Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Strong Roots. Strong Yields

I recently attended the Asgrow/DEKALB dealer kickoff meeting, and I saw a DEKALB sign that said: Strong Roots. Strong Yields. The more I think about it, the more I realize that this sign is appropriate for not only DEKALB but for agriculture as a whole.

Those involved in production agriculture understand the importance of having strong roots in order to ensure that they can gain the highest yield potential possible. Those involved with agri-science understand that in order for advancement to occur they must have a strong foundation to build off of, if they wish to make substantial changes. For those in the agribusiness field it is all about relationships. Strong relationships help to ensure that customers are happy with the product and service, and that they are excited to return in the future. No matter what part of agriculture; the success all comes down to having strong roots; a strong foundation.

Growing up on the farm I have realized how important this is; whether it had to deal with crops or cattle. If my dad didn't take the time to make sure the ground was ready to be planted, the tiny seed would never develop into a high yielding plant. If my dad didn't take the time to find the best products, our operation might not be as successful. If my dad didn't take the time to care for the cattle we probably wouldn't have a 400 head herd. My point is this...farmers and ranchers set great examples for their children. In addition to building solid operations, they build strong foundations for their kids to learn from. As kids we might not always make the best decisions, but no matter what we know that we can always go back to those deep roots.

I can honestly say that without my mom and dad teaching me the importance of hard work and responsibility I wouldn't be the person I am today. And they aren't the only ones who have taught me this; it is everyone involved in agriculture. No matter where I go I can see this motto lived out. It's in the fields I drive by, the cattle shows I go to, the businesses I enter, the latest developments I hear about...every aspect of agriculture show me how important strong roots are.

Strong Roots. Strong Yields. It's more than just a saying on a DEKALB sign...it's a motto for the agricultural industry!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Unique Story

We all have a story, our stories are unique and diverse but our stories all have one thing in common...agriculture. Whether your tie to agriculture comes from growing up on a farm or ranch, or if the only connection you have to agriculture is the food you eat; it really doesn't matter.

All of our stories rely heavily on the story agriculture has written, the unfortunate thing about this is that all too often people don't realize the impact agriculture has on their lives. The even more unfortunate thing is that those directly tied to agriculture are partially to blame.

Those directly tied to agriculture understand how important agriculture is, but so often we fail to tell others. We often get frustrated because animal rights and environmental groups are gaining ground with the uniformed public, but to be honest we have no one to blame but ourselves. If we just took the time to inform the general public about the importance of agriculture in their life we wouldn't have to worry so much about these groups gaining more and more support. We must inform the general public about the amazing story of agriculture. But when telling agriculture's story we must remember one thing...keep it simple!

Young children and those who aren't as connected with agriculture don't always understand our technical language. In fact most of them get pretty lost when we use words like acres, bushels, etc. They relate better to "I raised enough wheat to produce 87,600 loaves of bread" versus "I raised 1,200 bushels of wheat." Yes, it takes a little bit of time to figure out just how many loaves of bread could be produced with "x" amount of bushels, but the results will resonate with people on a much louder level.

By taking the time to talk with others about agriculture you may actually learn something about the unique story agriculture has written. For instance you may come to find out that in one year a dairy cow will produce 1,500 gallons or 6,000 quarts of milk. Or that a hive of bees flies 55,000 miles to produce one pound of honey. These are facts that people not directly involved with agriculture understand, can relate to. The world of agriculture has its own unique story. But what are we doing to make sure that story is heard loud and clear?

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Changes


At our farm we are currently working on building a new calving barn; a project that has completely changed the look of our farm yard. The barn that used to be there is long gone and as more and more gravel trucks come and go it changes even more. In a few weeks the construction of the new building will be complete and it will become a permanent part of our operation.

Tearing down an old farm building doesn't seem very significant, but in reality it is. While that old barn was still usable it wasn't as functional as the new barn will be. This concept is something those directly involved with agriculture understand very well.

Those dedicated to the expansion of agriculture understand the importance of taking the "old" and making it better, more functional. Whether it is the business, science or production side of agriculture, the changes they make completely change the look of the agricultural industry. And these changes also help farmers, ranchers, scientists and business people do their jobs better. The tractors, seed, chemical, antibiotics and software we use today will be completely different five years down the road. The reason: those involved with agriculture today are working to make changes that will make these products more functional in the future.
I am excited to see how are farm looks after the construction is complete. And while the construction won't take years, its impact on our operation will last for a long time. The technology we will use five years from now is being developed right now. Our job is to be patient as we wait for the seed, chemical, software and antibiotics that will change the way we view agriculture.