We have a female miniature donkey in with the Horned Dorset sheep in the barn and small pasture behind our home for novelty and protection from local coyotes. Our friends have several donkeys and dwindling pasture, so we decided it would be a win-win by bringing a male from their place to our barn. They could give their pasture a break while we could hopefully (eventually) gain a cute baby donkey.
Before the male was even unloaded from the trailer, the female donkey in our pasture was showing a lot of interest in her new companion. By the time the male’s hooves hit the ground it was clear that the interest was mutual. All of the specifics of the situation were accompanied by a lot of kicking, biting, maneuvering and a series of eardrum-ringing donkey love bellows that alerted the northwestern corner of the county to the goings on at the Reese home.
It was a beautiful summer evening with cool temperatures inspiring us to open every window in the house to let in the pleasant breeze. Despite the perfect summer weather, sleep was scarce for us that night, however, thanks to the deafening soundtrack of the ongoing barn romance. “Heeeee-Haaaawwww.”
The next morning, I took our young daughter out to give the donkeys their morning treat, though the donkeys seemed more intent on treating themselves. As the donkeys once again began their ritual, we dropped the treats and I turned to run back inside trying to shield my daughter from the spectacle. Half-sobbing, half-laughing she kept saying,
“Oh no. Oh no. Oh no Daddy.”
The following several days and nights were comprised of extensive repeat performances of the persistent donkeys. In short, these animals were behaving like, well, animals. In fact, all of the animals on our small farm act pretty much as expected. We have some meat chickens that eat, drink and flock together; we have sheep that follow each other around and graze all day; we have a dog that barks at cars and fetches sticks; and we have some tomcats that go roaming about, but are sure to return home to fight amongst themselves and eat their food.
For millennia, farmers have studied the behavior of their livestock to better care for them and meet their needs so that the animals can more effectively serve their purposes of providing food and fiber. With rules being considered for regulating animal care and welfare being considered around the country, it only makes sense that those who understand animals are the best ones to make these important decisions.
This is why the recent passage of Amended Senate Joint Resolution 6 (Am. SJR 6), which authorizes a statewide ballot measure to create an Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, is so important. If Ohio voters approve the measure this November, it will establish a board of people involved with the livestock industry (including veterinarians, state agricultural leaders, a local Humane Society representative and farmers) that will determine and enforce guidelines for the care of livestock and poultry in the state.
If this board is not put in place to set the rules for Ohio’s animal agriculture, there are plenty of outsiders who are more than happy to try to set their own rules. It is no secret that an extreme animal welfare organization has plans for their own version of anti-meat animal care regulations on the Ohio ballot in 2010. Such regulations set by outsiders would severely cripple the state’s top industry of agriculture, hurt the Ohio economy, likely raise meat and egg prices for consumers, and limit consumer choices of Ohio-produced food.
Now it is up to those who favor agriculture, consumer choice, animal husbandry and high quality, safe Ohio-grown food to celebrate the fact that Am. SJR 6 is on the November ballot and vote “yes” when given the chance this fall. A “yes” vote on this measure will result in rules for the welfare of Ohio’s livestock and poultry that are created by the people who understand that animals are animals.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
July 2009
Fresh Country Air
By Matt Reese
Several years ago, I was traveling in the Czech Republic and one of the top rules to remember was not to drink the water. While locals drank straight from the tap with no repercussions, we were warned that our weak American immune systems would be no match for the water that was somewhat dodgier than we were used to.
One evening I was particularly thirsty after a day of walking in the hot sun and a glass of water from the hotel room was pretty tempting. Being a stout-stomached young man with a rural Ohio background, I figured that just a little water would not hurt. Unfortunately for the trip, my assumption proved incorrect and led to some pretty undesirable consequences, especially since I didn’t know the local term for “Pepto-Bismol.”
We are fortunate in this country to have plenty of clean water, a clean environment and a level of food safety not enjoyed by most immune systems of the world. There is a current effort underway to set global standards for food safety around the world that, in most cases, U.S. food processors are already exceeding.
“Right now, there is a new global initiative for food safety standards,” said Dale Hart, director of food processing for Cooper Farms in northwest Ohio. “We already meet and exceed requirements and, for us, it is just a matter of doing the paperwork for certification. We just hope our overseas competitors live up to their end of the bargain. We have some concerns about that.”
Food safety is serious business at Cooper Farms, a leading wholesale supplier of pre-cooked and ready-to-cook turkey products to customers around the United States and in Mexico. From the live bird care through the purchase by the consumer, Cooper Farms takes extensive measures to ensure that their products are safe.
“We have a responsibility to provide safe food and we take a lot of pride in that. Our standards are actually tighter guidelines than the government requires,” Hart said. “We have six full-time employees in the food division just to handle certification, quantification and documentation of the food safety regulations we follow. When you look at the Cooper Farm team members for food safety, we have more than 30 people, aside from the top management, who are just monitoring and maintaining controls for food safety. Food safety is not taken lightly here.”
In addition to the Cooper Farms staff, the facilities are subject to rigorous and regular inspection from U.S. Department of Agriculture officials.
“Both of our processing locations are inspected and governed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There are four people onsite during the day at one site and at the other site they have 24-hour access. During a harvest operation they practically live at the plant,” Hart said. “All of our plants have a Hazardous Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan under USDA guidelines. We also have a team at each location that meets on a weekly basis to review our plan and to make sure that our controls are in place with regard to our HACCP plan.”
To go the extra mile with food safety, Cooper Farms has what they call “seek and find” teams that are comprised of people not trained in food safety to visually inspect the facilities from a consumer’s standpoint.
“Seek and find teams go out looking for any potentially unclean conditions that could lead to problems. They look for the things that may not be required and conditions that may look dirty. We do a lot of proactive work to be sure that our sanitation procedures and cleanliness are maintained,” Hart said. “We do this to make sure our story is true. It is not that we think it is clean. It is clean because everything we do is science based. We prove it is clean with numbers and we give it the seek and find test as well.”
Like countless other food processing businesses in the state and country, Cooper Farms goes the extra mile for food safety because they know that business depends on the safety of their food.
“We need to do this to make sure we are protecting our consumers and our business,” he said. “We always consider that what we are making today may be eaten by our grandmas.”
We are truly blessed to live in a country where our immune systems enjoy the world’s safest food supply and a meal (complete with a glass of water) does not require a side of Pepto-Bismol to keep your immune system in Czech.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
By Matt Reese
Several years ago, I was traveling in the Czech Republic and one of the top rules to remember was not to drink the water. While locals drank straight from the tap with no repercussions, we were warned that our weak American immune systems would be no match for the water that was somewhat dodgier than we were used to.
One evening I was particularly thirsty after a day of walking in the hot sun and a glass of water from the hotel room was pretty tempting. Being a stout-stomached young man with a rural Ohio background, I figured that just a little water would not hurt. Unfortunately for the trip, my assumption proved incorrect and led to some pretty undesirable consequences, especially since I didn’t know the local term for “Pepto-Bismol.”
We are fortunate in this country to have plenty of clean water, a clean environment and a level of food safety not enjoyed by most immune systems of the world. There is a current effort underway to set global standards for food safety around the world that, in most cases, U.S. food processors are already exceeding.
“Right now, there is a new global initiative for food safety standards,” said Dale Hart, director of food processing for Cooper Farms in northwest Ohio. “We already meet and exceed requirements and, for us, it is just a matter of doing the paperwork for certification. We just hope our overseas competitors live up to their end of the bargain. We have some concerns about that.”
Food safety is serious business at Cooper Farms, a leading wholesale supplier of pre-cooked and ready-to-cook turkey products to customers around the United States and in Mexico. From the live bird care through the purchase by the consumer, Cooper Farms takes extensive measures to ensure that their products are safe.
“We have a responsibility to provide safe food and we take a lot of pride in that. Our standards are actually tighter guidelines than the government requires,” Hart said. “We have six full-time employees in the food division just to handle certification, quantification and documentation of the food safety regulations we follow. When you look at the Cooper Farm team members for food safety, we have more than 30 people, aside from the top management, who are just monitoring and maintaining controls for food safety. Food safety is not taken lightly here.”
In addition to the Cooper Farms staff, the facilities are subject to rigorous and regular inspection from U.S. Department of Agriculture officials.
“Both of our processing locations are inspected and governed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There are four people onsite during the day at one site and at the other site they have 24-hour access. During a harvest operation they practically live at the plant,” Hart said. “All of our plants have a Hazardous Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan under USDA guidelines. We also have a team at each location that meets on a weekly basis to review our plan and to make sure that our controls are in place with regard to our HACCP plan.”
To go the extra mile with food safety, Cooper Farms has what they call “seek and find” teams that are comprised of people not trained in food safety to visually inspect the facilities from a consumer’s standpoint.
“Seek and find teams go out looking for any potentially unclean conditions that could lead to problems. They look for the things that may not be required and conditions that may look dirty. We do a lot of proactive work to be sure that our sanitation procedures and cleanliness are maintained,” Hart said. “We do this to make sure our story is true. It is not that we think it is clean. It is clean because everything we do is science based. We prove it is clean with numbers and we give it the seek and find test as well.”
Like countless other food processing businesses in the state and country, Cooper Farms goes the extra mile for food safety because they know that business depends on the safety of their food.
“We need to do this to make sure we are protecting our consumers and our business,” he said. “We always consider that what we are making today may be eaten by our grandmas.”
We are truly blessed to live in a country where our immune systems enjoy the world’s safest food supply and a meal (complete with a glass of water) does not require a side of Pepto-Bismol to keep your immune system in Czech.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
July 2009
Fresh Country Air
By Matt Reese
July 2009
My 21-month-old daughter gets into pretty much everything, particularly if it is filthy. Trash cans, barn floors, toilets, shower drains, dusty corners, algae filled fish ponds and mud all seem to hold an irresistible attraction for my daughter. And, during these warm summer days it is constant effort to try and keep her clean. With her fondness for filth, and general lack of utensil use, meal times could easily result in a horrifying Petri dish of filthy fingers and fondled food.
Because of this, regular hand washing is important in the Reese house, though washing a squirming child’s dirty hands in the sink each time she touches something dirty is very difficult. Thank goodness for a handy dandy new hand sanitizer made from soy protein and aloe. I got the sample-sized bottle of this fine product as a handout at some agricultural event and have found it to be very nice stuff. It works well and leaves hands clean and moisturized for even the busiest toddlers, and uses all natural, environmentally friendly products. The problem is that my sample is running low. How do I buy more?
This answer, and the answers to many bioproduct quandaries, can be found at www.biopreferred.gov. This section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Web site features a vast array of American made bioproducts (mostly produced from U.S. crops instead of petroleum products). The site includes information about where to buy the products, the contents of the products and performance data of everything from office supplies to landscaping options.
Those interested in purchasing bioproducts have more options than ever before. Just last year there were 28 new soy-based products introduced in the U.S., including foam for seats in many Ford vehicles. Corn and soybeans have also found their way into environmentally friendly t-shirts, fuels, many kinds of plastics and even material used for maintaining and repairing roads.
“Businesses, government offices, schools and all homeowners can incorporate at least some of the many soy-based product options that are already out there,” said Rocky Black, the Ohio Soybean Council director of bioproduct utilization and outreach. “Consumers are trying to find ways to be environmentally-friendly at home and work and to reduce their dependence on petroleum products. We want to make sure that they have every opportunity to do this with products that are made from soybeans.”
Since 1993, a partnership between the Ohio Soybean Council and Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus has resulted the development of a soy-based powder coating, a soy-based plasticizer, a soy-based toner and soy-based polyols that are used in a wide variety of applications including printer cartridges and coating for components of John Deere tractors. Ohio manufacturers are working on the commercialization of these and other bioproducts and, in doing so, are creating jobs, boosting Ohio’s economy and supporting Ohio farmers through this growing component of the agricultural industry.
“The bioproducts industry continues to grow, so we need to position Ohio as a leader of this industry, both in research and development, as well as in utilization and business growth,” Black said. “The market opportunity is there, and we will be working hard on behalf of all Ohio soybean farmers to make sure that it continues to grow.”
In addition to providing a list of available bioproducts, the Federal Biopreferred Program also requires federal government entities to adopt the bioproducts into their operations as long as the products are not significantly more expensive, lower in quality or difficult to obtain. A similar biopreferred effort is being considered in Ohio with the recent introduction of Senate Bill 131, sponsored by State Senator Karen Gillmor (R-Tiffin).
“During this time of economic stress, we need creative solutions to help fuel our state's economy," Gillmor said. "The combined purchasing power of the state and our public colleges and universities is enormous. This bill will help capture those dollars which the state is already spending and channel them directly back into Ohio's economy."
Ohio’s strong agricultural sector, combined with the state’s universities, leading polymer industry and research and manufacturing companies (such as Battelle Memorial Institute, Proctor & Gamble, Sherwin Williams, The Scotts Company) are on the way to establishing a thriving bioproducts industry in the state. These bioproducts products can do a lot for those who want to improve the environment, support the local economy or simply try to keep a very busy toddler’s hands clean.
For more information on soy bioproducts, visit www.soyinside.org and www.soynewuses.org.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
By Matt Reese
July 2009
My 21-month-old daughter gets into pretty much everything, particularly if it is filthy. Trash cans, barn floors, toilets, shower drains, dusty corners, algae filled fish ponds and mud all seem to hold an irresistible attraction for my daughter. And, during these warm summer days it is constant effort to try and keep her clean. With her fondness for filth, and general lack of utensil use, meal times could easily result in a horrifying Petri dish of filthy fingers and fondled food.
Because of this, regular hand washing is important in the Reese house, though washing a squirming child’s dirty hands in the sink each time she touches something dirty is very difficult. Thank goodness for a handy dandy new hand sanitizer made from soy protein and aloe. I got the sample-sized bottle of this fine product as a handout at some agricultural event and have found it to be very nice stuff. It works well and leaves hands clean and moisturized for even the busiest toddlers, and uses all natural, environmentally friendly products. The problem is that my sample is running low. How do I buy more?
This answer, and the answers to many bioproduct quandaries, can be found at www.biopreferred.gov. This section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Web site features a vast array of American made bioproducts (mostly produced from U.S. crops instead of petroleum products). The site includes information about where to buy the products, the contents of the products and performance data of everything from office supplies to landscaping options.
Those interested in purchasing bioproducts have more options than ever before. Just last year there were 28 new soy-based products introduced in the U.S., including foam for seats in many Ford vehicles. Corn and soybeans have also found their way into environmentally friendly t-shirts, fuels, many kinds of plastics and even material used for maintaining and repairing roads.
“Businesses, government offices, schools and all homeowners can incorporate at least some of the many soy-based product options that are already out there,” said Rocky Black, the Ohio Soybean Council director of bioproduct utilization and outreach. “Consumers are trying to find ways to be environmentally-friendly at home and work and to reduce their dependence on petroleum products. We want to make sure that they have every opportunity to do this with products that are made from soybeans.”
Since 1993, a partnership between the Ohio Soybean Council and Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus has resulted the development of a soy-based powder coating, a soy-based plasticizer, a soy-based toner and soy-based polyols that are used in a wide variety of applications including printer cartridges and coating for components of John Deere tractors. Ohio manufacturers are working on the commercialization of these and other bioproducts and, in doing so, are creating jobs, boosting Ohio’s economy and supporting Ohio farmers through this growing component of the agricultural industry.
“The bioproducts industry continues to grow, so we need to position Ohio as a leader of this industry, both in research and development, as well as in utilization and business growth,” Black said. “The market opportunity is there, and we will be working hard on behalf of all Ohio soybean farmers to make sure that it continues to grow.”
In addition to providing a list of available bioproducts, the Federal Biopreferred Program also requires federal government entities to adopt the bioproducts into their operations as long as the products are not significantly more expensive, lower in quality or difficult to obtain. A similar biopreferred effort is being considered in Ohio with the recent introduction of Senate Bill 131, sponsored by State Senator Karen Gillmor (R-Tiffin).
“During this time of economic stress, we need creative solutions to help fuel our state's economy," Gillmor said. "The combined purchasing power of the state and our public colleges and universities is enormous. This bill will help capture those dollars which the state is already spending and channel them directly back into Ohio's economy."
Ohio’s strong agricultural sector, combined with the state’s universities, leading polymer industry and research and manufacturing companies (such as Battelle Memorial Institute, Proctor & Gamble, Sherwin Williams, The Scotts Company) are on the way to establishing a thriving bioproducts industry in the state. These bioproducts products can do a lot for those who want to improve the environment, support the local economy or simply try to keep a very busy toddler’s hands clean.
For more information on soy bioproducts, visit www.soyinside.org and www.soynewuses.org.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
June 2009
Fresh Country Air
By Matt Reese
I have found that sometimes it is important to first understand how things used to work so we can fully understand how good we have it now. My generation has been blessed with unprecedented technology. The distribution of this column, for example, would probably not have been possible without the benefit of e-mail and Internet unavailable just a few years ago.
I was reminded of this on a recent family trip to South Carolina. My wife, daughter and I went to a quaint lakeside cabin in South Carolina with her parents and sister. The cabin is very nice, but lacks the convenience of a garbage disposal that we are all accustomed to in our homes. My sister-in-law, having all her life enjoyed the benefits of a garbage disposal, thought nothing of scraping the dirty dishes directly into the sink. Though we were fortunate to dodge any serious repercussions from this, it was only after a lengthy sink/dirty-dish history lesson delivered by my father-in-law.
Along with kitchen conveniences, it may be hard for many younger members of society to fathom the challenges of wrestling with 8-tracks and records (yes, these were around in my youth) when compared to the unbelievable technology of today’s MP3 players. I was also recently told that a young man buying his first car was mystified by windows that had to be manually rolled down and dumbfounded by a lack of automatic locks in the older vehicle he was considering.
By understanding the past, we can better appreciate the present. The same is true with agriculture. June is dairy month and those who will enjoy some delicious ice cream in commemoration (myself included) can rest assured that they will be incurring a much lighter carbon footprint than that of ice cream lovers in the past.
In 1958 the U.S. had 18.8 million milk cows producing on average 6,585 pounds of milk per cow. That amount of production also came with 264 pounds of methane, 110 pounds of nitrogen and 48 pounds of phosphorus, according to David Galligan a professor of animal health economics with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
The current 9 million milk cows in the U.S. produce 19,576 pounds of milk per cow, tripling per cow production in the last five decades. U.S. cow numbers fell 52 percent since 1958 and total milk production grew an amazing 40 percent. Because of these tremendous gains in efficiency of today’s dairy farms, on a total basis, methane production dropped by 60 percent, nitrogen excretion dropped 6 percent and phosphorus excretion dropped 50 percent.
Dairy is certainly not alone with the tremendous improvements in production through the decades. Pork, beef, lamb and poultry producers are producing higher quality, lower fat and more consistent meat products than ever before. This is done in a more efficient manner, which improves animal health and minimizes environmental impacts.
Crops too have made great strides. Between 1987 and 2007, corn production has seen a 30 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions per bushel. Crop yields in general, including corn, soybeans and wheat, have boomed thanks to genetic improvements, biotechnology and tremendous strides in on-farm management.
As an example, from 1931 to 2006 there has been a 28.4 percent decrease in the number of acres planted to corn. During the same time period, the average per acre corn yield increased by 508.5 percent, bumping up total production by 372.4 percent on the reduced acreage, according to the National Corn Growers Association. It is with these kinds of advances that crop producers have continually been able to outpace world demand for food, feed and fuel.
These crops are planted, cared for and harvested with modern equipment that provides safety levels, precision and performance that could not even be imagined by previous generations. Now, many tractors, sprayers and combines -- using satellite guidance – to prevent over application of pesticides and nutrients, reduce driver fatigue and deliver never-dreamed-of precision to crop production.
With the ever-increasing scrutiny of every aspect of agriculture, from the environment to food safety, sometimes it can really help to take a look at the past to see how good we really have things today. So, whether at home or on a family vacation this summer, take some time to enjoy the wonderful food we have available thanks to centuries of agricultural improvements. And, when cleaning up after dinner, make sure there is a garbage disposal.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
By Matt Reese
I have found that sometimes it is important to first understand how things used to work so we can fully understand how good we have it now. My generation has been blessed with unprecedented technology. The distribution of this column, for example, would probably not have been possible without the benefit of e-mail and Internet unavailable just a few years ago.
I was reminded of this on a recent family trip to South Carolina. My wife, daughter and I went to a quaint lakeside cabin in South Carolina with her parents and sister. The cabin is very nice, but lacks the convenience of a garbage disposal that we are all accustomed to in our homes. My sister-in-law, having all her life enjoyed the benefits of a garbage disposal, thought nothing of scraping the dirty dishes directly into the sink. Though we were fortunate to dodge any serious repercussions from this, it was only after a lengthy sink/dirty-dish history lesson delivered by my father-in-law.
Along with kitchen conveniences, it may be hard for many younger members of society to fathom the challenges of wrestling with 8-tracks and records (yes, these were around in my youth) when compared to the unbelievable technology of today’s MP3 players. I was also recently told that a young man buying his first car was mystified by windows that had to be manually rolled down and dumbfounded by a lack of automatic locks in the older vehicle he was considering.
By understanding the past, we can better appreciate the present. The same is true with agriculture. June is dairy month and those who will enjoy some delicious ice cream in commemoration (myself included) can rest assured that they will be incurring a much lighter carbon footprint than that of ice cream lovers in the past.
In 1958 the U.S. had 18.8 million milk cows producing on average 6,585 pounds of milk per cow. That amount of production also came with 264 pounds of methane, 110 pounds of nitrogen and 48 pounds of phosphorus, according to David Galligan a professor of animal health economics with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
The current 9 million milk cows in the U.S. produce 19,576 pounds of milk per cow, tripling per cow production in the last five decades. U.S. cow numbers fell 52 percent since 1958 and total milk production grew an amazing 40 percent. Because of these tremendous gains in efficiency of today’s dairy farms, on a total basis, methane production dropped by 60 percent, nitrogen excretion dropped 6 percent and phosphorus excretion dropped 50 percent.
Dairy is certainly not alone with the tremendous improvements in production through the decades. Pork, beef, lamb and poultry producers are producing higher quality, lower fat and more consistent meat products than ever before. This is done in a more efficient manner, which improves animal health and minimizes environmental impacts.
Crops too have made great strides. Between 1987 and 2007, corn production has seen a 30 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions per bushel. Crop yields in general, including corn, soybeans and wheat, have boomed thanks to genetic improvements, biotechnology and tremendous strides in on-farm management.
As an example, from 1931 to 2006 there has been a 28.4 percent decrease in the number of acres planted to corn. During the same time period, the average per acre corn yield increased by 508.5 percent, bumping up total production by 372.4 percent on the reduced acreage, according to the National Corn Growers Association. It is with these kinds of advances that crop producers have continually been able to outpace world demand for food, feed and fuel.
These crops are planted, cared for and harvested with modern equipment that provides safety levels, precision and performance that could not even be imagined by previous generations. Now, many tractors, sprayers and combines -- using satellite guidance – to prevent over application of pesticides and nutrients, reduce driver fatigue and deliver never-dreamed-of precision to crop production.
With the ever-increasing scrutiny of every aspect of agriculture, from the environment to food safety, sometimes it can really help to take a look at the past to see how good we really have things today. So, whether at home or on a family vacation this summer, take some time to enjoy the wonderful food we have available thanks to centuries of agricultural improvements. And, when cleaning up after dinner, make sure there is a garbage disposal.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
June 2009
Fresh Country Air
By Matt Reese
My job as an agricultural journalist is fun because it allows me to travel this fascinating state on a regular basis, often on Ohio’s 26 beautiful designated scenic byways (five of which have a national designation). The five National Scenic Byways in the state highlight some of the state’s finest features, including Ohio’s bountiful agricultural production.
Lake Erie Coastal National Scenic Byway
June is wine month and there is no better route in the Midwest to travel for fine wines than Ohio’s northern coast. Ohio’s wine business is booming and gaining more international recognition every year for its high quality wine production along the temperate shores of Lake Erie.
“We have grown by 1.5 to 2 new wineries a month opening their doors in Ohio. We had 123 wineries in the state as of the end of April and record wine sales to date,” said Christy Eckstein, executive director of the Ohio Grape Industry Committee. “The kids are getting out of school and people are thinking about vacations, but with the economy, people are staying closer to home and wineries are a good option. There are a lot of different wine tasting events going on this month. And, we’re launching a GPS wine-on-the-go program where people are going to be able to download an itinerary of where they want to go and door-to-door directions on their Garmin, I-phone or home computer.”
This route also offers ample natural attractions for fishing and bird enthusiasts and the thrill-seeking appeal of Cedar Point. Roller coasters, walleye and wine, how can you go wrong?
Historic National Road National Scenic Byway
Much of this byway is lined with interesting agricultural attractions. Dull Homestead Farm in Montgomery County features a diversified operation including hogs and seed corn, but the real attention getter is the farm’s towering windmills and dedication to renewable energy. The Dulls have a visitor’s center to inform guests about the farm. Devine Farms and Pigeon Roost Farm in Licking County offer pumpkins and a myriad of fun family oriented activities in the late summer and fall. The trip through Belmont County passes near the state’s largest Christmas tree farm run by the Feisley family. The renowned Dickinson Cattle Co. Longhorn Cattle Ranch is also near the route, just outside of Barnesville. Also, be sure to note the productive corn and soybean fields lining much of Route 40 that are pumping dollars into the economy and biofuels into our vehicles.
Amish Country National Scenic Byway
Few routes through Ohio offer more picturesque glimpses of modern and Amish agriculture than this byway winding through the heart of the nation’s largest Amish community in and around Holmes and Wayne counties. Grazing dairy cattle, rolling hay fields and plenty of down home Amish appeal (and merchandise) attract many visitors each year. Ohio leads the nation in Swiss cheese production, and ranks high in other types of cheese production, largely due to this region of the state. Along with a variety of delectable cheese products, hungry visitors can find almost every other kind of homemade farm fresh food, furnishing and knickknack.
Ohio River National Scenic Byway
It is hard to beat the rolling landscape, charming towns, historical and agricultural attractions that ooze from this 452-mile route along the Ohio River through 14 counties. A few of my favorite stops along the way, or nearby the designated byway, include Sweetapple Farms (agri-tainment), Stacy Family Farms (strawberries) and Grimm’s Green Acres (apples) in Washington County; the bridge from Galia County to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, home of the mysterious Mothman that inspired a book and movie; the appealing murals in Portsmouth; and some tasty Montgomery Inn ribs and a Reds game in Cincinnati.
The Canal Way National Scenic Byway
This byway runs from Cleveland to Dover along the path of the Ohio and Erie Canal and offers several agricultural destinations. The Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area preserves 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, including a working farm.
Hale Farm and Village offers the sights, sounds and smells of a bustling Western Reserve township in 1848. Also, not far from this byway is the city of Barberton, where visitors can learn the fascinating history of O.C. Barber’s eccentric and opulent agricultural estate that featured jaw-dropping buildings, many of which can be visited.
Each of Ohio’s designated scenic byways has much to offer visitors and summer is a great time to travel. So, find a scenic byway near you and have a great time learning about agriculture and many other things in our fascinating state. Maybe we’ll cross paths.
For more information about Ohio’s summer travel opportunities, visit www.ohiobyways.com, www.ohiowines.org, http://www.geovative.com/GeoTours/premium/MiniSite-tours.asp?75r4Vq=EHDHJ and http://consumer.discoverohio.com.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
By Matt Reese
My job as an agricultural journalist is fun because it allows me to travel this fascinating state on a regular basis, often on Ohio’s 26 beautiful designated scenic byways (five of which have a national designation). The five National Scenic Byways in the state highlight some of the state’s finest features, including Ohio’s bountiful agricultural production.
Lake Erie Coastal National Scenic Byway
June is wine month and there is no better route in the Midwest to travel for fine wines than Ohio’s northern coast. Ohio’s wine business is booming and gaining more international recognition every year for its high quality wine production along the temperate shores of Lake Erie.
“We have grown by 1.5 to 2 new wineries a month opening their doors in Ohio. We had 123 wineries in the state as of the end of April and record wine sales to date,” said Christy Eckstein, executive director of the Ohio Grape Industry Committee. “The kids are getting out of school and people are thinking about vacations, but with the economy, people are staying closer to home and wineries are a good option. There are a lot of different wine tasting events going on this month. And, we’re launching a GPS wine-on-the-go program where people are going to be able to download an itinerary of where they want to go and door-to-door directions on their Garmin, I-phone or home computer.”
This route also offers ample natural attractions for fishing and bird enthusiasts and the thrill-seeking appeal of Cedar Point. Roller coasters, walleye and wine, how can you go wrong?
Historic National Road National Scenic Byway
Much of this byway is lined with interesting agricultural attractions. Dull Homestead Farm in Montgomery County features a diversified operation including hogs and seed corn, but the real attention getter is the farm’s towering windmills and dedication to renewable energy. The Dulls have a visitor’s center to inform guests about the farm. Devine Farms and Pigeon Roost Farm in Licking County offer pumpkins and a myriad of fun family oriented activities in the late summer and fall. The trip through Belmont County passes near the state’s largest Christmas tree farm run by the Feisley family. The renowned Dickinson Cattle Co. Longhorn Cattle Ranch is also near the route, just outside of Barnesville. Also, be sure to note the productive corn and soybean fields lining much of Route 40 that are pumping dollars into the economy and biofuels into our vehicles.
Amish Country National Scenic Byway
Few routes through Ohio offer more picturesque glimpses of modern and Amish agriculture than this byway winding through the heart of the nation’s largest Amish community in and around Holmes and Wayne counties. Grazing dairy cattle, rolling hay fields and plenty of down home Amish appeal (and merchandise) attract many visitors each year. Ohio leads the nation in Swiss cheese production, and ranks high in other types of cheese production, largely due to this region of the state. Along with a variety of delectable cheese products, hungry visitors can find almost every other kind of homemade farm fresh food, furnishing and knickknack.
Ohio River National Scenic Byway
It is hard to beat the rolling landscape, charming towns, historical and agricultural attractions that ooze from this 452-mile route along the Ohio River through 14 counties. A few of my favorite stops along the way, or nearby the designated byway, include Sweetapple Farms (agri-tainment), Stacy Family Farms (strawberries) and Grimm’s Green Acres (apples) in Washington County; the bridge from Galia County to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, home of the mysterious Mothman that inspired a book and movie; the appealing murals in Portsmouth; and some tasty Montgomery Inn ribs and a Reds game in Cincinnati.
The Canal Way National Scenic Byway
This byway runs from Cleveland to Dover along the path of the Ohio and Erie Canal and offers several agricultural destinations. The Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area preserves 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, including a working farm.
Hale Farm and Village offers the sights, sounds and smells of a bustling Western Reserve township in 1848. Also, not far from this byway is the city of Barberton, where visitors can learn the fascinating history of O.C. Barber’s eccentric and opulent agricultural estate that featured jaw-dropping buildings, many of which can be visited.
Each of Ohio’s designated scenic byways has much to offer visitors and summer is a great time to travel. So, find a scenic byway near you and have a great time learning about agriculture and many other things in our fascinating state. Maybe we’ll cross paths.
For more information about Ohio’s summer travel opportunities, visit www.ohiobyways.com, www.ohiowines.org, http://www.geovative.com/GeoTours/premium/MiniSite-tours.asp?75r4Vq=EHDHJ and http://consumer.discoverohio.com.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
May 2009
Fresh Country Air
By Matt Reese
I was recently talking with an entrepreneur who grew up in New York City. His work has brought him to Ohio, in part to collaborate with farmers interested in efficient and renewable energy production. I asked him how his energy technology would fit the specifics of Ohio’s farms and he said, “Well, that’s up to the farmers to figure out. I’m a city boy and I’m used to just running to the store anytime I have a problem with something. These farmers are incredible. If something doesn’t quite work right, they get some duct tape and fix it themselves. They’re used to fending for themselves.”
For generations, farmers have had to be self-reliant and independently functional out of necessity. When these traits are combined with the entrepreneurial spirit required to run any successful business, it is no wonder that farmers are a pretty independent bunch, each with their own ideas and ways of doing things.
For this reason, and the fact that farmers are an ever-shrinking segment of society, they can be a fairly easy group to pick on. As a group, mainstream agriculture can rarely come to a consensus on much of anything. What is good for the corn grower is not often good for the cattle rancher, or the western wheat grower, or the poultry producer. Because of this, any organized, targeted opposition to one aspect of the diverse agricultural industry can usually divide and conquer. This is what the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is counting on.
This animal rights organization (not the local humane societies that take in stray dogs and cats) promotes extreme vegan diets and ultimately seeks to eliminate the use of animals by humans for any reason. HSUS used powerful emotional appeals to win over voters in California who chose to regulate the independence of livestock farmers through their ballots. Now HSUS is targeting Ohio.
The HSUS ballot initiative seeks to put into place regulations on poultry, veal and swine housing that are contrary to generations of on-farm experience and volumes of scientific research. There are already stringent regulations in place for livestock operations and marketplace alternatives for consumers who wish to vote with their pocketbook, with options including cage-free eggs and free-range pork.
And, in reality, the HSUS supported measures do nothing to promote animal health or comfort. In fact, arguments can be made that these measures actually degrade the quality of the animals’ lives. What the HSUS measures do accomplish is a reduction in the options farmers have for the production of economical, high quality meat, dairy products, and eggs and the food options consumers have at the grocery store.
HSUS is counting on farmers that argue among themselves and a voting public that is unfamiliar with production agriculture and can be swayed by high dollar ad campaigns and emotional appeals. It seems that Ohio agriculture has other plans.
In response to the enormous challenge facing animal agriculture, the Ohio Soybean Council has launched a billboard/sign campaign to educate consumers about the issues they will be facing in the grocery store and the polls. The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) has conducted numerous industry wide meetings to educate farmers about what they are facing and get them on the same page concerning this critical issue. OFBF has also launched a new department, the Center for Food and Animal Issues.
The Ohio Corn Growers Association, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, Ohio Livestock Coalition, Ohio Pork Producers Council, Ohio Dairy Producers Association, Ohio Soybean Association, Ohio Poultry Association and other organizations are as close to marching in lockstep as they have ever been on any issue before. Some of the members of these groups would be affected directly by the HSUS measures, while others would face the same indirect effects as all businesses and consumers in the state — a reduction in the freedom to run their business and purchase their food in the manner they choose. If voters can decide how farmers run their business and how consumers buy their food based on the whims of an animal activist organization, what is the next step?
The independence, iron will, elbow grease, individual perseverance and the other things that have guided farmers for generations will not address this new challenge. The farmers of the state have realized that solving this problem is going to take teamwork. This isn’t a problem that can be solved with duct tape.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
By Matt Reese
I was recently talking with an entrepreneur who grew up in New York City. His work has brought him to Ohio, in part to collaborate with farmers interested in efficient and renewable energy production. I asked him how his energy technology would fit the specifics of Ohio’s farms and he said, “Well, that’s up to the farmers to figure out. I’m a city boy and I’m used to just running to the store anytime I have a problem with something. These farmers are incredible. If something doesn’t quite work right, they get some duct tape and fix it themselves. They’re used to fending for themselves.”
For generations, farmers have had to be self-reliant and independently functional out of necessity. When these traits are combined with the entrepreneurial spirit required to run any successful business, it is no wonder that farmers are a pretty independent bunch, each with their own ideas and ways of doing things.
For this reason, and the fact that farmers are an ever-shrinking segment of society, they can be a fairly easy group to pick on. As a group, mainstream agriculture can rarely come to a consensus on much of anything. What is good for the corn grower is not often good for the cattle rancher, or the western wheat grower, or the poultry producer. Because of this, any organized, targeted opposition to one aspect of the diverse agricultural industry can usually divide and conquer. This is what the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is counting on.
This animal rights organization (not the local humane societies that take in stray dogs and cats) promotes extreme vegan diets and ultimately seeks to eliminate the use of animals by humans for any reason. HSUS used powerful emotional appeals to win over voters in California who chose to regulate the independence of livestock farmers through their ballots. Now HSUS is targeting Ohio.
The HSUS ballot initiative seeks to put into place regulations on poultry, veal and swine housing that are contrary to generations of on-farm experience and volumes of scientific research. There are already stringent regulations in place for livestock operations and marketplace alternatives for consumers who wish to vote with their pocketbook, with options including cage-free eggs and free-range pork.
And, in reality, the HSUS supported measures do nothing to promote animal health or comfort. In fact, arguments can be made that these measures actually degrade the quality of the animals’ lives. What the HSUS measures do accomplish is a reduction in the options farmers have for the production of economical, high quality meat, dairy products, and eggs and the food options consumers have at the grocery store.
HSUS is counting on farmers that argue among themselves and a voting public that is unfamiliar with production agriculture and can be swayed by high dollar ad campaigns and emotional appeals. It seems that Ohio agriculture has other plans.
In response to the enormous challenge facing animal agriculture, the Ohio Soybean Council has launched a billboard/sign campaign to educate consumers about the issues they will be facing in the grocery store and the polls. The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) has conducted numerous industry wide meetings to educate farmers about what they are facing and get them on the same page concerning this critical issue. OFBF has also launched a new department, the Center for Food and Animal Issues.
The Ohio Corn Growers Association, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, Ohio Livestock Coalition, Ohio Pork Producers Council, Ohio Dairy Producers Association, Ohio Soybean Association, Ohio Poultry Association and other organizations are as close to marching in lockstep as they have ever been on any issue before. Some of the members of these groups would be affected directly by the HSUS measures, while others would face the same indirect effects as all businesses and consumers in the state — a reduction in the freedom to run their business and purchase their food in the manner they choose. If voters can decide how farmers run their business and how consumers buy their food based on the whims of an animal activist organization, what is the next step?
The independence, iron will, elbow grease, individual perseverance and the other things that have guided farmers for generations will not address this new challenge. The farmers of the state have realized that solving this problem is going to take teamwork. This isn’t a problem that can be solved with duct tape.
Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.
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