When it comes to podcasts, I’m a novice. Most times, I turn on some George Jones or Journey while I’m working, but recently I have warmed up to the idea of listening to podcasts because of one show in particular: The Shark Farmer Podcast.  Admittedly, this show has made me cry, laugh and fall into deep reflection all at my desk here at the Alliance office.

During one of my many binges of the podcast, I came across an episode with a quick discussion about the millennial generation that grabbed my attention. Unexpectedly, the guest on the show praised the individuals who belong to this generation.  This came as a shock to me as I hardly like to associate myself with my generation, but that quick conversation triggered a different thought process.  I took a long look at this generation, and it wasn’t all that bad. With this idea in mind, I decided to reach coast to coast and find some of the brightest minds of my generation and see what they have to say about animal agriculture. I was by no means disappointed, and I don’t think you will be either.

Lauren Heberling, Agribusiness Management Student at Michigan State University

I met Lauren as a state FFA officer, and she and her team taught me two things:

1. (Ag)riculture is actually pronounced (egg)riculuture (at least in the Midwest), and
2. the dairy industry is kind of a big deal.

Lauren Heberling

Lauren and I kept up with each other after our year of service and I have always been impressed by her unfailing motivation to make herself and the world around her better. During the school year, she works for the Michigan FFA Association as editor of the Michigan FFA publication, The Creed, trains current state FFA officers for their state FFA convention and works with media for Michigan FFA Association. In addition to her schooling, she is involved in the Michigan State Dairy Club, Sigma Alpha, Collegiate Farm Bureau and is finishing up her last year as a 4-H member. This summer she is interning for the Michigan Milk Producers Association. MMPA is a milk cooperative comprised of nearly 1,100 farms in the Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio. This opportunity has allowed Lauren to strengthen her passion and understanding of the animal agriculture industry as well as be on a team solely devoted to making sure their dairy farmer members receive the most profit possible for their hard work.

And what does Lauren have to say about animal ag?

“Those who raise the animals for food and fiber take the skepticism around what comprises their livelihood and turn it into transparency and innovation. The values and integrity of our American farmers are next to none and the raising of our food and fiber through animals pushes scientific advancement, raises ethical standards and holds the ideals of hard work high. The single-most reason animal agriculture is so vital to our society is because it produces the food – a burger, a cold glass of milk, an ice-cream cone in the middle of summer- while also providing a model of what every industry should look like. Animal agriculture makes a living for families, is honest in the face of controversy, works non-stop to provide for America in the safest manner for both humans and animals and above all else, does it with an honest pride.”

I could really stop right here and my point be made, but there a few more people you should meet.

Omar Raymundo, Biomedical Engineering Student at Duke University

Omar Raymundo

This kid is a GENIUS. Ask him anything about anything, and if he doesn’t know the answer, he will figure it out. Better yet, if he isn’t familiar with a subject, he craves to learn about it. Omar grew up in a small, rural town at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. As a child, he had relatively little interaction with the agriculture industry compared to others in his area. His grandfather owned livestock and had a small garden, but Omar was oblivious to the intricacies of agriculture. Since then, he has gained intelligent and passionate mentors to teach him much more about agriculture. As he reflects on the industry, he says,

“I am constantly reminded that animal agriculture is not simply ‘slopping the hogs.’ It is a complex mix of genetics, engineering and advocacy.”

I would like to give a huge shout out to agriculture teachers every where. As intellectual as they are, not many Ivy League students know the truth and importance of animal agriculture. Thanks to agricultural education, students like Omar will soon not be an anomaly.

John Winkler, Animal Science Student at University of Georgia

John Winkler

You know that FarmersOnly.com commercial with the tag line “city folk just don’t get it”? Well, I beg to differ. They do get it. John is a prime example of this.

John grew up in a city in the outskirts of Atlanta. As you can imagine, he didn’t grow up with an agriculture background or with influence such as FFA, Georgia Cattlemen’s or 4-H, but he knew he wanted to be in the agriculture industry. He began his collegiate career at Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College (Gee Haw, Whoa Back!) where he decided he wanted to go into the animal aspect of agriculture. He learned a lot about the industry through the connections he made and through joining the cattlemen’s club on campus. When asked his thoughts on the industry, he says,

“Animal agriculture plays a big role in our food industry. It is important that the people in this industry know how to raise the animals properly. Many factors go into doing such, in which I am learning throughout the course of my major. Without animal agriculture, just think about how our food industry would look.”

Wise words from a city slicker, huh?

Lizzi Neal, Agricultural Communications & Animal Science Major at Oklahoma State University

Some people think that Oklahoma is God’s country, but they are sadly mistaken. Being from Georgia, I can assure you that the Peach State holds this title. Nevertheless, this girl decided to move Oklahoma to gain a higher education. Again, not really sure why when she could attend the finest institution in the land, the University of Georgia. We still love her, though.

Lizzi Neal

Lizzi Neal is a livestock-showing queen. Her passion for agriculture and more specifically animal agriculture directly relates to her journey as a member of the National FFA Organization. From public speaking to livestock and meats evaluation, each avenue brought forth a new perspective of the industry that she had yet to consider. She began exhibiting livestock at the age of 11, and eventually her single market hog project grew to also include cattle. She later had the unique opportunity to serve as a state officer from 2016-2017. If you ask her, she will tell you that her life has been forever changed by animal agriculture.

When I have questions about animal ag, I normally give her a call. This quote shows you why:

“For me, the single most important aspect of animal agriculture at any stage is perception. 962 miles away from the only home I had ever known, individuals carried a much more positive and accepting connotation with the words animal agriculture. Such a way of life traveled back generations through family lines and was almost expected of at least 50 percent of people in a crowded room. Urbanization has stolen valuable farm land and more emphasis lies on research for more efficient yields. Still, as our industry becomes more progressive, the common perception fights against change. From the basic nutrients to total amount of edible product yielded per carcass, by changing perception, animal agriculture can be the driving force for feeding a growing world.”

Whether you’re a Poke or a Dawg, we can all agree that Lizzi makes a good point.

Elisabeth Doody, Plant Sciences and Technology Advancement Management at the University of California- Davis

There are many reasons why my passion runs deep in the agriculture industry. One reason is that this industry brings people together. I met Elisabeth at a reception here in DC. She is interning at the Agricultural Retailers Association where she is being introduced to agriculture policy and exploring how decision makers influence the agriculture industry. Although we are both from completely opposite ends of the country and focus on two separate areas on the industry, we easily found common ground and sparked up a great conversation. Elisabeth prefers to work with plants, but she has some pretty great insight on the animal ag industry and the industry as a whole.

Elisabeth Doody

“I hail from California- the land of star-studded runways, technological innovation, and not to be forgotten, agriculture.  Though perhaps not as illustrious as Google or the Kardashians, California agriculture is extraordinarily productive and innovative. More than a third of the nation’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. Here, dwindling resources, evolving consumer demand and growing concern for the environment necessitate that we embrace change and embody adaptability. Agriculture isn’t a popular pursuit among my peers, many of them choose instead to study computer science, engineering or medicine, but I was drawn to the industry at a young age. I discovered agriculture through 4-H – a youth program that manages to promote agriculture even in the suburbs of Southern California. With 4-H, I bred dairy goats, showed horses and raised market lambs. Working with livestock taught me to appreciate environmental, economic and cultural sustainability – a philosophy I hold on to even today. Agriculture exists at the intersection of biology and business, where tradition and technology work together to feed the world. I see in agriculture both a need for problem solvers and an opportunity for young people to affect positive change.”

I’m not crying…you are.

It’s time we as an industry see this generation as the generation who will not only hold on to the roots that run deep in animal agriculture but will make them stronger. Millennials will lead this industry to prosperity, and I am proud to be one of them. The next time you let the mainstream image of my generation float into your head, look around. We may just surprise you.

Being a graduate student in Northern Virginia while working in the communication field for the animal agriculture industry definitely makes for interesting class conversations. At first I tried to keep all my facts, figures and stories in my papers instead of the class discussions to avoid any potential conflict – I was working full time, going to school full time and planning a wedding, so I really didn’t have much energy to talk much less debate. This didn’t last long because whenever agriculture was brought into the conversation I couldn’t help but speak up!

Most of my colleagues from school are interested in energy, climate change, weather and technology. Agriculture is involved in each of these areas, yet like most people, the students are usually generations removed from the farm. So, once I leave the office after a day of brainstorming communication strategies to bridge the gap between farm and fork I get to put my ideas into action in class.

Farming misconceptions

Photo credit: Wanda Patsche, Minnesota pig farmer

The students are not the only ones not familiar with animal agriculture. The professors also have misconceptions. In one of my classes, a professor likes to tailor all her lessons to relate to subjects students are studying which I find beneficial as it makes abstract theories and concepts easier to understand. But when the examples include misinformation I start squirming in my seat. The professor was explaining how agriculture has changed a lot over the years (which I agreed with). Then she said there used to be family farms and farmers who depended on their farm and livestock as their livelihood, but now family farms don’t exist anymore (cue my seat squirming) and it’s all corporate farms. I quickly told her and the rest of the class that there are still family farms and they still make up the vast majority of farms today.

Do family farms have to be small?

All of my research projects revolve around animal agriculture’s communication efforts to build trust with consumers. I was explaining one of my research projects which included interviewing farmers and ranchers about their social media habits to someone and he asked, “did you talk to family farms or big farms?” His question made me tilt my head to the side like a dog hearing a foreign noise. First, I answered his question explaining that all of the farmers I talked to were family farmers, meaning their farm is owned and operated by the family. Then I asked, “why can’t family farmers have big farms?” *crickets*

Photo credit: Rebecca Hilby, Wisconsin dairy farmer

These interactions got me thinking about family farmers, farm size and the public perception of today’s family farms. Why is it that people think family farmers must be small and that big is automatically bad? Farms come in all types and sizes. I’ve talked to family farmers who only sell their eggs, cheeses and meats at farmers’ markets, farmers who raise chickens or pigs for a company that then takes care of the marketing and sales, farmers who have 15 head of cattle and others who have 150. Family farms are all very different, but one thing they have in common…they are all owned and operated by passionate, hardworking families.

Red barn or not, it can still be a family farm

Sure, today’s family farmers aren’t always standing outside that romanticized red barn, but that doesn’t make them any less of a family farm. Why should farmers be punished for growing from a small farm to a medium-sized farm or to a large farm? Why can’t farmers use technology to make their jobs more efficient? Some farmers also have side jobs because that’s what works best for their families, yet they love what they do so they keep showing up at the farmers’ market every Saturday morning at 3 a.m. Other farmers choose to work on the farm full time and have grown their farms to meet the needs of their expanding families – both choices are equally valid.

The farms that aren’t considered “family farms” shouldn’t be demonized either. They are not owned and operated by the family, but they still employ families and are part of communities. Because of their size, they often have enough resources to hire multiple veterinarians and animal care professionals to ensure livestock’s well-being is a priority. Larger farms often have the ability to donate large amounts of protein to local food banks too. Big doesn’t have to mean bad.

I try my best to always embrace farms of all sizes. Sometimes the marketing gimmicks can get annoying, but I know that no matter what kind of meat, milk or eggs I buy at the grocery store or at the farmers’ market, it came from a farm and I’m always happy to support farmers and ranchers.

Growing up, I was an active member of the local 4-H Livestock Club, raising many species of livestock and showing them in local fairs as well as shows throughout the state. Though I lived on a small farm in which I was the only family member raising animals for show or consumption, I took a strong interest in the agriculture community in my area and did everything I could to actively engage with producers. I felt as though I had a clear understanding of modern day agriculture – at least in my area, which consisted mostly of smaller cow-calf operations.

Then I went to college in southwest Virginia, an area rich in large-scale cow-calf farms with feedlots scattered between. I met other agriculture students who lived or worked on 10,000 plus head operations, or had grown up with three chicken houses in their backyard, and I was overwhelmed. I felt as though my experiences surely couldn’t compare to these individuals who had spent their entire lives working cattle through the chute weekly or waking up early on the weekends to take care of piglets. Little old me, who had come from a non-working farm and raised my very meager herd of purebred Angus cattle to a whopping 10 head, I certainly couldn’t give my opinion on farming in front of these other students. However, after spending time around individuals with varying degrees of experience, I found that everyone brought interesting insights to the table regardless of their background.

Don’t discount yourself due to lack of experience.

Experience isn’t everything in the agriculture world. Though previous knowledge certainly helps to understand the workings of agriculture production, lack of experience does not mean you are unable to have informed opinions about its practices. Even though I didn’t have the thorough background in production that some of my counterparts brought to the table, I still had something to contribute. Just as the person who grew up in the heart of a city with no hands-on experience working livestock had valid opinions to offer. Though some of us are more involved in the process, we all

Me with some Virginia Tech friends attending the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Conference in 2016.

participate in the agriculture world and have something to share.

Never be afraid to speak up.

Even when you feel outnumbered by those who carry more experience than you: speak up! Share what you know! Ask that question to which you’ve been dying to get an answer! This is how we grow and learn from each other as a society. Growth in modern day agriculture comes about when everyone is an active participant in its conversations, and everyone who cares about the future of agriculture deserves to have a part in those discussions.

Learn from others.

If you are the person who grew up on a large scale operation, always have an open mind to others’ opinions, even though your experience may far exceed theirs. Additionally, if you did not grow up on a farm, listen to shared knowledge from those who had that exposure. Never pass up an opportunity to have an educational and potentially enlightening conversation with someone. Furthermore, always be respectful in your interactions with individuals of varying backgrounds, and remember to treat every conversation as an opportunity to learn and grow in your knowledge of agriculture.