March 23 - 29, 2014

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Get The Scoop On Soyfoods Health Benefits

The prevalence of soy products in recipes and ready-made foods has skyrocketed in recent years. Soy-based milk products and others that substitute soy with more traditional ingredients are no longer relegated to the outskirts of the neighborhood grocery store. While soy is being consumed in greater numbers than in decades past, some people are still unaware of the various health benefits and advantages to including soy in their diets. Soyfoods provide a number of nutritional benefits for people of all ages. According to the Soyfoods Association of North America, recent studies have indicated that eating soy at an early age may help protect against some diseases, including breast cancer, later in life. Soy also may help improve cognitive function. People largely turn to soy to maintain a healthy weight and control their cholesterol, as soy can replace foods that are higher in saturated fat, calories and cholesterol. For example, a glass of whole milk contains 150 calories and eight grams of total fat. Soy milk, however, comes in between 80 and 100 calories and may have roughly four grams of fat. The fat is mostly healthy fats, as there are only trace amounts of saturated fat in soy products. Soy also has cholesterollowering properties and can be beneficial to those who are lactose intolerant. Vegetarians and vegans routinely turn to soyfoods as a main protein source. Soyfoods can offer a number of healthy benefits, including providing a lean protein source that is lower in saturated fats than other forms of protein. Calciumfortified soymilk offers the same nutritional value as cows milk but can still be consumed by those who are lactose intolerant. Soy can help many people maintain healthy weights, and soyfoods promote cardiovascular health. While soyfoods can be beneficial, such foods are not perfect. Allergies to soy are possible, and as with any dietary supplement, moderate consumption may be all thats necessary to provide nutritional benefits. Overconsumption of soy may not provide the desired results. One concern regarding soy is its relationship to genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Reports suggest that the vast majority of soybeans produced in the United States are GMOs. While these soybeans are primarily used for livestock feed, many foods that people eat also contain GMO soybeans. The jury is still out with regard to the impact that GMO foods have on personal health. Proponents of GMOs say their use makes agricultural products safer

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SOY FOODS... Soy beans have a variety of uses, including healthy and nutritious protein alternatives in the human diet. and more affordable. GMO crops may be resistant to pests, eliminating the need for herbicides and pesticides. But opponents of GMOs say that they may be harmful, as they might have less nutritional value, incite allergic reactions, cause problems with liver function and be harmful to the planet. Individuals who still want to enjoy soy products such as tofu, miso, tempeh, soy sauce, soy milk, and foods that contain soy lecithin, an emulsifier, can opt for organic products and those that specifically advertise no GMO ingredients. More and more food manufacturers are heeding consumer demand for foods that do not contain GMOs, and producers of soyfoods are no exception. Brands like Silk(R), Tofurky(R), Wildwood(R) and Eden Foods(R) produce soy products that are GMO-free. Read labels to determine if soy products contain GMOs.

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Challenges Facing Farmers Today & Tomorrow

Though farming was once big business in the United States, by 2012 less than 1 percent of Americans were professional farmers. Many challenges face todays farmers, many of which are largely unknown to the general public. Many people have an outdated view of a farm as a small, familyowned and operated parcel of land where livestock is raised in open pens and crops are hand-harvested when ripe. The reality is that modern-day farms have had to overhaul operations to meet demand and remain competitively priced while adapting to the ever-changing ways technology infiltrates all parts of life. Each of these factors present obstacles for todays farmers.

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TECHNOLOGIES Advancements in technologies help farmers of even the most rural locations stay informed. half-decade has also affected farmers. In November of 2012, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the unemployment rate within the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industries was at 13.6 percent, far higher than the national unemployment rate. As a result, many farm families have found themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place, as rising costs for equipment and technology are being coupled with decreasing profits and rising unemployment. Further complicating matters is competition from corporations and international food producers who have made it difficult for family farmers to turn a significant profit. Many family farmers rely on loans and lines of credit to survive, but thanks to changes in the financial sector that saw banks become less willing to extend lines of credit, some farmers are facing bankruptcy. Though it can be easy for those who do not work in the agricultural industry to overlook the struggles facing todays agricultural professionals, a greater understanding of those struggles and the challenges that lay ahead can benefit the industry and its employees down the road.

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ing as their principal occupation. As that figure has dwindled, the average age of farmers continues to rise, as TECHNOLOGY the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes Rural farming communities are ex- that roughly 40 percent of the farmpected to make an effort to integrate ers in this country are 55 years old or modern technology into an industry older. This has led to concerns about that has been around for centuries. the long-term health of family farms But such a transition in rural areas, throughout the United States. where communications systems may ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS not be as up-to-date as those in urban areas, is not always so easy. Many farmers have come under According to the Manitoba Ru- scrutiny for how farming impacts the ral Adaptation Council, a shift from environment. A growing emphasis on a resource-based to an information- sustainability and conservation has based economy, compounded by the led many people to protest certain rapid introduction and expansion of farming practices. Protesters claim new technology in the workplace, has that certain practices, such as raisaltered farm operation and the skills ing livestock, can pollute water, while in demand. Older workers who have the use of fertilizers and chemical been schooled in one way of agricul- pesticides is bad for the environment. ture may have a significant impact on Many farmers, however, have altered labor supply and the vitality of farm- their methods to be more environing as a career. Younger adults who mentally friendly and self-sustainable are knowledgeable in technology may in the process. no longer seek out agricultural caClimate change is another environreers. mental issue farmers must deal with. Strong storms and severe droughts DECREASE IN FARMING have made farming even more chalAS AN OCCUPATION lenging. The United States EnvironmenFINANCIAL FALL-OUT tal Protection Agency says that only The ongoing recession of the last about 960,000 Americans claim farm-

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2 - THE VILLAGE REPORTER - 2014 NATIONAL AG WEEK

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH, 2014

New Tool Offers Growers Easy Option To Measure Soil Organic Matter Content
PIKETON, Ohio Researchers with Ohio State Universitys College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences have developed a new tool that allows farmers to easily predict soil organic matter content and can help them make decisions about whether or not to sell crop residue. The tool can benefit growers by providing information for more timely planting and harvesting, reducing operating costs, increasing farm income, and building healthier soils, said Rafiq Islam, the soil, water and bioenergy resources program leader at Ohio State Universitys South Centers in Piketon. Called a soil organic matter calculator, the tool is designed to allow farmers to easily evaluate the impact of selective crop residue removal on the long-term agronomic and environmental integrity of their farms soils, he said. The calculator is also designed to help growers select management practices that conserve or build soil organic matter, said Islam, who holds joint appointments with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. OSU Extension, OARDC and South Centers are all part of the college. Farmers are aware that soil organic matter is the foundation of sustainable agriculture for enhanced ecosystem services, Islam said. How you farm today will affect the amount of soil organic matter content your fields will have in years to come, so its important to choose
By: Tracy Turner OSU Extension

sustainable production practices that sustain soil health and protect longterm productivity. The soil organic matter calculator is a spreadsheet-based tool that consists of three primary worksheets that offer multiple options, including a user guide, data manager, a calculator for prediction of soil organic matter, a test scenario module and printed results, he said. The calculations are based on several factors including crop rotation, yields, tillage type, tillage depth, erosion rate, manure applications and cover crops, Islam said. The calculator, which uses soil organic matter level at the beginning of the simulation period as the baseline parameter, can predict annual soil organic matter dynamics and parameters for up to 50 years. The outputs of the calculator consist of total, active and passive soil organic matter, total nitrogen and change in organic matter over the simulation period. The tool can also help calculate the revenue from residue sales and the amount of carbon emitted as carbon dioxide to the atmosphere or sequestered yearly or over the evaluation period. Islam said the soil organic matter calculator can potentially offer a significant financial benefit for farmers attempting to weigh the potential economic benefits and risks associated with selling crop residue from their farms. This comes as more growers are considering such a move thanks to the increased demand for crop residues from the

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biofuels industry. As a result, farmers are increasingly interested in assessing the impacts of residue removal on soil quality in conjunction with existing and future management plans, Islam said. And while several computer models exist to simulate soil organic matter dynamics, most of them are complex and difficult for farmers to use. However, Ohio States soil organic matter calculator, he said, is simple, quick, inexpensive, reliable and easy to use. In addition to helping farmers select production practices that help them improve soil organic matter and soil health on their own land, the tool could also help farmers who rent ground, Reeder said. It could be useful to farmers who want to help educate their landlords about what theyre doing, he said. The soil organic matter calculator is based on a model initially proposed by Robert Lucas, a soil professor at Michigan State University. The Corn Marketing Program of Michigan provided grant funding to Ohio State to

develop the spreadsheet calculator tool, Islam said. Initially, the calculator was designed to include only growing conditions and soils in Ohio and Michigan, but researchers are currently working on expanding the tools range and prediction capability, Reeder said. Islam and his co-investigators are also working to add more features to the soil organic matter calculator such as liming and irrigation applications, nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics, soil compaction management, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil health, he said. More information is available online at http:// southcenters.osu.edu/ soil-and-bioenergy. Select SOM Soil Organic Matter Calculator under the Exmid-feb 2014 tension menu.

Understanding Crop Rotation

Though its easy for suburbanites or city dwellers to go months, if not years, without seeing a farm, the most recent agriculture census for which information is available notes that in 2007 there were 2.1 million farms in the United States. Those farms spanned 922 million acres, shedding light on the fact that while many Americans might not see farms on a daily basis, that doesnt mean the country isnt still a great home to farmland. While farming might once have been a part of most Americans daily lives, today the principles of farming are much more foreign to the average American. One such principle is crop rotation, a valuable agricultural practice that can even pay dividends for suburban homeowners who enjoy gardening. The benefits of crop rotation arent only applicable to large farms, as they can help keep personal gardens healthy as well. What Is Crop Rotation? Crop rotation is a practice farmers employ to help their crops fight disease. By growing a variety of crops in a sequential system throughout their field, farmers are hoping to avoid the buildup of disease and pests that is common with mono-cropping, which is the practice of growing the same crop on the same land year after year after year. When rotating crops, each succeeding crop must belong to a family different from the previous crop. Why Employ Crop Rotation? Crop rotation has many benefits, arguably the most important of which is keeping pests and disease at bay. Since many pest insects and diseasecausing organisms are host specific, rotating crops helps ensure these insect pests and harmful organisms cannot make a permanent home or have access to a permanent source of food. If crops arent rotated, then the insect pests and organisms have a constant source of food, enabling them to live longer and do more damage to crops as a result. But crop rotation isnt only beneficial to crops. Crop rotation can also promote healthy soil. Different crops have different nutrient needs, so rotating crops with different nutrient needs helps avoid the depletion of any one element present in the soil. Soil structure is often better when crops are rotated as well. Some crops are deep-rooting while others are shallow rooting. By alternating between the two, planters can break up any subsoil that might have grown compacted. Crop rotation also offers environmental and financial benefits by reducing reliance on synthetic chemicals to fight pests. By rotating crops, planters are making it much harder for pests to thrive, without having to spend money on costly and often environmentally harmful pesticides.

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THE VILLAGE REPORTER - 2014 NATIONAL AG WEEK - 3

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH, 2014

National Ag Day Questions

WHAT IS AG DAY? Its a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Every year, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture. WHEN IS AG DAY? Ag Day is about recognizing - and celebrating the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to: Understand how food and fiber products are produced. Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy. Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing Ag Day is celebrated on March 25, 2014. National safe, abundant and affordable products. Ag Day falls during National Ag Week, March 23-29, WHY CELEBRATE AGRICULTURE? 2014. WHO HOSTS AG DAY? The Agriculture Council of America hosts the campaign on a national level. However, the awareness efforts in communities across America are as influential - if not more - than the broad-scale effort. Again this year, the Ag Day Planning Guide has been created to help communities and organizations more effectively host Ag Day events. WHAT IS AG DAY ALL ABOUT? Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis. But too few people truly understand this contribution. This is particularly the case in our schools, where students may only be exposed to agriculture if they enroll in related vocational training. By building awareness, the Agriculture Council of America is encouraging young people to consider career opportunities in agriculture. Each American farmer feeds more than 144 people ... a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Quite simply, American agriculture is doing more - and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States.

WHY CELEBRATE AG?

Americans need to understand the value of agriculture in their daily lives. Here are just some of the key reasons why its important to recognize and celebrateAg Day each year: Increased knowledge of agriculture and nutrition allows individuals to make informed personal choices about diet and health. Informed citizens will be able to participate in establishing the policies that will support a competitive agricultural industry in this country and abroad. Employment opportunities exist across the board in agriculture. Career choices include: - farm production - agribusiness management and marketing - agricultural research and engineering - food science - processing and retailing - banking - education - landscape architecture - urban planning - energy - and other fields. Beginning in kindergarten and continuing through 12th grade, all students should receive some systematic instruction about agriculture. Agriculture is too important a topic to be taught only to the small percentage of students considering careers in agriculture and pursuing vocational agricultural studies. Agricultural literacy includes an understanding of agricultures history and current economic, social and environmental significance to all Americans. This understanding includes some knowledge of food, fiber and renewable resource production, processing and domestic and international marketing.

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A Wide Variety Of Careers Stem From Agriculture

CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE The most obvious careers are directly related to the farm or ranch. But did you know that only 10 percent of Americans are involved in traditional farming? If that is the case, then what other careers comprise the agricultural field? There are approximately 22 million people who work in agriculture related fields. Unlike agriculture of our grandparents day, todays agriculture offers over 200 rewarding and challenging careers. CAREER CATEGORIES Agricultural careers may be divided into various categories. These include: Agribusiness Management, Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications, Building Construction Management, Agriscience, Resource Development and Management, Parks, Recreations, and Tourism Resources, Packaging, Horticulture, Forestry, Food Science, and Fisheries/Wildlife. GROWTH JOB MARKET According to the February 7, 2000 Issue of Farm Bureau News, published semimonthly by the American Farm Bureau Federation, Food Scientists and engineers will be in the greatest demand in the agricultural job market over the next four years, according to a new Purdue University study. Annual job openings for U.S. food and agricultural sciences graduates are projected to be around 58,000, while the number of graduates for LOGGING Lumber industries are just one industry that those jobs will be slightly more than 57,000. falls under the agriculture umbrella. JOB DESCRIPTIONS Agribusiness Management ... focuses on the managerial functions performed by organizations throughout the food system. Sample job titles: Commodity Trader, Agricultural Production Specialist, Purchasing Manager, Financial Manager, Farm Owner and Manager, and Wholesale/Retail Buyer Manufacturing Manager. Companies that hire for these positions: Seneca Food Corporation, Ralston Purina Co., Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance, Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., and Dow Elanco. Park Ranger, Interpreter/Naturalist, Environmental Educator, Travel and Convention Planner, Youth Program Director, Camp Counselor, Park and Recreation Director, and Tourism Consultant. Companies that hire for these positions: Hilton and Marriott Resorts, Hospitals, YMCA, Golf Courses, Six Flags Great Adventure, and the Walt Disney Company.

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Packaging ... focusing on food packaging, health care and pharmaceutical packaging, and industrial packaging. Sample job titles: Packaging Engineer, Quality Control Coordinator, Laboratory Manager, and Agricultural and Natural Resources Commu- Package Designer. Companies that hire for these posinications ... focuses on careers in journalism, pub- tions: Coca-Cola Co., Hershey Chocolate USA, Johnlic relations, and advertising/marketing. Sample job son and Johnson, 3M, IBM Corp., and Amway Corp. titles: Marketing Communications Manager, District Sales Representatives, Advertising Manager, Reporter, Horticulture ... focuses on the science and art conEditor, and Account Manager. Companies that hire cerned with culture, marketing, and utilization of high for these positions: Upjohn Co., USDA, Michigan Milk value, intensively cultivated fruits, flowers, vegetables, Producers Association, National Dairy Council, and and ornamental plants. Sample job titles: Retail ManMichigan Farm Bureau. ager, Landscape Designer, Entrepreneur, Florist, Contractor, Nursery Grower, and Nursery Stock Buyer. Building Construction Management ... focuses Companies that hire for these positions: Gerber, Mawon land development and structural buildings. Sample by Fruit Farms, Ball Corporation, and Pan American job titles: Project Manager, Estimator, Construction Seed. Scheduler, Controller, Purchasing Agent, Site Manager, Field Engineer, Land Developer, and Real Estate Forestry ... focuses on the science and art of manAppraiser. Companies that hire for these positions: aging natural resources that occur on forest lands. Turner Construction Company, Pulte Homes, Perini Sample job titles: Forester, Forest Ranger, Consulting Building Co., and General Motors Corporation. Forester, District Ranger, Arborist, Naturalist, Timber Buyer, and Forest Nursery Manager. Companies that Agriscience ... provides a foundation for careers in hire for these positions: The Mead Corporation, John agricultural and natural resources industries. Sample Hancock Financial Services, City Governments, and job titles: Agriscience Educator, Extension Educator, USDA Forest Service. Farmer, and Human Resource Director. Companies that hire for these positions: Crop Production Services, Food Science ... focuses on the development of new John Deere, and Gerber Co. foods, investigation of new production and processing methods, and research ways to insure a safe, nutriResource Development and Management ... fo- tious and economical food supply. Sample job titles: cuses on policy analysis, planning, evaluation, bud- Food Technician, Laboratory Technician, Food Chemgeting, and program management. Sample job titles: ist, and Quality Control Manager. Companies that hire Environmental Analyst, Environmental Planner, Solid for these positions: Pepsi-Cola, Kraft/General Foods, Waste Coordinator, Water Resource Specialist, and Hygrade Food Products, Kellogg Company, General Economic Development Specialist. Companies that Mills, Pillsbury, and Heinz USA. hire for these positions: Cooperative Extension Service, The Clinton River Watershed, The National Park Fisheries and Wildlife ... focuses on environmenService, Enviroscope, Senate and House Policy Offices, tal management, conservation, and wildlife ecology Lobbying Organizations, Banking Organizations, City and management. Sample job titles: Land Manageand State governments, and Hospitals. ment Specialist, Water Quality Specialist, Habitat Specialist, and Fish Hatchery Manager. Companies that Parks, Recreation and Tourism Resources ... hire for these positions: US Forest Service, Bureau of focuses on planning and managing programs, areas, Land Management, State and local divisions of surface and facilities that are designed to meet peoples leisure water quality, land and water management, and US needs and enhance quality of life. Sample job titles: Fish and Wildlife Services.

4 - THE VILLAGE REPORTER - NATIONAL AG WEEK

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH, 2014

Awareness Can Help Prevent Grain Bin Engulfments, Increase Grain Bin Safety
By: Tracy Turner OSU Extension COLUMBUS, Ohio With many grain bins, statewide, full of stored grain this time of year, safety experts with Ohio State Universitys College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences are reminding farmers to be aware of safety precautions to prevent grain engulfments and to have an overall awareness and understanding of grain bin safety. The issue is significant considering that every year, an average of 26 Ohio farm workers lose their lives to production agriculture, said Dee Jepsen, State Safety Leader for Ohio State University Extension. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the college. Flowing grain and grain storage is one of the contributing factors, she said. In the past 10 years, weve had three deaths to Ohio farmers caused by engulfments in grain bins. Weve had five deaths due to entanglement with equipment including grain bins, silos and silo un-loaders. And weve had four deaths due to farmers being struck by equipment or falling from large heights. The ultimate goal, Jepsen said, is to work to prevent farm deaths and injuries, and one way to do that is through education and awareness of grain bin safety. To that end, members of the colleges agriculture safety team promoted Grain Bin Safety Week Feb. 23 - March 1 to raise awareness to help protect farm families and farm workers from farm-related injuries and deaths. The week-long communication efforts, she said, included daily promotions via social media of grain bin safety-related topics. More information on agriculture safety and Grain Bin Safety Week can be found at http://agsafety.osu.edu. The college has also recently hired Dave Torsell, Program Manager for Agriculture Rescue, who will work with OSU Extensions grain bin rescue outreach education and awareness program. That includes a focus on the Grain Community Agricultural Rescue Trailer (CART) Ohios first grain rescue simulator, which was designed by CFAES students and is used to train first responders, grain industry employees, and farm families about the hazards of flowing grain. Mounted on a 40-foot flatbed trailer, it includes a grain bin, grain leg, gravity wagon and other training essentials. The Grain CART, which is now being used statewide by the Ohio Fire Academy to train first responders, is also being used in rural communities to raise awareness of grain bin engulfment hazards, Jepsen explained. Grain bin rescues can be classified as confined-space rescues, requiring technical training in various capacities. Rescue personnel have requested specific training in these unconventional rescue situations, where they have limited experience and limited knowledge of the agricultural conditions that exist, she said. It is important to understand how fast grain can consume you and how quickly you can become helpless, Jepsen said. The main message is prevention: Never enter a grain bin alone, shut off the auger before entering the bin, and always wear a fall protection harness. In addition, farmers need to be aware that in Ohio most farm fatalities are caused by tractors, she said. In fact, there were 95 fatalities due to tractors in Ohio in the past 10 years. Every farmer has at least one tractor, Jepsen said. Tractors are often working around grain bin operations, so we dont want to forget about the tractor as one of the most dangerous factors on Ohio farms. Some safety tips for growers when working with grain bins and silos include: Stay out of the grain bin if possible. Never enter a grain bin when the unloading equipment is on, even if the grain isnt flowing. Never enter a grain bin alone. If entry into the bin is necessary, always have at least one observer outside the bin, and make sure all augers are turned off. One person is to enter the bin and the others should remain outside in case an emergency occurs. Always use a body harness with a lifeline secured to the outside of the bin. Wear an N-95 respirator when working around the grain, as it keeps 95 percent of the dust and other pollutants from the grain from entering into the workers lungs. Dont enter a bin that has automatic unloading equipment without first locking out power to the equipment.

A HEALTHY BALANCE Keeping your soil balanced and healthy is key to growing high yield crops. Be cautious around out-of-condition grain, including grain caked to walls. Dangers result from molds, blocked flow, cavities, crusting and grain avalanches. Lock doors, gates and discharge chutes of any grain storage units. Keep kids out of grain wagons, carts and semi beds. Block ladders and egress points (for example a ladder guard) to limit kids access.

Fun Facts: About The Food We Eat

CORN POPPIN FACTS Popcorn pops because water is stored in a small circle of soft starch in each kernel. As the kernel is heated, the water heats, the droplet of moisture turns to steam and the steam builds up pressure until the kernel finally explodes to many times its original volume. Americans today consume 17.3 billion quarts of popped popcorn each year! The average American eats about 68 quarts! While the first breakfast cereal was made by adding sugar and milk to popped popcorn, a shortage of baking flours after World War II forced bread makers to substitute up to 25% of wheat flour with ground popped popcorn. Over the years, popcorn also has been used as an ingredient in pudding, candy, soup, salad, and entrees. Popcorns nutritional value comes from the fact that, like other cereal grains, its primary function is to provide the body with heat and energy. Microwave popcorn is the same as other popcorn except the kernels are usually larger and the packaging is designed for maximum pop-ability. CHERRIFIC! The same chemicals that give tart cherries their color may relieve pain better than aspirin and ibuprofen in humans. Eating about 20 tart cherries a day could reduce inflammatory pain and headache pain. There are about 7,000 cherries on an average tart cherry tree (the number varies depending on the age of the tree, weather and growing conditions). It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie, so each tree could produce enough cherries for 28 pies! Today, in Michigan, there are almost 4 million cherry trees which annually produce 150 to 200 pounds of tart cherries. HEAD STRONG Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family. Darker Green lettuce leaves are more nutritious than lighter green leaves. Americans eat about 30 pounds of lettuce every year. Thats about five times more than what we ate in the early 1900s. In the United States, lettuce is the second most popular fresh vegetable. Almost all lettuce is packed right in the field. About 25% of all iceberg lettuce is made into fresh cut salads. WHATS UP DOC? The plant pigment that gives carrots and other vegetables their vivid orange color is Beta-Carotene. Fruits and Vegetables that are yellow/orange in color contain Beta-Carotene and carrots are one of the richest in this nutrient. Our bodies convert Beta-Carotene into Vitamin A. The bright orange color of carrots tell you theyre an excellent source of Vitamin A which is important for good eyesight, especially at night. Vitamin A helps your body fight infection, and keeps your skin and hair healthy! BERRY, BERRY GOOD FOR YOU! Blueberries are the second most popular berry in the United States. Michigan and New Jersey produce 66% of all the blueberries in the United States, followed by North Carolina, Oregon and Washington. Over 200 million pounds of blueberries are grown every year in North America. Blueberries are first picked by hand to gather the best of the early fruit. Later, if the fruit is to be mechanically harvested, a harvesting machine goes through the field and gently shakes each bush so only the ripe blueberries drop off. Blueberries - ood for Vitamin C & fiber.

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Farm Workers Face Dangers

related injuries. Whats particularly risky about agricultural work is that it tends to be a family profession. That puts all members of the family at risk for injury. On average, 113 youth under the age of 20 die annually from farm-related injuries. Tractor rollover injuries, inhalation of chemical pesticides and lacerations from farm equipment top the list of prime agriculture-related occupational injuries. With scores of different mechanical equipment and chemicals, not to mention lengthy exposure to the elements on a normal working day, the risk of injury is considerable. There are key ways to prevent injuries on the farm. Here are a few considerations. Proper training of new employees on the use required equipment is essential. If certification is needed, be sure employees have been trained and practice on equipment prior to independent use. Safety gear should be used at all times, when required. Workers should be careful to keep hair tied back to prevent entanglement in equipment. Care should be used when working in the elements. Workers should be properly dressed for the temperature and conditions. Beverage breaks should be taken so that dehydration is not a risk. Knowledge of chemical pesticides and fertilizers should be fully understood. Safety equipment, such as ventilators, eye guards and gloves, should be used when handling caustic chemicals. Machinery should be maintained according to OSHA and other federal guidelines. Equipment in good working order is less likely to cause injury. Caution should always be used around livestock. Operating equipment when impaired is a hazard in any profession. Alcohol and drug use do not mix in a farm setting. Individuals who seem intoxicated should not be allowed to work. Children and adolescents should be carefully monitored around the farm. Because of their developing bodies, youngsters should not be allowed to do any activity that is overly strenuous and might tax growing bodies, such as heavy lifting. There should be training in general first aid and CPR so that help can be given to an injured worker before a response team is able to make it to the location.

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SAFETY FIRST ... Tractor roll-overs are a common cause of injury on farms.

Many occupations are hazardous, few more so than agricultural labor. Farmers recognize that they must be diligent in their efforts to prevent nonfatal and fatal injuries. According to the most recent statistics, farmers face a fatality rate of 25.1 for every 100,000 workers. In 2008, 456 farmers and farm workers lost their lives to work-

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH, 2014

THE VILLAGE REPORTER - 2014 NATIONAL AG WEEK - 5

Fun Facts: Flora, Fauna & Food For Thought

ITS THE BEES KNEES A hive of bees flies over 55,000 miles to bring you one pound of honey. A honey bee can fly 15 miles per hour. Honey bees must tap two million flowers to make one pound of honey. Each worker honey bee makes 1/12th teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. Honey bees visit 50100 flowers during one honey collecting trip. Bees have been producing honey from flowering plants for at least 10 million years! And maybe even as long as 20 million years! Flowers and other blossoming plants have nectarines that produce sugary nectar. Worker bees suck up the nectar and water and store it in a special honey stomach. When the stomach is full the bee returns to the hive and puts the nectar in an empty honeycomb. Natural chemicals from the bees head glands and the evaporation of the water from the nectar change the nectar into honey. In one day a honey bee can fly 12 miles and pollinate up to 10,000 flowers. Honeybee workers must visit 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey. FABULOUS FORESTS An acre of trees can remove about 13 tons of dust and gases every year from the surrounding environment. Almost a third of the worlds total land area is covered by forests. Some tissue-making machines can produce as many as 6000 feet of toilet tissue every minute out of trees. About 1.5 million tons of ground cocoa beans from the tropical tree are used each year to make chocolate and cocoa products. Thats greater than the weight of more than 300,000 elephants! Every year in the United States each person uses the equivalent of one tree, 100 feet tall and 16 inches in diameter, to fulfill their wood and paper needs. Thirty to 40 gallons of sugar maple sap must be boiled down to make just one gallon of maple syrup. Many farmers grow more than just grains, vegetable and livestock. Some farmers grow trees. This is called a woodlot. A woodlot is not an original forest, because the timber has been cut down before. Sometimes the trees in a woodlot have been cut down four, five, ore even six times. After the trees have been cut down, the farmer lets them grow up again, until they are big enough to be harvested once more. Not only is the wood on woodlots good to sell to timber companies to make paper, etc., but the timber can also be useful on the farm. The farmer can cut down the timber and use it to build fences, barns, or other buildings. Some farmers grow specialized woodlots that are used for a specific purpose. A woodlot may be used to harvest maple syrup or as a Christmas tree farm. Health care: Pharmaceuticals, surgical sutures, ointments, latex gloves, x-ray film, gelatin for capsules and heart valves. Construction: Lumber, paints, brushes, tar paper, dry wall and tool handles. Transportation: Fuel, lubricants, antifreeze, tires and upholstery. Manufacturing: Adhesives, solvents and detergents. Printing: Paper, ink and film. Personal Care Products: Shampoo, cosmetics, lotions, finger nail polish and toothpaste. Education: Crayons, textbooks, chalk, desks, pencils and paper. Sports: Uniforms, baseball bats, leather equipment and shoes. Farmers grow corn on cial to the environment and every continent except Ant- promote energy security. arctica. Each tassel on a corn SOYBEANS plant releases as many as 5 Soy crayons have been million grains of pollen. created to replace toxic petroleum-wax crayons, soy AMERICAS BREAD crayons are sager to use, BASKET brighter in color, and less Each American con- expensive to produce. sumers, on average, 53 One acre (43,560 pounds of bread per year. square feet) of soybeans Assuming a sandwich can produce 82,368 craywas eaten for breakfast, ons. lunch and dinner, it would Soybean oil is the most take 168 days to eat the widely used vegetable oil. It amount of bread produced is found in margarines, salfrom one bushel of wheat. ad dressings, canned foods, A family of four could sauces, bakery goods, and live for 10 years off the processed fried foods. bread produced by one acre of wheat. CRAZY ABOUT COTTON One bushel of wheat U.S. textile mills preswill produce 73 one-pound ently convert over half ot loaves of bread. the cotton they use into In 1997, Kansass clothing. wheat farmers produced The majority of cotton enough wheat to make 36.5 is used for mens and boys billion loaves of bread, or clothing, with jeans, underenough to provide each per- wear, and shirts topping son on earth with 6 loaves the list. of bread. If all of the cotton Farmers receive ap- produced annually in the proximately 5 cents (or U.S. were used to make less) from each loaf of bread one product, such as blue sold. jeans, it would make 5 Billion pair. PIGGY, PIGGY One bale of cotton can Pigs cant sweat. Pigs have no sweat glands, that produce 1,217 mens tis why they roll around in shirts or 313,600 one-hundred dollar ($100) bills. mud to cool off. Cottons home uses Heart valves from hogs are used to replace dam- range from bedspreads to aged or diseased human window shades. It is by far the dominant fiber in towheart valves. A pig can run a 7-min- els and washcloths. Cotton is also popular in sheets ute mile. A baby pig, or piglet, and pillowcases. Industrial products conweighs about 3 1/2 pounds taining cotton include wall at birth and will double its coverings, book bindings, weight in just 7 days. and zipper tapes. The biggest cotton users in the this catITS PRESIDENTIAL George Washington egory are manufacturers of liked ice cream so much medical supplies, industrial he reportedly had a bill thread, and tarpaulins. Cotton is a food crop. for $200 for ice cream one Almost 200 million gallons summer. The first ice cream of cottonseed oil are used cone was made, served, and in food products such as eaten in New York City on margarine and salad dressSeptember 22, 1886. The ing. Cottonseed and cottonmaker, Italo Marchiony, seed meal are used in feed was granted a patent on his for livestock and poultry. And even products such as cone mold in 1903. Abe Lincolns mother toothpaste, ice cream, and died when the family dairy the paper money used to cow ate poisonous mush- buy them contain by-prodrooms and Mrs. Lincoln ucts of the cotton seed. The Cotton Belt covdrank the milk. ers the southern half of the United States, reaching WE DEPEND ON EACH from Virginia to California. OTHER Farmers use comput- Texas is the top cottoners designed and built in producing state, harvesting cities to track market infor- about one-third of the crop mation, maintain balance each year.

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5 SERVINGS OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES A DAY Onions contain a mild antibiotic that fights infections, soothes burns, tames bee stings and relieves the itch of athletes foot. Archeologists have found evidence that humans have enjoyed eating apples since 6500 B.C. Each of us eats more than 19 pounds of apples annually. Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits. They have been around for more than 8,000 years. Americans eat about UDDERLY AMAZING 125 pounds of potatoes a In a years time a dairy year, about half from fresh cow produces 1,500 gallons potatoes and half in proor 6,000 quarts of milk. cessed foods. A Jersey cow will give as much as 3 to 4 gallons or DONT BE SHEEPISH around 16 quarts of milk There are 914 differeach day. ent breeds of sheep in the Dairy cows provide world. There are 35 breeds us with milk and milk by- in the U.S. products like cheese, but Wool is a natural fiber ter, and ice cream. In ad- grown from sheep. dition, milk is also used to The steps to makmanufacture glue, paint, ing some of your favorite and plastics. clothes: Sheep are sheared Straight from the cow, in the spring, their wool is the temperature of cows removed in one piece called milk is about 97 degrees a fleece. Fahrenheit. Next, the fleece is The average U.S. dairy washed in big tubs to recow produces 22.5 quarts move dirt, grease and of milk each day. Thats grass, this process is called about 16,000 glasses of scouring. milk per year enough for The clean, dry wool about 40 people. One cow is then carded. Carding can give 200,000 glasses of means to comb the wool to milk in a lifetime. straighten the fibers. It takes approximately The next process is 1.4 gallons of milk to make called spinning. This is 1 gallon of ice cream. when the wool will be spun Cheese was first made into yarn. over 4,000 years ago in Finally, the yarn is Asia. knitted or woven into fabric. A cow has 4 stomachs. They are: the rumen, where SNACK TIME spreadsheets, and monitor THE FOOD WE EAT the food is first stored, the It takes a combine 9 weather satellites. In 1996, each Amerireticulum where food that seconds to harvest enough The environment and has been more thoroughly wheat to make 70 loaves of everyone in it benefits from can consumed an average of 77 pounds more of comchewed is stored once the bread. research on biodegradable cow has chewed the cud Soybean oil is the most plant products that break mercially grown vegetables than in 1970, 63 pounds and has swallowed it; the widely used edible oil in down easily in landfills. more grain products, 54 omasum where extra wa- the United States; you can Agriculture land proter is squeezed out, and find it in mayonnaise, salad vides food and habitat for pounds more fruits, 32 finally the food goes to the dressing, process cheese 75% of the nations wildlife. pounds more poultry, 10 abomasum. Some of the di- products, dessert frostings Deer, moose, fowl and other gallons more milk lower in fat than whole milk, 20.5 gested food is then stored in and much more. species have shown signifithe cows udder where it is Peanuts are not actu- cant population increases pounds less red meat, 73 fewer eggs, and 17 gallons made into milk. ally nuts. Peanuts, like soy- in the past several years. Cows are ruminants or beans, are members of the Genetic engineering less whole milk. cud-chewing animals eating legume family. It takes just 40 days with plants and animals hay, corn, soybeans, grass, There are 340 million has resulted in new anti- for most Americans to earn wheat, and ensilage. Each M&Ms produced daily. bodies for immunizations. enough money to pay for cow eats 20 to 25 pounds Other research has devel- their food supply for the of grain, 40 to 60 pounds of YOU MAY FIND THIS oped surgical techniques entire year. In comparison ensilage, 30 pounds of hay CORNY and pharmaceuticals from with the 129 days it takes and drinks about 15 to 25 One bushel of corn agriculture that help save the average American to gallons of water a day. will sweeten more than 400 lives. earn enough money to pay Cows are sedentary cans of pop. Ethanol and new bio- federal, state and local taxanimals spending up to 8 There are about 600 diesel fuels made from corn es for the year. hours a day chewing the kernels on each ear of corn. and other grains are beneficud while standing still or lying down to rest after grazing. When going to be milked, a certain cow in an established herd alFacts you should know about the industrys most unique physique ways leads the others with the weaker and older cattle Stronger. Strength doesnt always present itself in the form of weight or mass. In steel, strength comes from trailing behind the group. combining the purest, highest quality materials. Reinke uses high strength steel to make systems stronger. A typical, full grown Leaner. An unique roll-formed C-channel tower leg allows Reinke to continue to give you the benefits of a single Holstein cow weighs about leg tower, where others still use a heavier, more obstructive double-leg design. Reinke builds systems that are leaner. 1,400 pounds and produces Lighter. A lighter overall system weight means less wheel tracking, less wear and tear on gear boxes and 60 pounds of milk per day. center drives, less downtime, and fewer costly repairs. With one of the widest footprints in the industry it is easy for One days production a Reinke to stay up on its feet, even in natures fury. Reinke designs lighter systems better. is 2.6 pounds of butter or 7 gallons of milk or 6 pounds Reinke. Our superior quality irrigation systems are built stronger, leaner, lighter and better. See your Reinke of cheese. dealer today to find out more reasons why a growing number of producers are choosing Reinke Irrigation Systems A dairy cow consumes 35 gallons of water, 20 pounds of grain and concentrated feed and 35 pounds of hay or silage (a mixture of corn and grass) in just one day. It usually takes about St. Rd. 6 Edgerton, OH 20 minutes for a cow to be 419.298.0102 milked. On average a cow is milked 2 to 3 times a day. DAN CRAZE

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH, 2014

6 - THE VILLAGE REPORTER - 2014 NATIONAL AG WEEK