We can’t push and prod and tout local foods without pushing nutrition education.

When you start talking from your passion, and not your science, all of a sudden, farming becomes more relevant, more meaningful to everyone else, because they, too, want to protect the environment or care about animal welfare, and can do that by supporting you.

Rare is the day when the U.S. Senate Ag Committee lands on the front page of the New York Times. That day, however, came April 20 when the Times, in its running coverage of financial reform in the Senate, highlighted the aggies’ role in that effort: regulation of casino-like derivatives. The story centered on committee [...]

Society currently expects three things from farmers. First, produce high quality and safe food. Second, protect the environment. Third, treat farm animals humanely. But some still clamor that’s not enough.

There was an unusual presentation at this year’s National 4-H Conference, March 20-24, in Washington: “Animal Instincts: Service Learning and Animal Welfare.” Now the name of the March 23 break-out session doesn’t sound too unusual, but the presenting organization sure was — the Humane Society of the United States. Hmmm. An anti-animal agriculture, vegan-promoting lobbying [...]

We could all name names. Good farms that have no one waiting in the wings to take over the business. Farmers whose sons and daughters have chosen other careers. It’s not an indictment on the farm’s owners, nor the sons and daughters; it’s just a plain fact. Many current farmers don’t have a successor. And [...]

(Part II of II) Have you ever tried to sit on a three-legged stool that had one leg shorter than the other two, or was missing a leg? It’s a balancing act that’s not very easy and you can’t do it for very long. So it is with working toward sustainable agriculture. You can’t focus [...]

(Part I of II) What does it really mean to farm sustainably? To be committed to agricultural sustainability? Ask 10 people and you’ll get 10 answers — some of them vigorously in opposition to other answers. There is, however, agreement that sustainability in agriculture is essential for the planet’s health and future — to our [...]

An amazing thing happened last week while you were busy milking, feeding, repairing, resting or doing whatever other chores keep farmers busy in bleak midwinter. An army of “agvocates” — farm advocates — were on their computers creating a ruckus on your behalf. And it was an online vocal maelstrom that spread like wildlife, finding [...]

Farmers often harbor insecurities when plopped in a room with bankers or small business owners or lawyers. Too often, farmers feel like they don’t belong in that crowd, like their chosen profession is somehow less important or worthy than the others’. They couldn’t be more wrong.