When it comes to spreading the word about beef cattle production, have you ever felt like you’re preaching to the choir? While there are still misconceptions about cattle production here in the middle of Kansas, I sometimes wish I had a more direct way of communicating with consumers who’ve never set foot on a fairgrounds (let alone a farm), or wandered into a 4-H petting zoo.

In just the past few years agriculturalists have gotten wise to the benefits of social media. This has become the direct route from you, the producer, to the eyes and ears of American consumers who are often far from the farm but controlling the fork. One such media tool is the blog. The word blog comes from “web log,” an online document that can be updated and contributed to over time.

It’s been said that a new blog is created somewhere in the world every half second.  Do you have one?

I began blogging last winter following the completion of my MBA (Master’s of Beef Advocacy). While I’ve been on a bit of a summer blogging hiatus, I enjoy documenting life on the ranch and sharing these experiences with friends both in and out of the industry. But it takes time. Having a blog has been more time intensive than I anticipated. So what’s an agvocate to do?

Consider posting to the Young Producer’s Council Blog. By strengthening our community blog we can connect with others in the industry as well as consumers. Do you have an issue that’s unique to your area or perhaps you’d want to share a day in the life of your ranch. Contact Cattle Call Blog Editor, Katy Groseta, to contribute to the Cattle Call Blog today.

Already blogging on your own? There are so many fascinating agricultural blogs out there. Just see the column to the right of your page for proof.  Do you see one that’s missing? We’re currently working to gather information on YPC member blogs. Please send us your blog address or the address of a friend or favorite you’d like to share.

Finally, for you pros out there, we’ve recently begun a blogging sub-committee. Could you help us? One project that we’re currently working on is a “How to Blog Guide.” We’re also working on developing a network of YPC blogs and bloggers.

Please contact me if you are interested in serving or have a blog to add to our list.

Thanks!
Sharon Breiner, Co-Chair Blog Sub-Committee
sharonbreiner@yahoo.com

By:  Travis W. Hoffman
NCBA Young Producer’s Council Live Cattle Marketing Committee Chair

Innovation, differentiation, marketing, and a focus on quality beef have allowed progressive producers to manage market risk, provide beef for consumer demands and improve operation profitability.  These are fundamental components to entrepreneurship and building on free market choices, specifically for America’s young ranching families.  However, we must realize the potential impact of the United States Department of Agriculture – Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (USDA-GIPSA) and their recent proposed rule on future marketing of our cattle.  Our voice is needed, as this is not a small vs. big producer issue.  This is a good producer issue and the pro-active person who believes in market differentiation has the most to lose with this proposed rule. 

This topic is always contentious, but was most recently defeated by U.S. Congressmen in discussions regarding the 2008 Farm Bill.  Congress provided a directive to USDA-GIPSA to clarify specific regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act.  According to the USDA website, the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration facilitates the marketing of livestock, poultry, meat, cereals, oilseeds, and related agricultural products, and promotes fair and competitive trading practices for the overall benefit of consumers and American agriculture.  However, according to Allie Devine, Vice President and General Counsel for the Kansas Livestock Association, USDA has gone above and beyond what was asked and directed by the U.S. Congress mandate of the Farm Bill and has decided to expand the jurisdiction of the agency to encourage future litigation on the basis of unfair and undue preference of livestock.  Consequently, this will most likely change the way we market cattle in the United States.

Allie Devine spoke at a Colorado Livestock Association meeting by leading off with, “I see very little good with this proposed rule for the cattle industry.”  Alternative marketing agreements and the ability to market improved genetics have incentivized decades and lifetimes of progress among American cattlemen.  Consumers deserve beef choices in the retail and foodservice marketplace. More...

Note: Jeremy Fair (also known as @TennCattleGuy on Twitter) just finished a summer internship with the Animal Agriculture Alliance. In this post, he shares why it is vital that young people get involved in production agriculture. He also blogs at The Farmer’s Perspective.

Growing up, I remember riding in the passenger seat of my grandfather’s truck as we drove across our farm, checking on the cattle. During our drives, our conversations might vary from talk of an upcoming cattle show to the little league baseball game that I had that night, but one thing I remember distinctly was my grandfather talking about how someday the farm would be passed on to me. I wanted to be a farmer from an early age. Now that I am entering my final year of college, I still have that passion for production agriculture and desire to be a farmer, but I know that it isn’t realistic. There is just no way that I can support and raise a family solely off the income of our very small farm, which is why I am pursing off-farm employment in addition to returning to the family operation.

I believe that there are a lot of young people that are in the same position as me- they want to go back to the farm, but they just don’t see how. Admittedly, this blog post is a bit of a strange one because I want to pose a question that I really don’t have an answer to, but I hope it generates some good discussion.

1.  I believe that we must make production agriculture attractive. The image of a middle aged man in a seed corn hat standing beside a pickup in a Midwest corn field doesn’t exactly create the same stirring feelings as a fireman rescuing a woman from a burning building or a doctor performing a lifesaving transplant surgery. So by some means we as agriculturists have to make production agriculture an attractive, viable occupation for young people to consider.

2.  We must discover a way to improve the profitability of the farmer. I think it is important for us to remember and educate our fellow producers on all the opportunities that exist in agriculture.  Young producers should be encouraged to take advantage of niche markets such as direct to consumer sells or agritourism options that can increase their profitability. These could also include grass fed or all natural beef. As conventional producers we should never “bash” another sector of our industry or what other producers are doing to try to improve their profitability, and vice versa. Agriculture is a big industry and there is room for all of us.

3.  Farm Succession. Wow, those are probably the most feared two words across the heartland of this country. The world that we live in today is very different from when our parents joined the family operation 30 or 40 years ago. Today, it is vital that we plan for the passing on of our family farms. Over 97 percent of the farms in the US today are family owned. Many state extension services offer farm succession workshops and planning sessions and I would encourage having the ENTIRE family attend these within your state. You might also consider employing the help of a farm succession expert. A few weeks ago I attend the New Century Farmer Conference in Iowa. One of our presenters was Dr. Ron Hansen from the University of Nebraska. Dr. Hansen is an expert in farm succession and works with families planning the transition of the family farm. He emphasized that if you are involved in a family farming operation planning for the transition of that farm to new generations is a must.

 4. What about those young producers that are already out there? Don’t make the mistake thinking that you can just farm and that will be enough, because it isn’t anymore. Today young producers must network with other farmers, whether it’s through programs such as Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers, commodity organizations, or local producer groups. It is also important to cultivate a relationship with your legislators and elected officials so that they understand how the issues they vote on will impact agriculture. Young farmers must also tell their story. You have to educate the consumer about agriculture.

In a day and age, where only 2 percent of the population feeds 98 percent and when most of the farmers in our country are within 10 to 15 years of retiring, it is extremely vital that we encourage younger generations to look to production agriculture as a career option.

I’m sure there are countless other farm kids who have the same dreams as me- to be part of an honest noble profession, to raise a family with the same morals and values that they enjoyed growing up, to be a farmer, but many just don’t see how. As agriculturists, it is our opportunity and obligation to show these young people that there are opportunities for them in agriculture, that they can live their agrarian dreams, that with planning and hard work they can be a farmer.

YPC has launched a Twitter account (@YPCBeef) so please start following, and spread the word! We are still looking for additional members for the Twitter subcommittee, and would like some more input on creating the How-To-Tweet-For Beef guide. Please let Jena Swanson, Twitter Sub-Committee Chair, know if you have interest in being on the subcommittee. If you have a Twitter account, and have not been added to our recommended followers, please send Jena your username by emailing her at jswanson@crinet.com.

YPC has started a list of recommended YPC members to follow on Twitter.  Please start using the #YPCBeef hash tag in your tweets to spread YPC news.  We are still looking for additional YPC members to add to the recommended list. If you are interested, please email your twitter username to jswanson@crinet.com.

Recommended users:
@annaaja, @travarp, @BrettBarham, @OptimisticRanch, @jrb5218, @cgoodcomm, @NateJaeger, @rkpeter708, @briennewitt, @USAgrules, @AndyVance, @ABNRadio, @TractorCruise, @Shorthorn Today, @lancezimm, @vandaljackieo22, @RinckerLaw, @CariRincker, @NYAgriwomen, @SouthlexCattle, @clateam, @CrystalDMathews, @allenlivingston

Editor's Note: The following blog was written by Jena Swanson, Chair of YPC's Twitter Subcommittee. 

The YPC Twitter Subcommittee is working on creating a master list of YPC members with Twitter accounts. We are also working on creating a How-To-Tweet-For-Beef guide, with hopes to have it completed by fall. We plan on setting up a YPC twitter account (@YPCBeef), and would like to start a "List" of YPC members and will add these people as recommended followers in the Twitter Guide.

If you have a Twitter account, please send me an email (jswanson@crinet.com) with your username, and I will add it to the master list. Also, if you have interest in being on the Twitter Subcommittee please let me know. Help us spread the message!