Other
Dialogue Questions
February 18, 2012 by earthworker
My wife and I have been given a chance to move to and develope a 60 acre farm plus a nearby 80 acre farm that is currently not under cultivation. I dont know a harrow from a tine! We would like to have an organic farm to market business, veg, bees, goat cheese,etc,etc,etc and possibly some sort of soybean and or corn crop to market. We have a million ideas but dont know where to start. I was raised around dairy farms and spent 15 years as a Land Surveyor, I'm used to hard work and long hours but I need some direction to sort through all the information offered. Can anyone make any suggestions? (other than run away and don't ever look back) Thanks a million
December 02, 2011 by ConsumerT
I recently heard on NPR, a food expert state that there is more than enough food in the world to feed the world's population but, huge percentages are lost in transport or even at the grocery store due to spoilage. Is this concern being taken seriously and there ongoing efforts across the board to reduce this very serious problem?
November 30, 2011 by katica2
I always try to buy food that was grown in the USA. However, canned, frozen and boxed products usually just say "distributed by". Is it fair to assume that these are then grown in another country? Why do our labeling laws not include the food we eat as requiring it's country of origin?
November 28, 2011 by grizzlygovfan
Since a reduced solar magnetic shielding against cosmic rays that create highly solar reflective low level clouds is expected to persist for many decades, a situation that some describe as a "Little Ice Age setting in about 2014", what should farmers do to prepare for this challenge?
November 22, 2011 by Barengaria
I wish food was more natural, less engineered. I wish animals were free range with no additives. Can you grow vegetables hydroponically? Wouldn't that be less likely to allow salmonella and other bacteria? And fertilizer ought to be natural and not chemical. In fact we need to take chemicals out of the equation all together and use natural, biological materials. I also know what the probable answer is; money. But, the love of money is the root of all evil and look where we are today. All for the love of money!
November 19, 2011 by jerry
why is it that some farmers tell you that you will be paid when crops are all in, but then will not pay up like they promised?
November 05, 2011 by Ellen in Conn
NINE BILLION PEOPLE??? That is just too many people. Let's work towards a negative population growth. My solutions are to create universal, free, non-compulsory: Birth control on demand. A well-rounded education including history, world systems, science, sex*, sociology, etc. *There are too many teens, and even adults, who know nothing whatsoever, and find themselves pregnant and don't know why. That is part of the nine billion problem, and DON'T blame it on the two-thirds world. All these problems are worldwide.
November 03, 2011 by HomeRunEconomy
What are the protein options for more and more people? Sea World in San Diego is growing sea bass in nets in the ocean close to shore. Low cost protein. Can others do this? Also, fresh water fish farms are a low cost protein source. Who is pursuing this option in America? What other protein options are there low cost for an increasing population?
November 03, 2011 by HomeRunEconomy
Lean manufacturing technqies is restoring on shoring jobs in the USA. Lean can also be applied to farms. Life Cycle costing and benefit is also used to show where the value is. For example - 1. Algae oil , low water, on soil that nothing else will grow, can grow at 15,000 gallons per acre with BTU value same as fossil fuel - and the carcus is food grade 2. Soy and corn make 200 or so gallons per acre with more fossil fuel used that what it makes 3. The armed forces is using biofuel is 50% makeup in all systems beginning 2012 per newspaper articles 4. Also, ISO 14001/9001 and other continual improvement models can be deployed informally to identify benefits to lower cost and increase quality. This seems to be a no-brainer for income and jobs...algae oil as make up bio-fuel...this means also that 50% of the carbon emissions is cut from fossil fuel burning for energy or transportation with new jobs passing the life cycle test for value meaning income.
October 26, 2011 by QASA
Can we be mentally aware of the difference and differentiate organic with conventional in why the important technology is needed to provide in defect reports of all virus illness or just poor harvest presentation value to the consumer. HACCP,GMP,MSDS,SOP, ambiance for goal of SQF in our country. Could this be a cooperative developed towards organic commodity marketing tactics for all growers and ranchers to apply towards health food act compliance?
October 20, 2011 by Charles Wildman
I have a non-ag friend that is a thought leader in our community. She is a medical vegan (some serious health stuff). She has appreciated reading some of the farm magazines I share with her since it presents an unvarnished picture of what agriculture is saying to itself. Can a person like this subscribe to these magazines easily?
October 15, 2011 by Oceanananana
What are you personally doing to ensure that seasonal and/or migrant, as well as staff workers on the farm have ready access to protective gear, proper knowledge of health issues in chemical agriculture, and reasonable health accomodations if there is a pesticide or fertilizer related health crisis? I have read that farm owners have little interest in ensuring that their workers are properly insured/have access to health care. Are you ready to provide education and resources to farm workers so they know the risk, are properly clothed and have access to clean up facilities and fresh water, and even in the case of undocumented workers, are you willing to personally provide health clinic resources for the victim?
October 03, 2011 by Food Sleuth
How does the USFRA define "modern" agriculture?
September 22, 2011 by todd
Hi all, I am doing a project on energy use in modern agriculture. I have to say that my research, so far has lead me to believe that we will have to transition to a less fossil-fuel intensive agriculture. There is research done by the rodale institute that shows that organic farms can produce at a similar rate to conventional agriculture. What is keeping farmers from transitioning to a less fossil-fuel intensive agriculture? Shouldn't we be worried about this considering future generations?
September 22, 2011 by Martha
I see that the American Farm Bureau Federation is in the USFRA leadership but the National Farmers Union is not even a partner or affiliate. How can the USFRA claim represent the nation's farmers and ranchers when a major farmer-based organization is not involved with the organization?
September 22, 2011 by Martha
Are any small or mid-sized farmers or ranchers on the Board of the USFRA?
September 21, 2011 by Ashlee
Are Certified Organic farmers allowed to use GMO seed?
September 21, 2011 by 1stPatriot
What can we do to defund the EPA and its negative impact on farming? I refer to the "dust" regulation they want to enact, which in fact will put many farmers out of business!
September 21, 2011 by Yi Wang
To what extent have family farms felt the impacts of the financial crisis and the current economic recession, particularly regarding farmland prices and access to credit?
September 21, 2011 by Ashlee
With increasing farm land value, many non-ag investors are purchasing this land. Do you think this will have a positive or negative affect on agriculture? What types of problems/benefits could this bring to the industry?
September 20, 2011 by ArchStanton
Of the panel people participating, how many are being paid to appear?
September 20, 2011 by John
What is the relevance of size when considering questions of quality or sustainability? Can't small, medium and large producers be equally committed to socially responsible production practices? In fact, don't economies of scale mitigate in favor of larger operations when looking at impacts per unit of production?
September 20, 2011 by ArchStanton
Can someone define what "Big Ag" is and who they are?
September 20, 2011 by billpizzaiolo
Follow the money. Where does it come from? Money talks. Farmers and family farms are not the problem. It didn't scale up. Corporate farms with absentee owners are the problem. If they (stock holders or corporate people) lived next to the manure or the chemistry then things would be different. Is it black propaganda or gray propaganda? Put out by some big corporate money. It doesn't fool those that know.
September 19, 2011 by ArchStanton
I see many comments about USFRA labeled as "Big Ag" (example: http://www.lavidalocavore.org/diary/4888/big-ags-opposition-research ). When I look at the supporting members of USFRA, I see several ag focused lobbying organization (example: NPPC ). So one can surmise that there is an element of truth in the statement that USFRA is "Big Ag". How would you (USFRA) respond?
September 18, 2011 by Dawn
Do farmers and ranchers think the animals they raise feel pain and fear?
September 16, 2011 by Meathead
So I read the question "WHEN DID AGRICULTURE BECOME A DIRTY WORD?" and I'm thinking, this is good. When did this happen? Why? And I watch the video. Says nothing about it. So how about an answer?
September 16, 2011 by Meathead
OK, so I joined. I see a long list of questions, some good ones, but NO answers? Will you be answering them or do we have to vote to get an answer. If so, I think I'm wasting my time here.
September 14, 2011 by ArchStanton
Who are the panelists, what are their backgrounds, and which city will they be in?
September 14, 2011 by TruffleMedia
Who is USFRA trying to target with this? And what's the draw for the target audience?
September 12, 2011 by kcwaters
What time is the webcast?
August 31, 2011 by Sharon
Consumers' view of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) based food continues to be influenced by media and by movies as food that grows in test tubes and form legs to attack humans (see http://www.biofortified.org/2011/08/vote-for-talking-not-fighting/). Science and fact-based information to address consumers' GMO concerns never seems to gain traction. Can farmers/ranchers respond to remove fears about GMO-based foods? Should market forces be the judge on the real success or failure of GMO products?
Blog Postings
February 15, 2011 by USFRA
Save the Date!
February 25, 2011 by USFRA
Are you a farmer or rancher? We would like a moment of your time to complete the survey below: “Bridging the Generations in Food & Agriculture.”
What America Should Know
October 27, 2011 by QASA
Labor would be the greatest challenge to achieve. How can I pay for hard work If food is the element in need? Supply is hard to be kept if no one cares to help out when the seasons are bad or illnesses are present.
October 27, 2011 by QASA
Lets get to the point. What is the quality and safety assurance in the food industry regulations? How can the evaluator share information with the American dream and have all participants agree to a high quality standard governed by our alliances meeting the standards we set. Yes it all starts at point A but point B WHO'S watching making sure all is being kept in track with no threat to our health at home?
September 21, 2011 by martin harris
How urban-dominated politics has resulted in their food costing them less to buy than it costs to grow, in all except for an occasional profitable production year.
September 21, 2011 by martin harris
A major indicator of the economic condition of agriculture in recent decades is that 90% of farm household income is now earned off the farm and subsidizes at-a-loss commodity production. I write frequently on this subject, but it needs far more publicity. My immediate question to the group is this; what is the status of the EPA's hay-is-a-pollutant recent ruling?