More Ways

This week-- more ways you can be involved!  Missouri Farm Bureau holds two important conferences, beginning Monday. 

The first is District FARM-PAC Annual Meetings.  Trustees--volunteers selected by the county Farm Bureau boards, attend a meeting in Jefferson City to meet and interview political candidates.  There are six FARM-PAC committees, organized by the six congressional districts.  At the annual meetings the trustees vote to give the official Farm Bureau endorsement to a candidate running for each of the offices of U. S. Congress, U. S. Senate, Governor and State Senate .  Endorsements are made based on a candidate's stance on ag issues, not political party.  Endorsements are not made in the State Representative races, but Farm Bureau does have a Friend of Agriculture Award for members of the Missouri House of Representatives who have a proven record of support for agriculture and rural Missouri.

If you would like to be a part of a FARM-PAC, simply talk to a member of your local Farm Bureau board.  Volunteers needed!  For more information, check out this link.

The second meeting, which will be held Monday and Tuesday, is the Commodity Conference and Legislative Briefing.  This conference is designed to inform farmers about current production ag topics.  It is fast paced, and highly informative.  Past participants return year after year to hear great speakers and stay on top of their industry.  The Farm Bureau website provides more information.

Usually in attendance at the Commodity Conference are members of the commodity advisory committee.  Members of this group assist Farm Bureau staff with issues affecting that specific industry. Advisory committees include beef, cotton, dairy, equine, feed grains and wheat, forestry, horticulture, rice, sheep, soybean and swine. Each year Farm Bureau members are appointed to the advisory committees by the state board of directors. If you have an interest in serving on one of the committees, you can contact the marketing and commodities department.  Their e-mails are listed on the MOFB website.
 Though you may not be able to drop everything and walk out the door to attend sessions this year, check back with our blog for information coming from these conferences, and think about becoming involved in 2012.

We'll see you then!

Just an Example

LOVE this story shared at Young Farmer and Rancher Conference last weekend by Chris Chinn.  If you've ever wondered how to share your story, or if your story could ever have an impact-- listen to this!

Last year Yellow Tail wine pledged $100,000 to HSUS (Human Society of the United States).  The online world of agriculture tweeted, blogged, and generally out cried this action.  Then, this rancher, Troy Hadrick, created this simple YouTube video.  There are no special effects, no professionally produced scripts, no million dollar sets.  Troy simply set his cell phone on a fence post. 



The results of this homemade, minute long video? 20,000 viewers saw it and made an impact.  Others made their own videos of dumping the wine.  Bottles of Yellow Tail were turned backward in stores so shoppers couldn't see the labels.  Consumers stopped purchasing.

And Yellow Tail listened.  Unable to back out of their pledge, Yellow Tail promised to make no further donations to HSUS, but rather to give money for pets to local shelters.  They also promised to be more careful about future donation.

If you've ever asked, how can I help-- here is the answer.

Blake Hurst and the Great Debate

Many of you were able to listen to Urvashi Rangan explain her version of agriculture to Blake Hurst and the American public.  Now you can watch the video in its entirety! 

TGIF

It's Friday!  And what better way to celebrate Valentine's Day weekend than at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach!  They have spacious accomidations, spa, indoor waterpark, arcade, fitness center and indoor pool.  Oh!  And the Young Farmer and Rancher Conference! 

Begining today Missouri farm families can get away from it all, or not-- kids are VERY welcome at this conference.  Meet other farm families, network with others from across the state, visit the exhibitor booths on the 5th level, attend seminars, watch a pedal tractor pull, be enthused by a great speaker, enter the Wii bowling tournament, and generally treat your hard-working Valentine to a wonderful weekend! 

Hope to see you tonight!

Good Luck

Well today many farmers are struggling to plow their way through drifts of snow taking care of the animals they love. The Gottman farm is no different.

Well maybe one difference, my husband has on off the farm job with MODOT. He left us early Tuesday morning and headed to a hotel about an 50 miles south of our home to help crews on I-70.

After a phone call this morning he shared that while running the motor grader all night visability was very poor. Most of the time he couldn't even tell where the road was. He then told me he loved me, he was heading to bed and good luck with the cows.

Luck is what I need right now. The blacktop road we live in has 3ft drifts both directions at the end of the driveway. We have another  farm 2 miles away. Even if I could get though the 4 ft drifts in my driveway going around the blacktop is going to be impossible! Did I mention these cows only water source is me chopping a hole in the ice at a lake on this farm?

Meanwhile back home it is a little easier I am able to walk down to the lake and chop ice here. Bundled in my carhardt finest my only obstacles are waist high drifts and a frozen gate. Our horses seem unphased by all of the snow. They happily munch hay and a young pony seems to be making a game out of jumping drifts.
All in all it could be worse. We never lost power so the tank heaters still functioned in the other lots. There is still plenty of hay in all of the pens. My house is warm and cozy & my 3 beautiful daughters are dressing to go out and play in the winter wonderland.

Oh, speaking of a warm house, I didn't fill our wood stove this morning. I better get dressed with the girls and go do that! Good thing the wood pile is covered with a tarp.

Maybe I will saddle that drift jumping pony and ride her to the other farm, she might be my only option today!

-Megan Gottman

Achievement Award Winners

You heard about Discussion Meet Winner Brad Bray's adventures in Atlanta.  Now meet the family who is the winner of the Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award!

Justin & Stephanie Oaks are from Sullivan County in District 2.  They live on a small farm near the town of Harris with 2 sons, Grant age 5, and 7 month old Kaden.  The family owns 70 acres and lease another 230 on which they raise row crops, hay, cattle, and hogs.  They rotate corn and soybeans on row crop acres, and have a commercial cow calf operation marketing yearling calves.  With a purebred and commercial farrow to finish hog operation, they sell purebred show pigs and breeding stock, and market commercial hogs for a substantial premium to Niman Ranch, a natural meat company. 

 

In addition to the farming operation, Stephanie is the Agriculture Instructor and FFA Advisor at Newtown-Harris R-3 School, and Justin is a sales representative for Pioneer Hi-Bred Seed.  In addition, Justin farms with Stephanie's parents on their 2,000 acre row crop operation, 125 head commercial cow herd, and custom grazing 100 cow calf pairs from spring through fall.  Justin also does the bookkeeping and accounting for their operation. 

 

The couple have been very involved in their community, which was a great asset in attaining the YF&R Achievement Award, including their services on the MO State YF&R Committee, Sullivan County Farm Bureau Board, Sullivan County Fair Board, North Central MO Regional Water Commission, and a wide variety of professional and business organizations.  Justin and Stephani are very proud to have represented their community, county, and MO Farm Bureau as this year's Achievement Award winners.  And we are proud to have them represent us.

 

 

So, let's talk about the weather!

Anyone else feeling six feet under... snow that is!  Weather, of course, is probably the most important aspect of a farmer's daily life.  One farmer I know keeps a calendar of all precipitation amounts written into each daily square.  Down to the hundredth of an inch.  How this helps I have no idea, but it seems to be vitally important.

Despite rain, snow, sleet or hail both the United States Postal Service and the American farmer can be found out in whatever elements mother nature sends our way.  And keeps sending our way.

Are you hauling hay?  Carrying feed over ice covered paths?  Using your tractor and blade to remove snow from your gravel road because it will take three days for the township to get all the way out to you?  I vividly remember as a child someone always needing to chop ice for the cows.  Actually, what I remember most is the time my brother cut his eye when ice flew up and smacked him in the face right before the 6th grade Christmas concert.  No problems though.  Dad stitched it up.

So what are you doing today?