Return from camp

Nothing refreshes the mind quite like a full week of 5 hours nights and 200 kids running (well more literally walking) rampage on the camp in a hurry to do all things that they can't do at home. That aside, I truly love 4-H camp and look forward to the opportunity to return as a dean once again next year. In the meantime, I will give you more food for thought today as I sort through my inbox for articles and ideas to post.

Progressive Dairymen is a new group I joined online. Under the name "Proud to Dairy", it's a ning.com group which serves as a great site to find dairy blogs and to network with other people throughout the U.S. who are proud to dairy. Somewhere on the website is an article in which our MSU team was interviewed about our National Dairy Challenge experience in California. However, for now, I include this great interview article with Gary Conklin about the farm video incident earlier this year.

The European Union has voted to ban the sale of cloned animals for food in Europe. Interestingly, we still don't see the true value or cost of using cloned animals to produce food.

My alma mater had a 4 legged, 6 footed piglet born this week. Hopefully I will get some pictures to let you see this strange critter.

About 100 dogs were rescued in Delaware County, OH, and are in desperate need of adoption. It always troubles me to think about so many dogs in need of good homes and the poor alternatives that await them. However, we are still not ready to be getting a dog, and so we'll have to wait for now.

This interview at the JAM definitely happened just in front of me as I was talking to some of my friends. Dr. Croney was greatly supportive of my presentation in Denver and for that I am grateful. Please listen to the interview with an open mind and try to see the points which she tries to make in her interview with Trent Loos.

Col. Sanders was inducted in the Meat Industry Hall of Fame this year. Posthumous recognition always seems pointless to me, but still, it's a nice gesture towards a great man who created a store which now sells notoriously unhealthy food.

Also, the video about the truth of pork production is available on youtube.com. Please share with those around you who may have a skewed view of pork farming.

Finally, another weigh-in on the HSUS/OFBF agreement, this time from the pork producers.

Mid-July Heat and Conklin Update

Boy this heat sure has been bad this week. After driving to Denver and back, I can safely say that there are a) a lot of flat lands between here and there, b) I don't plan to drive there again soon, c) there is thankfully still farmland in the blessed country, d) I have seen all of the heat you're all suffering. Good luck keeping the crops growing and healthy.

My trip to Denver was pretty awesome. It was great to visit with and meet so many people in the past week and I greatly enjoyed giving my talk on tail docking in dairy cattle. I also had the opportunity to listen to many research projects and read various posters, including welfare and nutrition topics.

On that note I will turn back to the grind mill with ARS reports related to ongoing research.

First, check out the article outlining different egg production practices and the fact that they found no significant difference in egg quality between the different practices.

Also, some cool engineering research on how to make levees last longer.

I don't know about you, but I get nervous every time we talk about bringing in a pest to change an ecosystem.

And I will close with an update via Humane Watch about the Conklin Farm legal case and prosecution of that scummy Billy Jo Gregg, Jr.

Grandin weighs in on Conklins

I would like to congratulate this vegetarian website for their use of Temple Grandin in an article discussing animal abuse on dairy farms.

Grandin's opinion on this issue is somewhat moderate, in indicating that while this is not the case on an average farm, there are staffing issues that are leading to mistreatment of animals. I would agree that there are animal welfare improvements that belong in the farms of today and tomorrow. This vegetarian website should be commended for even venturing to provide a moderate viewpoint on such a volatile topic.

Week 2, Post 1

Objects of interest for the beginning of the week:

1) A positive blog about agriculture from an urban personage. I liked it. Thanks to Marcus for that.

2) An interesting article in the Dispatch this past week.

3) A well-spoken article from a person who knew the kid abusing the cows at Conklin's farm. Definitely this is worth the read.

4) Finally the long-awaited and much-quoted report from Humane Watch, an organization which I believe is expected to speak at the 2010 National Block and Bridle Convention. I'm not really sure yet what I think about Humane Watch, but I am in support of their stance against HSUS and their activity on that front.