Encouraging more Agricultural Advocates

How to grow ag’s presence in the Social Media world and help farmers learn to tell their story....
becoming an Agricultural Advocate
(AKA activist)

Looking for a hands-on session for your meeting?
Did you have a speaker back out at the last minute?

Agriculture is under attack and must seize the opportunity to grow the presence of ‘real life’ stories. Help your members/audience learn and have the courage and know-how of telling their story.
I will lead participants through the process of starting a Twitter account and discuss the value of tweeting, Face Booking and blogging from the farm.
Plus, I will explain and give real life examples of how to ‘tell the ag story’.

What may seem mundane to aggies is exactly what needs to be
told to consumers-our customers.

Social media is a far reaching entity that can bridge the gap between agriculture and the rest of the world. By using social media, the reach and scope of that message can become much larger. It’s clear that social media is becoming an increasingly powerful way to communicate. In May 2009, the year-over-year gain in the unique audience of Twitter was 1,448% and reached nearly 20 million visitors.

Contact me at
402-369-2291, @iamafarmer2 or tdborg@nntc.net

•5th generation Family Farm operation (row crop and cattle)
•Past President of Nebraska Soybean Association

Have you commented to EPA about RFS-2

Here's my letter to any editor who will publish my concerns with RFS-2. Anyone is welcome to use the whole letter or parts--but whatever, be sure and send a comment.

Dear Editor

The future of the U.S. soy biodiesel and corn ethanol industry is at stake. I am encouraging all farmers, neighbors, and fans of renewable fuels to submit comments to the EPA regarding the proposed rule on the RFS-2 implementation. Currently it is significantly flawed and will effectively stop any future production of U.S. soy biodiesel and corn ethanol.

A loss of the domestic biodiesel and corn ethanol market will significantly add more dependence on imported oil and decrease prices paid to U.S. farmers for their soybeans and corn, which will also negatively impact the economies of rural communities.

EPA’s logic includes a faulty measure of the indirect land use; onerous feedstock certification requirements; a major error pertaining to the direct emission calculations for nitrogen in soybean production; lack of accounting for glycerin as a co-product of biodiesel; inaccurate assessment of the energy balance of biodiesel; and lack of accounting for improved agriculture yields and efficiency.

Unless the flaws in EPA’s proposed rule are corrected, soy-based biodiesel and corn ethanol effectively will be excluded from meeting the renewable energy targets established under RFS-2. Nebraska farmers would lose a source of demand for soybeans and corn, jobs would be lost, and our nation would NOT decrease its dependence on imported oil.

That’s why I am asking farmers and renewable fuel fans to contact EPA as well.

There are two online forms to submit comments with the click of a button. Comments must be submitted before the Sept. 25 deadline. Go to:

www.soygrowers.com/policy/RFS2.htm.

or

http://capwiz.com/ncga/issues/alert/

Sincerely,

Debbie Borg

Nebraska farmer

Day 4 in India

Just a few pictures from today.  We got to do our early planned appointments but had to cancel the rest because the country's CM (chief minister) was killed in a helicopter crash--the whole city shut down. 

But we did make it to a Anganwadi (training center) where 25 women came to learn how to use soya in their meals. Each of these women feed about 15 pregnant/lactating mothers and 35 children once a day. There are about 50 of these training centers in this state. For every 1,000 people there is one trained women to provide this feeding program and other basic education for a total of 70,000 feeding centers.


We are headed back to Delhi in the morning and plan to visit the embassy there.

A short note of today's events  We were warmly Biosmart Soy Training Center-where the owner has a facility to train anyone interested how to use and make soy products.

Then we headed to ALEAP - which is a center for women entrepreneurs--which offers amazing opportunity for women wanting to start a business.  

What's interesting is that we are only traveling maybe 15 - 20 miles but it takes a least an hour if traffic is good.

We also toured a small market that was offering only healthy food - which includes many soy products.  We also visited a large supermarket (kinda like our Walmart--but MUCH smaller and no photos were allowed).

The day concluded with a dinner meeting with the Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs.  This group intends to start a cluster (small business) involving some sort of soya product.

Another day full of new sights.   We are in Hyderabad, which I think is a much cleaner city than New Delhi.  As someone said they are more disciplined in their driving than New Delhi drivers (they tend to stay in their lanes a little more often)  Their roads are in much better shape also.  The building going on here is HUGE.

So much more to say - but must get to bed as we have another big day tomorrow.

Here's a shot leaving the hotel-it is very beautiful in the hotel and they are very kind and willing to carry whatever.

Another 14 hour day and more amazing experiences.  We started the day at a college-government run about 2000 students.  No air condition and in many places the boys are on one side and girls on the other.  In India, kids finish high school at age 16 and a bachelor degree is usually done in 3 years, a Phd in 5 years.  They showed great interest in learning about soy and the many health benefits.

 

Also a few pics of the view along the way.

The first day is now drawing to a close and how do I explain all that I saw.  I am probably most amazed at how the wealthy is right beside the slums.

But I have to say they are all so very kind.  In the last photo, I received my official welcome from the ASA-IM office staff.

Probably one of the most amazing things is the traffic.  Bikes, motorcycles, cars and buses all trying to be first to go.  I can't believe there are not more accidents.  I was told that 99% of all the cars have scratches.

What is probably the most interesting is to hear of the work that the ASA-IM staff are doing to improve the health and well--being of the Indian population.  It is truly remarkable what they have accomplished in the last 5 years.

We are all exhausted after the 14 hour flight and now a 14 hour day--and not sure what time zone our bodies are on.

What an amazing experience.

My trip to India

Farmer Leaders’ Women-in-Soy Visit to India
DAILY AGENDA

Purpose
1. To attend Soy Food Seminar
2. To visit soy food plants
3. To meet with soy food entrepreneurs
4. To attend feeding demonstrations

Sunday, Aug 30
Late evening Arrive in Delhi (hotel pick-up)
Hotel Information:
The Taj Mahal Hotel
Email: tmhbc.del@tajhotels.com

Monday, Aug 31
9:00 am Leaving for G D Goenka Public School (Sector B, Pocket 8 & 9, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070) – Suresh to join
10:00 am Leaving for ASA-IM
10:30 am Briefing at ASA-IM office
12:30 noon Lunch at ASA-IM office
2:30 pm Meeting with representatives of Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
3:45 pm Leaving for Whole Foods to Meet with Ishi Khosla, Director
5:00 pm Return to hotel
5:45 pm Leaving for seminar venue
6:00 pm Soy and Health Lecture at Inner Wheel Society and Launch of US soy nuts by Bansal Nuts at Hotel Taj Ambassador (five minutes drive from Taj Mahal)
21:00 pm Return to hotel

Tuesday, Sept 01
9:30 am Leaving for Ghaziabad – Suresh and Kavitha to join (check out hotel)
10:30 am Attending presentation on Soy and Health and recipe demonstration at L.R. postgraduate College
12:30 pm Leaving for VSMD Enterprises
2:00 pm Visit to VSMD Enterprises plant to interact with Ms. Shilpa Gupta, Director
3:00 pm Leaving for Airport
5:05 pm Travel to Hyderabad – via 9W825
7:15 pm Arrival in Hyderabad
8:30 pm Check in hotel
Hotel Information:
Taj Banjara
Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500 034
Tel: (91-40) 66669999
Fax: (91-40) 66661070
Email: banjara.hyderabad@tajhotels.com

Wednesday, Sept 02
09:30 am Briefing at Hotel – Dr. Krishna and Padmaja to join
10:00 am Leaving for Biosmart Soy Training Center to attend an on-going training program
11:30 am Visit to local market
12:00 noon Back to hotel for Lunch
1:30 pm Leaving for A.P. Foods
4:30 pm Return to hotel
7:00 pm Dinner meeting with the office bearers of Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs; Women entrepreneurs to join

Thursday, Sept 03
5:30 am Leaving hotel to visit Nandi Foundation kitchen and meeting with Ms. Leena Joseph, Country Head, Midday Meals Programme
9:30 am Leave from hotel for ALEAP facility to visit a soy food unit
1.00 pm Lunch followed by Soy bakery Demonstration at IHM
5:30 pm Return to hotel

Friday, Sept 04
8:00 am Attending Soy Recipe Demonstration to Feeding program implementing personnel
11:00 am Meeting with principle secretary, Women and Child Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh
4:00 pm Leaving hotel for airport for Delhi
6:00 pm Travel to Delhi via IT-803
8:00 pm Arrive in Delhi

Saturday, Sept 05
Morning Free Day
Evening Leaving for Chicago

Sunday, Sept 06
Morning Arrive in Chicago