The F Word

Big is celebrated in many ways because it often equates to success. But for some reason in today's world, big farming often gets a bad rap. I ponder this everyday, and especially when I get the opportunity to share with someone what my family does for a living.

Farming and the Nunnenkamp family goes together like peanut butter and jelly. I was never fortunate enough to know my great grandparents but they starting farming the American soil when they immigrated over to the U.S. My grandpa Fred is the oldest of 11 children and I am pretty positive he was born knowing how to farm. Except for a few years where he was overseas serving our great country in World War II, he has spent his life tilling the soil and turning seeds into success. Now 95 years later (he will be 95 in a few weeks, so Happy Early Birthday Grandpa!), he is still doing what he was born to do, FARM. Except now, he has his sons and grandsons by his side, and some days even his great grandson. We are a FAMILY FARM and darn proud of it.

So back to the "big is bad" idea. Big does not mean that a farm is not a family business. Our farm did not start big, it has grown over time.  The size of farm my grandpa had 50 years ago was not big enough to be run by my dad and uncle when they decided to join the operation. And the size of farm my grandpa, dad, and uncle had was not big enough to be run by 3 additional members, my cousin and two brothers as well. And I assume that a few years down the road when the next generation wants to join the farm, expansion will occur again.

In order for farmers to work together and farm as a family, operations have to evolve and grow.  Just because we are bigger than most does not mean that we do things different than any other farmer. We still have the same practices and take care of the environment.  We are stewards to the land and work hard to grow crops the best that we can. It literally breaks my heart when I hear someone say that big farms are, I cant believe I am about to say this F word, "Factory Farms". Yes, we have 450 head of cattle but we raise and care for them the same way as if we had 50 cows.  Yes we have 8,000 acres of crops, but we grow and care for them with the same passion as if we only had 1,000 acres. Just because one farm is bigger than the other doesn't mean one is bad and one is good. We need all kinds and types of farms to create diversity and feed our ever growing world. So it is not fair to label big farms as bad or "factory farms".

Smile boys!...or just open your mouth and stare awkwardly, either works.

Being a farmer is NOT an easy job.  There are no weekends off or paid holiday vacations.  The farm doesn't close at 5pm or open at 8am.  It is 24/7.  I was once told that farming is not a job, it is a lifestyle. And that is a fact. My family lives and breaths farming, and agriculture in general. And the best part is that we all breath it together.  Working alongside your family is one of the greatest blessings a person can have.  I am sure there are days when my dad thinks my brothers are idiots or that everybody else thinks that dad is being bossy ( its okay we all love each other :), but at the end of the day I am sure I can speak for them when I say that they wouldn't change it for anything.

So I guess to sum it all up, in the Nunnenkamp family, there are some F- words we like, some F-words I am sure get used when they shouldn't on the farm, and some F-words that definitely don't describe us. But at our farm, F stands for FAMILY.

...that's what she said

New Meaning to "Flyover States"

So I have three different paths I could take with this week’s Country Music Monday song. 

1. I could go with the unsurprising – The Midwest is not a bunch of flyover states, we are the heartland of America and offer so much to our country in terms of lifestyle, beauty, and of course AGRICULTURE. But, that is what you’re all expecting me to write about, so PASS.
2. I could do the unspeakable, and yell at Jason Aldean for leaving out Nebraska in the song’s lyrics.  But there is no way I could be mad at such a good looking hunk of country music man. So, PASS.
3. For this week we are going to be talking politics.  Yep, I said politics, everyone’s FAVORITE subject. But the politics that I am going to be talking about may be a tad unfamiliar to many of you.  I am talking about the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and their recent unwarned, and in my opinion inappropriate and waste of tax payer dollars, aerial flights over Nebraska rancher’s property. 

So before I get to really rolling here is a little background of this whole issue.

A few months ago it was discovered that the EPA has been conducted small aircraft (NOT DRONES like the media has been reporting) flights over cattle producers and taking photos from the sky.  The reason they say for this is to find producers who are in violation of the regulations.  In simple terms, checking to make sure that no feedlot run off is spilling into fresh water areas or things like that.

Now you probably are thinking well how is this a bad thing? Let me first say, beef producers in Nebraska are committed to protecting their environment and being in compliance with all regulations and they are committed to making sure that our water, soil, and air are protected in all ways.  They are in no way trying to hide from regulation. 

So now let me give you some facts as to why cattle producers, Nebraska Delegation (Mike Johanns, Ben Nelson, Jeff Fortenberry, Adrian Smith, and Lee Terry), and many of the agriculture community are upset and why the EPA aerial flyovers are inappropriate and in my words, a waste.

1. The NDEQ (Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality) was even unaware of the flights occurring, and they even feel as if EPA is overstepping because the NDEQ is the authority in Nebraska.
2. EPA and NDEQ currently have the right to inspect any cattle producer currently under regulation at any time, so the flights are a waste of time and tax payer dollars.
3. The EPA fly overs are done secretively with no warning to producers. (Many say well the police patrol from the sky so it’s the same thing. No it is not because the roads have clearly marked signs that say aerial surveillance zone.)
4. When the EPA conducts flyovers and takes photos, majority of the time private property such as home steads are also taken in the photo. 
5. Many times things are not as they appear, especially from the sky.  In many cases thus far, EPA has found, “what they thought” were violations, but if they would have only been on the actual feed lot, on the ground, they could have easily seen that there was nothing wrong in the first place.
6. Nebraska Delegation sent a letter to EPA Region 7 officials asking for answers about the fly over program.  The EPA has been secretive, vague, sluggish, and practically unresponsive to citizens and government concerns.

I could go on for hours about this topic, but don't worry I won't because I know I have probably already lost half of the readers by know anyway. So my finals thoughts about this whole thing is that this flyover program is creeping way to close to “Big Brother is watching you” territory.  The government is getting way to intrusive and it’s just wrong. I am in no way trying to protect those few cattle producers who are violating the laws and creating environmental problems, but I am protecting those cattle producers who do AMAZING work and create great steaks for all of us to enjoy. So I say let the NDEQ do its job and BACK OF EPA!  

that's what she said...

Ashley

Ag Is Sexy...And You Know It!

Thanks to Dr. Ronnie Green, UNL IANR Vice Chancellor, we can all agree that AGRICULTURE IS SEXY. (Dr. Green has coined that phrase this past year) You are probably thinking how is ag sexy? Just watch these three brothers from Kansas show how sexy agriculture truly is!

I'm a "Corn Star"

So, for this weeks County Music Monday, I'm gonna ditch the life lessons and philosophical-ness which I usually try and convey to you all, and replace it with some, well I'm not quite sure yet.  I guess I'm winging this post tonight. haha

So this weeks song is CORN STAR by the one and only Craig Morgan.  I stumbled upon this song about two weeks ago and immediately fell in LOVE with it.  I honestly am a true sucker for funny songs with great innuendos. So thus I present you with.... CORN STAR.

So instead of me relating this song to life, I'm just gonna give you some great CORN facts.  Since my family makes a majority of its living fromcorn production, it only seems fit.
So here we go....  

1. U.S. farmers produce about 40 percent of the world's corn, using only 20 percent of the total area harvested in the world. 
2. One bushel of corn is 56 pounds. That means U.S. farmers produce an average of more than 9,000 pounds of corn per acre. 
   
3. If U.S. farmers used crop production practices from 1931 to produce an amount of corn equivalent to the 2008 crop, it would require 490 million acres—an area more than 120 million acres larger than the state of Alaska.
   
4. Individuals or families own 82 percent of corn farms. Another 6 percent are family-held corporations.
   
5. Less than 15 percent of U.S. corn acres are irrigated.
   
6. Farmers today produce 70 percent more corn per pound of fertilizer than as recently as the 1970s.
   
7. Corn farmers have reduced total fertilizer use by 10 percent since 1980.
   
8. According to the USDA, one acre of corn… removes about 8 tons of carbon dioxide from the air in a growing season…at 180 bushels per acre produces enough oxygen to supply a year’s needs for 131 people.
   
9. Corn production has marched steadily upward for decades while using fewer acres.
   
10. American farmers produced the five largest corn crops in history during the past five years. Even after supplying food-makers, ranchers, ethanol producers and grain exporters, America will again be able to save 10 percent of this year’s harvest for the future.
    
11. Farmers today grow five times as much corn as they did in the 1930s — on 20 percent less land. That is still 13 million acres, or 20,000 square miles, twice the size of Massachusetts.
    
12. The yield per acre has skyrocketed from 24 bushels in 1931 to 154 now, or a six-fold gain.

Now it is sad to say that many people in our world today are uneducated in the facts about farming and ranching in America.  It is not always their fault though, many people have never been exposed to truths about the agriculture industry, because today the average consumer is 3 generations removed from the farm. Because of this fact, most consumers get their thoughts and opinions from public figures, social media, and television, none of which most of the time are connected to production agriculture and report the facts.
 
So again I say, like I always do, it doesn't matter what your choices and opinions are when it comes to your food choices, but it does matter that you are making choices that are based on truth and facts from the people who produce your food.  The ones who work extremely hard to produce the safest and healthiest food for us as consumers to enjoy.

You as a consumer are not the only ones who eat the food that farmers and ranchers produce, they eat it as well.  So don't you think they would want to raise safe and healthy food? Farmers and Ranchers eat from the same table as the rest of us. 

...that's what she said 

Ashley

Learn From Your Farmer, Know Your Farmer, Trust Your Farmer

For the last two days in Los Angeles, there has been some AMAZING things happening.  The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance hosted::

The Food Dialogues: Los Angeles
Lights, Camera, Food: Perceptions and Realities of Farming and Ranching in AmericA

The panels were streaming live on the internet so I was able to listen in on the last panel of the day.  And boy o boy was it a good one.  It was so awesome to see a large panel made up of a diverse group of people, but one thing that they all had in common... farmers.  

Panelists

• Dr. Dave Daley • Associate Dean, College of Agriculture, Chico State University & Cattlemen
• Vinny Dotolo • Chef, Animal 
• Ray Martin • Vice President, Culinary Development & Corporate Executive Chef
• Gabe Segovia • Manager, Culinary Innovation, El Pollo Loco
• Julie Maschhoff • Pig farmer & Vice President, Public Policy and Public Relations, The Maschhoffs 
• Kristin Reese • Chef, farmer/rancher
• Jon Shook • Chef, Animal 

The discussion was titled The REAL Chef Challenge: Understanding How Food is Grown and Raised.  I didn't get to listen in on all of it because I was at work and well, since it is only my first week on the job, I was trying to multi-task and do work and still listen, but from the topics that I did catch, there was alot of amazing points that were brought up.  Another great thing happening during all of this was social media.  Now in today's age the use of social media is immense and it sure was shown today.  I can honestly say that the twittersphere was blowing up!

So instead of my blabbing on and on about how awesome this panel was today I'm just gonna throw out a few of the best things I heard today.

1. 98% of all farms in America are family owned. Family plays a critical role in agriculture.
2. It's not just educating, its about conversing and listening. Know Your Farmers, Trust Your Farmer.
3. Agriculture by definition is innovative- give a farmer or rancher a challenge and they will overcome it.
4. Conventional farmer is a misnomer, all farming has changed over the past several years.  It's constantly improving. 
5. Why do we welcome technology into daily life but resist it in agriculture?

So after all this said, I guess my main point that I always go back to is, EDUCATE yourself about your food choices.  Don't let social media, celebrities, or outsiders choose for you.  If you have questions or concerns about your food, ASK A FARMER.  They are the ones growing your food, so they are the only ones who truly know how and where your food is coming from. 

LEARN FROM YOUR FARMER, KNOW YOUR FARMER, TRUST YOUR FARMER

...that's what she said

Ashley

The Last of a Dying Breed

The average age of the American farmer is 57 years old, and there has been a 20% drop in the number of farmers under the age of 25. (according to USDA)  Now many may wonder why this is such a problem so let me put it simply. 
Farmers feed the world.
 
Without farmers producing food for us to eat, we won't eat.
While I was on my way home last night I heard the song, Last Of A Dying Breed.  And I started to think about my grandpa.  My grandpa Fred is 94 years old and would still be a full time farmer if his health would allow.  But don't get me wrong, at 94 years young he still tends to his garden, mows the yard, checks some irrigation wells, and drives a tractor now and again. He is the definition of life long true American Farmer and for sure, the definition of the last of a dying breed. 

But then I think about my father.  My dad is about the average age of a farmer today.  Then I think about my older brothers.  They are 25 and 28 years old.  They are a all part of a "rare breed" in today's world and I am proud to have true American farmers in my life.  But one thing that, well frankly scares the bejeepers out of me is the fact that someday the average age of our farmers might be in the 60s.  Which will mean that our total number of farmers is still decreasing.  And that is a fact that should scare everyone because we need our farmers and ranches to produce all the products that we use everyday.  Our worlds population is projected to double by the year 2050.  This means we are going to need to increase our world food production immensely by then and we need as many farmers as we can to reach that goal.

So, it is so important that we support our farmers and ranchers because, well without them, we can't survive.

...that's what she said
Ashley

Nebraska Beef Gal

Beef... It's what's for dinner.  But if you don't believe me just ask Matthew McConaughey. 

Ok, now that I got my name drop in I'll move on to my main point for today.

I just finished my first week (well, three days actually) of work at the Nebraska Cattlemen. So from now on starting Monday, I am on my own.  No more training wheels for this girl. Get excited, because I am!

So since I will probably be chatting alot about NC and the cattle industry I guess this is a good time for me to explain what our role is.

(From NC website)

The Nebraska Cattlemen association is a grassroots organization whose individual producer members determine issues of importance to the state beef industry. Its principal services are government affairs, public information, issues management, and management education and information.

Nebraska Cattlemen performs three basic functions.

• Represents the beef cattle industry to the legislative and administrative branches of the state and federal governments. 
• Explain beef production to the public and opinion influencers. Also, interpret economic, social and political developments to the industry.
• Provide economic and production information to members to aid them in their own planning and management.

Nebraska Cattlemen is the spokesman for the state’s beef cattle industry and represents nearly 3,000 cattle breeders, producers and feeders as well as 48 county and local cattlemen’s associations. Nebraska Cattlemen pulls together strong individuals to make a decision- making team that is dedicated to promoting the beef industry and enhancing the opportunity for profitability.

My office is crazy boring right now but dont worry, I'll show you the after picture next time!

 So now let me explain what my work will entail and what I will be blabbing to you all about.  My role is the Director of Communications.  So my duties include keeping communications open and flowing between members, staff, officers, and board of directors, as well as with media and other outside organizations.  I also use social media and online sources to promote our organization and the cattle industry.  So to some it up, if it involves any sort of communication, it probably involves me as well.  So get prepared for me to communicate with you about my communication experiences at work.

...that's what she said
Ashley