College agriculture advocates take home scholarships for the holidays

Students win more than $25,000 while advocating for farmers and ranchers

November 29, 2018 – Six college students and three collegiate clubs from Oklahoma State University, University of Georgia, Mississippi College, Western Illinois University and Northwest Missouri State University are taking home scholarships for the holidays for being exceptional advocates for agriculture. The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s College Aggies Online (CAO) scholarship competition awarded more than $25,000 to students and clubs this year. To learn more about CAO, visit http://collegeaggies.animalagalliance.org. 

The graduate winners are:

• First place, $2,500 scholarship: Valerie Novak, Oklahoma State University
• Second place, $1,000 scholarship: Alex Lowery, Mississippi College 
• Third place, $500 scholarship: Kayla Alward, University of Georgia

The undergraduate winners are:

• First place, $2,500 scholarship: Blythe Dunlap, Northwest Missouri State University 
• Second place, $1,000 scholarship: Ashlynn Lingle, Northwest Missouri State University
• Third place, $500 scholarship: Jenna Meservey, Northwest Missouri State University

The collegiate club winners are:

• First place, $2,500 scholarship: WIU Ag Club, Western Illinois University  
• Second place, $1,000 scholarship: Agriculture Advocacy Class, Northwest Missouri State University
• Third place, $500 scholarship: Les Voyageurs, Louisiana State University

The first and second place winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the Alliance’s 2019 Stakeholders Summit, set for May 8-9 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Alliance also named Helena McNamee of Northwest Missouri State University the “Social Media Rock Star” for entering the best social media post of the competition. Throughout the competition, students earned mini scholarships for having the best social media posts, videos, blog posts and infographics. 

In addition to the scholarship winners, 12 students earned the CAO Excellence Award for outshining their peers in the competition:

• Carrie Baker, Texas A&M University
• Hailee Beemer, Northwest Missouri State University 
• Wesley Davis, Northwest Missouri State University 
• Skylar Fulte, Northwest Missouri State University
• Makaela Gabriel, Northwest Missouri State University
• Rhianna Grisdale, Northwest Missouri State University 
• Gracie Hunziker, Northwest Missouri State University 
• Helena McNamee, Northwest Missouri State University
• Aubry Schwarte, Northwest Missouri State University
• Loran Sneller, Northwest Missouri State University 
• Jon Edgar Waller, Tennessee Technological University 
• Savanna Williams, Northwest Missouri State University

Thank You College Aggies Online Sponsors!

CAO would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. 2018 sponsors include: Dairy Management Inc., CHS Foundation, Seaboard Foundation, National Pork Industry Foundation, Cooper Family Foundation, Diamond V, Bayer, National Corn Growers Association, National Pork Board, Alltech, Vivayic, Ohio Poultry Association, Domino’s Pizza Inc., Culver's Franchising System, LLC, National Chicken Council and Pennsylvania Beef Council.

About the Alliance:
The Animal Agriculture Alliance is an industry-united, nonprofit organization that helps bridge the communication gap between farm and fork. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation. Find the Alliance on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Grazing Lands Grow More Bugs for Birds to Eat

Posted by Hayes Goosey and David Naugle, Montana State University and University of Montana in Conservation

Nov 25, 2018 

Most ranchers have heard the saying, “what’s good for the bird is good for the herd.” New research reinforces this by showing that well-managed grazing provides more than just better habitat for sage grouse – it also produces more of the bugs that growing young birds need to eat. 

A study comparing insect communities in grazed, rested, and idled pastures in Montana found that the types of insects that provide a critical food source for sage grouse chicks and other shrub- and grassland-dependent birds were 13 percent more prevalent on managed versus idled rangelands.

Sage grouse chicks are dependent on protein-rich arthropods during their first month of life, especially beetles, ants, and caterpillars. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management.

Grazing Lands and Insects

Land use such as livestock grazing — the most common use of rangelands — influence the abundance and composition of insects, which may have far-reaching effects on rangeland ecosystems. Grazing impacts arthropods through direct habitat disturbance as well as by changing the composition and physical structure of plant communities they rely upon. 

Studies show that grazing strategies that incorporate variation in grazing intensity, such as rest-rotation grazing that defers grazing certain pastures for a year or so, may be an effective tool for maintaining arthropod biodiversity on managed rangelands. 

Research shows that 50 to 60 percent of the diet of one- to four-week-old sage grouse chicks is composed of insects such as beetles, ants, and caterpillars. Predatory spiders— which researchers found in abundance in idle, ungrazed pastures — eat the bugs that sage grouse need to survive and thrive.

A sage grouse hen takes her chicks out to feed. Video courtesy of Tyler Dungannon with Oregon State University.

About the Research

Researchers from Montana State University investigated relative abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling arthropods in sagebrush habitats in central Montana from 2012–2015. The percentage of bare ground and the height of grass and sagebrush were also averaged for each location. Samples were collected weekly in three types of pastures: 

• Deferred: Pastures in the “rest” phase of a rest-rotation grazing system, which involves moving livestock herds through multiple pastures during the season while leaving at least one pasture ungrazed for about 15 months to allow for plant growth and reproduction.
• Grazed: Pastures where livestock were present.
• Idle: Pastures where livestock grazing was absent for years.

Protein-rich insects include beetles, ants, and caterpillars. Predatory spiders tend to eat the insects that birds prefer to eat.

Findings

Total insect catches were twice as high on idle pastures compared to managed pastures, and the totals trapped in grazed and deferred pastures did not differ. This corresponds to the reduced percentage of bare ground documented in sample areas on idled rangeland — increased grass and shrub cover likely support a higher abundance of arthropods. 

But researchers discovered that the specific insect classes preferred by sage grouse were 13 percent more prevalent on managed pastures. Plus, managed rangeland supported a more diverse assemblage of ground-dwelling insects, which may be particularly beneficial for birds that rely on this critical food resource.

“Grazed rangelands were chock-full of sage grouse food compared to idled pastures where predatory spiders were most abundant,” said Hayes Goosey, with Montana State University and lead researcher for the project. 

Download this new report to learn more.

Activity-density of bird-food arthropods from samples collected in grazed, rested, and idled pastures during the 2012-2015 field season north of Lavina, Montana. Bars represent weekly catch least squared means, and error bars represent the standard error of the mean.

Grazing Good for Ecosystems and Production

Well-managed livestock grazing of native plants is one of the best ways to benefit wildlife and working lands. Rangelands with lush native grasses, wildflowers, sagebrush, and wet meadows are the best habitat for arthropods, as well as sage grouse and hundreds of other species. Plus, managing for diverse, healthy plants put more pounds on livestock, too. 

Through the Sage Grouse Initiative and Lesser Prairie Chicken Initiative, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service offers technical and financial assistance to help ranchers implement a prescribed grazing system and other sustainable ranching practices. To learn more about these practices, contact your local USDA service center.

Dr. Hayes Goosey is a rangeland entomologist at Montana State University and can be reached at hgoosey@montana.edu. Dave Naugle is a wildlife biology professor at University of Montana and can be reached at david.naugle@umontana.edu.

Vote in Your FSA County Committee Election!

Posted by Dana Rogge, Farm Service Agency in Farming

Nov 12, 2018 

Let us fill you in on a little secret. We love our customers! We value local input from farmers, ranchers, and foresters, like you. One way we facilitate the connection between the producers we serve and the programs we administer is through the USDA Farm Service Agency locally-elected county committees.

“It is so important to have farmers willing to serve on their county committees to share their experiences and offer different perspectives so committees can make informed decisions,” said Terri Wilfert, a member of the Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, Farm Service Agency County Committee. 

Terri was elected to her committee in 2010 and currently serves as chairperson.

Get Your Vote On

For many farmers, it’s now time to make your selection. Each year, the Farm Service Agency accepts nominations for a certain local administrative area. This area rotates each year, so not every producer will receive a ballot. If your area happens to be up for election this year, then you will receive a ballot.

The week of November 5, all eligible voters were mailed a ballot for their local county committee. If you were expecting to receive a ballot, and did not, don’t fret! Contact your local Farm Service Agency and we’ll ensure you get a replacement ballot if necessary.

You must participate or cooperate in a Farm Service Agency program to be eligible to vote. If you are not of legal voting age but supervise and conduct the farming operation of an entire farm, you may also be eligible to vote. View our fact sheet on voter eligibility.

“County committees are important because they help get information out to their peers about what is going on,” said Willie Scott Smith, a member of the Alabama’s Greene County Farm Service Agency Committee.

Final Countdown

Time is counting down for you to cast your ballots! Ballots must be dropped off at your local Farm Service Agency office or postmarked by Dec. 3, 2018. 

We’re counting on you! Vote today for the candidate you’d like to see represent your area on your local Farm Service Agency county committee.

“County committee members assist the Farm Service Agency county office with important program decisions that affect the farmers,” said Vincent Confreda, member of the Kent County, Rhode Island, Farm Service Agency Committee.

Your Turn to Serve

Don’t forget next summer we’ll be looking for more candidates to serve on our committees. Read what these current county committee members had to say about their experiences. Learn more.

Dana Rogge is a public affairs specialist serving USDA's Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Risk Management Agency. She can be served at dana.rogge@mo.usda.gov. 

Ark. 2018 Urban Homesteading Conference Nov. 3

KEYHOLE GARDEN - Master Gardeners Ruth Landers and Valerie Smith toss old newspaper into the bottom of their "keyhole garden" demonstration at the St. Joseph Community Garden during the 2017 Arkansas Urban Homesteading Conference at the St. Joseph Center of Arkansas.
(Image courtesy Britt Talent)

By Sarah Cato

U of A System Division of Agriculture 

Fast facts: 

·      2018 Urban Homesteading Conference will be held Nov. 3 

·      Conference will cover agricultural topics from beekeeping to food preservation 

·      For registration and info: http://www.arkansashomesteader.com/

RISON, Ark. – What began as a little dabbling at home has turned into the Arkansas Homesteading Conference – a series of meetings that provide information and demonstrations on sustainable living techniques. 

The next event, the Arkansas Urban Homesteading Conference, returns to the St. Joseph Center of Arkansas in North Little Rock on Saturday, Nov. 3. It’s presented by the Arkansas Homesteaders, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the St. Joseph Center.  

The conference will cover gardening, food preservation, alternative energy and other concepts that are backyard-friendly. 

The Arkansas Homesteading Conference was co-founded by Britt and Karen Talent of Rison. The conference is in its fifth year, having held events at Rison, Mountain View, Harrison and North Little Rock.

"This conference is a little different from our typical homesteading conferences in that we focus more on concepts that can practiced in someone's backyard," Britt Talent said. "There are a lot of ways people can enjoy growing their own food in a tiny backyard or even on the balcony of an apartment, and a lot of these concepts can be scaled up for those who have more space."

Talent said homesteading is “something we’ve dabbled in. I had a friend suggest that we put on this conference through the newspaper, so we did.” Talent is editor and publisher of the Cleveland County Herald in Rison.  

That first conference held in their hometown of Rison drew about 150 people from 18 counties across Arkansas. “We were encouraged to hold another and, as they say, the rest is history.”  Since then, people from a dozen states have attended the conferences to learn more about achieving a sustainable lifestyle. 

Division of Agriculture Extension Horticulture Specialist Janet Carson will cover container and raised bed gardening and Farm Hands Companions homesteader Gary “Pa Mac” McWilliams will discuss “no cost” gardening. 

Other presentations include: 

·      Fermentation with Margie Raimondo of Southern Table Restaurant in Little Rock 

·      Dehydrating foods with Michelle Carter, Bradley County extension agent for the Division of Agriculture and an expert in food preservation/

·      Home berry production with Amanda McWhirt, extension horticulture specialist for the Division of Agriculture. 

·      Solar energy applications for the home with Frank Kelly from Solar Source Consulting in North Little Rock 

·      Raised bed growing trials with Les Walz, staff chair for the Cleveland County Extension office 

·      Composting methods with Ryan and Rosemary Sinclair of Geeky Goose Farm 

·      Building an air pruning raised bed with Arkansas Homesteading Conference organizer Britt Talent 

·      Natural beekeeping with Lori Bird of Birds & Bees Honey 

·      Growing in high tunnels with Bobby Burrows and Travis DeLongchamp, farmers with St. Joseph.

The conference will consist of three tracks with four sessions in each track and lunch will be provided with registration. The registration fees are $35 for adults, $11.25 for youth ages 7-12 and free for ages 6 and under. 

To register or learn more about the Arkansas Urban Homesteading conference, visit www.arkansashomesteader.com or contact Britt Talent at (870) 325-6412.

This will be the second year the conference has been held at the 63-acre urban farming center located in North Little Rock next to Camp Robinson.

Originally constructed in 1908, the St. Joseph Home served as an orphanage until 1978. It continued to operate as a daycare and kindergarten until 1997. Since then, the non-profit St. Joseph Center of Arkansas has taken on the challenge of preserving the property by developing it into a working farm complete with gardens, cattle, sheep, goats, laying hens, bees and a farm stand.