Illinois Farm Families Blog

Oh! You’re Such A Ham!

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

I've eagerly joined the ranks of Field Mom's touring the Illinois Farm scene and our first visit was to the Ward Family Hog Farm in Sycamore Illinois. As I flip through my notes I can still smell the odor of my little piggy friends wafting off the pages, this visit was not for those with sensitive snouts and bellies...no babies allowed.

I joined this group of Moms so that I could better understand how crops and livestock are farmed and sent to market. I was hoping to dispel a few rumors that are currently pervading our society regarding food safety precisely because its these rumors that send me running to anything labeled organic...and walking away penniless. And while I can't say that my visit to the hog farm rendered me an expert on the processes of how 270 pounds of "little" piggy gets to market, I can say that it clarified a few things for me.

Contrary to what we might remember from childhood movies and videos, pigs no longer wallow around outside in mud devouring buckets of slop tossed into their pens from well meaning farmers with big yellow boots. Instead they are kept inside covered facilities with slats on the floors to collect waste matter. There is intricate piping in place to funnel food and water into their pens. The piglets are kept separate from their older counterparts and then shuffled along to other housed facilities as they grow older and larger. When they are newly born they receive vaccines similar to how human newborns are vaccinated and they receive antibiotics and other medicines similar to humans when they get sick. At a glance, everything seems in order. The pigs looked well taken care of and were happy to see Steve (the farmer and our host) and curious about his guests. The food that they eat is a mix of soybean meal, corn, dried distillers grain and bakery products (i.e. Triscuits,bread, chips). The facility was well maintained, the farmers were gracious hosts and very open to answering a barrage of well intended questions, but despite this, there are two core concerns that make it hard for me to reconcile some of the rudimentary practices of pig farming; pigs are artificially inseminated and they are fed genetically modified grains.

Artificial Insemination

I suppose until now I hadn't considered that artificial insemination is what allows pig farmers to keep up with the demands of human consumption. Piggy sex as we know it, or rather imagined it (if ever), is not financially savvy. Instead, there are 10-15 companies that are known for providing boar sperm to a multitude of farms. A quick Google search lead me to this website where one could peruse their online boar store and choose from which boar they would like to purchase sperm and the tools required for successful insemination. While this process is said to increase bio security (because the farmer is not bringing a mystery boar with the "potential of spreading disease" on the farm), and makes economical sense (because it reduces the time between pregnancy), eliminates the guesswork of stock numbers from week to week (a farmer could have upwards of 1000 newborn pigs per week), and eliminates the need to have feed and care for a boar (which can be a very aggressive animal at times); I'm curious as to how this might affect future hog farming to literally have the seed of the industry in the hands of just a chosen few (consider today's recession due to the merging and acquisition of a few large financial banks) or even genetic modification (i.e. enviropig study). Still, this same process of artificial insemination is also practiced by organic hog farmers leaving the biggest difference between the two practices being pig feed, GMO vs. non GMO

GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms)

Now that artificial insemination seems to be the standard in today's farming practices, one of the major things that differentiate organic farms from non-organic farms tends to be the feed. Organic farms supply animals with non-GMO products. GMO’s are in about 80% of the conventional processed food in the U.S. compared to nearly 50 countries including well developed countries like Japan, Australia and all of the European Countries,many of whom don't consider GMO's to be safe and have actually banned them, and at the minimum required that the products be labeled accordingly. Eeeek! Thus given that so much of U.S. produce is GMO, farmers are really hard pressed to find organic feed for their pigs at a reasonable cost. According to some farmers, going "organic" is not very sustainable given the volume of product that farmers must produce to even break even.

Furthermore, most pig farmers find that they aren't breaking even and are hedging their bets on the futures market through the Board of Trade! I would have never thought that my time providing tours at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange would come full circle!

So where does this leave me? It leaves me with a ton more questions…

What are the safety measures in place to ensure that boar sperm is really just boar sperm and not modified boar sperm?
What happens when the boar sperm bank decides they want to increase their prices?
Are we devolving the pig and boar relationship by suppressing their natural urge to pro-create? (Side note – newly born boars are castrated and then housed alongside their female counterparts)
Why is GMO the only way to go for so many farmers? If so,why are there so many organic farmers that are digging their boots in and prepared to take the financial loss for a product?

I know I've opened up about a dozen cans of worms...or whether cans of Spam (hee hee), but what an opportunity to begin to put the pieces together! I’ve been exploring food safety for so many years via books, articles, Netflix documentaries and a doting mother, that so much information is swirling around in my head. I’m so grateful for the Illinois Farm Family Organization for even offering such an opportunity to us Momma Bears. In the end, we’re all looking to do what’s best for our families and our friends. We all want to live long, healthy and happy lives and we know that it starts with what we put in our own little pot bellies.

A few more photos...

Do you know how your little piggy in the freezer made it to market?

Amina Nevels, Chicago

A balanced diet.

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:56:00 GMT

This all began because I wanted to learn more about agriculture, and since I never pursued the field in college, I thought this could be a way to learn more and teach my children as well. The month before the tour I started researching, asking questions, and learning what I could, specifically about GMOs, pesticides, and organic foods. By the day the tour, I was mad at the way the US farmers grew food, disturbed about the lack of GMO labeling on US packaging, and confused about organic foods. I read so much about "dirty" foods last week I was hesitant to eat anything in my refrigerator! Then, the day of the tour came, and I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into, but I knew I would walk away with some sort of adventure and knowledge to share with my family and friends.

It began on the bus. We found a seat on a comfortable bus bound for Paul and Donna Jeschke's corn and soybean farm in Mazon, IL. Three farmer’s wives and women in the Ag industry led a discussion and were answering our countless questions in a handheld microphone for the entire drive. They were very knowledgeable and open to any question we fired at them. They would simply smile and repeat the question and then take turns answering them thoroughly as our pencils flew over notepaper.

After what seemed like a fraction of the time, we arrived near the Jeschkes farm. We passed by the type of barge that carried Phosphate and Potash mined in Florida, then saw newly planted fields that were first showing their rows, and finally the Field Mom’s corn and soybean acre. Our farm education continued from here off the bus. After an expensive tractor and planter was explained we took a short walk to the fields and learned from Dr. Brown, Agronomy Manager from Growmark, about the corn and bean plants, pests, pesticides and crop nutrients.

I learned that the same people who I thought a few hours before were out to get our family, and myself, are really people like you and I who are trying to make the best use of our country’s land using science and technology. Although, I still don’t believe that GMOs are completely safe for us, I now do understand why farmers choose GMO seed over non-GMO seed. I also understand more about pesticides, crop nutrients, and organic foods. Lastly, you still need to wash your organic fruits and vegetables before you eat them. Organic foods can be dirty!

Thank you Illinois Farm Families for creating this wonderful and program and to the Jeschkes for opening up your home and offering your time to educate us. I feel fortunate to be a part of this, and I am looking forward to what this Program has in store for us on the next tour!

Valerie Johnson, Elgin

Huh? What’s that in the Meat Case?

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

You may have heard that names of meat are getting an overhaul. Pork products will see the most changes. This came about by a lot of research by the pork producers, beef producers, and the USDA that showed that consumers were confused by names in the meat case. I’d agree. While most of the meat I buy comes from my freezer, I do sometimes meander through the meat case when there is a sale. I have a trophy somewhere in my house that proves that I should be an expert at deciphering meats, but even I get confused, so let me give you the simple rundown.

The new labels will give:

A name – “Porterhouse Chop”
A species and area on the animal where the cut comes from
How to Cook it

To me, the names are still semi-confusing, but the part that should help consumers (myself included) are the area where the meat cut comes from and how to cook it. If it comes from the loin, the muscles running along the spine of either a cow or pig, it is going to be a tender cut, and you can grill it.

Think about it – what muscles get the most use in any mammal? Legs, shoulders – anything that moves. Muscles that move a lot tend to get hard and therefore, as meat, are tough. That is where your shoulder or chuck roasts and ham or round roasts come from. These cuts should be cooked low and slow (crock-pot, roasting, etc.). Anything that doesn’t get a lot of “work” (back and stomach), should be tender meats that can be grilled, broiled, etc.

Clear as mud?

Maybe so, but check out the meat case, and if you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask the person behind the meat counter – they are usually pretty knowledgeable. I do, and I was even on a Meats Judging Team! Tonite’s supper (as with a lot this time of year with everyone busy in the fields) is crockpot-fare: Korean Beef Short Ribs

Carrie Pollard, Rockford

Visitors can get big breakfast, tour at Hampshire area farm

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:01:00 GMT

If you have never been on a farm before, here’s your chance to experience the real deal.

Linda and Dale Drendel are again opening their Hampshire farmstead to the general public for a dairy breakfast and farm tour from 6 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 15.

The Drendels offer this unique experience to visit a farm and provide others with a better understanding of the origins of their food, such as dairy products.

“This Saturday morning, family activity is meant to be enjoyed by all ages,” Dale Drendel said. “We welcome visitors and hope they see this as an opportunity to learn more about how we care for our animals and produce fresh and wholesome milk.”

A highlight of a visit to the farm, known as Lindale Holstein Farm, is watching some of the 150 dairy cows being milked in the milking parlor. The modern parlor accommodates 11 Holstein cows at a time and offers viewers an up-close look at the farm’s automation and the transfer of milk from the cow to the bulk tank.

Milking demonstrations will occur from 6 to 9 a.m. during the tour.

The farm visit offers a tour of the barns to see the young dairy calves, heifers and cows. And visitors get chance to milk a cow by hand just as farmers used to do many years ago.

Visitors will see all aspects of dairy production, from the feed used in their special diets to the care taken by farmers to assure their animals are comfortable and healthy.

Besides the cows, visitors to the farm will see farm equipment used on the dairy and grain farm, and get to sit on the seat of a modern tractor.

To top off the morning, a hearty farm-style breakfast will be served complete with pancakes, sausage, applesauce, cheese, milk, coffee and ice cream, from 6 to 11 a.m.

A donation of $8 for adults and $5 for children (5-10 years) will be collected at the farm. The price includes breakfast and the farm visit. There is no charge for children 4 and under.

The Dairy Breakfast and Farm Tour is being sponsored by local dairymen from DeKalb and Kane counties who are members of the Kishwaukee Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA).

The Drendels are avid promoters of the dairy industry, whether it’s welcoming visitors to their farm, showing cattle at fairs, serving in leadership roles or educating others about agriculture. Dale serves on the boards of the Illinois Milk Producers Association, Foremost Farms, Kishwaukee DHIA, and Dairy Lab Services. Linda, a former teacher, also has an active role on the farm and serves on the Midwest Dairy Association.

The Drendels are also participants in Illinois Farm Families and host Chicago moms for farm visits.

Their son, Jeff, works alongside them on their dairy farm. Their daughters are Carrie Corson, public relations project manager for COUNTRY Financial in Bloomington; and Julie Ashton of Marseilles, farm broadcaster for The Big Ag Radio Network and Nelson Multimedia Group.

As livestock caretakers for the past 40 years, Dale and Linda Drendel hold themselves accountable to the hundreds of dairy animals on their farm.

“We take personal responsibility for feeding and caring for our animals,” said Linda, “and providing top-quality milk for consumers.”

They grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa, oats and wheat, much of which is used for dairy feed.

To learn more about the Drendels, visit their farm website at www.lindaleholsteins.com.

The Drendel Farm address is 15N057 Walker Road. Handicap parking is available at the farm.

For additional information, call Bill Lenschow, Dairy Breakfast chairman, at 815-895-9690.

Reprinted from the Beacon News.

Our Field Moms’ Acre Donation

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Last season, Ron and I hosted the Field Moms’ Acre, where our Field Moms followed an acre of our soybeans through the season. Recently, we had the privilege of delivering the profits from that acre, in the form of ground pork, to the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry. More than 150 families will have pork on their tables thanks to the 2012 Field Moms.

Despite the drought last year, the Field Moms’ Acre earned a profit of $281. The Field Moms decided to donate that amount to the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry, where Field Mom Amy Hansmann volunteers. We rounded the profits up a bit to buy more than 150 pounds of ground pork.

Amy and her son Kyle met us at the food pantry to present the donation. The executive director for the pantry, Michele Zurakowski, was very grateful for the donation. As you can see, we filled up their freezer!

This year, the Field Moms are following a pen of pigs to market and the growth of an acre of corn and an acre of soybeans. Follow along with the Field Moms’ Acre and Pen all season.

Deb Moore, Roseville

My Lucky Four-Leaf Clover

Fri, 10 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

At the insistence of our favorite babysitter, Kathy Schnell – think a country Mary Poppins – our parents enrolled my siblings and I in 4-H. Kathy and her sisters showed polled Herefords, goats and vegetables. Their mom was the club leader and Kathy was convinced that we would benefit greatly from monthly club meetings, service projects and those dreaded (my words) talks and demonstrations.

4-H is far from a farm-kid club, and while its history is steeped in traditional production agriculture and homemaking, today the national organization pushes STEAM (science, technology, engineering, agriculture and math) projects with a service-learning, agriculture basis. Of course, at 9-years old, I didn’t realize how the 4-H clover would shape my life.

As a Face of Farming & Ranching for the US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, I’ve found myself in front of various groups, large and small, talking about agriculture. Ironically, as a 4-H member, the annual talks & demonstrations required of each member were the banes of my existence. I don’t know how many “how to make rice krispies” demonstrations I’ve sat through. I know I gave my fair share of “identifying cattle breeds” speeches. We’d all stand rooted in one spot clutching our note cards, forcing those stomach butterflies down. Every speech started the same. “Hi. My name is Katie Dallam and this is my 4th year in 4-H. Tonight I will tell you how to show a cow.”

I think my parents appreciated the 4-H lessons of responsibility, accountability and follow-through more than us kids. As they were prone to point out, it wasn’t their 4-H projects being swallowed by weeds or waiting for morning chores, it was ours. My beef and dairy cattle projects taught me patience (a virtue I’m still learning), commitment to something other than me (those cattle couldn’t feed and water themselves), and the value of the almighty dollar. Those projects funded my college education.

And 4-H showed us the value of investing in our communities; showed us every spring on an early Saturday morning during ditch clean-up. It wasn’t glamorous work, but the next time we traveled that road we knew who had walked those miles. Pride in work ethic is a powerful motivator for a young person.

So when given the opportunity as a Face to make a donation to an agriculture organization on behalf of the US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, 4-H was first on my list. It’s famous four-leaf clover, symbolizing head, heart, hands and health, has given me powerful life-long tools and a commitment to making the best better.

Katie Pratt, Dixon

Modern Farm Equipment: DTN Units

Thu, 09 May 2013 19:28:00 GMT

A WatchUsGrow.org reader recently asked us to define "modern farm equipment," so we put the challenge to our bloggers to share what's new on their farms. This is the fifth part of that series.

On our family farm, kids from two years to 60 years love the latest and greatest technology! Here Grandpa and Granddaughter surf the our DTN for the weather and grain markets. Our DTN units provides us with corn and soybean market-specific information, as well as real-time weather conditions and forecasts. Our granddaughter Tess loves it when Grandpa lets her use the mouse to click through the pages that provide him with information and grain-pricing information direct from the Chicago Board of Trade. The weather pages are another favorite, especially when the "motion" tab is clicked and both can observe rain or storm systems as the weather moves across the country, our state and our farm.

Donna Jeschke, Mazon

Q&A - The Lowdown on GMOs With a Biotech Firm

Wed, 08 May 2013 15:55:00 GMT

Fourat Janabi

Greetings and salutations my fellow readers. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster ride publishing the last two posts on GMOs, so I thought to myself, where should I go next? Dive further into the rabbit hole (making myself ever more unpopular), or switch topics? I have an interview with a scientist, check! With a farmer, check! Biotech firm? Bingo! An opportunity thus presented itself, so down I went further down the rabbit hole.

So, to round out—and conclude—my trifecta (or triumvirate—a much cooler word that makes me sound smarter than I am) of posts about GMO, I have just finished up an email Q&A with the CEO and founder of Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF), Neal Carter, whose company makes Arctic Apples (apples that don’t brown). In my two previous Q&As— with a scientist here and with a family farmer here—I had commentary and concluding thoughts; this time, I prefer to let their positions stand on its own two feet, as it is more than capable of.

Do note, however. I am not trying to convince anyone to not eat organic food, or to eat GMO food, so don’t get your knickers in a twist.

1) What prompted your company to create a GM nonbrowning apple? Why not, for example, try to do the same with hybridization?

Our motivation for developing biotech apples, and all our other projects under development, is to introduce value-added traits that will benefit the tree-fruit industry. We have chosen to focus specifically on nonbrowning Arctic® apples as our flagship project for a number of reasons. One of the chief ones is that apple consumption has been flat-to-declining for the past two decades and we are confident the nonbrowning apple trait can create a consumption trigger while also reducing food waste throughout the supply chain.

Another key motivation is ever-increasing demand for convenience. Arctic apples are ideally suited for the freshcut market, which is expensive to enter because of the browning issue. We often refer to the consumption trigger that convenient “baby” carrots created – they now make up 2/3rds of all U.S. carrot sales!

As for why we use biotechnology to achieve this, it’s because we knew we could make a comparatively minor change safely, relatively quickly, and precisely. We silence only four genes, specifically, the ones that produce polyphenol oxidase, which is the enzyme that drives the browning process. We do so primarily through the use of other apple genes, and no new proteins are created. If we were to attempt to breed this trait conventionally, we could easily spend decades trying with no guarantee of success.

2) What benefits will the Arctic apple bring to the food market? Are there quantitative studies that can predict how effective it could be?

In addition to addressing stagnant apple consumption and tapping into the underutilized freshcut and foodservice markets, Arctic apples offer plenty of other benefits throughout the supply chain.

For growers and packers, nonbrowning apples can help significantly reduce the huge number of apples that never make it to market because of minor superficial marks such as finger bruising and bin rubs. So much of the food produced today is wasted purely for cosmetic reasons. This extends to retail where the nonbrowning trait can have a big impact on shrinkage and making displays more attractive while also offering exciting new value-added apple products.

Consumers will also benefit from throwing away far less fruit at home – how many apples get bruised up on the way back from the grocery store or in kids’ lunchboxes? Our goal is helping consumers, especially kids, eat healthier and waste less food. Last year, one grade 2 teacher wrote about how excited she is for nonbrowning apples, explaining she sees countless perfectly good apples and apple slices thrown out by her students due to minor browning and bruising. Consumers will also enjoy other tangible benefits like new opportunities for cut apples in many cooking applications.

As for quantifiable evidence showing the value of these benefits, food waste has been a major issue over the past year with recent estimates from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization suggesting around one-third of food produced is wasted. The numbers are even worse for fruit, where around half of what’s produced never ends up getting eaten.

As far as the potential to create a consumption trigger, the produce industry is full of examples of how making fruit more convenient, especially for the foodservice industry, results in huge consumption boosts. We mentioned how baby carrots now make up two-thirds of carrot sales and reports tracking major fruit and vegetable consumption trends frequently emphasize convenience. One example explains one of the most prominent, ongoing trends “is a consumer demand for foods of high and predictable quality that offer convenience and variety.” Arctic apples satisfy all these requirements.

For apples, specifically, there’s lots of attention given to how various chemical treatments can slow browning and plenty of attempts to conventionally breed low browning varieties (though this is quite different from being truly nonbrowning). For instance, a notable 2009 publication from the Journal of Food Engineering discusses how “the market for fresh-cut apples is projected to continue to grow as consumers demand fresh, convenient and nutritious snacks”. Yet it also explains that the “industry is still hampered by-product quality deterioration” because when “the cut surface turns brown; it reduces not only the visual quality but also results in undesirable changes in flavour and loss of nutrients, due to enzymatic browning.” Again, Arctic apples address these issues.

Finally, some of the most convincing evidence that the nonbrowning traits will provide substantial value – both apple producers and consumers have told us so! In 2006/07 we surveyed a number of apple industry executives, 76% of whom told us they were interested in Arctic apples. In focus groups, we have found that over 80% are positively interested in Arctic apples and 100% of participants wanted to try them. Even more encouraging, when we surveyed 1,000 self identified apple eaters in 2011, we found that their likelihood to buy Arctic apples continued to increase the more they learned about the science behind them!

3) How many, and how intensive, were the studies performed to show Arctic apples are as safe as other apples? Were the studies peer-reviewed? If so, by whom? (You may wish to discuss what was and/or wasn’t changed.)

Before getting into the specifics, it’s important to put things in perspective to show how rigorous the review truly is; particularly arduous for a small, resource-tight company like ours: (See timeline)

So Arctic apples, our very first project, still haven’t been commercialized 17 years after we were founded and over a decade after we proved the technology and planted them! That means we now have over ten years of real-world evidence that Arctic trees grow, respond to pest and disease pressure, flower, and fruit just as conventional trees do.

Over this time, our apples have likely become one of the most tested fruits in existence. This makes detailing all of the specific tests impossible here, but we encourage anyone interested to view our extensive, 163-page petition on the USDA’s website, which provides full details.

Quickly highlighting some of the key ones:

Trees were closely monitored by a third-party horticultural consultant for any difference in their response to pests
Agronomic data including how fast trees grow, how much fruit they produce, etc. was recorded by a third-party
Experiments were completed to monitor pollen spread and potential for cross-pollination, resulting in two peer-reviewed papers
Nutrition and composition of mature fruit was tested and deemed equivalent to controls
Possible presence of novel proteins tested and confirmed none present

These tests were performed by a variety of reputable groups and individuals, some third-party, some in-house. Our field trials were monitored and data was collected by independent horticultural consultants and an Integrated Pest Management specialist.

Of particular importance is the fact that there are no proteins in Arctic fruit that aren’t in all apples. This shows there’s nothing “new” in our apples that will affect consumers. This is expected as we silence the genes that cause browning, rather than introduce new attributes. To give an idea of how sophisticated the tests used to prove this are, they would be able to detect a single penny amongst 100-250 ton coal-sized rail cars! We are confident Arctic apples are safe, and soon, we anticipate FDA’s confirmation of this.

So what has all of this extensive testing taught us? Exactly what we thought it would – Arctic trees and fruits are just the same as their conventional counterparts until you bite, slice or bruise the fruit!

4) Can you name a few of the misconceptions — if any — that people associate your company with, or accuse your company of, when they find out you’re a biotech company? If there are misconceptions, why are they wrong or miss the big picture?

Absolutely – just as there are countless misconceptions about biotech foods in general, there are also plenty of myths about our company and Arctic apples. In fact, one of our most popular blog posts ever is titled “Addressing common misconceptions of Arctic orchards and fruit”.

We invite readers to visit that post and explore our site in general for more details, but the two most common misconceptions about Arctic apples are:

Arctic apples will cross-pollinate with other orchards, causing organic orchards to lose organic certification: No organic crop has ever been decertified from inadvertent pollen gene flow. Even if pollen from an Arctic flower did pollinate an organic or conventional fruit, the resulting fruit is the same as the mother flower….not that of the pollen donor. Additionally, we are implementing numerous stewardship standards to ensure cross-pollination won’t occur, including buffer rows, bee-hive placement, and restricting distance from other orchards.
Because Arctic apples don’t brown, they will disguise old/damaged fruit: The opposite is true! Arctic apples won’t experience enzymatic browning (which occurs when even slightly damaged cells are exposed to air), but the decomposition that comes from fungi, bacteria and/or rotting will be just the same as conventional apples. This means that you will not see superficial damage, but you will see a change in appearance when the true quality is impacted.

Other accusations we hear somewhat frequently from a vocal minority who oppose all biotech foods are “we don’t know what the effects will be down the road” or that we’re “messing with God/Mother Nature”. Regarding the first claim, the science tools we now have are truly amazing and we have an unprecedented level of precision, control and analysis when developing biotech crops. They must be meticulously reviewed before approval and around three trillion meals with biotech ingredients have now been consumed without incident. As to the messing with God/nature charges, biotech-enhanced crops are really just one more advancement in a long history of human-driven food improvements – and even the Amish and the Vatican support these advances!

5) As an insider, you are privy to the goings-on and workings of the biotech industry, what do you envision the future of biotech to be? What new seeds are coming down the line and what potential advantages or disadvantages might they bring?

We foresee biotech continuing to be the most rapidly adopted crop technology ever, as it has been for the past 17 years. We also anticipate already realized benefits from biotech crops to continue, such as those highlighted by a fifteen year study including increased net earnings of $78.4 billion for farmers (mostly from developing nations), a reduction of 438 million kg of pesticide spraying and the equivalent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as removing 8.6 million cars from the road for a year. Two major categories in particular where we’ll see further advancements are in environmental sustainability (reduced pesticide use, carbon emissions, food waste) and higher crop yields under adverse conditions (from pest resistance, drought-tolerance, etc.).

Another major trend you’ll see is the increased presence of biotech foods with direct consumer benefits, particularly nutrition. We will see many new projects following in the footsteps of crops like Golden Rice, which is fortified with beta-carotene; a precursor to Vitamin A. The World Health Organization has identified that around 250 million children under the age of 5 are affected by Vitamin A deficiency, which can cause blindness and death. Biotech crops like Golden rice can potentially save millions of lives by helping address this, and efforts are already underway to produce other Vitamin A enhanced crops including bananas and cassava.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, though, as there are many other exciting developments on the way including many other nutrient-enhancements for cassava, numerous drought-resistant crops, blight-resistant potatoes and many more. I actually highlighted some of these crops in a TEDx talk I gave in October 2012 on the value of agricultural biotechnology, which is available to watch online.

6) As a biotech company, do you bear the brunt of the anti-GMO backlash nominally directed at Monsanto and DuPont? If so, how has this affected you? Please be specific.

All companies who develop biotech crops have to deal with a certain level of backlash from the vocal, emotional minority who oppose biotechnology.

We are quite unique because when consumers discuss biotech companies, names like Monsanto and DuPont, as you mention, are the first ones that come to mind, rarely small companies like ours. Using Monsanto as an example, they have approximately 22,000 employees – we have 7. Because most organizations in this industry are pretty massive, they do get the lion’s share of attention. That being said, if we were to create a ratio of media attention to company size; ours would be through the roof!

One key reason we likely get more than our fair share of attention is that we’re dealing with apples. When we’re talking about something as popular and iconic as the apple (e.g., “an apple a day”, “American as apple pie”), it’s going to get people emotionally charged. Genetically, our enhancement is relatively minor compared to the majority of crops out there; yet even so, when our petition was available for public comment along with 9 other biotech crops in the U.S., we received around three times as many comments as all 9 of the other petitions combined!

In terms of how all this attention affects us, we can dictate that to some extent. On one hand, we could simply choose to ignore it. The review process is evidence-based (and rightfully so!), meaning we could keep our heads down and let the science speak for itself and not worry about what people are saying. That’s not how we operate, however, as we believe in the benefits and safety far too much to keep quiet. We want to do our best to make sure accurate, evidence-based information is out there to counter-balance all the myths and misinformation. This may mean that we spend more time and resources on education than others might, but it’s too important of an issue not to.

We’ve made a concerted effort so transparency is the core of our identity. We know we have a safe, beneficial product and we’re happy to explain the truth around previously mentioned misconceptions. We make it a priority, no matter how busy things get, to keep active on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, maintain a weekly blog, make timely site updates, respond to every single sincere email we get and invest in delivering presentation such as last year’s TEDx talk.

We believe everyone in the science and agricultural industries have a responsibility to help educate the public on the facts of biotechnology. Sometimes that results in more backlash, but it’s worth it.

7) Some scientists state that the anti-GMO backlash has cemented Monsanto’s grip upon the market because only they can afford the regulatory burden, do you find this to be true in your experience? And how does this affect the greater biotechnology field?

Well, we’ve touched on how rigorous the review process is and how much smaller we are than the big industry players, so yes, it is tough for smaller companies to bring a biotech crop to market. It’s challenging to raise funds, produce needed data, spend the resources providing education, and it’s just a much bigger overall risk.

While the regulatory burden is heavier for small biotech companies, I think we’re an example that it’s still possible for the little guys to make it through, but it’s not easy. Not only do you have to successfully develop a fantastic product, but you must be focused, persistent and very patient. There is no rushing the review process, but here we are a decade after first planting Arctic trees and we expect to achieve deregulation in the U.S. later this year.

Even though we’re helping demonstrate it’s possible for small companies to commercialize a biotech crop, the high regulatory burden certainly does affect the industry as a whole. With such an intimidating outlook in terms of high investment, both in time and resources, there will obviously be far less small, entrepreneurial companies than would be ideal. In a field in which innovation should be embraced as much as possible, we are missing out on many potential innovative companies and value-added products because the barriers are so high.

Really, what it comes down to is the regulatory process is (and should be) extremely rigorous, but it is indeed possible for companies that aren’t multinationals to accomplish commercialization. Ideally, once biotech crops add further to their exemplary track record of safety and benefits and the scientific tools continue to improve; these barriers will gradually be lessened.

8) Lastly, what is your relationship to the government and governmental agencies. It has been alleged that agencies like the FDA are in the pocket of big biotech organizations and are willing to look the other way. Do you find any truth in those statements? If not, why not?

If we had to select one word to describe the multiple regulatory bodies we’ve dealt with over the past few years (USDA, APHIS, FDA, CFIA) it would be “thorough”. There’s certainly no looking the other way and nothing casual about the review process. If these government agencies were in the pocket of biotech companies, we wouldn’t still be awaiting deregulation more than ten years after we first developed Arctic apples!

Some people will see that some of the agencies have former members of biotech companies and immediately distrust the whole system; this misses the point. Of course they will have some former industry employees. These companies have thousands and thousands of employees and plenty of them are well-credentialed with first-hand experience in multiple facets of agriculture. In most fields, movement between private and public spheres is common, and most working aged citizens will have at least 10 different jobs before they turn 50. Some overlap is inevitable.

The truth is, you will hear a very wide range of arguments from those who don’t like biotech crops and this is just another one on that list. Luckily, there is more than enough evidence to show that biotech crops are indeed safe and beneficial, including over 600 peer-reviewed studies, around one-third of which are independently funded. The best advice we can give to consumers is to do their own research, but always with a close eye on the credentials and reputability of the sources!

For more information on OSF or Arctic apples, please visit www.arcticapples.com

Neal Carter is the CEO and founder of OSF. Thank you for your time Neal. I am, well, me; a curious fellow trying to make sense of the world (and I just released the 2nd edition of Random Rationality: A Rational Guide to an Irrational World for Kindle). It’s working out so far, and quite fun too.

So, would you eat an Arctic Apple?

Fourat Janabi is a writer, entrepreneur, photographer, explorer, and idiot. So, he likes to think he's important. He has worked in Baghdad while a war was raging, in Bahrain while the Arab Spring was in full sw?ing, and in Saudi Arabia where women don't exist. He wrote a book called Random Rationality, which you can buy for Kindle. You can follow his thoughts on his blog of the same name. Originally published on April 3, 2013 in at www.randomrationality.com. Reprinted with permission from the author.

Things I learned on the Ward Farm

Fri, 03 May 2013 20:01:00 GMT

Most farms in Illinois are family owned, only six percent are Corporately owned.
The Ward's farm is family grain and pork farm.
Prior to receiving a new litter of piglets at six weeks of age, the Wards pressure wash with hot water to clean the pig pens for the new arriving piglets to prevent diseases.
All boy pigs are castrated and all the piglets get their
tails cut off.
They are held in nursery until four months of age.
Every farm has a personal Veterinarian because all pigs need to be vaccinated just like humans.
Farmland has standard which regulates the Trucker Quality Assurances how many pigs on a truck.
Older pigs are used to produce Sausage.
I was surprised to learn that Sow could have 6 to 7 different litters of piglets and pigs can't sweat.

The purpose of raising pigs indoors is the Wards are able to control the environment for the comfort of the pigs, using natural resources, monitoring health and nutrition of the pigs.

Helen Kolodynski, Chicago

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, But Will GMOs Really Hurt Me?

Thu, 02 May 2013 21:56:00 GMT

I consider myself a relatively reasonable human being. I am modeling this behavior after my mom and grandma, who have strong morals and convictions, but tend to question and be skeptical, in an educated, calm manner.

Thus, my thoughts on the GMO (genetically modified organism) debate tend to err on the side of science, but I try to do a little research while I'm at it.

There's a craze going on. A food craze. An "eat nuts and berries and twigs" and "processed foods are the devil" craze, and while I agree, I would rather my kids eat fruit than fruit snacks, does that make corn bred to withstand drought that we planted evil? Does that genetic modification make us as farmers evil?

Answer from a majority of the crowd: No.

However, how does this corn that we inevitably harvest for fuel and food products and not to be confused with sweet corn that you can pick and eat, fit into the GMO debate?

Well, good question. Because to me, it's a simple answer: It shouldn't, because scientists have done their research.

I am not a scientist, but my understanding of GMOs is that it's just breeding. It's crossing these traits with those. It's making the outcome of the crop fit the need of our growing population. It's like Joe buying a "good bull" to breed with a "good cow." It's just genetics. There's no evil.

Scientists are in the lab, researching, and they're not evil scientists. They are just regular dudes who are wearing white coats and looking at CELLS. They're not figuring out a way to make the American public fatter. They have extensively studied this particular crop and have found a way for farmers like us to continue to survive during the driest of years and now the wettest of springs, and still harvest a corn crop so you folks can fuel up your SUVs with gas to get to Trader Joe's to purchase organic, non-GMO (supposedly) food and then make a stand on not eating conventionally grown food (sorry for the sarcasm, I'm grouchy today).

There's plenty of information out there that is both pro and con GMO. However, writers and skeptics like Fourat Janabi who have written books with anti-GMO sentiments, have back pedaled. Janabi has since written a second edition to his book, Random Rationality, realizing there's not much footing on the GMO debate. Thanks to conversations with scientists like Kevin Folta (read the conversation here if you're interested in the science behind GMOs, plus it's an entertaining piece), Janabi has written pieces of information so that people like me can see the GMO debate a little more clearly.

GMOs are not making us sick or fat. CHOICES are making us sick and fat. Regardless of whether you eat organic or conventional, there is no debate when you're eating too much of the wrong stuff. However, with all this GMO debate, and all the press it's getting, scaring the pants off of many Americans, it's filtering down to farmers like us, and that stinks, because we're just trying to keep up with the needs of a bigger and bigger population. GMOs are helpful in this respect, and if you don't believe it, try growing your organic garden without water this summer, and see how it turns out.

So before you post another shared "eat this not that" article on Facebook, check your sources, and think of my face, my husband's face, and know that we're not in cohoots with some big agricultural company, or trying to give you cancer or get you fatter or whatever. We're just trying to make a living in this crazy occupation that doesn't get a regular pay check, is dependent upon the weather, and has the responsibility to fuel and feed a growing global need.

Lucky us.

Emily Webel raises corn, cattle and four kids along with her husband, Joe, in Northwest Illinois.

This article originally appeared in the blog, Confessions of a Farm Wife, and is reprinted with permission from the author.

Modern Farm Equipment: Our Tractor's Touch Screen

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:59:00 GMT

A WatchUsGrow.org reader recently asked us to define "modern farm equipment," so we put the challenge to our bloggers to share what's new on their farms. This is the fourth part of that series.

This is our John Deere 2630 Display. It’s a touch screen computer that holds maps and information about every field we farm. The screen is moved and used in all of our equipment – the tractor that pulls our tillage equipment, the sprayer, the fertilizer buggy, and the tractors that pull the planters and the combine. In each instance, the computer pulls up a homepage that shows a map of the fields, its boundaries and the location of any waterways and fence rows.

On this day, Andy was making the first pass over the fields in the sprayer. The large box at the top shows the field map. The acres already covered are blue. The white line is the tracking line. We use auto-steer technology in all of our equipment, which means that with the push of a button the tractor, sprayer or combine – with GPS – will drive itself through the field. Notice the little green box right at the top that reads “2 in.” This indicates that the sprayer is just two inches off its target track.

To the right of the field map is basic field data. Below that are more numbers and symbols. Andy watches the green bar labeled 3D RTK. The bar shows the strength of the RTK signal. RTK stands for real-time kinetic. It uses satellites and a base station, which acts like a cell phone tower, to guide the equipment through fields with “sub-inch accuracy repeatability”. Fancy terminology that means when Andy comes back to this field to cultivate, plant, fertilize and harvest, the equipment will follow the same paths within centimeters. The same path can be repeated next year and the year after and the year after.

The large bottom box tells Andy about the sprayer’s performance. The blue box surrounded in yellow shows how much product is left in the tank. Below that are the boom indicators. The boom is 100 feet wide and is divided into nine sections. The blue arrows show that each section of the boom is on.

As the sprayer moves through the field, the computer is reading the map. If the sprayer crossed into an area already covered, the computer would shut off those sections of the boom. When the sprayer encounters a waterway or fence row, the computer will turn boom sections on or off according to their location in the field and proximity to the area.

This technology is all about efficiency and better management of inputs. We are reducing the amount of pesticides and fertilizers we add because we can be so precise with their application.

Katie Pratt, Dixon

Modern Farm Equipment: Wireless Rain Gauge

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

A WatchUsGrow.org reader recently asked us to define "modern farm equipment," so we put the challenge to our bloggers to share what's new on their farms. This is the third part of that series.

A new gadget we just love is our wireless rain gauge! As you probably all know, rain is very important to farmers. Too much or too little rain during the planting, growing and harvesting seasons is a constant concern on the farm. In the spring, we hope for just enough rain to provide moist, but not wet, topsoil for the planted seeds. Tracking the rainfall and observing weather patterns and forecasts are part of our daily "chores".

This wireless rain gauge helps to make that chore easier. The gauge has a large, 6-inch collector component that we mounted on the post. The collector is self-emptying for better accuracy. Our old gauge had to be emptied by hand. The monitor sits on my kitchen windowsill. It features a 24-hour rainfall display and an accumulative display--up to 99 inches! The wireless rain gauge is one of the more simple technologies we have on the farm but it is one of the most useful!

Donna Jeschke, Mazon

Q&A-The Lowdown on GMOs with a Family Farmer

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:46:00 GMT

Fourat Janabi

In reading about GMOs in the last several years, I also read lots of reports about how farmers are disadvantaged, slaves to Monsanto, and for the most part, I blindly accepted them. But I had never heard from a farmer before. It was time to change that. It occurred to me recently that we live in the (mostly) free-market. The Big Ag BioTech companies can’t force people to buy their products, they have to convince them; with results, with cost-savings, or whatever else that a farmer needs that I know nothing about. The 95% of GM acreage in America isn’t a Monsanto empire, the farms bought into it not because they were forced to, but because they saw a benefit in it, and they keep buying the seeds not because they are obligated to, but because they still see benefits. On my last post when I interviewed a molecular biologist, Brian Scott, a fourth generation family farmer, was kind enough to let me ask questions about how he farms and why he uses biotech seeds, and what specifically was his relationship to Monsanto from whom he buys some of his seed types. I wanted to know what really happens between a farmer and the evil company everybody talks about, and not hear about it from activists who’ve probably never set foot on a farm. While this is only one story from one farmer, it is enlightening. Also, do check out his blog, The Farmers Life, where he blogs about running his farm.

Fourat (Me) - Why do you use GMOs?

Brian - I like to call GMO a tool in my toolbox. Biotech isn’t a silver bullet for every problem, but it’s still a powerful tool. We use traits like Bt and Roundup Ready (RR) on many of our acres, but not all of them. All our soybeans are generally RR, while only some of our corn carries that trait. Popcorn and wheat, our other crops, are not available in GMO varieties. Some of our corn acres are dedicated to waxy corn production, and we generally don’t buy them as RR. Built in insect resistance in Bt corn along with seed treatments mean it’s a very rare event that we have to treat a crop in season for pests. That means we prevent soil compaction by keeping another piece of equipment out of the field. It also means a sprayer doesn’t need to filled with water, fuel, and pesticide which is good for the earth and the wallet.

Me - What incentives are there for using GMOs?

Brian - There can be incentives such as buying traited crops and certain chemistry (herbicide, etc) as a bundle to receive price discounts. Some crop insurance plans also offer a biotechnology discount. I think that says a lot about the effectiveness of GMO. If an insurance company is willing to give you a discount, they must believe those crops lead to less crop insurance claims.

Me - As many activists allege, are you a slave to Monsanto once you sign their contract?

Brian - I’m certainly not beholden to any seed company. I can plant what I want and manage it how I see fit. Do I sign an agreement that stipulates certain things when I buy patented seeds? Yes. Do patents only apply to biotechnology? No. These agreements are not nearly as binding as people would lead you to believe. The most viewed post I’ve put online is an outline of my 2011 Monsanto Technology Use Agreement. In the post I break down the line items in my own words, but I also provide the reader with a scanned copy of the agreement pulled straight from my filing cabinet. This allows anyone to read the agreement for themselves. In short, if I buy seed from Monsanto, Pioneer, etc nothing binds me into buying seed from them the following season. Nothing says I have to use their brand of herbicides or insecticides. Believe what you will about farmers being slaves to seed companies, but you’ve got to talk to a farmer before your mind is set in stone. My post can be found here. (Fourat: Definitely a worthwhile read.)

Me - Do you think you should be able to reuse the seeds you purchase from Monsanto? If not, why not?

Brian - That’s a tough question. For my purposes, if I wanted to save seed it would be soybean seed. All of our corn is hybrid corn. Hybrids don’t necessarily produce seed identical to the parent plant. Therefore, planting that seed the next season would give you an unknown result. Soybeans self-pollinate so they remain true to themselves genetically. If I saved seed I would need to take a little extra care and expense to clean and possibly apply seed treatments to protect young seedlings. Right now my view is that of a division of labor. Farmers are great at producing high quality and high quantities of crops. The seed companies have the know how and resources to breed great plants. I think that’s a great combination for success. I’m not saying farmers couldn’t develop their own seed. Successful farmers are some of the smartest people I know, and can do anything if they choose to. [Fourat: I'd never thought about it this way. Farmers can save time and money by not having to clean and protect the next crops seeds. Funny how simple things evade the mind to those of us not actually involved in the industry.]

I also believe since it takes several years and millions if not billions of dollars to bring an innovative new variety to market, that any breeder large or small should be entitled to benefit financially from said variety for some period of time via a patent system.

Me - What is the most glaring factual error, if any, made by activists when discussing GMO seeds?

Brian - I often ask people what they think about crops that produce their own chemical defenses naturally, and I find a good number of people aren’t aware that some crops do this. For example cereal rye has an ability to suppress weeds. This quality is called allelopathy. Many plants are naturally resistant to herbicides. Think about your lawn. Spraying 2,4D on your grass to kill dandelions and other weeds won’t harm your lawn. Grasses, which include corn and wheat, have a natural tolerance to that chemistry. Biotech may be allowing plants to do new things, but we are really just mimicking something nature has already shown us is possible.

I see many people say that seeds are soaked in glyphosate which is the active ingredient in Roundup. I’m not really sure where that idea comes from, but seeds are not somehow filled with herbicide. I think it’s possible people are confusing herbicides and insecticides thinking Bt and Roundup are the same thing. Bt traits protect crops like corn and cotton from pests like European corn borer.

Another fallacy is that GMO crops failed in the drought of 2012. As if somehow during the worst drought since 1988 or maybe even the Dust Bowl era nature was supposed to give us a normal yield because our crops are able to protect themselves from pests and be resistant to certain herbicides. Drought tolerant varieties of corn were not widely available to growers in 2012. I’ve grown Pioneer’s version of drought tolerant corn in a test plot. It beat everything else in the plot hands down. Wide availability of drought tolerant corn varieties will spread in the next year or two. Drought tolerance and water use efficiency could be game changers for water use in the highly irrigated areas of the Great Plains. It should also be noted that all the corn being marketed as drought tolerant was brought to fruition by conventional breeding techniques except for Monsanto’s. Theirs will be the one genetically modified version. Farmers make plans on how to plant and manage their crops several months before actual fieldwork begins. In the end we all understand that weather will be the ultimate factor in determining the success of those plans. In agriculture there are countless variables in play when managing a crop, and the one thing you have no control over is the weather. It can rain too much or not enough. Temperatures may be great for crop growth, or they may be too hot or too cold. Farmers must do all they can to realize the potential of a seed, but nature will always dictate a large portion of yield. [END]

So, do you still think Monsanto is an evil empire out for world domination? Why don’t we just leave it at a company like any other, trying to make money. Some people call this greedy, but the rest of us also spend most of our lives making money. So if you dislike (or hate) Monsanto, then maybe it’s time to encourage other bio-tech innovations to make seeds better, cheaper, or both, to offer to Brian and other farmers like him a better deal. (As Dr. Kevin Folta told me in my interview with a scientist, there are many seeds paid for with tax dollars sitting on shelves around the country that are better in several respects than what Monsanto has provided us. As long as they are shielded from competing against these seeds, farmers do have limited choices. You can read my interview with him here.) Competition and a dynamic marketplace is what gives consumers the most choice and power, and now, Monsanto pretty much stands alone having cornered a majority of the market. Much of their practices are rooted in this power and laws (not in the science and seeds), so let’s go about encouraging innovation and competition.

And if you are against the consumption of GMO foods, there is no need for it. There is already a label that tells you the exact same thing, ‘Certified Organic’ is another way to say “GMO free”. GMO food is in 80% of your supermarket, so it’s a safe bet that anything you see in the supermarket has a GM ingredient in it. There is no need to create ever more regulatory hoops to label GMO food, when the opposite label means the same thing. As for me, though I live for the moment in Europe where I can’t get GMO food, even if I wanted to, I’ll not shy away from it in my travels, it is my opinion that they are the future of food. (Note: I am not saying I think organic production is going away, or that everyone should eat GMO food because I said so; as long as there is a market, there will be self-interested people looking to make money by providing that product.)

Biotech seeds have been the fastest adopted agricultural technology in history. Pandora’s box has been opened, there is no closing it, only managing it, so let us manage it better, and that will only occur if farmers are convinced. So if you have issues, have them not with the science or technology, but the handful of controlling companies who are only responding to the incentives the market has provided them. Competition is needed, not an outright ban, which is probably impossible anyway. But, it is heartening to me, that family farmers are not disadvantaged by using what is available now. (I know that Monsanto has disadvantaged other family farmers, or just farmers, but this is not a bias against GM seeds, it is against the company, and it doesn’t mean they are out to screw everybody else as well. They act in their own interest as does any other company.) And as for the subject of chemicals that always comes up, let us put them in the proper context:

“Every compound you can name, no matter how scary, has a safe level; and every compound, no matter how natural, has a toxic level.” ~ Brian Dunning (Author)

Thanks Brian, for making food for the rest of us. We, or at the very least I, are grateful, and I trust that you know what you’re doing.

Fourat Janabi is a writer, entrepreneur, photographer, explorer, and idiot. So, he likes to think he's important. He has worked in Baghdad while a war was raging, in Bahrain while the Arab Spring was in full swing, and in Saudi Arabia where women don't exist. He wrote a book called Random Rationality, which you can buy for Kindle. You can follow his thoughts on his blog of the same name.

Originally published on March 22, 2013 in at www.randomrationality.com. Reprinted with permission from the author.

Record flooding, delayed planting

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:33:00 GMT

You know you’ve had too much rain when your rain gauge can’t measure it.

I cannot remember ever getting this much rain at once. I guesstimated we received a solid 6 inches in less than 24 hours last week. I remember the Flood of ’93, when I wondered if the sun would ever shine again. Yet the river that borders our family’s home farm crested at or near a record high this week. The river in a short time spilled into all the unbelievable places it flooded 20 years ago and more.

In the past week, the stories flowed as much as the excess water. Local schools cancelled. Sump pumps sold out in the nearest city. For a short time, our small town’s railroad viaduct likened a swimming pool. Culverts roared like freight trains.

Meanwhile, our cold, wet fields got colder and wetter. And now some fields need repair before planting. For many of the region’s farmers, the torrential rain cut soils and moved corn and soybean residue into piles.

The rain gauge and below-normal temperatures are getting a lot more attention than we’d like these days. That’s because “these days” we’re supposed to be planting corn and soon soybeans. As frustrating and mood-dampening as it is, we can’t control the weather. If I could, the highest temperature would be 85 degrees during corn pollination and it would snow on Christmas Day (big flakes, light accumulation).

We’re just anxious, prepped like sprinters in the starting block. And it’s taking a long time for the starting gun to fire. We enter the week of what university experts usually consider prime corn planting time, roughly April 20 to 25 in our area. And we cannot get in the field. We still have time to plant crops into May, and they can be good crops. We keep an eye on the forecast and will feel better when we get through planting season and enter growing season – when timely, gentle rains are always welcome!

In the meantime, we fished in the farm pond on a couple warmer days and completed rainy day jobs. The guys repaired a barn roof. They added windows and doors to a potting shed (rather a remodeled old hog house). Here we care for more than 50 chicks. Most are broilers, intended for meat production and will be shared with family and friends. About a half dozen more will start to lay eggs late this summer.

The chicks certainly have been a better sign of spring than the weather.

Joanie Stiers
Williamsfield, IL

Modern Farm Equipment: Hog Nursery Controller

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

A WatchUsGrow.org reader recently asked us to define "modern farm equipment," so we put the challenge to our bloggers to share what's new on their farms. This is the second part of that series.

This is the controller in our hog nursery. We have 2400 little pigs in there from the time they are 3 weeks old until they reach around 60 pounds. This panel regulates the air temperature, which is very important to pigs since they do not have sweat glands to regulate their own body temperatures. The controller also turns fans on and off to regulate the interior temperature for optimum pig comfort.

The controller also runs the feeder system. Gone are the days of slopping the pigs with kitchen scraps. Today’s pigs are fed several different, carefully-balanced diets as they grow. The ingredients are ground, blended and then distributed through pipes to feeding stations in each pen to make sure the pigs get the nutrients they need.

It also has an alarm that alerts us by phone if the power has failed, the temperature gets too hot or too cold or noise levels get too high (an indication that something is upsetting the animals). This doesn’t replace people checking on the pigs and the equipment. We still walk through the barns every day, but the alarm gives us extra peace of mind knowing that if something goes wrong when we’re not there, we’ll know about it right away. Hopefully, that means we can keep our pigs healthy, comfortable and well-fed.

Jen Sturtevant
Lanark, Illinois