to the editor until we're blue in the face," said Tracy Grondine, director of media relations at the American Farm Bureau. "But it's a lot more efficient and effective to post directly on someone's site." Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
Ag groups are getting the message. A-FAN—the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska—is helping Nebraska farmers and ranchers protect and preserve the quality of life in rural communities through the development of responsible livestock production. Also has Facebook. Search Facebook for A-FAN. The American Farm Bureau Federation, active in social media for nine months, has engaged an even bigger share of the farming community. With 4,000 Facebook fans and nearly 2,300 followers on Twitter, the Farm Bureau created a social media committee to design rules of use. Independent Twitter user @farmfollower has put together a list of more than 500 fellow tweeters who share an interest in agricultural issues. Leading the pack on Twitter is the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, who has about 100 more followers than its national counterpart, despite only officially announcing their social media presence in June (they'd been tweeting unofficially since last November). "We know that we can't reach the people we need to reach by just posting up on our Web site and hoping they find it through Google or a search engine," said communications specialist Dan Toland, who spearheaded the group's social media effort. "It's not all about the people coming to us, but reaching out to our members." Toland's goal is to make it easy to get connected, so he added a Web page devoted to social media on the group's site, complete with tutorials on how to use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. "With most of our members, active farming members... being of the age that's a little bit slower to getting on social media we wanted to provide the right training for them," he said. "A lot of people are confused about how to get value out of it." But the Ohio bureau has seen a surge in activity due to a controversial proposed amendment to the state constitution which would create a board with the power to regulate animal care of livestock. The ballot initiative is favored by farmers who see it as a safeguard against tougher animal care regulations proposed by organizations like the Humane Society. "We're seeing, on Facebook especially, members are becoming very, very active," Toland said. "More people are posting pictures of their 'Vote Yes for Issue 2' signs." OFBF posts videos of ads and announcements about upcoming rallies on its wall. and encourages people to post their own photos from rallies. It this kind of direct contact with supporters that makes social media an important and effective organizing tool, farm groups said. "We can write letters to the editor until we're blue in the face," said Tracy Grondine, director of media relations at the American Farm Bureau. "But it's a lot more efficient and effective to post directly on someone's site." Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
- Advocates for Agriculture - Advocates for Agriculture works with producers and shares the importance of telling the story of production agriculture to our consumers. Over 4000 members. CropLife Ambassador Network - Mission: To provide scientifically based, accurate information to the public regarding the safety and value of American agricultural food production. Farm Aide - “We all see what's happening with agriculture, what's happening to our small towns. They are going out of business. That's a direct result of the farm problem. We're still doing Farm Aid because it is contributing. It's doing a job.” – John Mellencamp Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
Screen shot of Advocates for Agriculture on Facebook. By becoming a fan you can receive news and updates that may stimulate you with new ways to communicate positive stories about agriculture. The farmer or farm wife or family members must become the advocates. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
The Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA), a Nebraska-based rural advocacy group, started seriously investing in social media less than six months ago, but they already have more than 700 fans on Facebook and nearly 300 followers on Twitter. "We've had way more success than I anticipated," said Brian Depew, rural organizing and outreach program director at CFRA. Mission: Establish strong rural communities, social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, and genuine opportunity for all while engaging people in decisions that affect the quality of their lives and the future of their communities. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
Farm Aide - “We all see what's happening with agriculture, what's happening to our small towns. They are going out of business. That's a direct result of the farm problem. We're still doing Farm Aid because it is contributing. It's doing a job.” – John Mellencamp Organic Consumer Association - Causes strives to empower people from all walks of life to have a positive impact on the world in which they live. We allow Facebook users to organize into communities of action focused upon specific issues or nonprofit organizations. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
This is what Twitter looks like. You can join by going to http://twitter.com Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
Let’s browse through one story featured at Cause Matters corp website relating to “Twitters’s Business Value to Agriculture”. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
There are over 25 million businesses already using Facebook and a growing number using Twitter to reach and pass on information to the public and to their clientele. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
Consider this; one person on a farm tour could make thousands of positive impressions. That’s an excellent ROI compared to dismal milk and pork prices at the farm gate right now! The following is written by a mom, health professional and speaker who experienced her first modern dairy farm tour last week as a part of speaking for a Vita-Plus event – and found an ‘ah-ha’ moment. Read on… Ever wonder where you milk comes from? I got a chance to find out last week when I visited a dairy farm in Western Wisconsin and met 100 hard working dairy farming women. Having only the media view of “factory” farming, I was firmly on the organic/free range/family farm side of the argument. I have to say my view has changed – still need more info, but it isn’t as black and white as I thought. I visited a dairy farm with more than 800 cows — which is huge. It is run by a family (2 brothers and their wives) and some hired help (total of 12 people I think). They’d like to have more help, but can’t afford them with the low milk prices. I had assumed “confined” cows would be unhappy cows, dirty cows, sad — but I was wrong. Over the hour-long tour, our host constantly talked about “cow comfort” from the different types of bedding to how the feed was presented. They invest in various types of fans and misters to keep them cool – they even had motion sensitive back scratching machines for the cows. It was a bit like uncomfortable to watch one cow use it — she seemed to be REALLY enjoying it. Mother realizes dairy farm moms raise their family right. As anyone who has breast fed knows, if the mom is stressed or uncomfortable, the milk doesn’t flow. I hadn’t considered this concept in regard to dairy cows, but it makes sense. From that perspective, it seems ridiculous that a business person would set up a situation where conditions would limit production. No, indeed this farm was all about making the cows happy. Our host talked about his routine and it was obvious how hard they work – long hours – and they are struggling to make a profit. With their cute little kids running around it is hard to believe this was what Time Magazine calls a “soulless” operation. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
A screen shot of the Advocates for Agriculture channel on YouTube.com While at YouTube, search for PETA or Humane Society of the United States. https://.humanesociety.org/ Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009
These are the questions that a news reporter who didn’t know a lot about agriculture and indicates these are questions she needs answers to. Anyway, here’s what I’ve learned: The farmers I met are VERY busy, care deeply, and deserve our respect. There’s more to this issue than I ever imagined. I don’t know enough yet — it is time to get more information and start really understanding where our food comes from. I suspect there is more than one right answer and the people who are most qualified to help me understand are the people working hard to produce our food. So, farmers out there, please help me out! What should I know that I don’t? What do I think I know, that is just plain wrong? What should I be reading? Who should I rely on for good, unbiased, information? Author Eliz Greene learns from dairy farm women I talk all the time about “ grow foods ” and making healthy choices. It is time for me to really understand what that means. Please make a comment below and help me share the best information with the people I serve. Thanks! To the busy women I serve, get yourself and your family out to a working farm and see where your food is produced. Become an informed consumer and support the people working hard to put food on your table. Ag-ceptional Women's Conference 2009