Lucky man.

So yesterday, the upper midwest saw some of the most severe storms we’ve ever seen this late in the year. While the damage was nothing like what the folks in places like Illinois saw, it was still significant around our area as well, and my family was affected.

This morning, I arrived at the “main farm”, where my grandparents live, and saw for myself what had happened. One post frame building destroyed, debris around the yard, and no power. We spent most of the morning at afternoon removing building pieces so we could get equipment out, hooking up generators, and trying to get things up and running again. When the power went out, we had the grain dryers running, so we had thousands of bushels of wet corn in trucks and bins that would start molding quickly if we couldn’t get it dried, and fast. As I worked around throughout the day, one thought kept creeping into my head.

I’m a lucky man. 

My family is safe. My farm buildings and home are (for the most part) still standing. I didn’t loose any equipment.

Compared to many farm friends south of me, I’m damn lucky.

When I took to social media this morning with pictures and stories, it wasn’t about looking for pity, or a “hey, look at how bad this is” moment. I’ve decided that I’m going to share my farming life with the world via social media, and this was part of that. The good, the bad, everything.

Then, something even more humbling that I can put into words started happening. 

First it was text messages. 

Then the Facebook postings. 

Finally, the phone calls.

Other farmers and ranchers all over the country were reaching out, contacting me, wondering how we were doing, how bad the damage was, asking if there was anything they could do to help out.

Then it struck me. 

Compared to having a town leveled, or loosing half your cattle in a blizzard, or having an entire crop lost by flooding, this was a minor inconvenience. 

And these people, these wonderful friends, many of whom I know only on Facebook and Twitter, were asking if we were ok, telling me they were praying for us.

I was beyond words.

And then, it hit me.

This is farming. This is what I do. And this, and they, are why I do it.

I am truly, a very lucky man.

Why Food Democracy isn’t really about Democracy.

Right now, a group called Food Democracy is urging folks all over the country to try and stop the continuing resolution passed by congress last week from being signed. They claim there is a piece in the CR called the “Monsanto Protecting Act” (which, I might add, is a made-up BS term). What they are really pissed about is the fact that this small piece of the CR protects farmers from activists and activist judges. Let me explain...

This small piece allows the USDA to allow for the cultivation and harvest of a crop, even if a judge or court has ordered it to undergo further review, and be removed from the market place. And we aren’t talking about some wild ideas here-we are talking about a group who wants to remove all traces of GMO crops from the planet, by any means necessary (kiss your seedless watermelons goodbye). 

For me as a farmer, this small piece provides me with much needed security. Without the USDA stopgap, a judge somewhere could rule that my corn crop growing in the field would have to be destroyed, with no recourse or remuneration for me as a farmer. A single judge in California could rule that my Roundup Ready corn, which has nearly 25 years of testing, regulatory approval, and real world experience could be banned, and I would be forced to destroy my entire crop, costing me millions of dollars. It would bankrupt my family overnight.

But here’s a real world example for everyone:

Let’s say you buy a lot and build a new house. 2 months after moving in, a neighbor says that your house is too close to his, and he doesn’t like it. There’s no scientific or logical basis for his gripe, but he takes you to court anyways. In court, the judge rules that he’s not sure about the neighbors complaint, but just to be safe, you need to move out of your new house and bulldoze it. If he decides the neighbor is wacky, you can rebuild your house, but in the meantime, you must tear it down and find somewhere else to go.

This is the world of uncertainty we live in. I would LOVE to have the time to talk to everyone in America about technology, Monsanto, GMO crops, and why I farm the way I  do, but I can’t. So please, try to trust us, just a little, and try to trust the USDA. Anyone who thinks the USDA is in bed with bio tech companies, well, I’ve got some ocean front property in Indiana for you.

The Top 2 Percent

These days, we hear more and more about “The Top Two Percent”, those Americans, according to the President, who need to be paying more in taxes to help balance our budget. American farmers, who happen to also be two percent of the population, are caught in the crossfire of this claim. Now, I could go on and on about how Obama’s second term is going to hurt small business; but I’m going to focus on the main point: taxes. You see, family farms like mine are also small businesses, and, due to our wonderful tax system, are taxed as such. Let me explain...

Most family farms, like mine, are incorporated into what’s called a LLC (Limited Liability Corporation). Now, an LLC is a great way to operate; it gives you some liability protection from lawsuits, and if your business does fail, it can help keep you from loosing everything you’ve ever made. But there is a bad part of LLC’s: the taxes.

Now, LLC owners, like most Americans, file a 1040 with income and expenses. So let’s just use some simple examples. Right now, President Obama wants to raise the tax rates on the “top 2 percent”--those who earn over 250,000 a year--substantially. That will cost family farms millions, and hurt folks like me who are trying to earn an honest living, and provide jobs to others. See, when I file taxes, I have to attach what’s called a “schedule F” to my 1040; it shows how much farm income is passed on to me. Let’s say my farm “makes” 200,000 dollars in profit. Now, anyone who owns a business can tell you, you never, NEVER, actually “make” that. That’s what you show on paper; in reality, you may not have paid yourself anything, or maybe only a few thousand dollars; you’re constantly reinvesting in your business. But that doesn’t matter; according to the IRS, you made 200,000 dollars. Now, if your spouse works in town, as mine does, and has a good job, you can eclipse 250,000 pretty fast. 

This rhetoric about “top earners paying their fair share” is a killer. I can tell you right now, we are sitting on capital, as many small business owners are, because we are unsure about what the future holds in terms of taxes, regulations, ect. Regulations like Dodd-Frank have made it harder and harder for the small town banks to lend us money to operate, forcing us to keep more cash on hand. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars with local contractors build more grain and fruit storage, we’ll sit on our hands and see what the future holds. 

This isn’t just in farming, folks. This is happening everywhere.

Elections have consequences, and we have to live with the will of the majority. Unfortunately, I believe far, far too many in that majority have never signed the front of a paycheck, balanced the books, and paid the taxes. But, if you understand what I’m saying, and if you agree that we need to keep small businesses hiring and growing, please, take the time to talk with your congressperson about this issue. 

Jeff VanderWerff is a 4th generation farmer from Sparta, Michigan. When not ranting about politics, he raises corn, wheat, soybeans, apples, and peaches. You can find him on YouTube at www.youtube.com/agsalesman

Free (corn) Markets

Just incase you’ve been living under a rock for the last 3 months or so, the Midwest, hell, the whole country, has been gripped by a massive drought, which has crippled yields, especially for corn and soybeans. In fact, the crop failures are so massive, that corn and soybean “futures” (prices) have reached record levels; and those costs, unfortunately, will in some way be passed on to the consumer. 

It’s not that we want to charge you more, but our hands are tied. The corn cattle and chickens eat is more expensive; same goes for the soybeans that pigs and dairy cows consume. And then, there’s the pink elephant in the room: 

Ethanol.

Many, many grain famers, like myself, sell some of their corn for ethanol production. Now, there is a by-product, called DDG, that is fed to cattle in place of “whole” corn, so it’s not a total net-loss for feed. However, that hasn’t stopped several livestock groups and some producers from calling for a “waiver” for the amount of ethanol the government says we need to put into our gasoline.

Now understand, I’m writing this from the perspective of a grain farmer; but I’m also writing as a consumer of meat and dairy products. What I have the biggest problem with, in this whole “waiver” debate, is that the government is picking winners and losers, and when that happens, we all loose.

If we allow the government to shut down ethanol production to satisfy the demands of livestock producers, then what about the inverse? When corn prices crash, can we demand an increase in ethanol to prop up my industry? How about then dairy prices drop; should we control supply with a national quota system? The same quotas could apply to pigs, turkeys, ect. 

If we head down this road today, we are asking the government to take away our rights to free markets tomorrow. 

I’m not going to propose a solution to this issue; I know folks at all corners of this table who are struggling, and who have strong opinions. The larger question I simply want to ask, is, are we as farmers and ranchers ready to give the government this much control over the principals of free market economics that we all thrive under??

Jeff VanderWerff is a 4th generation fruit and grain farmer from Sparta, Michigan. To learn more about his family farm, and the drought, visit www.youtube.com/agsalesman

Bailouts, Handouts, and Crop Insurance

So there seems to be a lot of confusion out there by many people, including people who I believed understood how this system works for farmers. In the spirit of full disclosure, the numbers I’m sharing are generalized, and this blog is going to be long...so bail now if you’re not into understanding economics, farm finance, and insurance.

People often see or hear about a crop loss, in this case fruit, and wonder about the “bailout” the farmers will receive. Well, first off, there is no bailout. My farm isn’t GM, and I don’t have union clout to demand help. The government does provide disaster payments, so I’ll address those first.

When you hear about a farmer receiving a disaster payment, some would have you believe that a USDA or FSA (Farm Service Agency) person shows up at the farm, says “well Jeff, how bad was it?” and whips out a check for a couple of hundred grand. Let me impart some reality on you; we last had a major freeze event in 2010. Joe and I lost about 1/2 of our crop that year, and the government declared a disaster for our area. That started a going-on-two-year bureaucratic nightmare that still hasn’t resulted in my seeing a single damn dime of money. Is the government going to just “mail me a check”? Probably, but who knows when; if it was really that dire, I’d be bankrupt looonnnngggg before those ultra efficient government employees decided to act. Oh, and the amount? Probably about 20 or 30 thousand dollars which yes, sound like a lot, but when your farm has gross revenue north of 300 thousand a year, it’s peanuts.

So that brings us to crop insurance, which most of us have, and all of us support. So here’s the basic rundown of how it works; every year in October, I have to decide if I want to have insurance for the next year; keep in mind, I’m still picking my current crop and now I need to start making decisions about my NEXT crop. And if I do want insurance, you pay now. Upfront. Like, 20 grand. And no, they don’t except monthly payments, food stamps, or American Express. It’s cash on the dash if you want to play. So let’s say we do have that catastrophic loss that we saw this year; first, it’s not like car insurance. They don’t run out, look at the damage, and pay. They wait; we MIGHT see an adjuster by July or August. And the check? Probably October 1, best case. So every year, you write this check, hoping you don’t freeze, or have hail, but if you do you have your crop insurance. Payday, right? Well, check out the math....

So here’s where the rubber meets the road. How much insurance money comes in, versus how much it costs to keep the lights on. So here it is:

Crop insurance revenue: roughly 1100 dollars per acre; I farm about 120 acres.

Cost of sprays, trimming, mowing, and maintenance: around 1300 dollars an acre.

Cost of payments for such minor things as: land, bank loans, machine payments, insurance, utilities, ect: around another 75 thousand dollars a year.

So do the math: at the end of the day, even this this “huge payout” I’m loosing my ass. Plain and simple. Crop insurance isn’t about a “giant payday”, it’s about keeping the wolves away and hopefully living to fight another day. 

And here’s where the shit really hits the fan; we have NO apples. NONE. ZERO. ZILCH. Ok, well, I did find enough for a pie the other day, but that’s about it. See, normally, a loss of 1/2 the crop would trigger an insurance payment; or a hail event would trigger it. In either case, you still have some apples to sell, for something. Even we lost 1/2 the crop, we’d have enough to sell, with the insurance proceeds, to break even. Not the case this year; the crop insurance check I’ll receive this fall is the only revenue my farm will have until about October....of 2013.

So let me put it in real terms for most people: you make 100,000 dollars per year. Due to a disaster, you aren’t going to receive your pay, but you have insurance. In the analogy, you would be receiving about 40,000 dollars. Could your family live on that? Think you’d have to cut back on anything? 

Right now, the farm bill is being re-written; the main debate focuses on direct payments and crop insurance. This farmer supports eliminating direct payments, and improving crop insurance. I hope you’ll do the same.

What's in a (local) name?

 So on our weekly trip to Meijer this week for groceries, Alyssa and I did our typical stroll through the dairy case for a few items, and to look at food in general (yeah, exciting life I live), when we made this discovery.

Now, at first glance, you say, wow, great, local, Michigan brand cottage cheese!! Finally, I can support a local brand for my cottage cheese needs!!










So, you spin the container around, and you see this....

Ohio, you say!??! What the hell, I thought this was a Michigan product!??! Ohio!??!

So you read down a little further, and you start seeing this plant number codes...

Plant Codes Here ^^^^

So what exactly are plant codes?? Well, my friend, the plant code tells you exactly where the product came from, mainly incase there is ever a recall. But for our purposes, it's going to tell us where the product was made, and most likely, where some of its ingredients came from. In this case, it came from plant 26-330. Using our handy-dandy link to the FDA's website we see that the first numbers, 26, signify a Michigan plant. The second numbers, 330, are the plant code; plant 330 is the Country Fresh plant located in Grand Rapids. This plant uses milk from many of my neighbors, and a lot of milk from West Michigan in general.



Same product, same plant, same milk.

The "Michigan" brand: 3.99

Country Fresh brand: 2.49

Just because the label says where it came from, in this case Ohio, that doesn't mean it actually came from there. When in doubt, check the label, and if you're still unsure, do a little research. The information is out there.

Dale Carnegie: More important than John Deere

Right now, there seems to be a lot of debate, some quite heated, within the ag community as to how we should or should not be connecting with consumers. We've started hearing words like "agtivist", which would imply that we have left the relm of rational discussion, and moved into the world of extremism.

I would disagree with that.

In nearly ten years on the road in sales, I becase a deciple of the teaching of Dale Carnegie. The Carnegie teachings of how to Win Friends, and Infulance People literally changed my life and the way I interact with people. That said, I belive strongly that we can't use a one-way approach to talk with consumers about what we do; they don't want to be told, they want to have a dialouge. However, we need to recognize that there are people who will confront us, question us, and villify us who have zero interest in polite conversation.

I think back a couple of weeks ago to the Chipotle commercial issue; now, if a person saw that ad, had questions, and is truely interested in a conversation about what they saw and didn't understand, I'm all in. I'll spend hours trying to explain what we do, and how we do it, as long as your willing to listen. However, when you come out swinging with the typical "factory farm" and "corperate ag" remarks, I'm going to get defensive. At that point, you've pretty much shown me your not interested in a discussion, your interested in causing trouble.

Now, there are those among us that believe we can win everyone to our way of thinking by holding hands and singing a little song; but I'm more of a realist. When you really cut down to it, 20% are for us, 20% are against us, and 60% are in the middle looking for real answers; and it's that 60% I'm after.

Conversation with consumers is valuable, and it's a necessary part of what we do now as farmers; just make sure that when you're talking, your audience is listening.

Grandpa's Way

Surfing though my twitter feed today, I came upon a great quote from a friend of mine regarding how people who aren't involved in farming or ag today seem to think we should do things the way their grandfather did, on his farm. While my grandfather certainly did teach me a lot of things about farming, there are more than a few things that were common in his day that we've moved beyond. So, before we head down memory lane, let's look at a few common practices in "his day" versus what we're doing now.

Things like...

Used oil. Grandpa used to dump it in the driveway "to keep the dust down". Today, we recycle it, along with batteries, chemical jugs, and trash. Grandpa's solution was "the dump".

Spray programs. Grandpa used to spray atrazine on corn by the gallon, and used chemicals in the orchard that killed every bug in the township. Today, we are using lower pesticide rates than ever before, and integrated pest management has changed how we manage orchards.

Conservation. Grandpa would plow, disk, and drag the soil into a powder, then plant the corn. We've been using no-till farming since the early 1990's, and have installed filter strips and wildlife habitat area around the farms. Stewardship is a major concern.

So, as you can see, sometimes the "good ol' days" aren't so great. Farming has changed dramatically, but not always for the worse. So, before you criticize what we do, try to learn why we are doing it first.

Jeff VanderWerff is a 4th generation farmer from Sparta, Michigan. Learn more about his family farm at www.youtube.com/agsalesman

Apple harvest brings new challanges

Well, it's that time of year, time for the days to shorten, the air to chill, and the apples to come off the trees. Growing up in an area of fruit production, I guess I've always known how apples were picked, and generally assumed that most farmer knew as well; boy was I wrong! Sitting here at the AgChat Foundation Conference, I'm amazed that I've needed to explain several times now to people just how dependent of migrant labor we really are. Even other farmers didn't realize that apples are harvested by hand, one by one.

In order to harvest apples correctly, we depend on migrant labor, and they are far more than just employees to us; they are a valued part of our team. We can do everything right, all year, and if we don't have skilled, efficient, workers to harvest our crop, it's all for naught. I guess this is why it's so disheartening to hear the discourse regarding migrant labor and immigration. Now, I'm the great-grandson of dutch immigrants; we waited in line like everybody else. However, we need to get real with this problem. Migrant labor is a vital part of, quite honestly, our national security, and we need to realize that.

Now, I'm not advocating a free pass; but right now, we have bigger problems in this country than this, and quite honestly, we could use the money (tax revenue). Secure the border, bring these people out of the shadows, and make them start paying taxes; they are already benefitting from our social system, we might as well get some money out of it.

Our country needs a secure food supply. Consumer demand is asking for more and more fresh fruits and vegetables, and we need to have them raised by our standards, on our land. Support common sense immigration reform, and remember, your next meal may depend on it!

Safest food on the planet, now at lower temperatures!

Hopefully, you were able to enjoy the great weather this past memorial day weekend, and while you were waiting for some tasty cuts of pork or beef to come hot of the grill, you took the time to remember the brave American soldiers who paid the ultimate price to allow us such great freedom. I have nothing but absolute respect and admiration for those men and women, and I must say, I feel a little guilty bringing this up. However, in addition to thanking those brave souls for our freedom, we can also thank the American farmer who helped bring us that meal, and provided us with the safest food on the planet.

Last week, the USDA released a statement telling us something that many farmer have known for years; that it is perfectly safe to cook pork to medium, at 145 degrees internal temperature. This announcement is great news for consumers, and reinforces a basic truth about our food: that it is truly safe, and that modern farming practices have contributed to it. For example, years ago, people were leery of pork, especially under-cooked pork, for many good reasons. The pigs lived outside, basically running loose, eating whatever happened to appear in front of them (I won’t get into details). Today, pigs live comfortably inside clean, well-lit, climate controlled barns; which are probably a lot cooler than my old farmhouse right now. The pork is harvested and processed in state-of-the-art facilities, which are cleaned, scrubbed, and inspected daily within an inch of their lives. The USDA and its watchful eye are never more than a stones throw away, providing guidance and oversight to the industry.

But outside of the processing world, pork farmers are doing the right things as well. Large and small alike, most farmers today are PQA+ Certified, meaning they have taken part in a voluntary program that holds them to a higher standard, and helps them produce a better product.

Farmers today care more about food and consumer safety than ever. As a farmer, it kills me to see a recall, or hear about people getting sick from a food-borne illness, because I feel like I have somehow failed. You depend on me for safe food the same as you would depend on a fireman to come save your house in a fire. We all have a job to do, and we want to do it well. From soldiers to farmers, we’re all working to protect American consumers.

Jeff Vander Werff is a 4th generation farmer from Sparta, Michigan. Learn more about how safe your food really is at www.youtube.com/agsalesman

Recall This.

So last week a California company recalled 16,000 pounds of lunch meat due to concerns about listeria contamination. Hearing this on the news, I think the first reaction of most people is to thing, wow, that’s a lot of lunch meat, but when you really think about it, it’s not, and it proves why our food is the safest in the world.

Think about it; we live in a country, where for the first time in the recored history of the planet, we can enjoy food just about any way we want it. We can eat eggs over easy for breakfast without fear, have sushi for lunch, and then enjoy a rare steak and a caesar salad for dinner, all without the worry of a food borne illness. Imagine living in a country where you go to the market, and you have to live in fear of what might be lurking in your food.

Food recalls like this are actually a good thing; they prove and reinforce to us that our food is not only produced safely, but handled and processed safely; I mean, would you rather NOT know that there was an issue, and risk getting sick? No, you wouldn’t. That’s why the USDA inspects food and facilities; so we can find problems, correct them, and improve safety.

Finally, let’s put this recall in perspective. Sure, 16,000 lbs sounds like a HUGE number, and yea, that’s a lot of meat. But think of it this way; according to the last census, the Grand Rapids, Michigan metro area has around 1 million residents. Let’s assume that one in 10 of them eat a cold-cut of some kind for lunch everyday-that’s brown baggers, Subway, Jimmy John’s, ect, and that each consumes around a quarter pound of lunch meat-that’s about average. So that’s 100,000 people eating 25,000 pounds of lunch meats EVERY DAY. This recall is a drop in the bucket!! There literally isn’t enough meat in this recall to supply a mid-sized American city for a single day.

Food safety is top of mind these days for many Americans, especially farmers and ranchers. When I ship a product, whether it’s fresh apples or wheat to the flower mill, I want to make sure you’re receiving a safe, nutritious product. I know I’m doing my part, and you can rest assured the USDA and processors are doing their’s as well.

Jeff Vander Werff is a fourth generation farmer from Sparta, Michigan. Learn more about food safety and your food at www.youtube.com/user/agsalesman

Back to the Future.

As spring approaches, more and more of us are heading out to the deck to throw a couple steaks on the grill, enjoying that timeless summertime tradition. This year, as your steak cooks, take a minute and think about the family that raised that beef, and how much their family farm, much like mine, has changed over the years.

In the mid 90's, when I was in high school, we looked like what I think most people envision a farm to look like. We had the classic red barns, a few fruit trees up on the hill, some beef cows in the pasture, and a few hogs in the barn. However, as idealistic as this appeared to be, it wasn't viable. We didn't have enough acres, or cows, or pigs, or apples to make a living off of. It was a hobby. As we shaped our vision for the future, and decided what we wanted the farm to look like for our children and grandchildren, it became evident what had to happen. Soon, the cows left, followed shortly by the pigs. Instead of the old red barn that held a 40 acre hay crop, we built a grain storage that holds 500 acres of corn production. The few apple trees on the hill were replaced when my brother and I broke off and bought a fruit farm of our own. The picture has changed, but the people painting it hasn't.

Whether we farm 10 acres or 10,000 acres, we are the same family. We abide by the same values, ethics, and morals now as we did then. We believe in hard work, fair pay, and being good stewards of the land. And it's not just us that feel this way; my neighbors, some who farm thousands of acres and may milk thousands of cows feel the same way. It is still their family farm; the picture has just changed.

Along with this growth, comes a new opportunity. As farms grow, and families grow, the need for help arises. I grew up working down the road on the neighbor's diary farm, milking cows, feeding calves, and spreading manure. Those jobs haven't changed-but now we are hiring people in the community to work full time, and providing them with not only the basics- good wages and benefits- but also a chance to be a part of our family. My grandfather jokingly refers to our main employee Dave as "the third son", because Dave often joins him in the house for coffee, or a beer after the day is done. He is a valued member of not only the farm, but in some ways, the family.

This is not the exception with farm families, it's the rule. The picture of agriculture has, and will, continue to change and evolve; however, rest assured, the people painting it never will.

Jeff VanderWerff is a 4th generation farmer from Sparta, Michigan. Learn more about his family farm at www.youtube.com/agsalesman

View full sizeJeff VanderWerff, Farm Fresh FoodHere's a snapshot of our farm in 1955.

Jeff VanderWerff, Farm Fresh FoodAnd here it is when my grandpa owned it in 1985.

View full sizeJeff VanderWerff, Farm Fresh FoodHere's our farm today, in the fall of 2010.

The Simple Life

Surfing Facebook tonight for a few minutes, I came a crossed a post by a friend, Will Gilmer, talking about he and his son listening to the ball game on an old radio that was his when he was a kid. You know, it’s little quips like this that make me so grateful to have grown up in the country.

Where I grew up, we weren't that rural by a lot of standards. Grand Rapids, population 200,000 was only 25 minutes away. We lived just a mile west of Sparta, a town of 4,000 people that had everything you needed, including a McDonald’s!! But, even so, we grew up similar to so many other rural kids, and I think summertime baseball is the ultimate metaphor for that point in your life.

As a kid, it was the Detroit Tigers, and the legendary Ernie Harwell. Many nights, after dinner, we’d go help in the garden for a little bit, or help dad pick up a few stray bales out in the field. Like most other farm kids, we did our 4-H chores, checked cows, and, if we were lucky, got to ride though the pasture with dad to check cows for the night. Then it was back to the house, and like so many other farm kids a crossed America, we’d tune the radio in to the ballgame. I can still see, feel, and smell it. Ernie Harwell on the radio, dad reading the paper and maybe having a beer, and the cool breeze finally coming in the windows of the old farmhouse. It was heaven on earth, and really, we didn’t think it got any better.

People often wonder what it is about farmers, how they can have this almost surreal bond between them, even if they’ve just met. And the answer is simple: we all grew up the same. We all felt that simple life of living in the country, and learning to enjoy the very simple things in life. It’s how young farmers from all over the state, and even the country, and become friends in minutes, and stay friends for years, because no matter where we grew up, we all lived The Simple Life.

Jeff VanderWerff is a 4th generation farmer from Sparta, Michigan. Learn more about him and his family farm at www.youtube.com/agsalesman

Our Duty.

This morning, I was reviewing my twitter feed, looking to see what pithy comments were out there today, when I came upon this gem:

follownathan: Nobody is gonna like this... but I am just waiting for #bigag to use the Japan tragedy as another PR spin to "feed the world"

Wow.

So let me get this straight; I happen to believe that as a good christian, and quite honestly, as an American, I should help those in need. The United States is the Saudi Arabia of food; we have considerable surplus quantities of grains produced every year. So why SHOULDN’T we help Japan?

Because Nate and his “pro-food”, “whole food”, “real food” cronies don’t want us to.

They want to drag our 8th wonder on the world, modern American agriculture, back to the days of 40 acres and a mule. They don’t want us to have the export capacity to help a country in dire straits, because they believe food is far too cheap and plentiful in this country.

Right now, the Japanese people are suffering. They are hungry, and they truly need our help; and right now, I don’t think they would care if the food is BST, GMO, or Ei-Ei-O. They don’t care about the angry acronyms; they care about where they are going to find their next meal.

At the end of the day, if having the ability to help the Japanese with food due to our agricultural prowess-and the desire to do so-makes me “Big Ag”, then I’ve never been prouder to have been insulted.

Jeff VanderWerff is a 4th generation fruit and grain farmer from Sparta, Michigan. Learn more about him at www.youtube.com/agsalesman

3 Local Meals a day...

Lately, I’ve been asking people what makes their food local, and most people seem to believe that you need to grow it in your community garden, visit the farmer’s market, or stop at a farmer’s road side stand. While all of these are great ideas, and they defiantly support farmers and local agriculture, I think you’ll be amazed to learn how local most of our food really is.

Let’s start with one of the last places you’d expect to find local food: a fast food or quick service restaurant. However, you’d be surprised to learn how local that food is. At McDonald’s, for example, most of the apple dippers your kids enjoy instead of fries are fresh, locally grown Michigan apples, all of which come from a farm just like mine. Same goes for the apples in that new oatmeal they are selling. Rather have an Egg McMuffin? Rest assured, those eggs are raised on family-owned, family-run farms all over Michigan.

Planning to stop by Panera Bread for lunch? No problem. Order a delicious turkey sandwich and enjoy Michigan Turkey Producers signature product. All that healthy, safe, turkey is produced on West Michigan farms, owned by West Michigan families. While you’re enjoying that sandwich, make sure you throw on a big handful of Lay’s potato chips; proudly produced with Michigan potatoes.

Busy evening planned? No worries here, a fresh pizza is just the ticket. Allendale, Michigan is home to one of the largest mozzarella cheese plants in the US, all made with local Michigan milk. Don’t forget to add some sauce made with Michigan tomatoes, such as those grown by lots of farmers in southern Michigan for Red Gold Tomatoes!

A huge majority of the products we enjoy everyday here in Michigan are grown and processed right here; they are produced on family farms, processed by grower-owned co-ops, and sold to families just like yours and mind. So the next time you’re out and thinking about buying local, just remember to buy Michigan; it’s more local than you think!!

Jeff VanderWerff is a 4th generation fruit and grain farmer from Sparta, Michigan. Learn more about him and his family at www.youtube.com/agsalesman

It all starts with a little trimming...

One of the jobs we have on the farm this time of year is tree-trimming, a laborious task involving a three-wheeled machine called a Brownie with what is basically a 25 pound hydraulic powered chain saw attached to it. You see, you ride up in the air in a little bucket, kinda like the power guys, and swing this saw around like a powered machete, removing errant limbs (hopefully only on the tree). It is a boring, cold, tiresome job; I can honestly say I can think of well over 100 things I’d rather do then trim trees; however, it’s one of the most important jobs on the farm. A well-trimmed tree produces better fruit, with better size, and less pressure from insects and fungus. It’s truly an investment you make for future years; the better job you do trimming, the better quality fruit you’ll likely produce.

Right now, we’re watching a lot of “fiscal tree-trimming” happen all over the United States, and Michigan is no exception. Governor Rick Snyder has climbed aboard his metaphorical “brownie”, and as we say when we need to do some hard trimming in a neglected orchard, he’s doing some major lumber-jacking. No tree is safe from Snyder’s saw, nor should any be; you see, for far too long our state legislature has worked off borrowed time; they’ve been growing some pretty lousy fruit, and the markets have changed. Consumers (and voters) are demanding fresh, high quality fruit, and they’ve hired a new farm manager to make that happen. Eventually, just like at home, the governor will replant the orchard with new trees that won’t need trimming for quite some time. But, for the meantime, stand back, cause the limbs are flying!!

Everything in the world has a day of reckoning; and just like my back and shoulders after a long day trimming in the orchard, the governor is sure to go home with a few wounds and some soar muscles. But as an old farmer once told me, when you trim trees the hardest, that’s when you get the most new growth.

Jeff Vander Werff is a 4th generation farmer and blogger from Sparta, Michigan. Learn more about his family's farm at www.youtube.com/agsalesman

Accountability.

So a few weeks ago, in light of the events that took place at Conklin Dairy in Ohio, my wife Alyssa replied to a post on Michigan Farm Bureau's facebook wall regarding animal abuse. Most of the comments were our traditional talking points-one rotten apple, bad actor, I take care of my animals; except for Alyssa's. She threw caution into the wind and openly challenged everyone else to start opening their eyes to what is happening around them. She knew it may not be a popular view, but I don't think either of us expected the reaction it has received.

Two nights ago, I attended a Farm Bureau function in Lansing, where I had the chance to mingle and visit with probably no less than a dozen staff members, and they all said virtually the same thing to me: Alyssa said what needed to be said. It isn't popular, but it's true.

So this has had me thinking more and more about this issue the last 36 hours; what is our responsibility as members of the ag community when we know about animal abuse, or pollution, or the misuse of pesticides? Do we, as agronomists, vets, feed truck drivers, hell, just as neighbors, need to start policing ourselves? I think so. We see what goes on around the farm "when no one is watching", and often have the means and ability to intervene. I guess this is what bothers me so much about Conklin Farms-there wasn't a vet, a feed truck driver, an agronomist who saw or at least HEARD about what was going on? If they did, and said nothing, then they are just as guilty as the guy who did the deed.

It's time to be accountable folks, to ourselves, to others, and to our industry. If you have knowledge, you need to report it. Now. That includes folks that watch, laugh about it, or use a "undercover camera". Call the sheriff, and do the right thing, otherwise, the blood is on your hands also.

Remove the Emotion

Last night, I was chatting with a few hundred farmers from around the country in a weekly Twitter event we call "agchat". The purpose is to connect farmers with each other, and give consumers some insight as to our views on issues. Last night was sustainability, and it proved to be as interesting as I suspected it might be...

A little bit into the forum, I was struck by a comment made by a young man from Vermont. He said "Emotion, not technology, will save the family farm!". Alright, aside from the obvious, does anyone else see a problem here? Emotion clouds vision and makes you do dumb things, like buy a new car or join a band, and it's a horrible way to run a business (oh, I forgot. Family Farms apparently aren't business). But there's more to the story...

A few years ago, a piece of land my family had been farming for a few years came up for sale. It was a 260 acre single tract of land, the largest single piece left in the township. We wanted it. Bad. REALLY REALLY bad. But the asking price of over 1 million dollars was tough to stomach. My brother and I were in college, and not much help. My dad and uncle probably could have literally bet the farm and mortgaged everything to the hilt to make it work, but they didn't. And I will admit it, there were tears shed as we watched the dairy farmer who bought it rip up the crops we had planted to put in his own. But that was emotional attachment showing, and that emotion is a weakness. Emotional weakness like that causes farmers to ride a bad situation right to the bottom, instead of cutting their losses and living to fight another day.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love farming and agriculture, and so does the rest of my family. We are emotionally attached to the way of life that we all grew up with, and still live today. But when hundreds of thousands of dollars are on the line every single day, there is no room for emotion. You MUST be able to step back, take a deep breath, and make an objective decision. Was it easy for us to tear down Grandpa VW's old barn? Hell no. But what were we going to do with it? It had no use, and was about to collapse on the pole barn next to it. Emotions aside, it had to go.

I'm confident in the future of American Agriculture and the Family Farm (like mine). Farmers are strong people who see the facts through the fog and make clear, rational decisions. The vision you may have of farming is probably changing, but rest assured, my vision has not.

Good day for Roundup, bad day for weeds...

Today’s decision by the US Supreme Court, on the surface, looks like a great victory for Monsanto, and to some extent, it is. The Big “M” has about a ga-gillion dollars invested into RR Alfalfa so far, and has watched it sit on the sidelines for the better part of 3 years while lower courts squabbled over reports, science, and weather APHIS (that’s a big acronym for the dept of ag oversight group) really did its job watching Monsanto’s testing the first time around. But this story is about much, much more than alfalfa.

For years, farmers have been using biotech crops, all the way back to the 1930’s. By definition, the first time that we cross-bred corn, we were using biotech crops. The science has come a long way since then, but the mission has not-produce more crops, better crops, and cheaper crops. This is the primary mission of agriculture-the more we produce, and the less we produce it for, the more people who can eat off a single acre of American Farmland without having to work on it. Last I checked, the number was around 450 per acre. But back to biotech-see, people need to remember, this stuff didn’t just happen one day. People far, far, more intelligent than me have spent many, many years of their lives working on these crops-researching, testing, designing. I’ve met these people, firsthand, and I’m here to say, they have no motive beyond what every farmer does-feed the world, make an honest living, leave the planet a little better than they found it. Their science, backed by the best universities on the planet, has stood the test, and it’s who it stood before that makes it that much better.

The supreme court, while being a very, very intelligent group of jurists, are not scientists. They are essentially average Americans; Americans who have seen Food Inc, and HSUS commercials with sappy music playing. They shop in the same stores, see the same news, and have read the same books and papers. And best of all, they have the same prejudices towards food systems that many of us do as well; and in spite of this, they waded though the muck to make a clear decision. They have determined that the science passes muster, and while further testing is needed, which I’m confident will prove the validity of Monsanto’s claims, they have shown that science trumps emotion.

Right now, my wife is working on her Masters in Food Safety from MSU, and her current project is a comparison of sanitation (how many bugs are in the eggs) between caged and cage-free systems. The results are overwhelming that cage-raised eggs are hands down safer than cage free; and I’m not just talking one or two articles-I’m speaking about the 3 foot high pile of scientific data that has invaded my dining room table. It’s court decisions like this, and the science I see though my wife first hand, that gives me hope in our future. I think it’s a safe bet that at some point, we’ll see a “prop 2” type issue that is happening in Ohio come before the court. And hopefully, they see the science though the smoke the same way they did today.

But won't that hurt small farmers??

I had the duty this weekend to make the trip to Detroit to pick my wife at the airport, but it gave me the opportunity to catch up with an old roommate from my MSU days that lives in the area now. Now, this gentleman and his wife are both extremely intelligent, highly educated people. They are open to ideas and often as us questions about agriculture and food safety. This weekend proved to be no different.

Jim and I headed out to a local restaurant for some good bar-b-cue and a couple of cold domestics. A few minutes into the conversation, the topic swung over to agriculture and farming. Jim wanted to know how the farming was going, what we were up to, etc. At some point we started discussing the new technology we use on the farm. I explained that for example, we have auto steer in our sprayers for row crops, and that we hoped to have the same technology soon in the orchards. He asked if I thought we’d ever see fully automatic sprayers (no driver needed). I told him I believed so, and that we’d see them in the next 5 years. Just as the food arrived, he quipped “I’ve got to believe something like that would hurt small farmers, because bigger farmers can afford the technology and farm more land”. Dinner arrived, and the topic changed.

Here’s the response, because I know Jim reads this blog.

At first glance, yes, I can see where many people would see that point. However, it is interesting that in orchard crops, far more technology is in the hands of small farmers, instead of large farmers. The reason is simple-the technology is complicated, and expensive, and many of the large farmers rely of hired labor to run those machines. They don’t trust those workers with that type of an investment, so they don’t make it. But it brings me to another point I’d like to discuss-where do all the “small” farmers go?

Well, let me tell you.

My family has made no secret in the last 5 years that we want to grow our business and expand our acres. So when the opportunity presents itself, we take it. For example, two years ago, my brother and I had an opportunity present itself to us. A neighbor had become widowed, her husband having died of cancer. Her farm sat, and she had no children or grandchildren who wanted to farm. My brother and I stepped up and purchased that farm and equipment from her. For the first time in 30 years, there was no longer a person with the last name of Fraser farming that land. In fact, that family has left agriculture all together. So to some, that’s a “small family farm” that is gone; and they are right. That family’s farm is no longer theres-however, my family carries on that tradition. The same goes for a large tract of row crop land we picked up this year. For the first time in several generations, this other family is not farming. But it was time for the current owners to retire, and no children or grandchildren wanted to carry on with the farm. What should happen in these situations? Should we just let the land sit idle? Should we develop it all into houses? If not my family, then who?

Our view is someone is going to farm it, it might as well be us. People are going to need to eat tomorrow, and I intend to feed them, wether they like it or not.