Agriculture and the Social Media Machine

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Shannon Weitjes

Facebook.  Twitter.  Blogging.  Foursquare.  Youtube…the list goes on and on.  Social media can now be considered a serious way of communication and necessary tool to get information across throughout many industries, including agriculture.  While face-to-face communication is still widely used in the agricultural industry today – from farmers getting together to chat at morning coffee every morning to people stopped in the middle of a country road chatting about the weather, social media is weaving its way into the agricultural industry as well.

I’ve seen farmers post videos of themselves harvesting live from the tractor and people tweeting from an agricultural industry meeting.  Pictures are posted to Facebook, people check in at meetings and even from their farms.  Ag blogs pervade the internet, sharing information about every aspect of agriculture (you’re reading one of those blogs now!).  Social media is important and is a fast, easy, and great way to connect people to the day-to-day lives and activities of those working in agriculture.

All sorts of agricultural organizations utilize social media to connect to consumers and share information that they wouldn’t otherwise get.  The Nebraska Pork Producers use Facebook, Twitter, Blogging and even YouTube and videos to connect with consumers.  The video series that Rebekah Spader is doing about hogs and their pregnancy process is a fantastic example of using social media to share exciting and important information with those who wouldn’t normally get to see the entire process.  Agricultural organizations are using social media outlets to tell the story of agriculture, which is exciting and necessary to keep consumers up-to-date about what happens in the industry.

Social media is here to stay; it isn’t just a trend that will be gone by next year.  Because only a small portion of the population lives on a farm or ranch or is in the agricultural industry, social media is a great tool to use to share information with the consumers who support the industry.  Sharing agriculture’s story via Facebook updates, tweets, blogs, or videos is a great way to include consumers in the agricultural industry.

 Want to see what we’re talking about? Use the following links to see examples of and more information on the social media revolution and agriculture.

–Nebraska Corn Board’s YouTube Channel:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCOqZK408Zw&list=UUdf0XAslOEvowZJcuJ8I5hQ&index=2&feature=plcp

–Rebekah Spader’s video blog on hog pregnancy: https://nepork.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/bringing-a-new-meaning-to-hands-on-learning/

—  “Connecting Gate to Plate” blog: http://www.causematters.com/uncategorized/advancing-social-media-for-agriculture/

— “Feed Yard Foodie” blog (tales from a cattle feed yard in Nebraska): http://feedyardfoodie.wordpress.com/

Follow Nebraska Pork Producers Association on:

—Facebook

—Twitter

Lessons learned from the farm to the dinner plate

by Lacey Schardt, NPPA Mentor

Growing up on a diversified farm has created many opportunities for life lessons to be learned.  Recently, as I was power-washing (cleaning the barns), I realized all the lessons that I have learned, but before sharing these, I will share a bit about my background. As I have already said, I have grown up on a diversified family farm where we currently raise hogs (Pork Production Terminology) and grow crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat.  In the past, we have had our feedlot full of feeder calves, but as of now our feedlot is empty.

There is nothing that I enjoy more than being out working with my dad, my uncle, a cousin or two of mine, and our farmhand.  Our farmhand has been on our farm for longer than I can remember so to me, I see him more as family than anything else. To me, this truly defines our operation.  We are a family farm.  My uncle and his family are the ones in charge of our wean-to-finish hog operation(Pork Production Housing Stages).  At one time we will have 2250 head of hogs between our nursery and finisher buildings.  Through the hog operation, there are jobs that no one wishes to do, and those that everyone wants to do.  But none the less, all of these jobs are important and essential to providing a safe and healthy product to our consumers.  I would say that the most enjoyable job is when we load hogs for them to be sent to market.  It is also the time that the most help is needed, but too much help would cause a rough and stressful time for the hogs.  As we work to get the hogs loaded this is a great place to learn lessons.  A lesson that I have learned is to understand who is in charge and listen to his instructions.  As we separate the hogs out of the individual pens, we must be aware of which are to be let out and which are to stay.  This can be a difficult job because the main focus is to not stress the hogs while getting them to do as we wish, so patience is learned through this job.  As the hogs are separated from their pens, they walk down the aisle to the door where they are loaded onto the truck.  The pigs are smart animals so patience is also needed here because this is a change for them from their usual routine.  Some hogs have no problem with this change and load well while others do not agree, and generally tend to be more stubborn. 

How would you celebrate 50 years of pork-style?

Have you heard the news? The Nebraska Pork Producers Association will be 50 years young in 2011 and it’s going to be a year-long celebration of service to Nebraska’s pork producers, pork industry, allied members and consumers! To honor this special milestone, NPPA is “amping” up its annual events like Ribs and Bibs, Pork Industry Day and Ribfest, but we’re also celebrating with a One Big Night on September 24, 2011 at the Stone Creek Event Center in McCool Junction.

We’ve already held a 50th Anniversary Logo contest and selected a winner – 13-year-old Taven Zelnio of Lincoln, Neb. Zelnio entered the contest after searching the web for local contests and knew that he had what it takes to compete in the 50th Anniversary Logo Contest. The logo incorporates the current Nebraska Pork Producers Association logo while highlighting the service the association has provided over the years.

“This experience was good practice for if I ever decide to follow in my father’s footsteps, and work for a publishing company,” Zelnio said. “I’ll use my winnings to save up for college so that I can achieve whichever career I pursue.” Zelnio’s father leads a small publishing company.

However, NPPA wants to get even more involvement through its year-long celebration. If you could attend the ultimate 50th Anniversary Celebration, how would you celebrate? What creative and cost-effective pork-style celebration would top off the event of the year? NPPA wants to hear your ideas on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the association and Nebraska’s pork producers. What could “amp” up an annual event like Pork Industry Day or the Capital City Ribfest?! Let NPPA know your thoughts by leaving a comment or sending NPPA an e-mail to nppa@nepork.org.

2010 scholarships for college-aged Nebraska students now available

The Nebraska Pork Producers Association is pleased to sponsor four $500 scholarships to recognize outstanding college-aged students involved in the pork and agriculture industry. Scholarships will be awarded to students who intend to pursue a career in the pork or related industry.

To be eligible you must:

1. Be an undergraduate student, enrolled in a swine program or college of agriculture at a two or four-year academic institution in Nebraska. Previous scholarship recipients are eligible to participate in this essay contest.
2. Write a brief letter that explains the role you see yourself having in the pork industry after graduation.
3. Write an essay 2,000 words or less that responds to one of the following issues affecting the pork industry. In your essay, please explain what the issue means, how it could positively and/or negatively affect the pork industry, and share potential solutions to the issue. The attached PDF “Trends to Watch” from the January 2010 issue of the Pork Business Journal should be a great resource and starting point for your writing.
4. Submit one letter of reference from a current/former professor or industry professional.
5. Prepare a cover sheet.
6. Mail the above items in a single envelope to:

Nebraska Pork Producers Association

Attn: Kyla Wize

7441 O Street, Suite 104

Lincoln, NE 68510

All entries must be received by December 20, 2010.

To read the complete Scholarship Criteria please click here.

NPPA: Preparing tomorrow’s leaders today through the Pork Mentor Program

The 2010 Pork Mentors.

Choosing a career path can be difficult. In a world full of occupational options, it is helpful  to receive a little guidance along the way. For that reason, the Nebraska Pork Producers Association is extending a helping hand to young adults who are participating in NPPA’s Pork Mentor Program, “Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.”

The Pork Mentor Program is a career development program that provides a variety of hands-on experiences that promote leadership and communication skills, ultimately fostering career development. NPPA is looking for college-aged men and women who have an interest in agriculture and the pork industry. It is not required that you have previous knowledge of the pork industry.

Pork mentors job shadow pork industry professionals, promote agriculture and the pork industry, improve leadership, team building and communication skills. Mentors also travel to the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, and other exciting tours and group events. Upon program completion, Pork Mentors receive a $500 scholarship.

Past 2009 Pork Mentor’s written accounts about their job shadow can be read by clicking on the titles: A Night at the Hog Show, Pork Chop Scramble provides education, NPPA Mentors spark pork industry interest at NAYI,  Shadowing experience with Steve Landon and others.

Interested students can download a 2010 Mentoring Applicationhere or contact Kyla Wize at 888-627-7675. Applications are due November 10, 2010.