The Culver’s restaurant chain isn’t that well known in all parts of Ohio yet, but the one down the road from my neighborhood sure does get a lot of business. We are patrons of the “butter burger” joint about once a week, as we visit when we haul our kids to dance or gymnastics classes and we love to eat there.

This is by no means a paid endorsement. I mean, if I happen to get some free cheese curds or a scoop of custard, so be it, but the reason I wanted to share this restaurant with you goes far beyond their delicious food.

As my kids were eating their Scoopie Meal (Scoopie is the restaurant mascot), they began asking me some of the questions that were on the side of the kid’s meal bag. These included how many hours in a day a cow spends chewing (8 by the way) or how many pounds a bushel of corn weighs (56) and that caught my attention, so I asked to take a look at one of their bags.

What I went on to read made my day. The main picture on the front, as you’ll see, was Scoopie holding a pitchfork and holding a sign that says “Thank you farmers” and the message: “Hey kids, farming is where every meal gets its start.”

I was so impressed that the Culver’s organization took the time to dedicate the entire kid’s meal packaging to telling kids that their milk, cheese and custard was produced from real Wisconsin dairies, their fries came from Washington, pickles from the Great Lakes region and chicken from Georgia. Bottom line? The meal didn’t come from the kitchen. What a great way to teach kids a valuable lesson that is worth way more than an awful toy based on the latest awful movie.

Culver’s is reaching the adults with this message as well as their latest ad campaign is taking customers, via videos, to the farms that produce the foods they prepare.

As a parent, I would recommend a trip to a Culver’s near you because everything from the cheese curds to the butter burgers to the custard is very tasty. As a member of Ohio’s Ag community I would recommend a trip just to return the support.

Culver’s 100% Midwest Raised Commercial

Culver’s Dairy Farm Fresh Commercial

Consumers are asking more and more where exactly their food comes from. Using “the customer is always right” mantra, American agriculture is doing something proactive in regards to giving the consumers what they want. What that means to the future of meat production and consumption is yet to be seen.

I have no opinion one way or the other as far as The Glass Walls Project is concerned. What I have done is thought about what consequences may come from the effort. This project is being put together by The American Meat Institute. Its purpose is to quite literally put it all out there.

One of the biggest steps forward to showing the consumer where their food comes from is the creation of two videos hosted by Colorado State University’s Dr. Temple Grandin. Grandin is a trusted face and voice for animal welfare and her expertise truly adds to the content of the videos, which tour beef and pork slaughter plants.

These videos get down to the nitty gritty and viewer discretion is advised. Those of us in agriculture kind of know what’s going to happen at the end, but I don’t want to be a spoiler for those that don’t have a clue.

So let’s get to what may come from putting these videos out to the general public.

Will some that see these videos never eat meat again? Sure.

Will some be surprised that the demise of a food production animal is what actually puts meat on their plate? Unfortunately yes.

Will those who finally find out what happens at the end of the video come to appreciate the sacrifice of the animal and those that worked so hard to raise it to the point where it becomes an invaluable part of our daily diet? God I hope so.

I can’t help but try to picture how things where in the days where everyone knew where their steak or chicken leg originated because it was a product of their own farm. Food was appreciated more back then because it took work from every member of the family to produce it. The dinner prayer included thanking that animal for nourishment and blessings on the hands that prepared it.

Today, with millions of people who have never stepped foot on a farm, those times are long gone. Now, one farmer has to feed a table of well over 100 people at every meal and believe me I am all about them having the right to know where that dinner came from. My hope is that instead of zooming down the freeway to get back to the city as fast as they can after learning the realities of food production, they will take a slow drive down a gravel road to meet the family that makes every meal possible.

Farmers are realizing that an open conversation with the consumer about their farming practices will keep them in business for years to come and I’ve never met a farmer who didn’t like to visit for a spell to share their story.

To find out more about The Glass Walls Project, visit www.AnimalHandling.org.

View the videos.

One day after the appalling acts that transpired during the Boston Marathon, the answers as to who is behind them and the meaning behind them are being sought after feverishly. Although the answers will be found in the days and weeks to come, what is garnering more attention than anything is the resilience of Boston and the images of those running toward the horrific scene, instead of away from it. That heroism is the reason so many lives were saved. A combination of police, military, doctors on the scene and common marathon spectators came together when others needed them most.

One of the videos that has gone viral is that of the initial blast and an older runner who was literally knocked off of his feet just paces from the finish line.

His name is Bill Iffrig and his story is the epitome of what America and the people that live in this great country are all about.

Iffrig, a 78 year-old had almost completed his third marathon when shock waves from the explosion sent him to the ground. After a moment or two, he was helped to his feet and he continued on to conquer his goal of finishing the race.

Things like what happened in Boston happen because someone, for whatever reason, wants to disrupt our way of life and the freedoms that we enjoy every day. They want us to worry and cower, so that day after day we don’t live the life we wish to live. Needless to say, that isn’t going to happen.

What Iffrig did is what all Bostonians and all Americans need to continue to do. Live our lives. Events like this may shake us at first and knock us to the dirt. But as a Nation, we get right back up and finish the race.

God Bless America!

In the nature of our business of farm broadcasting, there are topics and issues that we cover that are huge, life changing issues that most people outside of the Ag industry will never once hear about. With so many other news items out there and countless news outlets trying so hard to grab someone’s attention, headlines that pertain to the farm get lost in the shuffle.

That hasn’t been the case recently as President Obama signed an appropriations bill that included what some are calling The Monsanto Protection Act. To be fair, this part of the bill is actually called the Farmers Assurance Provision and it will “create a careful balance allowing farmers to continue to plant and cultivate their crops subject to appropriate environmental safeguards, while USDA conducts any necessary further environmental reviews”, according to proponents.

This Act has actually been floating around Washington since June of last year and those opposed to GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, have been railing against it from the start.

Chicks on the Right

This latest outrage after Mr. Obama put pen to paper inspired a blog about GMOs from someone who has no stake in agriculture. Her pen name is Mockarena (Mock for short) on the popular site ChicksOnTheRight.com and she is the first to admit in her blog that she is not a farmer, nor a scientist and certainly not an expert on the topic of GMOs. But she was stirred to do some research. Her research stirred me to give her a call.

“My curiosity arose from that day in March where everyone was on Facebook was discussing gay marriage and changing their profile pictures to the red equal symbol,” said Mock. “In the midst of that we started getting a lot of posts on our Facebook wall that posted links to articles the President signing this bill and how gay marriage was nothing more than a distraction to the evil that was being done by the Monsanto Protection Act.”

That is when her research began. One of her points of reference was her father, who happens to be a geneticist.

Here are some excerpts from her blog:

I’m inclined to think that the reaction to GMOs today is a lot like the reaction to DDT in the 60s and 70s – and that a few decades from now, when there is a food supply shortage and regulations have strangled the farming industry to near-suffocating levels, people are going to wake up and realize, “Holy shiznit.  We really screwed up here.”

Quick background:  DDT was developed in the late 30′s as an insecticide, and in the early 40′s it was used extensively such that by the late 50′s, malaria was all but eliminated in the US and Europe. By the early 60′s, deaths from malaria in India had dropped from about 800,000 ANNUALLY to zero, thanks to DDT. 

In 1970, the National Academy of Sciences announced that “to only a few chemicals does man owe as great a debt as to DDT.  In little more than two decades DDT has prevented 500 million human deaths due to malaria that would have otherwise been inevitable.”

The organic food-buying public has convinced themselves that “organic” means “pesticide-free” when that’s actually not the case at all.

But again, food and farm science?  Not my area of expertise by a long shot.  You can find links and sources which will argue the case for and against GMOs, but there was one that a clever and competent reader sent to me that really stood out.

Mark Lynas is an environmentalist who helped start the anti-GMO movement in the 90′s.  And very recently, he has apologized for doing so.

Now, I don’t agree with Mark Lynas on everything, but he’s right when he says, “we are going to have to feed 9.5 billion hopefully much less poor people by 2050 on about the same land area as we use today, using limited fertilizer, water and pesticides and in the context of a rapidly-changing climate.”

And you know how we WON’T do that?  By adding more regulations, more restrictions, and more strangleholds on biotechnology.  Organic farms have nearly a 50% lower yield than conventional farms. We need a way of feeding an ever-increasing population, you guys.

As for the response that Mock has received after writing this blog, she says it has been mixed.

“We have had a lot of people that have been very angered by what I said and told me I was wrong,” said Mock. “Some said it is just not possible for something that is tampered with to be good for you.”

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Mock shared that most of the support stemming from her post came from farmers, consumers and even scientists.

“It is clearly a way more controversial issue that I ever realized,” said Mock.

Her biggest take away from her research on GMOs is that what is happening now is a huge overreaction. She does note that when it comes to GMO labeling, she thinks there are some aspects that require further discussion.

“To me it depends on the labeling,” said Mock. “If the purpose of labeling is to frighten people unnecessarily that defeats the purpose. There needs to be some serious consideration given to how we approach making sure people are informed about what they are eating, but also being sure that we do not cause undue alarm.”

AUDIO: My conversation with Mock

Let’s Talk GMOs

Read Mock’s full blog regarding GMOs and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Every now and again I find myself leaving town for a bit or working hours that only allow me to see the family when they are asleep. That’s just part of the job. To make up for lost time we will plan a family day and do something that we ordinarily don’t get the opportunity to do.

Recently one of these excursions included a trip to an indoor water park. With the way winter is lingering we all thought this would be a great idea. And it was to a point.

In typical indoor water parks the kids dive right in, Mom reads a book poolside and Dad moseys into the chilly, highly chlorinated aqua until it is about knee high and that is good enough. This day was no different. It wasn’t until about an hour into our visit that the powers that be decided that it was time to fire up the twisty, twirly water slide and every kid screams in excited and races up the stairs to take the plunge, only to do it a hundred times more.

Before my kids made a B-line for the slide they asked me to come along to follow them down. I was hesitant at first, but when I looked up to see no other Dad’s climbing the steps I made up my mind and went along for the ride.

You know how a small dog thinks he can take a chunk out of your leg and a big dog is scared to death because he thinks you can squish him like a bug? That is kind of how I compare the way I think I look and they way I look in real life. Let’s just say I am closer to 40 that to 20, in more ways than one.

My kids both took their turns and 15 seconds later made their little splash 40 feet below, like pennies in a fountain. Then it was my turn. I should have realized when the lifeguard’s eyes got a bit bigger that maybe I should rethink this. But my kids were down there just waiting on the coolest Dad in the pool to jettison down and set a precedent for every other Dad that wouldn’t take part, so away I went…kinda.

I went from being the coolest Dad to the big guy working his way down the slide like it was filled with sand. I just wouldn’t go. For what seemed like 10 minutes and was actually 2, I worked every muscle in my body to try to get enough momentum to get to the end, all the while keeping my shorts from splitting me in two. The worst part was the last 10 feet of the slide when grade levels off a bit. Usually the speed one would build up would propel them to the finish line. For me, it was the point where I came to a screeching halt. From there I literally pushed myself to what was a horrifying end with clapping and cheering, both from the pool and from all of the kids in the ever-growing line waiting on the old, fat, bald guy to get out of the way!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am always in for a good laugh, even if I am the reason for it. But I also learn from a mistake. So next time the water part is in the plans, this old dog will realize his size or bring along some Crisco. Let’s just hope the security cameras were pointing in another direction.

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Let’s be honest, the screamin’ goat, on his own accord, is very entertaining. But he has taken on a life of his own by showing up in some videos for some songs that my kids (and me by association) know every word of. If you ask me, the screamin’ goat finally makes these tunes listenable.

If we happen to see one of these guys in the ring at this year’s Ohio State Fair, he would be my pick for Grand Champion.

Here is the original video of the screamin’ goat.

Now my personal favorite, his duet with Taylor Swift.

And with Beebs.

And finally, one for my generation.

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Just over a month ago, I wrote about the relevance of Agriculture. That blog came on the heels of Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack commenting that Rural America’s pull in Washington was waning simply because there are fewer and fewer people in rural parts of the country to speak up and be heard about the issues that affect us the most. He blamed that philosophy on why there was not a full 5-year Farm Bill passed before the end of 2012.

With all of the hype around it, we will never forget the fiscal cliff debacle that was narrowly saved by some last minute heroics by our trusted politicians. For the most part, people really didn’t pay attention to the issue until the last minute, both inside and outside of the beltway. After all, it was the Holiday season and there were gifts to be given and meals to be enjoyed with family. It wasn’t until talk around the Christmas dinner table became about $7 milk that the worry began to grow. With that, the “Dairy Cliff” was born and DC switchboards lit up. Congressmen and women flew back into the Nation’s Capitol, cutting short their Holiday and they finally got something done.

It may not have been a long-term fix, but averting the fiscal cliff did stop what could have been a bad scenario for all Americans…for awhile.

Here we are again just 2 months later and sequestration is once again a part of our everyday vocabulary. The new deadline is March 1^st and if the Senate and House can’t get their act together the country will once again be faced with big cuts to many important parts of our government.

And again we American’s are not really paying attention yet. We were busy buying cards and flowers and watching a rodent predict when the weather will break. Spoiler alert, spring starts on March 21^st.

What could possibly get everyone’s attention this time around? How about throwing out the idea that the food supply may be at risk if a deal is not reached? Maybe call it the “Meat Cliff”. I should probably trademark that phrase after remarks from our Ag Secretary last week that thousands of meat inspectors may have to be furloughed if the March 1^st deadline comes and goes without reaching a deal.

That has indeed sparked outrage, especially with the disturbing news out of Europe that some meat served as hamburger should have been glue. It didn’t do any favors to the livestock sector, though, as this outcome will nearly shut down any movement along the supply chain and cause prices to soar, which by the way is another selling point for urging Congress to reach a deal.

You know what this tells me? Something all of us in the Ag industry already knew. We are relevant. Agriculture has become a political pawn star, if you will. If all else fails, threaten with food. High prices, low supply or safety…it will work. We all want it, we all need it and we all love it. Our food is safe, affordable and abundant and any threat to that will cause one heck of a ruckus.

If our members of Congress hear about it from constituents every time a “Dairy Cliff” or a “Meat Cliff” comes around, you would think that the importance of what farmers do every day would resonate into a full-fledged Farm Bill. If not, a “Food Cliff” may not be unimaginable and it certainly wouldn’t only be a threat.

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The tailgate is just about as American as apple pie.

It’s uses vary from a great place to sit and eat lunch in the field, to a springboard to propel yourself onto the truck bed, to throwing one heck of a good party!

Most guys and gals I know wouldn’t know what to do if it weren’t for the tailgate. Its an easy thing to take for granted…and apparently an easy thing to take.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau released a first-time report that examines the incidents of tailgate thefts across the United States, of which 1,343 claims were generated from 45 states. Notably, the rate of tailgate theft claims has been increasing since 2009, with an 18 percent increase projected from 2011 to 2012.

The report examines theft claims submitted to insurance companies during the period from Jan. 1, 2006, through Sept. 30, 2012. Texas topped the list as the loss state with the most tailgate theft claims—451, or 34 percent of the total. California was No. 2 with 272 claims, followed by Arizona with 125. Florida was fourth with 86 thefts, and Nevada rounds out the top five with 36.

The make and model that saw the most tailgate theft claims during this period was the 2008 Ford F250 with 70 claims, or 5 percent of the total. Next was the 2010 Ford F150 with 48 claims, followed by the 2007 Chevrolet Silverado with 39 claims. The oldest vehicle identified in this report was a 1985 Ford F150. The newest vehicles identified included 2012 models of Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GMC and Toyota pickups.

Tailgate thefts aren’t anything new; however, the rate of thefts has been increasing in recent years. For example, from 2006 through 2009 there were only 23 tailgate theft claims processed. In 2010, that number shot up to 430 and increased again in 2011 to 472. Through Sept. 30, 2012, tailgate theft claims in 2012 reached 418, with 557 projected through all of 2012.

Tailgates can be stolen in less than 30 seconds, making them prime targets of opportunity. With replacement costs reaching $1,000 or more, it makes sense for pickup owners to make their tailgates less attractive to thieves.

There are ways to prevent such an atrocious act. First, if your model has an integrated lock, use it. If a tailgate can’t be opened, it can’t be stolen as easily. If you don’t have one, get one; they are relatively inexpensive. Second, park with the tailgate as close as you can to an object or a structure to prevent the tailgate from opening. Lastly, Etch the truck’s vehicle identification number (VIN) or your own personal identification number into the tailgate; this will aid in its recovery and may prevent its theft in the first place.

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Plow lifting (using only your mouth) is one of the games featured in India's Rural Olympics

There is no doubt that American agriculture is part of a Global economy. We see this phenomenon when South American weather and troubles in the Euro-zone cause havoc with commodity prices in Chicago. But there is one thing that I hope we never see on a Global scale — India’s Rural Olympics.

Every year in February, folks come from miles (and Countries) around to Kila Raipur, India to see the spectacles that include lifting a plow with nothing but your teeth, a tug-of-war and the Super Bowl of the India Rural Olympics, getting run over by a tractor!

Close to a million people are expected at the sporting event that is seen as an integral part of the culture of Punjab. These events have been a part of the society for more than 60 years.

Getting run over by a tractor is one of the biggest events at India's Rural Olympics.

I guess in the U.S. we do have something fairly close to this atmosphere if you consider the Redneck Games, but these tests of valor and strength make Larry the Cable Guy look normal.

I have to believe that this is an event sponsored by the local dentist, chiropractor and psychiatrist who will all fare very nicely after the closing ceremony.

With a full 5-year Farm Bill not being passed by the previous Congress, there has been a lot of murmurs about the relevance of Agriculture in this country.

I get it. There aren’t as many farmers in the U.S. and more and more folks are moving to the city. The less people that are in rural America, the quieter we become to those that work on our behalf inside the Beltway.

Even Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack admitted that Ag is losing its voice in D.C.

“Unless we respond and react, the capacity of rural America and its power and its reach will continue to decline,” Vilsack said. “Rural America, with a shrinking population, is becoming less and less relevant to the politics of this country, and we better recognize that, and we had better begin to reverse it.”

Funny thing is that while there are less people “on the farm”, there is more food being produced now than ever before. In my opinion, agriculture isn’t becoming irrelevant…food is.

I can’t speak for all households, but I know that after dinner at my house we dispose of enough food to feed another family of four, and don’t think twice about it.

My first job was at a grocery store and I tossed dozens of loaves of bread into the dumpster and dumped gallons upon gallons of milk down the drain. It was easily enough food to certainly feed a small village every week.

Let’s be honest, if it weren’t for America’s farmers our national issues wouldn’t be about gun control or the god-forsaken debt ceiling. Our problems would stem much deeper than that, like where our next meal would be coming from.

There are countries in the world where desperate, hungry people literally kill for that same loaf of bread that I mindlessly threw away or beg for just a cup of that same milk that I poured to sewer rats.

There is one thing that constituents from every district represented in Washington have in common. They like to eat and thanks to that now shrinking number of great, hard-working farmers they can. They expect it.

So while the thought of Agriculture being irrelevant begins to make its way around, just think about this. If America’s farmers aren’t heard by the nation’s lawmakers and are left in the dark while new farm law is being written, food might become real relevant real soon.

No one wants to see what that America would look like.