This week’s Checkoff Chat, the Missouri Beef Industry Council podcast, is all about #thankafarmer. Cindy talked with Whitney Wallace about the importance of thanking farmers for food, fuel and fiber.
You can hear about ways that the MBIC has helped consumers better understand where their food is coming from and who produces it for them: MBIC Checkoff Chat
On this #thankafarmer and #foodthanks day how about giving farmers a high five? Voting is now open in the 2010 Alpharma Reach Teach Learn Student Video Contest.
Their are five videos entered in the contest and I just voted. Voting is being done via Facebook and it’s hard to decide but someone has to win!
We’re going to be doing a little bit of #thankafarmer while giving #foodthanks today.
Let’s start with the National Corn Growers Association. They are thanking family farmers for providing “food aplenty.” The focus is on protein which is created by chickens, turkeys, cows and pigs who eat the corn produced throughout the country. You can learn more about it on their “What does protein do?” page.
Who wants to grow food in a box? Maybe not a lot of you yet but you just might after reading this story.
David Epstein, D.O. a holistic osteopathic physician and Kenneth Lovell, P.E., a professional engineer have developed Bioponica, a food production system that turns food, yard and body waste into feed and then from feed to food. The system works by converting waste, that is more often than not sent to a landfill, into worm castings and worm teas that are used to fertilize soil-less hydroponic plant beds. Waste products used include grass clippings, table scraps, and other sources of carbon and nitrogen rich waste.
“It is unfortunate that we have relied on our municipalities to dispose of waste, whether that be urine, food or yard trimmings, “ said Epstein. “It is not practical or sustainable. When nutrients that come from the environment or from the food we eat are buried in landfills or else incinerated then we lose that valuable resource and it becomes a greenhouse gas that negatively impacts our climate and environment. The alternative is to recycle nutrients with the least amount of effort and cost.”
According to a company release, the system also hosts the growth of algae and duckweed, along with the microbes and aquatic animals that feed on the algae. All this, plus earthworms, become food for the fish. Yes, you read correctly. Bioponica is designed to use waste to feed fish in large-scale fish farms similar to the Farm in a Box aquaponic system.
So on top of the fish farm is a table, or garden, that is designed to grow micro-greens and wheatgrass along with your variety of edible and medicinal plants. In other words, you can grow your own salad. The fertilizer for your greens comes from the fish below, which convert the waste into plant feed.Read More
During the NAFB Trade Talk session I spoke with Matt Farr (not pictured), Wild Blue, about the company’s development. We’ve all been hearing about Wild Blue for years and according to Matt things have developed nicely. Here’s a short history:
WildBlue launched its service aboard the U.S. capacity of Telesat’s Anik F2 satellite launched in July 2004. WildBlue-1, WildBlue’s second satellite, was built by Space Systems / Loral and went into service in early 2007. In August 2009, WildBlue activated service on a third satellite, AMC-15. In late 2010, ViaSat-1 is scheduled to launch, and will deliver next generation broadband services to customers in North America.
Matt says they have almost a half million customers now, virtually all in rural areas. Next year they will be launching a new satellite which will deliver even faster service than current. Sounds like new choices coming to areas with no other options!
Listen to my interview with here Matt: Interview with Matt Farr
Pope Benedict calls agriculture an “indispensable resource for the future” that is not given enough importance today.
During an address on November 14, the Pope reflected on the importance of agricultural work in light of the global economic situation. “In this context a strategic re-launching of agriculture appears decisive. In fact, the process of industrialization has often overshadowed the agricultural sector, which, while also drawing benefit from modern technologies, has nevertheless lost importance, with notable consequences, even at the cultural level. I believe that this is the moment for the reevaluation of agriculture, not in a nostalgic sense, but as an indispensable resource for the future.”
The Pope called for “a truly unified way to a new balance between agriculture, industry and services, so that development be sustainable, and no one go without bread and work, and so that air and water and the other primary resources be preserved as universal goods.”
Something to think about this week as we “give our thanks to God for the fruits of the earth and the work of man.” Amen!
We are so blessed in this country to not only have so many choices of food but to actually have food to eat. Speaking of choices, you might want to check out the Food Channel’s American Gulf Coast Thanksgiving. It’s a tribute to the “resilient spirits of America’s Gulf Coast residents with a fabulous Thanksgiving feast full of sumptuous seafood, Creole accents and plenty of Southern tradition.” Sounds good I guarantee!
In celebration of the inspirational efforts made by people rebuilding along the coast in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas after the devastating oil spill that followed several natural disasters, The Food Channel has prepared an entire Gulf Coast-style Thanksgiving menu, in tribute to the flavors and traditions that make that region of America distinctive. The Thanksgiving recipe collection is part of a series of articles on foodchannel.com chronicling the comeback of America’s Gulf Coast residents.
Get the dish on recipes for everything from Southern-favorite starters, such as the French 75 champagne cocktail and Creole-spiced toasted pecans, to decadent desserts, including pumpkin cheesecakes with bourbon sauce and pear and cranberry tarts . Also, learn how to prepare New Orleans Oyster Dressing to blend perfectly with a Creole-Butter Roasted Turkey. Guests will delight in creative, taste-tempting sides served with Southern charm. Try the Crab-Stuffed Artichokes and Corn Maque Choux for truly fantastic additions to your Turkey Day plate.
This week is the time to give thanks to America’s farmers and ranchers for producing the most affordable and abundant food supply in the world. If you’d like to help do that using your social media channels then please visit #foodthanks.
In this week’s program I’m featuring a couple of interviews from Trade Talk at the NAFB convention. Here’s your chance to hear what the issue priorities are for two of the major farm groups, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and National Corn Growers Association. I interviewed NCBA Chief Economist, Gregg Doud and a NCGA 1st Vice President Garry Niemeyer. Please enjoy this week’s program and learn about the important issues facing cattle and corn farmers: ZimmCast 282 - Interviews with NCGA and NCBA
This week’s program ends with some fun music from Music Alley since it’s Thanksgiving week. It’s called “I Heart Thanksgiving” by Robert Lund.
Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, Novus International, and Leica Geosytems for their support.
The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our a Subscribe page
Nearly 29,000 comments have been received so far on the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule and today is the deadline for those who will be affected by the rule to make comments.
As it says on the Regulations.gov page to submit comments, this is “Your Voice in Federal Decision Making.” Since this is a regulatory action, it is not being voted on by Congress, so submitting comments is the only way to let regulators know the opinion of those who will be impacted by the rule. It’s also important that it really be YOUR voice, not a form letter. As Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently said about the comments on GIPSA, “There’s a difference between 16,000 unique comments and 16,000 comments of which a substantial number of them are basically form letters.”
It really couldn’t be easier to do. Just click here and type in your contact info and comments and it goes right to the Federal Register. You are able to view the comments that others have made on the rule and your comments will also be available for others to see.
What happens after today? The agency has a period of time to evaluate the comments received and then decide whether the proposal will be withdrawn, amended or implemented as is. We’ll keep you posted.
