Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on American health and the economy, and agriculture unfortunately is no exception. Among the hardest hit are our nation’s dairy farmers. While store shelves and food banks sit empty of nature’s most nearly perfect food, dairy producers across the country are literally dumping milk down the drain. This week, we’re joined by two dairy-derived Millennials. Hank and Katy DeVries, siblings from a dairy in Southern Idaho share their on-the-ground experiences with dumping their family’s livelihood and hard work straight down the pipes. Hank talks about what it’s like to literally watch a day’s hard work disappear before his eyes without hope for compensation, while Katy talks about her efforts to try and provide a shot of adrenaline to the industry locally. Problems have piled on top of problems for dairy farmers, who haven’t experienced a year of black ink since 2014. Coronavirus is snowballing the bad effects of years of bad prices, but our guests display agriculturists’ eternal optimism by showing where the light can still be found, even in times of crisis and loss.
Shoving aside doom and gloom, this week Katharine and Valene focus on hope. They dig deep, talking about hope in the time of coronavirus as well as discussing hope they see in their own agricultural sectors. They showcase some new ways of marketing they’ve encountered during the pandemic, and highlight areas of hope they see across the entire agricultural industry. Agriculture is no stranger to tough times, and Katharine and Valene see the industry rising to the occasion once again. Where are you finding hope? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram, or katharine@millennialag.com
This week, we reflect. The coronavirus pandemic has demanded we slow down, and with that decreased pace comes time to consider what really matters. Katharine and Valene share how the first quarter has changed constantly for them since they first shared their New Years goals with you. They talk about how they have and are adapting, both to shifting goals and workplace needs and demands. They share howt he slowdown ahs affected them individually and together, and finally, recognize the vulnerability this situation is nearly demanding is them how to grow strong, and instead of using fear as an excuse, use it to face everything and rise.
Coronavirus. Surprised? Yeah, us neither. But we thought we'd put our own Millennial Ag spin on it. This week, we bring in a millennial guest, Mr. Patrick Linnell. Patrick is an analyst for Cattlefax, and keeps a close eye on agriculture markets, interpreting trends and dissecting the numbers to help us understand what the heck is going on. We engage in lively conversation, trying to understand how coronavirus has impacted the agricultural markets, how long it may last, how we can deal with it, and most importantly, looking at it through the millennial lens. Tune in while you're in quarantine, and don't forget to drop us a line (katharine@millennialag.com).
Let's talk about CAFOs. Confined Animal Feeding Operations. Yep, we're going there. It seems like they're always in the news, and even in the western U.S., activity against larger animal ag operations seems to be gaining ground. Why? Valene and Katharine dig into this issue this week. We talk about some of the legislation being brought against animal agriculture, why this might be happening, and how livestock producers can begin to work to protect themselves and others in the industry. We talk about animal rights activists, how they're not backing down, and how agriculturists can respond.
This week, Katharine and Valene travel further along in the discussion they started in the last episode. After asking if civility even exists anymore, and reflecting on some political experiences they shared, the conversation naturally turned to how agriculture is used and abused in American politics. It’s a presidential election year here in the States, and rather unusually, agriculture has turned up more often on the debate stage and candidates’ issues platforms. Katharine and Valene get a little bit sideways with each other, discussing their viewpoints about how agriculture is represented politically. You’ll want to tune in to this week’s episode of the Millennial Ag Podcast to hear their take on agriculture, politics, and how we learned we have different viewpoints about this issue, but were still able to have a civil conversation.
This week started off with President's Day, and we figured what better time to bring up politics than when we're supposed to be honoring our Founding Fathers. We both had experiences last week that left us wondering why compromise has become such a dirty word, both in society and within agriculture. Is civility dead? It seems that we no longer have the ability to discuss controversial and divisive topics with those with whom we disagree. We take a closer look at what's brought about this state of affairs, and then commit to putting our money where our mouths are. We're looking for guests (You? Someone you know?) with whom we may not agree with to help us challenge the belief that if you disagree, you have nothing to talk about. Tune in to this week's episode of Millennial Ag to learn more!
It seems like with the Hollywood awards show season in session and several large retailers (hey Starbucks) taking aim at production agriculture recently, there's a lot to talk about when it comes to ag being attacked. This week, Valene and Katharine wonder if agriculture sometimes takes the "victim" role a little too seriously. They discuss how this plays out in the industry, and what can be done to start being proactive, rather than reactive when these inevitable attacks happen. How do you think agriculture can start being proactive? How are you, your family, your operation already proactive when it comes to these kinds of issues? Tell us in the comments, and let us know on Facebook and Instagram too!
This week, Millennial Ag keeps it short and sweet. Katharine and Valene share a few of their recent struggles, but more importantly, shine a light on what they're grateful for this week and what they're most looking forward to in the next few days. Sometimes, the world just needs a little extra light. Millennial Ag delivers just that this week.
The nation’s oldest “ag-gag” law was struck down last week in Kansas. Katharine and Valene thought that a closer examination of ag-gag laws was called for this week. They discuss the history and background of these types of laws, and why they’re suddenly falling like dominoes. They dive into how animal agriculture producers need to take this issue seriously, and talk about some ways that we, as an industry and as individuals, can protect ourselves, our livelihoods, and the animals we so tremendously care for.