Posts Tagged ‘Food Production’

Colfax, Iowa farmer Patrick Gannon speaks out.

By admin, March 30, 2010

In Anaheim, California earlier this month, central Iowa farmer Patrick Gannon spoke as a part of the grower panel at the Ag Issues Forum sponsored by Bayer CropScience.  Gannon, along with his wife Diane, and son-in-law farm 1,600 acres of corn, soybeans, and seed beans in Colfax, Iowa.  In addition to row crops, Gannon operates a farrow-to-finish hog operation that he’s owned since 1974.  

A graduate of Iowa State with a degree in agricultural business, Gannon is passionate about farming.  He feels that family farming operations like his are often misunderstood, and he wants to help inform the consuming public.  

What does Gannon want to share about his farming operation?  See his response in this video.    

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Dear Consumers; For American Farmers, Profit = Quality.

By Heather Koehler, February 25, 2010

According to a research study conducted by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) in 2009, 42 percent of Americans say they believe farmers care more about profits than quality. Although this percentage represents less than half of Americans, this number is still astonishingly high and almost half. 42 percent!

Recently, the ag industry has reminded consumers that farmers are businessmen who farm because they love it, but also farm to support their families. Farms are businesses that need to make a profit if they are to continue to stay in operation. And because Americans need food, America needs farmers to stay in business.shopping cart

Although this profitability message is important, it’s missing an important secondary message, as is proof by the NCGA study: To be profitable, farmers and ranchers need to produce quality.

This principle has been in practice for several decades. Grain growers receive dockages for elevated mycotoxin levels and foreign material. In fact, if the grain quality (of corn, soybeans, wheat, anything used in food or feed production) is too poor, whole loads of product can become unmarketable.

Same goes for produce. Poor-quality produce is never picked for purchase, whether at a farm market or supermarket. And also for meat. Higher quality meat becomes steaks and roasts, which pays premiums over meat used for hamburger.

So to all my fellow agvocates, remember to spread this message. Farmers DO care about quality because it means profit.

Where do you see consumers mis-judging food quality?

With deep roots on her family farm and a passion for creating a positive community of agriculture, Heather is making connections and executing sound PR strategy for AdFarm clients every day. She can be reached directly at Heather.Koehler@adfarmonline.com or @hlkoehler


http://www.agrimarketingdigital.com/?iid=31401 pages 32-33

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One powerful reason to thank a Canadian Farmer.

By Shawna Robinson, February 16, 2010

Food Freedom Day. It’s February 12th, and it’s the day that the Canadian Federation of Agriculture realizes when the average Canadian has earned enough money to pay their individual grocery bill for the entire year.

turkey burger

Why 43 days to food freedom?

43 days represents the time it takes to for a Canadian to earn approximately 11.9% of their disposable income – the average cost of the annual Canadian grocery bill. However, the 2010 Food Freedom day date is later in 2009 and 2010 than it has been in previous years. The increasing retail cost of food and the effects of recession on disposable income have taken their toll. What is also noticeably different over the years, is the increasing difference between the cost of food, and what producers receive for their work. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has compiled 30 years of data to highlight this shift.

Celebrating Canadian Agriculture.

At AdFarm, Food Freedom Day is an opportunity to celebrate Canadian farmers and the success of agriculture in supplying one of the safest, most abundant and affordable food supplies in the world.

We hosted a breakfast event with food supplied by a successful local agricultural business – Sunterra Market. We took time to recognize our clients, our partners, our farmers, producers and industry peers who work play a critical role in putting food on the table. And we paid our success forward with a food drive to support members of our local community who may have to work just a little bit longer or harder to achieve their own food freedom.

What do you think can be done to increase the farm gate returns for producing safe food?

Shawna Robinson works hard on behalf of her clients every day to champion their brands, execute to strategy and deliver insightful, impactful work. She can be reached directly at Shawna.Robinson@adfarmonline.com

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Many Differences. One Passion. Every Commodity is Different.

By Leah Brakke, January 14, 2010

Every commodity group seems to have their own unique traits, some real and some perceived. Sugarbeet growers are a part of grower cooperatives and are deeply concerned about government actions. Pork producers are facing consumer perception issues from H1N1. Soybean growers have huge acres and pay close attention to world markets. Wheat growers graduate from North Dakota State University.

What about Potato Growers?

Potato growers also believe they are unique. They are extremely concerned about Acrylamide, they pay close attention to consumer eating patterns, they drink Bud Light, and their next big issue is consumer acceptance of GMO potatoes.

Frito Lay has tried to capture the essence and unique passion of potato farmers with their Great Debate campaign.

I know that potato producers are unique, as are their counter-parts in other commodities. However, I wanted to dig a little deeper into what makes potato growers so passionate about spuds. I asked some folks at Potato Expo in Orlando, FL: What makes growing potatoes so exciting and different?

• Having a different challenge every day

• The process of seeing something put into the ground, then see it as an end product

• I think I’m making a difference, and hopefully helping to feed the world

• I love being outside, getting dirty, and making things happen

• It’s just what I do

Love to Farm, What you Farm

This made me realize that potato growers may not actually be these distinctive and exclusive farmers they think they are. These answers don’t tell the story about potatoes. These farmers take great pride in potatoes and can talk seed spacing, packaging, and irrigation management all day. However, there’s an overall unrelenting passion for farming and food production. Undoubtedly the same passion beef producers have or the corn and soybean guys posses.

Here is Jimmy DeLoach of Black Gold Farms talking about why he loves growing potatoes. He just “loves to grow”:

Why do you love to farm, what you farm?

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