Brownfield

Onions in the sand

Using an article on the AgriMarketing website as a resource, Brownfield's Ken Anderson wrote this story this morning: 

Saudi Arabia has abandoned its own domestic wheat production program and is investing heavily in foreign agricultural production projects—many in Africa.  The country’s goal is to ensure its food security and help stabilize domestic food prices.

Citing The Brock Report as its source, the article says the Saudis are urging companies to invest in farm projects abroad after dropping their own 30-year old domestic wheat program to reduce water usage.  One private Saudi firm is reportedly planning to spend 400 million dollars by 2011 to produce wheat and corn in Egypt and Sudan.

Brownfield's Jerry Passer added some personal comments after reading Ken's piece:

Interesting, I visited one of the Bedouin farms where wheat was being grown in Saudi Arabia.  As I remember, the U.S. Foreign Ag Service was heavily involved in this project. The program was in its infancy and they were optimistic at that time (about 25 years ago) they could become self- sufficient in wheat production. Seemed strange to see wheat growing out of the sand.

The Bedouin farmer had hired a U.S. farmer to come in and run the operation. I believe he was from Ohio.

It doesn’t surprise me that the Saudis are investing in crop production in Egypt.   We also visited there on the same trip with Agriculture Secretary Block. The Egyptians had several areas where they were growing onions and edible beans. I have a slide of the biggest onions I have ever seen growing out of the sand.

No apologies for stand on ethanol

Brownfield's Rural Issues program today focuses on a divisive topic in agriculture today.  Ken Anderson produced and anchors the program.

It's no secret that ethanol has created tension between the livestock and corn industries in the U.S. It can be a sticky issue for general farm organizations like Farm Bureau and Farmers Union, but the leaders of those two groups don't apologize for their support of increased ethanol production and usage.

-Ken Andreson

Ken is in Des Moines, Iowa covering the annual distillers grains symposium for Brownfield Ag News and sister network Waitt Agribusiness today.

Tom Steever: covering the new ag secretary

I had the opportunity to cover U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week.  First was his speech Tuesday morning to the International Food Aid Conference in Kansas City, followed shortly thereafter by what’s referred to as a “media availability.”  Then at noon that same day, Secretary Vilsack was driven 40 miles north of Kansas City to visit the Craig Evans farm near Lathrop, Missouri, where he talked about federal money to help beginning farmers.  There he talked to Evans and Evans’s wife, Kelly, as well as their three children, and to Chris and Kim Hiley, a couple that has been assisted by some of the federal money.  After a half-hour conversation in the Evans’s spotless farm shop (Craig actually keeps it that way all the time), the Secretary had a brief look around the farm and a brief history of the Evans place over coffee in Craig and Kelly’s dining room.  When he spotted a working miniature steam engine on the fireplace mantel, Secretary Vilsack saw the opening to invite Evans and his family to the Old Threshers Reunion in Vilsack’s home town of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Although meant to appear very casual, the Secretary’s farm visit was precisely choreographed.  Members of the media and a handful of neighbors and local FSA staff were briefed ahead of time by Vilsack’s advance staff exactly where and when the Secretary would enter the Evans’s shop, where he would sit and how he would exit the shop to view, first cattle, and then identity preserved soybean bins on the farmstead, and finally through which door he would enter the Evans’s home to view old photographs of the family farm.  At the same time we were informed where we were expected to stand to observe, but also to give the couples and the Secretary some “private time” during the farm tour.  None of this seemed to stand in the way of the warm cordiality between the Secretary and the two couples.  Following Secretary Vilsack’s departure, both Craig Evans and Chris Hiley told me they were pleased with the Vilsack visit and with the Secretary himself.  At the very root of this are two young farm couples hosting not only a member of the President’s Cabinet, but media and others who come for the event.  They’re the ones who make it real with their hospitality to all of us.  Instead of regarding us as intruders, with our microphones, cameras and notebooks tracking in who knows what, upon our arrival to the farm we were welcomed by what else – a generous plate of cookies.

-Tom Steever

Animal agriculture in the spotlight in Louisville

The 2009 annual meeting of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) wrapped up on Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky. During the two days, those attending talked about food safety, animal welfare, animal health, animal ID and the direction animal agriculture needs to be taking in all those areas. I’ll be producing stories from the meeting over the next few days, be listening to your local Brownfield affiliate and visit the Brownfield web site for more.

I’ll end with this, and I wish I could remember who ended his presentation with a slide that said, “Thank you, from a proud consumer of U.S. produced meat protein.” Put your hands on the radio and say, “Amen!”

-Dave Russell

Brownfield Ag News is proud to partner with NIAA.  This is our second year as Diamond Sponsor for the annual meeting.  Dave Russell and Teres Lambert, NIAA Director of Communications posed for a picture in front of one of the sponsorship signs.

Follow us on Twitter

Dave Russell is in Springfield, Illinois today for the state Pork and Beef Legislative Day.  In addition to tuning in to your favorite Illinois Brownfield radio station, you can follow Dave on Brownfield Twitter where he is offering updates throughout the day!

Starstruck in Madison

Brownfield's Bob Meyer has met, interviewed and introduced many celebrities over the years he has been in the broadcast industry.  But Bob was a "little starstruck" yesterday at Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin meeting. 

Former Green Bay Packer & St Louis Rams guard Adam Timmerman was featured speaker Tuesday night, and he brought his Super Bowl rings along!!

-Bob Meyer

Listen for Bob's coverage of the PDPW meeting underway in Madison on your local Wisconsin Brownfield affiliate radio station or check out stories on the web.

Tom's turn in D.C.

 Julie Harker was there last week for the National Farmers Union meeting; now Tom Steever has his boots on the ground inside the Beltway:

I’m traveling this week with the Missouri Farm Bureau on their annual visit with Washington lawmakers and other federal government officials.  The trip involves about 100 Missouri Farm Bureau members and in addition to meetings with elected officials at the U.S. Capitol, includes visits to the Irish Embassy and the Pentagon.  It’s great not only because of the opportunity of seeing the United States Government in action, but it’s just as nice to spend time with Missouri Farm Bureau members.

-Tom Steever

Contentious issues covered

For 24 years, I've been telling the story of agriculture.  Looking back, there are a handful of what I would call "contentious" issues that drew (and continue to draw) great emotional reaction from people, often pitting neighbor against neighbor.

National animal id -NAIS - is one of those issue.  The Brownfield Ag News team has done a fine job of covering as many sides of this issue as they can find.  There are issues that I feel compelled to "editorialize" about, but this is not one.  As a journalist and a cattle farmer, I appreciate the concerns those who support and those who oppose NAIS raise. 

No matter your stand on NAIS or any other issue, it is imperative that you do your research and understand what lies "beneath the surface."  There are always at least 2 "sides" or "views" to every issue.  If you dig a little deeper you might find you have more in common with those you oppose than you originally believed.

Arm yourself with knowledge.

-Cyndi Young

Great column on Brownfield website

We have some really great content on our website.  One of my favorite sections is a weekly column written by someone I've known for 20-some years.

Steve Kopperud's latest column on Brownfield Ag News, "Time for animal interests to come together" is well worth reading. 

Boots on the ground inside the Beltway

Brownfield news anchor Julie Harker is inside the Beltway this week, covering the National Farmers Union Convention for Brownfield Ag News.  It's been an action-packed week already and it is only Tuesday morning!  This is Julie's first trip to D.C. and this NFU convention features a lot of heavy-hitters in the world of agriculture and ag policy.  From the Secretary of Agriculture to the Chairmen of both the House and Senate Ag Committees there are some powerful voices featured at this meeting.  I hope you're tuning in to your local Brownfield radio station to listen to Julie's reports and checking her coverage at Brownfield Ag News website.  She sent this note late last night:

Monday, the National Farmers Union hosted a lineup of convention speakers instrumental in ag policymaking beginning with US Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack.  Next, Senators Charles Grassley of Iowa and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota along with Representative Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin of South Dakota talked about renewable energy and held a panel discussion.  In the afternoon, House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Senate Ag Committee chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa discussed the 2008 Farm Bill.  Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, chairwoman of the House Agriculture-FDA Appropriations Subcommittee, followed.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the final guest who echoed all the other speakers in praising NFU President Tom Buis for his leadership on ag policy issues.  Buis praised each speaker, capping off the day by commending Pelosi for following through on the promises she made at the NFU Convention two years ago – of seeing to fruition a disaster assistance appropriation, what became the “2008” Farm Bill and mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL).

On Tuesday at noon – NFU delegates will elect a new president.

Stay tuned.