I’ve got questions. So do 70 million others.

Posts Tagged ‘Agriculture’

I’ve got questions. So do 70 million others.

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Generation Y has left quite the mark on our society – haven’t we?

For those of you who just clicked on the link above- yes, I just cited Wikipedia. And yes, I can do that because I am Generation Y. I’m independent. I make my own rules. Sometimes I follow the rules of those that I respect highly. Furthermore, I’m both “high-performance and high-maintenance,” as this USA Today article put it.

If you aren’t one of us, we’re easy to spot. Harry Potter was our Peter Pan. Eminem is our comeback kid and the names Blink-182, Britney Spears and Creed all have a special place in our hearts.

But that’s all in the past now. What does a Gen Yer like me do now that Britney’s back at the gym and Harry Potter has come to an end? I do just what everyone else does. I juggle a career in agriculture, a husband, a house, time at the gym, volunteering, spending time online and whatever else I need to do.

While I don’t spend every second online like some of our youngest Gen Yers, it’s a part of my life I couldn’t live without and it has hugely impacted my “agvocacy”, advocating for agriculture. Aside from agvocacy, it’s my direct link to answering questions, a lip-smacking recipe for dinner and a community of people who care about me. I explore topics that interest me on blogs, Google, Facebook and Twitter. I’m always looking for new ways, like Pinterest or Google+, to organize my overload of information. But to be honest, I don’t have the time to get to know technology or every topic as good as I should.

So what do I do? I rely on an online network of people I’ve built to provide me with trustworthy information. I seek out blogs that I trust, people on Twitter I’ve had meaningful conversations with, and webpages or Facebook pages that give me a glimpse into things I don’t understand.

Most recently, I became involved with a group of Rockin’ Rural Women that are on both Twitter and Facebook. There are about 800 of us nationwide. We come together to celebrate all things are rural- our livelihoods, our dreams, our values. Simply put, you don’t need to be a cowgirl but do you need to love dirt under your fingernails. Last week we had a chat on Facebook and Twitter about holiday stress and how we (as women) de-stress. It’s always a great time. Such good people. Such good prizes.

So what does this mean to you? To me? To agvocacy?

We need to consider taking time to break out of our everyday routines and to be a part of online relationships- not just conversations. The relationships need to be honest, transparent and meaningful, just like offline relationships are.

Twitter is a great place to do this type of online relationship building. While there millions of more people still on MySpace compared to those of us on Twitter, I have found Twitter to be a highly influential and engaged place to build relationships. Pick a TV show, hobby or interest you enjoy and follow the Twitter hashtag. Connect with a few new people every week and grow those relationships. This will allow you to go “beyond the choir” that you engage with daily or weekly and truly reach people outside of agriculture circle you already know well.

Do you blog? Find a new blog or two that shares a common interest or hobby and comment on those blogs. Establish a relationship with the blogger and invite them to read your blog. It’s amazing how these connections can go so deep.

I tend to find, when a non-agriculture person I have built a relationship with online has a question about food or farming, they often will think of me as a resource to go to with their question. It’s just one way my agvocacy impacts the online relationships I have built.

Take it from a Gen Yer, I understand it’s easy to get caught in our own world and our own circles- days are long, time is short, and even the lowest maintenance, “high-maintenance Gen Yer” has too many things to do. But there are 70 million of us Gen Yers out there and we all have questions about everything from fashion to food. Do you want to help answer?

Jodi Oleen is a thirty-something Floridian-turned-Kansan. She is recently married and works for a farmer led organization in The Little Apple. She has a undergraduate degree in Animal Science with an Equine Option and a Master’s degree in Food and Resource Economics, both from University of Florida. Find her on Twitter or Facebook, or check out mycousinisvegan.wordpress.com.

Tags: Advocacy, Agriculture, agvocacy, Facebook, Food, Generation Y, Social Media, Twitter
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Social Media, Technology | 2 Comments »

Looking beyond my full plate

Monday, November 28th, 2011

~guest post by MRS

As I was sitting down to eat Thanksgiving dinner with my family last week, I started thinking. Not about the amazing food I was about to eat (although the food was amazing), but about the 1 in 6 people in our country who regularly don’t get enough to eat.

It’s easy to stand on our soapboxes and talk about the ineffectiveness of entitlement programs, i.e. food stamps or how people just need to get a job to feed their family. It’s also easy to get caught up in the arguments about food and farming. We should all eat only local, organic foods or conventionally grown food is fine or that all GMO foods need to be labeled as such. And while I understand that these are things that people are passionate about, sometimes I wonder if we’re focusing on these “secondary” issues a little too much.

Because, seriously, there are people in our own communities who are going hungry! Isn’t it more important that people are fed than whether or not they’re eating GMO or non-GMO food? I imagine that if you went up to a parent who was struggling to feed his children and offered that parent food, regardless of what kind it was, that the parent would be grateful just to be able to feed his children. I know I would. It breaks my heart to think about even the possibility of not being able to feed my children, and yet for some parents that is a daily reality.

It took a little bit of the joy out of my Thanksgiving dinner to think that while my family had more than enough to eat, my neighbors might have nothing. And as I thought about the arguing and in fighting that seems to permeate the food & farming industries, it all seemed just a little silly to me.

Who is hungry in your community?

Why can’t we focus on making sure that there is enough, affordable food for everyone before we get caught up in the organic vs. conventional, GMO vs. non-GMO, etc. debates.

I realize that it’s a tall order to make sure everyone has enough to eat. I also know that it’s overwhelming to think about feeding all 7 billion people in the world, and that for a lot of people, myself included, it’s easy to look at that number and be so overwhelmed that I do nothing. It’s also easy to get so caught up in my own life that I forget to think about what other people might be going through. So I thought to myself, “What can I do, in my community, to help, even in a small way?” And I realized there’s a lot I can do. I can volunteer at and donate to my local food pantry. I can give money, even if it’s just a small amount, to my church’s “Care & Share” fund. Most importantly, I can stop making excuses for why I can’t do anything and instead, make it a priority.

What can you do to help feed the hungry in your community?

Tags: Agriculture, Farming, Food, GMO, hunger, hungry, mom, non-GMO, organic, Thanksgiving, volunteer
Posted in Agriculture, Food, Food & Nutrition, Moms | 1 Comment »

Giving thanks for a cornerstone

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

As Americans gather for Thanksgiving, I’d guess very few talk about the economic contributions behind their food table. If there’s any such discussion, it’s likely how the average cost of this holiday meal has risen more than $5 this year. However, what’s just as important is the cornerstone that agriculture provides for our economy. While only 1.5% of our population farms, the agrifood system in total is nearly 20% of the economy. Agriculture and supporting systems have been one of the few economic bright spots in the last couple of years with employment being consistently available, though few recognize it as a cornerstone.

Take a pause in your day to consider the myriad of people working across agriculture, food, natural resources and related businesses. There are some great people and they’re providing a necessity. In a day to give #Foodthanks, please consider how you can include them in your gratitude. And feel free to add to the list!

Agricultural Communications, Economics & Education

Farm News Reporter
Public Relations
Extension Specialist
Agricultural Advertising Specialist
Trade Association Representative
Grain Merchandiser
Grain Broker
Professional Farm Manager
Farm & Land Appraiser
Ag Statistician
Food Distribution Manager
Commodity Broker
Tax Consultant
Insurance Agent
Commodity Merchandiser
Agriculture Education Teacher
Cooperative Extension Advisor
Soil Conservationist
Loan Officer

Agricultural Engineering

Food Engineer
Machine Design Engineer
Irrigation Engineer
Sanitary/Waste Handling Engineer
Plant Supervisor
Nutrient Management
Welder

Agronomy/Soils

Agronomist
Farm Manager
Crop Specialist
Weed Scientist
Soil Scientist
Plant Breeder
Plant Geneticist
Environmental Specialist
Soil Surveyor
Crop Production Analyst
Land Use Specialist

Farmers & Ranchers

Dairy
Corn
Soybean
Wheat
Grape
Cotton
Almonds
Sunflower
Popcorn
Pumpkin
Poultry
Fruit & Vegetable
Christmas Tree
Hog
Beef Cattle
Goat
Sheep
Fish
Hay
Rice
Sugar Cane
Alfalfa
Barley
Hops
Potato
Cranberry
Mushroom
Peanut
Pecan

Animal Sciences

Livestock Production Manager
Animal Health Product Sales
Livestock Procurement
A.I. Breeding Technician
Livestock Feedlot Operator
Research or Lab Technician
Public Relations Specialist
Livestock Marketing Specialist
Housing & Environmental Quality Specialist
Animal Scientist
Veterinarian
Animal Nutritionist
Bison Rancher

Horticulture

Greenhouse Manager
Floral Crop Growers
Floral Crop Marketer
Floral Designer
Floral Shop Manager
Seed and Bulb Sales
Nursery Manager
Plant Propagator
Nursery Sales Representative
Nursery Inspector
Landscape Contractor
Landscape Designer
Garden Center Manager
Arborist
Urban Horticulturist
Park Horticulturist
Park Manager
Golf Course Superintendent
Home and Commercial Lawncare
Care Manager
Sod Grower
Fruit and Vegetable Grower
Quality Control Specialist
Researcher
Extension Specialist
Plant Breeder
Gardener
Retail and Wholesale Sales
Fertilizer Sales Representative

There are more than one hundred here and even more on Food & Nutrition at “How many hands are behind your food plate?”. There are over 200 careers in the agrifood system – imagine what would happen if each person involved might stop and offer an explanation of what they do.

Tags: Agriculture, careers, economy, farm, Food, Foodthanks, horticulture
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Farmer, Food & Nutrition | No Comments »

How many hands are behind your food plate?

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

One of my favorite classes at Michigan State was Food Systems Management. The content left an imprint on me; we studied charts representing all the different parts of the food system. I found it mind boggling to see the many entities that milk went through to get from my cow to a person’s glass; the farmer is the first step in caring for an animal and producing the milk in a safe environment. However, there’s also a milk truck drive who picks up the milk and follows strict procedure, a milk inspector ensuring state regulations are followed and the people who test the milk when it gets to the plant. Then there are hands involved in the pastuerizing, processing, chemical analysis, quality control, distributing and retailing of that milk – all of which play an important role.

Some will say that food shouldn’t be that complicated; it should go from garden to plate with no one in between. The reality of feeding people 12 months out of the year intervenes, as does the economics of getting a variety of foods to the majority of the population. I’m giving thanks for the MANY hands behind the food on our plates this season; and would invite you to do the same. Some food jobs for you to remember:

Animal Geneticist
Animal Nutritionist; yes, cows have diets – theirs is more scientifically formulated than yours
Baker
Barista; have to love my non-fat chai tea latte
Bee Keeper
Biotechnology researcher; consider the ability to provide vitamins to the malnourished
Blogger
Boutique Crop Farmer
Butcher; it may not be pretty, but is important unless you like eating cowhide or turkey feathers
Chef
Cheese Maker; how smelly do you like yours?
Chief Financial Officer
Consumer Sciences/Home-Economics Teacher
Culinary School Teacher
Dairy Nutrition Specialist
Dietitian; this is the place you should go for unbiased and scientific info.
Enologist; have to love those grapes
Entrepreneur
Extension Educator
FDA employees
Fish Farmer; my love of seafood makes me very thankful
Flavor Chemist
Food Broker
Food Chemist; yes, there is chemistry in food – even the simplest food.
Food Inspector
Food Microbiologist
Food Plant Employees
Food & Restaurant Critic
Food Radio Host
Food Retailer; grocery shopping is not my favorite
Food Photographer
Food Scientist
Food Writer
Garbage Anthropologist
Grocery Store Manager
Herb Farmer
Historian
Honey Producer
Ice Cream Taster/Namer
Marketer
Mushroom Grower
Nut Grower; please pass the almonds, pecans, peanuts…
Nutritionist
Obesity Researcher
Packaging Specialists; remember that noise Sun Chips bag?
Product Demonstrator
Quality Control Inspector
Recipe Developer; this is kind of a hobby – it must cool to do it full time.
Restauranteur
Seed Scientist
Specialty Crop Farmer; mmm, love those lentils
Tasters
Tea Growers & Shop Owners; you keep me sane in the morning
Tree & Vine Fruit Grower
Truck Driver
Viticulturist
Waitstaff; bad service and good service usually mark your memories of an evening out
Wild Game Farmer
Wineries; thankful for the vino!

Won’t you join me and thousands of others giving #Foodthanks on November 23? Blog, tweet, Facebook about it. After all, don’t all of the hands behind your food plate deserve gratitude?

Tags: Agriculture, Food, Nutrition, Thanksgiving
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Dietitians, Food, Food & Nutrition | 3 Comments »

Should we focus on food apathy or grandstanders?

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

The 80-20 rule applies to food. 80% of folks likely don’t care unless someone relate directly to their concerns. 10% believe there’s nothing wrong and never will be, which I’ll label as the entrenched. The grandstanders, as I call them, are the 10% who do everything they can to draw attention to their position, often times creating a political quagmire on issues such as animal welfare, obesity, biotechnology, CAFOs, etc. It seems to me that we spend a disproportionate amount of time on grandstanders; responding to their nasty media campaigns and blog comments.

Are you focused on grandstanders or the 80% in the middle?

Meanwhile, the majority of the population moves on in food apathy. They know they should eat less, but really have no idea of how many calories that involves. Witness the IFIC Food & Health Survey, where 9% of Americans can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day for a person their age, height, weight, and physical activity. In a number unchanged from 2009 to 2010, 70% say they are concerned about their weight status, and 77% are trying to lose or maintain their weight. And even more concerning in 2011, 5% more report that their physical activity levels are sedentary – a significant increase from 2010.

The combination of a lack of knowledge of calorie needs and increase in sedentary lifestyles tells me there’s a great deal of food apathy. I’d love to see agriculture and nutrition professionals to work together to overcome people’s lack of interest in nutrition. Health professionals, such as dietitians, have been fighting an uphill battle in getting people to move from apathy to action. That spells opportunity! Perhaps agriculture can move some of its sights from the grandstanders to growing partnerships that will hit the folks in the middle.

The International Consumer Attitudes Study shows that 95% of the global population are concerned about cost, taste and nutrition. Food costs are top-of-mind as Americans look ahead at a Thanksgiving meal that will cost $5.73 more this year on average and as the world faces growing numbers of people living in food insecurity. It’s a great time to create interest with food buyers by talking about ways agriculture work to keep food prices down – and why food prices are rising. Explain it on their terms, not yours and you might be surprised at the connection you make. You can do this in a 5 minute conversation in the church parking lot, a Facebook dialogue, blog post or phone call. There’s no right or wrong place.

While I’m a huge proponent of the reach of social media has in connecting farm and food, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s easy to focus on the grandstanders in that medium. This is particularly true on Twitter. Why not make a point for the remainder of 2011 to connect with the middle? Find others interested in overcoming food apathy. Combine forces.

And maybe, just maybe we can make a dent with the majority. One of the great times to do that is with the U.S. Thanksgiving, where food traditions (and overeating) are top-of-mind. Foodthanks on November 23 is a great example of connecting with the middle. Won’t you join in – and then continue that focus for the remaining 37 days of 2011?

Tags: Agriculture, apathy, calories, Food, Nutrition, Thanksgiving, weight gain
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Dietitians, Food, Food & Nutrition, Nutrition | 4 Comments »