Sustainability and Productivity

Some days it is just hard to be a farmer, or maybe more specifically, to work on a farm.  People respect my profession, but not day-to-day job.  Consumers want me to farm, but they don't think I know how.  I believe that I do care about animals, and the Earth's resources, but with Earth Day celebrations, this week has allowed me to see just how little regard farms are held, and how much we don't understand the consumers.

An Earth Day buzzword is of course "sustainability."  It is often used in opposition to current farming practices, and in animal care discussion.  I understand that we can always improve on both of these fronts, but I see farming as so much more sustainable that it used to be, largely because we are able to produce so much more with fewer resources.  Yet, we are badgered for making these advances.  Isn't it somewhat counterintuitive?

To answer my question, I have done a simple search on the definition of sustainability, hoping to gain some further insight on the issue.  For my purpose the EPA's definition seemed most relevant; "Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment.  Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations"(For the direct link, click here).  This definition seems relatively straightforward.  We need to produce for now, and produce even more in the future.  Preserving resources is important in production, and using less to get more really does help us become sustainable.  It requires us to be productive and efficient.  Two things that most people don't like to think of when they see the word "farm."  Definitely not what they want to think of in animal agriculture. 

How can we be productive, sustainable, animal friendly, and respectful to the needs of our customers, all while creating a financially sustainable business model?  Are we buckling under the pressure, or just ignoring it, hoping that it will pass?  Answering these questions is the ticket to being the producer of the future.  We have to strive to come up with the answers that will build trust, instead of waiting for someone else to force them upon us.  We have the tools through universities, extension agents, government agencies, and our own human capital that are full of ideas on how to make production better.  At the same time we have to put our "customer hats" on and see how new production methods will sound on the front page of the local newspaper.  We have to be our own PR people.  It is a full time position, not just something we work on between planting and harvest, when every animal is healthy and nothing is sitting broken in the shop.  We have to create our own industry sustainability everyday, one conversation at a time. 

Farm Image and Ag-Gag

Recently, a lot of press has been circulating around the so-called "ag-gag laws."  For those who aren't in the loop, some states have proposed legislation to prohibit or limit the ability for people to do undercover investigating on farms in order to expose animal abuse.  Some of the legislation also limits the amount of time the amateur videographers have to turn their evidence in, or makes it criminal to enter a farm without saying they are looking for animal abuse.  For obvious reasons, most farmers are in support of this legislation, most animal rights advocates against it.  I struggle a lot with this issue, because no matter the outcome, farms will suffer from misrepresentation in the media.

To start, I am in no way opposed to those abusing animals being exposed.  However, I do worry that the people doing the exposing don't really know what animal abuse is.  There are obvious cases of beating, kicking, dragging, and otherwise harming the animals, but what about keeping animals in pens or crates that up to this point have been accepted for animal housing?  Having those doesn't make farmers abusive, they are doing what is standard across the industry and supported by veterinarians in the field.  Consumer preferences are changing, but that doesn't make these practices illegal, or the farmer bad.  Once a video is out there, it doesn't matter if it shows actual abuse, because it already has a bad name.

As farmers, we see the animals we care for as something that we own and protect.  However, consumers don't see it that way.  They feel like we own the buildings, and implements of husbandry, but we do not own the food they eat, just care for it during its life.  Consumers are really hiring us to be stewards of their health.  For this reason, people have the right to know and to influence animal care.   

It is very difficult for people who have never worked with livestock to understand it.  They do have a right to know where food comes from.  As farmers, we have to realize that it is much easier to Google search "animal abuse," "farms," or "where food comes from," than it is for someone in the city to go out and find a farmer.  Especially a farmer who is willing to take a total stranger who has no agriculture background onto their farm and let that person judge what is happening.  Maybe they won't like it, maybe they won't understand.  Maybe they won't be able to get past the smell of cow manure long enough to understand the message the farmer is conveying. 

We have to work to make the information readily and easily available.  We can't expect consumers to line up to be educated.  Farmers have to be proactive and continuously work towards gaining an educated consumer base.  We can't expect to be needed or understood.  As foreign as it may seem, consumers don't view us as experts, and they have the ability to be the judge through their buying decisions.  

Excited for Ingenuity

While browsing through some articles of Ag News today I found this amazing story of a resourceful farm in Maine.  These types of things really make me proud of what I do, who my peers are, and what we can accomplish.

The article, Exeter farm uses poop to produce energy (very exciting name, I know)  goes into how a dairy farm in Maine has these "mixture vessels"  where they pump ALL the waste from the farm and then it produces gas, working a generator.  The farm only uses about 5% of the energy it produces, selling the rest to the electrical company.  Now that is some golden opportunity!

Not everyone can use this kind of system, and there may be something better out there.  The initial cost of the tanks is expensive, and I can't imagine its as easy as plugging filling the tanks with waste and letting it go, but it is possible to make improvements. 

We should be proud of the efficiency we are able to achieve.  By having people out there who are willing to take risks, we figure out how far we can go.  As producers, this is the type of thing we are capable of, and it is what we should expect from ourselves.

One theme I have stressed in many posts is representing farming to the consumers.  Recently, I have found a contest put on by the United States Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) called Faces of Farming and Ranching, which provides a great opportunity for us to gain access to the consumers, and take a prominent position in the dialogue.  The contest requires an entry form and a short video for entry, and allows us to really focus on why we do what we do.  Check out the other areas of the Food Dialogues website, as it is very insightful, particularly if you haven't had a chance to check it out before.

Choices

One of the biggest concerns of government lately is the amount of obesity in the country.  Each year we hear more statistics about how the nation is getting fatter, and how children are no longer as active or healthy as they used to be.  People often blame it on the food we have available, or the cost of buying better food.  While buying my groceries over the past year I have noticed a couple things about my cart.  First, when I buy fresh food I feel like I am getting more; second, I spend less when I buy the fresh food.

Urban Lehner, the writer of Why Americans Prefer Burgers to Brussel Sprouts seems to agree.  The article goes into the argument that fresh food isn't affordable.  When you look at buying food as a cents spent per calorie, fresh food is more expensive.  However, when looking at weight of food per pound, it is actually more affordable.  As an overweight nation, we should probably look at eating more pounds of the low calorie, and less pounds of the high calorie.  In the end your budget will probably look similar, while you waist looks smaller. 

If eating habits were to trend this way, the farmer would benefit, too.  More specialty crops would be desired, and more diversity in foodstuffs.  With less processing and transportation costs for less processed foods, we will have a higher percentage of the food money pie returning to the farmer, and less to the manufacturer.  People will also feel more connected to the people and places that produce their food, than they currently do to the brands that manufacture.

While all of this may sound great, or crazy, it can't happen unless consumers make that choice.  No amount of forcing by the government can make people be healthy as long as a relatively free market is allowed to exist.  It's extremely important for the market to fluctuate based on consumer desires so that the needs and wants of the people are met in order of priority, and that ingenuity can continue to thrive.

Agbusiness: Are your Employees Managing You?

With July fast approaching, I have begun to look at the evaluation papers that need to be distributed, I have been looking at some ways to improve our evaluation system.  In it's current form, the system is pretty basic, with six questions with answer options and then an explanation box where managers can rate their employees on a monthly basis.  The system isn't bad, but it could be improved a bit, to be more behaviorally based, and give a more balanced picture.

In order to improve upon what we already have, I have turned to some business standbys, because farms are small businesses, too.  In particular, I referred to Patrick Lencioni's Three Signs of a Miserable Job, a "Leadership Fable"  that tells how a manager works out a theory to motivate the people around him to care about their work.  Farmers care dearly for their businesses, but often run into a struggle because they can't lure the most desirable people with high salaries, flexible schedules, or sparkling benefits packages.  Those types of resources aren't very prevalent for our employees.  Upon reading Lencioni's book, I realized that while money is important, culture is a main factor in why successful people work in successful organizations.

When I think of farming business culture in general, I think of an older gentleman who tends to be hard working, stoic, and a bit tight lipped.  As businesspeople, we are not the best communicators.  We don't show appreciation for some of the intangibles that impact the way our businesses operate.  We tend to prepare for the worst, and show little faith in the people we surround ourselves with, except maybe a few family and friends.

What we don't realize is that we have the power to make people enjoy their work, feel challenged by it, and raise the standards of our businesses.  An article from National Hog Farmer, Engaging Your Employees, agrees that the way you handle employees determines how effective they will be in your business.  Many of the things we can do are so simple, and only cost a little extra time on the employer's end.

Get to know your employees.  Those that have a connection to the people they work with are more likely to show commitment to the business.  Know about their hobbies, kids, and family situation.  Let them know their work is relevant.  It may sound silly, but telling someone their work has made an impact on you, coworkers, customers, etc., shows that you notice and care.  It adds an extra connection to the business.  Human capital is a defining factor of business success.  Finally, give your employees tools to get feedback.  It's not just feedback on the balance sheet, or feedback from their boss, but things they can use as measures for success on a daily or weekly basis.  This gives employees control over their own performance, and increases the likelihood of retention.  On the farm we need to remember that creating these types of conversations will pay off, even though they are not on the balance sheet.

The New Farmer

I've been reading a lot lately about the new generation coming into the world of agriculture.  We tend to be more tech savvy, educated,  highly motivated, and low in resources.  Some new farmers have little or no farm background, but want to make a difference in the way we produce food.  We are more open to change, and are optimistic about the adversity we will face.  We realize that we have to work with the older generation and with our opponents, bridging the gap to create a system that we all can live with. 

Many of the older generation see the recent public interest in food production as a nuisance, a sort of snooping.  People want to have an input on things they don't really understand or know about.  They are influencing policy, but are not spending the time to do the research.  There are some farmers who just want to turn their heads the other way and keep working the land, raising the animals the same way they have done for a number of years.

We don't have that option any more, and we don't need it.  As an industry, we are lucky to have direct consumer feedback.  We provide a product, and people are looking for service.  They want to have input towards the process.  Any business manager wants to know that their product is satisfying the consumer needs, finding the areas where they could make improvement. We need to take the feedback and run with it.  Even though many are resistant, we can produce food however people want us to, but they have to realize that their is a cost.  That's why most farmers are afraid to make the jump to meet consumer demands.  For any young farmers willing to make changes, it will take small steps and steady work the ultimate goals of supporting family, while meeting consumer expectations.

It's What's on TV

A few days ago one of my high school classmates commented on her Facebook that she had watch a health documentary, and as a result will no longer be eating beef or pork.  All of my chicken and fish friends are probably happy to have gained some sales, but all joking aside this type of thinking is very alarming for us farmers.  It's the reason why we have been trying to convince people with a grassroots movement of open barn doors and open dialogue to trust American Agriculture. 

These sorts of comments really resonate with me, as for the past year I have only had pork and beef in my freezer.  I raise the pork myself, and one of the guys that works on the farm sells me a quarter steer each fall.  Not that I don't like the other meats, but my the time I empty my freezer, it is being filled again with more beef and pork.  I don't eat meat everyday, and I do balance in lots of veggies.  I try to eat whole grain and generally avoid carbonated beverages, alcohol, and other processed foods.  It's not that I believe I am eating better than others, or that my way is right, but it works for me.  I feel good, have great energy and enjoy my food along the way. 

The irony in all this to me, is that people see what's on TV and take it as absolute truth.  Even knowing the stories have a slant to them, people are influenced enormously.  Maybe I have been reading too many Dystopian novels lately, but it sounds a little bit like 1984 to me.  We spend hours a day in front of the TV, believing whatever propoganda is put out in front of us.  Do we consider the source? 

As a blogger and a farmer, I know that I have an angle.  I am trying to sell my product to support myself.  At the same time, I believe in what I produce.  I put my name on it.  I told my friend to come down to the farm any time she likes and see how we do it.  To ask questions and form her own opinion.  I won't be hurt if she decides not to eat pork or beef after that, because at least I have given her all I can to make a decision with both sides of the story presented.  Honestly, I know that there are things on the farm that could be better.  Things we are changing and will be changing in the future.  The industry will look different in ten years.  That's ok.  Farms are now looking at sustainablity as a piece of the business, along with responsibility.  We need to embrace the changes that are coming and be ready to innovate along with them, instead of wishing for the "good old days." 

Farm Women

Yesterday, I spent part of the day reading about the Centennial Development Project brief put out by the American Farm Bureau Federation.  I was lucky to participate in giving input at the Young Farmers & Ranchers conference in December, and I was eager to see what common themes came out of the conference, and what other people thought about where the Farm Bureau should be heading. 

One of the five major points drawn from the brief was getting rid of the Women's committee, or at least drastically changing its purpose.  I don't know how many of you have been to a Farm Bureau event, but I say it is about time!  Having attending 6 or 7 events in the last few years, the way older farmers, farm organizations, and even young farmers look at the place of women in agriculture truly disappoints me.  Women make up half of the Young Farmers in the Farm Bureau, but hold almost no leadership positions at the national level.  Many of the women want the positions, but can't find a way into the leadership.  Even the sessions at the Farm Bureau events are catered towards either men or women.  One of the recent conferences had a session about women and farm bookkeeping.  Talking to many of the farm women, I know we see ourselves having a much more active role in the business.

I'm not usually a big proponent of women's lib, but I began to notice how far our industry was behind the times when I was working in the mill.  Many of our raw ingredient suppliers would ask me if I had any brothers to run the farm, or if I was going to marry another local farmer in order to keep the business going.  I quickly informed them that I am capable of meeting the challenge of running the farm.  I couldn't believe that someone could see me as so incapable just because of my gender. 

The worst insult I received as a woman farmer was when I took my boyfriend to a county Farm Bureau event, exactly one week after he started to work on the farm.  We sat at a table with people I had seen at events my whole life, who knew my family, and knew about our farm.  When they started to ask questions about harvest, they ignored my responses, and quickly began quizzing my boyfriend.  He was at a complete loss and tried to defer to me, but the other farmers had absolutely no interest in what I had to say. 

I'm not saying that everything has to be equal for women, or that equality equals fairness.  I just want to be able to take part in the conversation, and have a place at the table.  If people within our industry won't take women seriously, how will the people in the greater community view us?  Human capital is one of the most valuable assets a company can have, so why are farmers throwing half of their resources out the window?

Government- What does it mean?

I'm back to writing again, after taking a short hiatus to run our feed mill for the month.  For my first day back I have actually accomplished quite a bit- between cleaning my desk, printing handbooks, visiting different farms, and the main accomplishment- setting the chore schedule for the next six months!  This may sound like a small task, but my Dad has been waiting for a month to hand it off to me since after two hours it gave him a headache. 

With my first day back I haven't spent much time browsing food issues, checking out Ag websites, doing research, or scouting the river, but I did stumble upon an article from CNN titled "Big Gulp? Meet Big Government." It chronicles how the mayor of New York City wishes to put a ban on restaurants selling soft drinks over 16 oz, in order to combat obesity.  I immediately wonder, is this what we want our government to do? 

During my junior year of high school I had an American History class where the final exam only contained one question; what is the meaning of government?  Each class we talked about how government changed over the years, and what those changes meant to the people.  When government makes a decision, it changes how people look at the things around them, and how people interact with their surroundings.  Some new rules make us more aware of things that may not have been an issue before.  I personally stay away from soft drinks, just out of preference, but I do believe it is a choice. 

Where Americans buy their food, and what they buy is also a choice.   We, as producers shouldn't feel like we can force people to eat what we want to sell them.  Consumers have the right to choose.  Just like the with the soft drinks.  We can't force people to stay away from the foods they enjoy, or to buy conventional over organic, all natural, cage free, etc.  We only have the power to inform about our products and industry, build trust within our communities, and work to provide food that is better for our consumer.  If we don't make the conscious decision to come to the table and talk about what we do, government will decide the fate of agriculture. 

Is Eating Meat Ethical?

Many of you have probably seen the New York Times essay contest about whether or not eating meat is ethical.  I clicked on the link, expecting most the essays to be written by people who were very far from agriculture, with strict anti-ag agendas and completely sworn off meat.  Instead, I found six well crafted essays from people who really care about their food.

As I read through the essays, I found the common theme to be eating meat is ethical, but the way we produce it is not.  Many people fear what we are doing to the land, more than what will happen to their bodies.  Most think that some of our technology is good and that advancement is important.  They fear the "factory farm."  Even the those essays written by farmers showed resistance against them.  I know that my farm would be considered sinister to these people, but it is and always will be family owned and operated.  Each decision we make is not only towards the bottom line, but also towards the welfare of the land, animals, and consumer. 

When I think about sustainable agriculture, I think it should be a way to produce that saves our resources.  We should work to preserve the soil, water, and integrity of our crops.  At the same time, we have to make sure we are utilizing the resources in the best ways possible.  Is it better to use a type of roundup ready corn that needs no irrigation and little spraying, than to use a corn variety that is much less hardy, taking more seeds to get a smaller yield, with the use of irrigation, plus additional energy with gasoline powered equipment?  Is that really more sustainable with a population expected to reach 9 billion in the next two decades?  Some people contest the use of animal waste as fertilizer.  I see it as a way to use all of our resources to maximize efficiency and productivity, while lessening dependence on other forms of fertilizer. 

I want to see the quality of our food increase.  Our food is currently clean and safe, but people have come to expect that from their food supply, and now want the accountability of growers, processors, and producers.  We should be happy that our consumers do take such an interest in what we do, although it is daunting at times.  I believe that American farmers can rise to meet the challenge.

Wasting our Water

I was out this weekend on the River, per usual.  I love getting out and just being on the water, and enjoying my surroundings, but usually I am paddling my canoe as fast as I can trying to beat as many people as possible in the weekend races of the summer months.  I was out this weekend, going along by a few friends (all of us dripping in sweat and puffing along)  and I saw some pop bottle floating down the river.  This happens all the time, but it makes me so sad.

After spending countless hours on the water, I have a great respect for its beauty and usefulness.  Water touches every part of our life; it is vital to our existence.  I have also spent many hours cleaning the river.  Last summer, my family and friends took out our canoes and loaded up truckloads full of garbage three weeks in a row.  Someone had decided to move from their trailer, and not wanting to hire a garbage service decided the river was the best place for unwanted items.  Bags of clothes, hair products, diapers, strollers, dog houses, and even a swimming pool liner were thrown in the river.  We called the police department when we found the person's address on an envelope, but still nothing happened.  I just can't imagine being so thoughtless about the river to do something like that.

I know that farmers do contribute to water pollution with phosphates and nitrates.  As we have learned more about it we need to make decisions that are more conscious of the effect on our resources.  On an individual level, each person needs to take responsibility for keeping trash out of our water.  Even in my races, I make sure I don't leave anything in the water.  I want to be active in keeping the water and land clean, and figure out better ways to treat the soil.  I know that over time our ideas on what is right will change, but we have to do the best we can with what we know now.   

Fit to Farm

After my first two posts, I realize I haven't put out there why I am here and what I want to do.  What is my angle?  Do I have a purpose for writing?  Who am I to my audience?

I'll start to answer these questions by looking at the name I have chosen.  Fit to Farm. With my educational and cultural backgrounds, I find myself fit and ready to be part of the new generation in agriculture.  I am more open to change, more open to differing opinions, and less entrenched in traditional agriculture.  Not to knock farming practices, but everyone needs to update now and then. 

I don't just care about the farm now, but the impact I am making on our future.  I had a professor who once said that great leaders take time to develop a plan for the next generation and prepare the people to replace them to lead.  This is one of the goals I have for each endeavor I undertake.  I need to make things not only easy for me, but easier for the people around me.  I need to teach, not instruct.

Agriculture is changing very quickly.  It is an exciting time for me to be a part of the industry, as I may get a hand in shaping the direction we are going.  Being able to talk to other people who are figuring out better and more sustainable, profitable ways of business is inspiring.  It is possible for us to be so innovative when faced with problems.  

I believe that a farmer's life is a fit one.  I love to be active.  I run marathons, canoe race cross country ski, and take kettlebell and yoga classes once a week.  I try to be healthy by being safe in my physical work on the farm, and by eating well when I get to the table.  Through the course of this blog, you will probably hear about all of these endeavors from time to time.  As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I see things as cyclical, thus no one part of my life goes on without affecting another facet.  Each thing I do shapes the person that I am.

The Beginning

Hello all, to kick off this new blogging adventure, I want to let you know a little bit about who I am.  I am a woman born and raised on a farm who went to school in the big city and got a business degree in order to come back home.  Many people ask me, why business school when you knew all along that you wanted to farm?  I say, why not?

During my time at school, I met many people, none who had similar experiences to my childhood, or who ever planned to set foot on a farm during their professional careers.  I befriended future bank managers, marketers, accountants, vegans, bacon lovers, and a fair amount of people who hardly knew English.  These experiences lead me to see that there is a huge disconnect between the farm community and the rest of the world.  In my mind, I don’t see this as an “us against them” situation, but a time where we need to decide what kind of tradeoffs we can make so everyone gets the most value.  It’s more the art of negotiation than being right or wrong about food production.

What if the leading scientists in the field told you that you could make your product better, more features, easier use, etc.  with less materials and waste.  Would you stop to and reject the technology?  Probably not.  Then why are we so afraid of technology that comes to our food?  Upon talking to my sister about this issue, she referred to a conversation she had with one of her professors.  He talks about trade-offs and the general apprehension people have about science.  He says we have to do research into some of these areas, like food production, just to know what we can do, and what the potential benefits and drawbacks are.  We can do a whole lot of good for so many people by understanding what we can do with our resources.  At the same time, we need to make sure we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves, so the consequences blindside us.

It is naïve to think that agriculture will be the same today as it was 100 years ago.  So many things have changed with technology, customer expectations, the number of people who are willing to farm, and the number of people in the world.  We need to use our resources as efficiently and effectively as possible in order to provide the best food we  can.  As a reader, try to realize that this issue isn’t as black and white as it seems, but rather a place where we need to find consensus.