When you hear the word “hops,” you might think of beer. Hops are used in beer production to add bitter, floral, fruity, or citric flavors and essential oils for preservation. However, Japanese hops lack an essential resin for beer production. Common hops are a similar native species and can be used for beer production. Introduced to North America as ornamental vines, they are native to eastern Asia. Unfortunately, Japanese hops escaped cultivation and have become invasive.
Japanese hops form a dense mat and can choke out other plants. (Contributed Photo)
Japanese hops have distinct bracts where the leaf and petiole attach to the stem. The leaves have toothed edges with 5 to 9 lobes arranged palmately (shaped like a hand with fingers extended), while common hops only have up to 5 lobes.
The weed has both male and female vines. With female vines, seeds are produced in conical husks; male vines produce pollen from flowers. Hooked hairs on the stem and leaves help the vines climb but can irritate human skin after contact.
Seeds from the vine are easily dispersed by wind, water, wildlife, vehicles, and equipment. This allows the invasive weed to grow very rapidly. In just one season, they can grow up to 35 feet long. The vines twine around to climb vegetation and structures, capable of smothering desirable vegetation and producing dense mats several feet thick.
Japanese hops have distinct bracts where the leaf and petiole attach to the stem. (Contributed Photo)
Japanese hops are annual vines in Minnesota but can be perennial in warmer climates. They thrive in partial to full sun including next to rivers, along roadsides, grasslands, and forest edges.
They’ve been found in southeastern Minnesota along the Root and Mississippi rivers, as well as in the city of Winona. Most infestations are on riverbanks and creep into adjacent forest understory.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the results of the 2017 Census of Agriculture, spanning some 6.4 million new points of information about America’s farms and ranches and those who operate them. The Census includes new data about on-farm decision making, right down to the county level. The Information is collected by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) directly from farmers and ranchers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its 2017 Census of Agriculture results this week.
The 2017 Census tells us both farm numbers and the amount of land in farms have decreased slightly since the last Census in 2012. At the same time, there continue to be more of the largest and smallest operations and fewer middle-sized farms. The average age of all farmers and ranchers continues to rise.
“We are pleased to deliver Census of Agriculture results to America, and especially to the farmers and ranchers who participated,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “We can all use the Census to tell the tremendous story of U.S. agriculture and how it is changing.
Perdue adds, “As a data-driven organization, we are eager to dig in to this wealth of information to advance our goals of supporting farmers and ranchers, facilitating rural prosperity, and strengthening stewardship of private lands efficiently, effectively, and with integrity.”
“The Census shows new data that can be compared to previous censuses for insights into agricultural trends and changes down to the county level,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. “While the current picture shows a consistent trend in the structure of U.S. agriculture, there are some ups and downs since the last Census.
“There’s also first-time data on topics such as military status and on-farm decision making,” Hamer added. “To make it easier to delve into the data, we are pleased to make the results available in many online formats, including a new data query interface, as well as traditional data tables.”
Census data provide valuable insights into demographics, economics, land and activities on U.S. farms and ranches.
Some key highlights include:
There are 2.04 million farms and ranches (down 3.2 percent from 2012) with an average size of 441 acres (up 1.6 percent) on 900 million acres (down 1.6 percent).
The 273,000 smallest (1-9 acres) farms make up 0.1 percent of all farmland while the 85,127 largest (2,000 or more acres) farms make up 58 percent of farmland.
Just 105,453 farms produced 75 percent of all sales in 2017, down from 119,908 in 2012.
Of the 2.04 million farms and ranches, the 76,865 making $1 million or more in 2017 represent just over 2/3 of the $389 billion in total value of production while the 1.56 million operations making under $50,000 represent just 2.9 percent.
Farm expenses are $326 billion with feed, livestock purchased, hired labor, fertilizer and cash rents topping the list of farm expenses in 2017.
Average farm income is $43,053. A total of 43.6 percent of farms had positive net cash farm income in 2017.
Ninety-six percent of farms and ranches are family owned.
Farms with Internet access rose from 69.6 percent in 2012 to 75.4 percent in 2017.
A total of 133,176 farms and ranches use renewable energy producing systems, more than double the 57,299 in 2012.
In 2017, 130,056 farms sold directly to consumers, with sales of $2.8 billion.
Sales to retail outlets, institutions and food hubs by 28,958 operations are valued at $9 billion.
For the 2017 Census of Agriculture, NASS changed the demographic questions to better represent the roles of everyone involved in on-farm decision making. As a result, in the number of producers is up by nearly seven percent to 3.4 million, in part because more farms reported multiple producers. Most of these newly identified producers are female. While the number of male producers fell 1.7 percent to 2.17 million from 2012 to 2017, the number of female producers increased by nearly 27 percent to 1.23 million. This change underscores the effectiveness of the questionnaire changes.
Other demographic highlights include:
The average age of all producers is 57.5, up 1.2 years from 2012.
The number of producers who have served in the military is 370,619, or 11 percent of all. They are older than the average at 67.9.
There are 321,261 young producers age 35 or less on 240,141 farms. Farms with young producers making decisions tend to be larger than average in both acres and sales.
More than any other age group, young producers make decisions regarding livestock, though the difference is slight.
One in four producers is a beginning farmer with 10 or fewer years of experience and an average age of 46.3. Farms with new or beginning producers making decisions tend to be smaller than average in both acres and value of production.
Thirty-six percent of all producers are female and 56 percent of all farms have at least one female decision maker. Farms with female producers making decisions tend to be smaller than average in both acres and value of production.
Female producers are most heavily engaged in the day-to-day decisions along with record keeping and financial management.
Results are available in many online formats including video presentations, a new data query interface, maps, and traditional data tables. To address questions about the 2017 Census of Agriculture data, NASS will host a live Twitter chat (@usda_nass) Ask the Census Experts #StatChat on Friday, April 12 at 1 p.m. ET. All information is available at www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.
History of the Census
The Census tells the story of American agriculture and is an important part of our history. First conducted in 1840, the Census of Agriculture accounts for all U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. After 1920, the Census happened every four to five years. By 1982, it was regularly conducted once every five years.
Today, NASS sends questionnaires to nearly 3 million potential U.S. farms and ranches. Nearly 25 percent of those who responded did so online. Conducted since 1997 by USDA NASS – the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture – it remains the only source of comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation and is invaluable for planning the future.
Farm country is getting closer and closer to spring planting. Farmers are starting to look at their planters longingly, dreaming of being out in the field. After a wet winter that resulted in serious flooding problems, the nation’s midsection is looking for a spell of dry weather. However, ag meteorologist Ryan Martin of Warsaw, Indiana, says planters are likely going to sit a spell yet. It’s important to remember that we’re way too early to think about seriously-delayed spring planting.
“It probably going to be late this month or early into next month before planters get rolling,” Martin said. “It’s way too early to start thinking about serious spring planting delays. We’re actually not even at first planting dates in a large part of the Corn Belt yet.
Heartland Forecast
“As I look at the pattern stretching all the way from the
Great Plains through the Corn Belt, we’ve got a big weather system that wants
to move through late this weekend (Sunday, April 7 possibly through early
Tuesday the 9th). There won’t be a lot of good drying time after
that running through the end of the week.”
After that, there’s another system in the 11-to-16-day forecast that may have 1-3 inches of rain coming across all the key growing areas. Martin says, flooding and current situation aside, the forecast doesn’t give farmers enough of a window in there to really start spring planting en masse.
The Elkhorn River in Nebraska is way over its banks, covering up a lot of farm ground in Nebraska. Spring planting is likely to be delayed in a large part of the Midwest and Corn Belt because of flooding just like this. (Photo from Omaha.com)
Parts of Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri have been devastated by flooding this spring, and the dry weather farmers are looking for really isn’t going to happen. “I don’t think so,” he said. “The way the pattern looks over the next 10 days, I’m counting two systems that come through. One won’t have a huge amount of rain, but the second one could bring as much as a quarter-inch to as much as 1.25 inches.
“Normally at this time of year that would be good news,”
Martin added. “But, the way things are set up right now it’s just not good.”
Southern Plains/Delta
There are some planters rolling deeper in the Southern Plains and in the Delta. Martin said the weather pattern in that part of the country shows that farmers may have to dodge some thunderstorms in order to keep spring planting going forward.
“Fronts will be coming through but as they do, they won’t
hit everyone at the same time,” he said. “Over the next three weeks or so,
those storms will end up with about 60-70 percent coverage at any given time.
It doesn’t look too excessive to me right now. It’ll be a hodgepodge type of
activity that should eventually allow crops into the ground and then get the crops
the kind of rainfall they need to get going.”
The pattern for the heaviest rains wants to stay a little
farther north into the Central Plains and the Missouri Valley Corn Belt areas.
The interesting area to watch will be the far east part of the Deep South,
where the likelihood of getting the crop in the ground on time is pretty good.
“Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and up into Tennessee are places where temperatures might lag a little behind normal,” Martin said. “There could be some thunderstorm development but I’m not quite as bullish on rain or bearish on getting spring planting in the Deep South done as I am farther north.”
Potential Flooding
Possible in Upper Midwest
There won’t be as much happening in the western states in
terms of precipitation like there will be in other parts of the country. The
biggest story in the western U.S. won’t be in terms of new systems moving
through. It’ll more likely involve snowpack runoff. The interesting thing about
snowpack runoff is the problems won’t necessarily be just out west.
“The Red River likely will hit major flood stage in eastern
North Dakota and western Minnesota,” he said. “There is snowpack that goes all
the way back up into Montana and into the northern Rockies. The biggest question
is just how fast we’ll see that snow melt and move through the area.
“The question is whether we’ll see a fast snowmelt with temps above normal,” he added. “That could be the story more than new systems coming through. Temperatures are still a little squirrely as temps likely will lag behind normal due to all that snowpack that still sits on the ground in those areas I mentioned.”
Many different sources of stress are currently impacting farmers and ranchers. In response to the growing pressure on agriculture, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Red River Farm Network (RRFN) have joined forces to create a new radio series called TransFARMation.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is teaming up with the Red River Farm Network to launch a radio series called TransFARMation, designed to help farmers deal with the stresses they’re under and to encourage them to ask for help, if needed.
“Farming is a stressful business during the best of times,” says Don Wick, president, RRFN. “Agriculture’s financial health is being influenced by tight margins, the trade war, production issues, and more. These are all factors where farmers and ranchers have little or no control.”
The series uses farm radio, podcasts, and social media to increase awareness and reduce inhibitions about acknowledging farmer stress. It will also highlight sources of support.
“Many people are struggling and they need to know they’re not alone,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “This is a powerful series – we hear from farmers, ranchers, and others in agriculture talk about some of the strategies and solutions that helped them when things got tough.”
The 60 second prime-time radio stories can be heard on all of RRFN’s 20 stations throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, starting the week of April 8. In addition, the in-depth podcasts can be found at www.rrfn.com/transfarmation.
TransFARMation is supported by a grant from the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Institute for Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, and by AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, North Dakota Corn Growers Association, North Dakota Farmers Union, North Dakota Soybean Council, North Dakota Wheat Commission, and Prairie St. John’s.
Broadcasts are solely the responsibility of the creators and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC, NIOSH, or the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health.
If you or someone you know is struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, or other problems, the free and confidential Minnesota Farm & Rural Helpline is available 24 hours, seven days a week at 833-600-2670.
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announces a couple of important updates to farmers.gov.(Photo from foodsafetynews.com)
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced says the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched two new features on farmers.gov to help customers manage their farm loans, as well as navigate the application process for H2A visas.
“Customer service is our top priority at USDA,” he says. “These new features will help our customers as they manage their farm loans and navigate the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program. In my travels across the country, I have consistently heard people tell us to use more technology to deliver programs at USDA. As we adopt new technology, we are introducing simple yet innovative approaches to support our farmers, ranchers, producers, and foresters. After all, they support the nation every day. It’s my goal to make USDA the most effective, most efficient, most customer-focused department in the entire federal government. Farmers.gov is a big step in that direction.”
In 2018, Secretary Perdue unveiled farmers.gov, a dynamic, mobile-friendly public website combined with an authenticated portal where customers will be able to apply for programs, process transactions and manage accounts.
Navigating the H-2A Visa Process:
Focused on education and smaller owner-operators, this farmers.gov H-2A Phase I release includes an H-2A Visa Program page and interactive checklist tool. It includes application requirements, fees, forms, and a timeline built around a farmer’s hiring needs.
The H-2A Visa Program – also known as the temporary agricultural workers program – helps American farmers fill employment gaps by hiring workers from other countries. The U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of State, and state workforce agencies each manage parts of the H-2A Visa Program independently, with separate websites and complex business applications.
Over the next several months, USDA will collaborate further with the U.S. Department of Labor on farmers.gov H-2A Phase II. It’s a streamlined H-2A Visa Program application form, regulations, and digital application process that moves producers seamlessly from farmers.gov website to farmers.gov portal, and then to U.S. Department of Labor’s IT systems.
Managing Farm Loans Online:
The self-service website now enables agricultural producers to view loan information, history and payments.
Customers can access the “My Financial Information” feature by desktop computer, tablet or phone. They can now view:
loan information;
interest payments for the current calendar year (including year-to-date interest paid for the past five years);
loan advance and payment history;
paid-in-full and restructured loans; and
account alerts giving borrowers important notifications regarding their loans.
To access their information, producers will need a USDA eAuth account to login into farmers.gov. After obtaining an eAuth account, producers should visit farmers.gov and sign into the site’s authenticated portal via the “Sign In / Sign Up” link at the top right of the website.
Currently, only producers doing business as individuals can view information. Entities, such as an LLC or Trust, or producers doing business on behalf of another customer cannot access the portal at this time. However that will change in the future.
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge are the recommended browsers to access the feature.
About farmers.gov:
USDA is building farmers.gov for farmers, by farmers. Future self-service features available through the farmers.gov portal will help producers find the right loan programs for their business and submit loan documents to their service center.
With feedback from customers and field employees who serve those customers, farmers.gov delivers farmer-focused features to deliver the greatest immediate value to America’s agricultural producers – helping farmers and ranchers do right, and feed everyone.
Here’s the best way to describe just what Bullfighters Only is:
It’s the kind of thing most people will only see in a nightmare. It’s the center of a rodeo ring and there’s just you and an angry 1,500-pound animal running directly at you with malicious intent. The only job you have then is to stay out of its way for a predetermined length of time. That’s the kind of thing that Mabel, Minnesota native Justin Ward does for a living. The 23-year-old has gotten quite good at it and was named the Bullfighter’s Only Rookie of the Year Award Winner.
Bullfighters Only Rookie of the Year Justin Ward, a Mabel, Minnesota native, shown here in action. (Photo from BCNG.com)
NFL of Bull Fighting
Ward describes Bullfighters Only as the “NFL of freestyle bullfighting.” The contestant has to “fight” a Mexican fighting bull for a minute. And by fight, Ward says that means don’t let him kill you. As a bullfighter, Ward says he’s running around the ring “trying to do cool stuff for 40 seconds” and then really tries to up the score with one final trick in the last 20 seconds. The goal is to get the highest possible score between 0-100.
“While this animal is trying to kill you, some guys will do front flips, some do backflips, and some even get on their knees and try to juke out the animal,” Ward said. “The first 40 seconds is basically to prove that the animal can’t catch you. My big trick is leaping over the top of the charging bull from a flat-footed position, all the way from his nose to his tail.”
Ward said being off on a trick like that, even by a millisecond, gets painful in a hurry. He said a trick like that in Las Vegas “didn’t end up so well.” It’s tough to practice something like that leap every day. Ward says he just goes out and does it. But that’s not the only kind of bullfighting he does.
This is what Justin Ward looks like in action. Could you be brave enough to do this?
“I also do the rodeo protection bullfighting,” Ward said. “I
had actually done that for quite a while. One of the guys that trained me to do
that said I was pretty athletic and should go try out a Bullfighters Only competition.
I went to California for a developmental camp, which is similar to an NFL
Combine. I got an opportunity in my first Bullfighters Only event and placed in
the top five.”
It didn’t stop there. At his very next event, Ward took home a $10,000 paycheck. It’s a giant step up from where he was the first time he stepped into a ring one-on-one with an angry bull.
The First Try
“The first time I stepped into the ring by myself, it was terrible,” he recalled. “I literally got knocked around for 30 of the required 40 seconds. I climbed out of that ring and never wanted to do that again. Then, they announced that I’d won my round and had to do it again after all. My first thought at the time was ‘are you kidding me?’”
Bullfighters Only Rookie of the Year Justin Ward, in action, taking on a 1,500-pound Mexican Fighting Bull. Ward was a $10,000 dollar winner in the second competition he ever entered. (Photo from BCNG.com)
Ward’s experience with bullfighting, as well as rodeo in
general, goes back a long way. He and a partner were competing in a team-roping
competition, as well as steer wrestling, at a rodeo in southern Wisconsin. One
of the bullfighters didn’t show up so a rodeo committee member offered 50
dollars to anyone who would fill in.
With a laugh, Ward said, “I was 17 years old and dumb enough
to take him up on it. My first bullfight that day was terrifying. I got wrecked
up pretty good. However, it didn’t hurt as bad as I thought it would, I lived
through it, and they paid me. I thought to myself ‘I can do this!’”
It’s important to remind people that he’s not out there completely unprotected. A collision with an angry bull is quite similar to getting hit by a car, but the bullfighters still have a full-sized plastic chest plate. So, they absorb the full force of the collision, but a lot of pain is kept at bay. Ward said it knocked the wind out of him, but it did the job of “keeping me alive.”
Practicing
Ward and his fellow bullfighters have come up with an
unusual way to hone their skills. They take the front wheel of a bicycle and
weld some handles to it. Then, they’ll attach a fake bull head to the machine.
One bullfighter will operate the machinery as if it’s an actual bull while the
other one works on his skills.
“I tell those guys that if I slip up, they need to whack me
with it,” Ward said. “I need to learn that if I fall right here, it’s going to
suck.”
Ward said he hits the gym regularly, doing HIT (High Intensity) workouts three days a week and works on cardio five days a week. He’s in the gym at least twice a day. It’s all about avoiding collisions like the one he referenced in Vegas and still remembers to this day.
Injuries Happen
“I did my big move and tried to jump over the top of the
bull,” he said. “He hit me on the way by and when I fell to the ground, he just
smoked me up against a panel three or four times and dislocated my shoulder. He
actually hit me in the stomach hard enough that the doctor thought I might be
bleeding internally. It was rough.
“I didn’t have long to recover,” he recalled. “I had another
bullfight the following week, so I had to tough it out and compete injured.”
Not all bullfights are equally as challenging. A lot of the difficulty
actually depends on the animal’s temperament. It all depends on what each
bullfighter draws for a matchup.
“You can tell ahead of time if they’re going to be easy to
perform with,” Ward said. “Then it’s a lot of fun knowing that you can pick on
them a little and they can’t catch you. However, there have been other bulls
that there was almost no getting away from. We’re talking pure adrenaline and
pure fear with bulls like that.”
Most of the Mexican fighting bulls weigh between 1,200-1,500
pounds. You won’t see the giant 2,000-pound monster bulls because Ward said, “they’re
not very quick.” However, the smaller Mexican fighting bulls are lightning
quick.
A lot of miles
It’s a busy life of travel as a bullfighter. The first show Ward ever did was in Ada, Oklahoma, and his next show the following week in Washington state. He had a show earlier this year in Scottsdale, Arizona, followed by another one in Atlanta, Georgia. If someone from his area is competing at the same show, Ward said they’ll team up and drive there. If he’s traveling solo to a show, Ward said it’s easier to fly. He estimates putting on 50-60,000 miles in the last year alone. Ward said finding out he won the Rookie of the Year Award made it all worth the effort.
“I didn’t even know it had happened,” Ward recalled. “I was
doing an interview just like we’re doing now, and someone asked me how it felt
to be the Rookie of the Year. My first response was ‘I’m rookie of the year?’
He was a little surprised no one had told me yet.”
So, is this something that Ward is planning on doing for a
while? “This is a long-term occupation for me,” Ward said with a smile that was
almost visible in spite of talking on the phone.
Taxes. We all pay them, don’t we? I wanted to share a story I helped set up on the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service today. Washington state farmers don’t pay ANY taxes whatsoever? Who knew? Bob Larson of the Ag Information Network of the West, based in Walla Walla, Washington, shared some audio saying that very thing.
Democrats in the Washington state senate have passed a bill that would force the state’s farmers to pay taxes for accessing the federal H-2A worker program, as well as pay extra taxes for each individual foreign worker they hire. (Photo from choosewashingtonstate.com)
I’m in shock. The reason I’m flummoxed is the legislator really believes the manure he’s shoveling. Washington Senator John McCoy is convinced that farmers in his state pay NO taxes, “whatsoever?” He did hedge a bit, saying “they do pay some fees, I’ll give you that.” Don’t taxes and fees imposed by government all go to the same place, don’t they?
And, where does a legislator who’s not a farmer get off speaking FOR farmers?
Washington State Democrats passed Senate Bill 5438 on a party-line vote. It would allow the State Employment Security Department to tax farmers that hire foreign guest workers above and beyond the fees they already pay to the federal government … for the federal program. During comments before the vote, Senator John McCoy (38th District) broke news that many farmers in this state would be shocked to hear…tape
Senator Mark Schoesler, of the 9th District in Southeastern Washington AND 5th generation wheat farmer, was quick to responded…tape
It would allow the department to charge growers up to $500 to apply for H-2A workers and up to $75 per head above that. Only Democrats voted in favor of the bill that passed on a 26-21 vote. The bill now moves to the House.
A Capital Press Dot Com article says the Employment Office wants extra funds for its administrative duties under the program. Democrat Liz Lovelett is the Washington State Senate’s newest member. She says the state needs money to investigate “deplorable” conditions on her state’s farms.
Republicans aren’t happy with the new fees. They’re call out Democrats for an “attack on the finances and integrity of agriculture.” It doesn’t just stop with new fees, either. There’s even a bill that would actually require the state’s farmers to report whether or not they use slaves.
The Farmer Veteran Coalition is making a difference in the lives of veterans across the country. American veterans can sometimes find themselves looking for a direction in life after leaving the service. Veterans looking into the possibility of a career in agriculture for a potential post-military career have an ally. Paul Marshall is a Veteran Service Provider for the Farmer Veteran Coalition. He talks about the mission of his organization.
Studies have shown that a career in animal agriculture can help veterans in many ways. Working in the country is especially helpful for vets fighting off the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Marshall says the Veterans Administration Hospital is catching on to the fact that being in the country is good therapy. One service the Coalition provides is helping match farmers looking for help with veterans interested in agriculture.
The organization describes itself as an organization that sets out to cultivate a new generation of farmers and food leaders. They want to develop viable employment opportunities that turn into meaningful, lifelong careers.
The FMC website says.”We believe that veterans possess the unique skills and character needed to strengthen rural communities and create sustainable food systems. We believe that agriculture offers purpose, opportunity, and physical and psychological benefits.”
The roots of the organization go back to 2006. The first meeting to discuss pairing returning veterans with farmers looking for help took place in California. The movement expanded steadily from there. As recently as 2015, the number of veterans the organizations was working with totaled 4,500. The organization is now an independent 501c3. The group intends to keep paring returning veterans and farmers who need help for a long time to come.
For more information on the Farmer Veteran Coalition, check out www.farmvetco.org.
The Minnesota FFA Alumni Association is proud to announce its FFA Hall of Fame Class of 2019. These nine inductees will join the 176 members already inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame over the past sixteen years. That number includes 75 inaugural members in 2004. The FFA Hall of Fame is a collaborative effort between the Minnesota FFA Association, Alumni, and Foundation.
The Minnesota FFA Organization has announced its Hall of Fame Class of 2019. (Photo from FFA.org)
Criteria
A selection committee consisting of FFA members, alumni, agricultural educators, and foundation representatives selected the final inductees. “We were looking for individuals who have been influential and supportive of Minnesota FFA,” said Steve Olson, co-chair of the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame Committee. “We want people who have demonstrated a high level of service and longstanding commitment to agriculture, agribusiness, and/or education in agriculture.”
The induction ceremony is on Monday, April 29, 2019, during the 90th State FFA Convention. You will see the 2019 Hall of Fame Class on the Minnesota FFA Alumni Association website. They’ll also be on the state FFA convention newsletter coming out shortly after the convention.
The Minnesota FFA Foundation, through its Star Partners Program, provides resources that support the FFA Hall of Fame program. Check out www.mnffafoundation.org for more information on programs and funding opportunities.
Making a Difference
FFA is a national youth organization making a positive difference in the lives of young people by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success of its 629,367 student members. FFA members are preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business, and technology sectors of agriculture. Nearly 11,000 students are members of the Minnesota FFA Association. www.mnffa.org.
Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame Class of 2019
● Judy Barka, Watkins, MN
● Nancy Dahlman,Cokato, MN
● Roy Johnson, Elk River, MN
● Fred Troendle, St Charles, MN
● Neil Pearson, Grove City, MN
● Ken Hammer, Frazee, MN
● Jeff Voss, Jackson, MN
● Gary Olson, Moorhead, MN
● Doug Hoseck, Hector, MN
Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame
Selection criteria
Nominees should meet many, but not necessarily all, of the following criteria:
1. Contributions and service the candidate has provided to agriculture/agribusiness, to education in agriculture and FFA. Consideration should be given to longevity.
2. Leadership to the candidate’s profession, to agriculture, to education and to the FFA;
3. Career accomplishments, honors and recognition;
4. FFA leadership at the local, state, and national level;
5. Leadership and support to other agriculturally related organizations and/or agencies;
6. Responsibilities, leadership and/or services to non-agricultural groups and organizations;
7. Participation and support of philanthropic endeavors;
8. Service to and participation in activities which promote agriculture, citizenship, education and the FFA.
The weather forecast. You know you’re paying extra attention if you live in the Upper Midwest as I do (Minnesota and any of the surrounding states). Simply put, you’re wondering when the white stuff falling from the sky will finally end. After all, it’s getting really hard to find places to pile the extra snow when it’s time to shovel (or snow blow) the driveway. So, I figured it was time to call up my favorite weather guy, Ryan Martin of Warsaw, Indiana, to get a weather forecast of what’s coming for different areas of the country in late winter and early spring.
Ag meteorologist Ryan Martin speaks during a recent event. Martin is the Chief Meteorologist for Hoosier Ag Today. (photo from hoosieragtoday.com)
“From Iowa and northward through the Upper Midwest, it’s
been a very snow-filled winter to this point,” he said. “We’ve exceeded total
snowfall amounts in our forecasts by a little bit. One thing you need to note
is the fact that it’s still February.
“We generally expect the snowfall patterns to gradually
start to ease up in mid-to-late March,” he added. “I think we’re going to be on
track to see that this year. Am I calling for an immediate stoppage of now? No.
What I do see is temps switching from below normal to normal to slightly above
normal. You’ll see more rain mixing in with the snow as March progresses.”
In the weather forecast for the eastern Corn Belt, including the Ohio River Valley, Indiana, Ohio, and the Great Lakes Region, Martin says things take a more active turn as February turns into early March. There’s going to be some “excessive” precipitation moving through that area.
“Temps are going to be on a roller coaster,” Martin said. “We
had the brutal cold snap a few weeks ago but are now transitioning into a
period during which temps will average out to normal. But, keep in mind that
means you could be ten degrees above normal one day and ten below the next day.
I’m seeing a lot of rain in the eastern Corn Belt region, which will have a big
impact on Ohio River levels, mid-and-lower-Mississippi River levels, and even
the Illinois River levels.
Find out Ryan’s weather forecast for the Plains States, the Delta region, as well as the western United States forecast.
