The Agricultural Dollar

This was forwarded to my ag advisor who sent it to me. This info is from the USDA Economic Research Service. Hug a farmer today. Remember, they buy retail, sell wholesale and pay the freight both ways.



Foodservice and food processing take biggest bite out of the U.S. food dollar

For a typical dollar spent in 2010 by U.S. consumers on domestically-produced food, including both grocery store and eating out purchases, 34 cents went to pay for services provided by foodservice establishments, 21.7 cents to food processors, and 12.8 cents to food retailers. ERS uses input-output analysis to calculate the value added, or cost contributions, to the food dollar by 10 industry groups in the food supply chain. Food processing costs per food dollar were up 17 percent since 2008, whereas costs per food dollar for most other industry groups were flat or declined. For example, energy used throughout the food system accounted for 4.8 cents of the food dollar, down from 6.8 cents in 2008.  This chart is from the Food Dollar Series data product on the ERS website, updated March 20, 2012.

More on the 2012 Oregon State FFA Convention

The Oregon State FFA Convention is the annual meeting of the Oregon State FFA Association and brings together over 2000 members of the FFA from all over the state. With workshops by visiting state FFA officers, industry leaders, motivational speakers and many other highly successful and qualified individuals, this is the premier leadership event in Oregon! These workshops are all planned to help students reach their maximum leadership potential. The convention also hosts booths by the sponsors of the event, and interactive displays by many of them. The State competitions for the myriad Career Development Events or CDEs available through the FFA are also held at convention. The centerpiece of the convention, however, is the sessions held morning and evening. These are hosted and conducted by the State FFA Officer team and include speeches by teachers, politicians, visiting and former State Officers, advisors, former members and guest agriculturists. The sessions are also where awards for competitions are presented and State degrees are awarded. The highlight of each session is the State Officer’s retiring addresses. This is where the officers impart their final thoughts and wisdom to the members before they retire.

 This year’s convention, the 84^th such event, was held in Hermiston Oregon at the Hermiston High School. The theme was “Alive in Action” and we sure did live it up! With workshops ranging from “Get the Worm Faster” by Chad Hymas to “Communicating the FFA Brand” by Charlie Brown (that’s really his name!) from the Florida FFA, to “You CAN farm” by Custom Ag Solutions, there were numerous and varied opportunities for members to develop their leadership skills. Sponsors and colleges had their informational booths set up in the commons with many of them offering free samples of their products, FFA members went head-to-head in competitions such as Parliamentary Procedure, Agricultural Issues, Public Speaking and countless other contests, members made new friends and caught up with old acquaintances and delegates conducted the business of the Oregon FFA. There was a dance on Sunday night and a pre-session show each morning and evening. The guest speakers at each session shared their wisdom and experiences in everything from agriculture to life in general, advisors helped students develop their talents and members shared life experiences. In fact, there was so much going on that it was impossible for any on member to see and do everything. Everyone who went came back with a fresh perspective and a new fire to succeed. It was three days with 2000 of the most gifted, articulate, bright and outgoing young men and women you will ever meet.

Our outgoing State Officer team spent the past year of their lives serving and representing the FFA and its members, touching hearts and changing lives wherever they went. Their hard work, dedication, dignity, humor, charisma, compassion and faith have impacted over 5000 FFA members in the Oregon Association as well as numerous people from other state and even other countries. Our President Ryan Kelly, Vice President Adam Powell, Secretary Grace Wildhaber, Treasurer Jason Wetzler, Reporter Caleb Forcier and Sentinel Nicole Lane are shining examples of leaders to all of us in Oregon and they have impacted me personally. Ryan has shown me that you must never give up just because you have giants staring you down. Adam has taught me that character counts. Grace has helped me see that a smile for someone who is having a bad day will cheer you up too and that beauty is who you are not what you are. Jason has taught me that some questions do not have answers and that compassion is one of the greatest virtues of any leader. Caleb has shown me that a good attitude and an open personality are vital to anyone in life. And Nicole has shown me how to be cheerful and encouraging no matter what the situation. These six incredible young adults have shown me what it takes to be an effective leader and friend, even if you have just met someone. We, the Oregon FFA, are privileged in having had them as our leaders for a year. Their friendship and the example they have set will always be with me as I pursue my own dream of becoming a State Officer one day. I hope that I can live up to the high standard they have set.

Oregon State FFA Convention

The Baker FFA Chapter arrived in Hermiston OR for the 2012 State Convention. This convention brings together over 2000 FFA members, advisors, parents and guests every year. The Ag Issues team will present tonight in the preliminary flights. Please wish us luck and keep your fingers crossed.

What is Agriculture?

Just a quick follow up to my earlier post "What do you think of when you hear the word "agriculture?"
Some of the responses I have gotten on facebook are: "Food and a way of life", "Hard work" and "Dirt".
Please comment on facebook (AgZINE Communications) or here with what you think.

Thank you and have a great day

Luke

What do think of when you hear the word "agriculture?"

Hey everyone!

I am curious to know what you think of when you hear the word "agriculture." Please comment with your answer.

Thanks.

Luke

Results Are In

The results are in from the latest poll "What is your feeling of horse slaughter?" There is an even split between those who believe we should have it with a minimum of regulations and those who think it should be strictly regulated, with a minority believing it should not be allowed under any circumstances. I find myself in agreement with the group who feel it should be allowed but it should be regulated. While I dislike nearly any government regulation, I realize that sometimes it is absolutely necessary in order to protect all concerned. Horse slaughter is one of those issues. While it is necessary, it must be regulated to ensure that it is not abused by those looking for a quick profit. Exactly what regulation we need, however, is another matter altogether. State legislators need to hear the advice and input from everyone, including animal rights groups, veterinarians, horse owners, slaughter house owners and other experts, and then make an educated decision which will satisfy the majority of people while still taking care of the problem.

This essay was written by the son of a family friend. It is entirely his work. I take no credit for it.

The single most important agricultural issue in today's economy is consumer awareness. The fact is that a good percentage of the U.S. population does not know that milk comes from cows and corn comes from a field, not the local supermarket. It is vital to our agricultural industry to educate American Youth if agriculture is to survive.

The education we provide will not only make consumers more aware of what they eat, but ensure agricultural sustainability. In 1970, 70-80 percent of the U.S. population was employed in agriculture. In 2008, 2-3 percent was employed directly in agriculture. The United States of America has an area of approximately 2.3 billion acres. Agriculture currently accounts for 922 million- in the care of 2.2 million farmers. This averages at about 418 acres per farmer. In contrast, in 1997, 960 million acres was being farmed at an average farm size of 431 acres. Simply stated, within ten years, America has lost 40 million acres of farm land. As Americans become less aware of how important the industry is that feeds them, the under-educated begin to make laws and restrictions to make it harder to apply pesticides and herbicides to ensure a healthy crop. Farmers, who now have less to plant, must raise yields in their fields in order to break even.

When the public doesn't know where their milk, bread and eggs come from, they don't know how to vote for the Ag community. In a new guidance form from the FDA, farmers who raise food producing animals are being pushed to eliminate antimicrobial drugs. The FDA alleges the promotion of these products can affect the meat and the consumer eating the product. If a junior showman is unable to treat his market hog's scrapes and cuts with neosporin (a benign topical antibiotic), he runs the risk of infection and ruining the meat through bacteria or worse yet bacterial infection and death. In that one decision a 12 year old 4-h'er loses not only the hog but all the time and devotion to the animal. These "guidelines" could soon turn to legislation. If the regulations on food producing livestock operations get any worse than they are, prices in the consumer market will sky rocket. High production costs force higher retail costs. The outlaw of horse slaughter in the U.S. came with catastrophic effects. People have no affordable way to be rid of a useless equine, and many are being dropped off or abandoned on public property. The average cost to euthanize a horse is around 300 dollars. Many of the general horse community do not have 300 dollars to be rid of their old horse. So a horse that could be used to feed America or its pets is now being abandoned for tax payers to pay to take care of. The congressmen who were advised to vote on the outlawing of horse slaughter are just as uneducated as the public and humane society representatives that forced it on Capitol Hill.

The collective result is that the general public does not have enough knowledge to vote in favor of the industry that feeds them. Without the immediate connection of gallon of milk = farm, loaf of bread = farm, farms are forgotten. Without aggressive education, agricultural land will continue to diminish, yields will suffer, and programs like 4-H will cease. In order to save our industry in these times of economic hardship, we must educate our youth. After all, the future of Agriculture is in their hands.

By Justin Sauers