AgChat Foundation Conference #ACFC11- Pt. 1

{Note: This started as one post. Then I realized I had way too much to tell you about my trip to Nashville. Part Two is coming at you tomorrow!}

Remember the #AgChat Foundation conference I told you about? It was this past weekend in Nashville, Tennessee, and I think I may have finally recovered enough from all the agnerd-y fun and information overload to tell you about it.

This conference featured a day and a half packed full of education on social media, "agvocacy" (agriculture advocacy), and networking. I was able to meet dozens of people whom I've only ever spoken to on Twitter, blogs, or Facebook, and meet new people who share my passion for agriculture. More on that tomorrow!

I arrived in Nashville early with another Albertan agvocate, Rebecca, for some fun and touring. We wore out our boots on Broadway in 38C degree weather, careful not to miss a single western store. I've told you before that I have a weak spot for boots.

These almost came home with me. Until I saw the $700 price tag. One day, Corrals, one day.

On Saturday night we met with Colleen to see the one and only Grand Ole Opry. To say it left me speechless may be an understatement. With wildly talented acts lik Vince Gill, Little Jimmy Dickens, Larry Gatlin, and Bill Anderson, the Opry did not disappoint.

Rebecca & I in our Opry best

Vince Gill. Amazing.

Our final free day was spent with Marie and Rachel touring the Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Thank goodness these ladies were as devout country fans as myself. We had perma-goosebumps on the backstage tour of the Ryman, and learned about the livesof country music's most famous, including Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, at the Hall of Fame.

Ryman Auditorium backstage tour

Ryman backstage

Patsy Cline. LOVE.

Did I mention I am an incredibly huge Patsy Cline fan? My family was subject to many a Patsy cover (my favorite being Walkin' After Midnight) from my 8-year-old self.

We also took in some live music and fried food. 

The south loves their fried food. 

And for this, I love the south.

More to come on the actual conference tomorrow!

Nashville Bound

Accepted!

One month from now, I'm headed to Nashville, Tennessee for the Agvocacy 2.0 conference!

I told you about this conference here, and how badly I wanted to get there. I didn't win the photo contest (but solid effort on the votes, guys!) so sponsorship it is! I've made a list of local business that I'll be approaching for small donations towards my flight, hotel, and registration fees.

If you are an #AgChat conference alumni and have any great sponsorship ideas, let me know!

Also, if you know of a great agricultural business that may be interested in sponsoring little old me in my quest to change the world, I'd love their contact info. :)

So for second time this summer, I'm headed east and south for ag-related greatness!

I can't wait to meet the other hundred or so agvocates from all over North America and learn about advocating for agriculture.

Nashville, here I come!

Calgary Stampede and Summer Synergy Recap

Friends, I'm not even sure where to start on this one.

I have a lot of exciting things to tell you. They all worked together to create the tired, sunburnt, brain-dead, star-struck mess that is currently writing this to you. Any thoughts are not my own but the direct influence of 11 days at the Calgary Stampede and a cattle show.

Miss Blogs-a-lot (name courtesy of my family) has achieved victory! As some of you may know, this blog was created as part of the Summer Synergy Youth Livestock Marketing Compeition. There were approximately 55 other blogs created, which you can still see here. And guess what?! We won!

Cowhide bag courtesy of Saddle Barn in Roswell, New Mexico. I want 7. One will do just fine.

I say "we" because without your loyal following, viewing, and commenting, I probably would have given up on this sharing-my-life-with-the-internet deal. But you people rocked me to almost 90 followers and 7000 views in the last two months, and for that, you win too. You can't have my prize, though. It's awesome.

Summer Synergy didn't quit with the awesomeness there. I scored a hefty scholarship which will go right into my booze school fund.

Getting our scholarships on the stage during the Chuckwagon Races

My heifers, the pretty gals you met here, had a blast being pampered at the show and finished 5th and 3rd in their classes. Impact took me for a little run around the ring at the end of her class, no doubt to prove some sort of point, but I made sure she didn't win that little battle. Then I fed her copious amounts of grain, hay, water, and made sure she stayed cool under the fan. Spoiled brat.

I actually got to see the rodeo a few times this year, and cheered on my future husband, Tuf Cooper. The highlight of the week may have been shooting a roping demo with Tuf and CBC Kids.

Tuf showing the CBC Kids crew how to rope

My role as Ag Media Intern also included crowd control for camera crews, gathering stories for news outlets, taking pictures to Tweet, and maintaining the Calgary Stampede Agriculture Facebook Page. Working with Ag Media was an outstanding opportunity. The ladies were incredibly talented and willing to steer me in the right direction, and the job itself was fun and interesting. The volunteer pass I was given also served as VIP privileges to the country bar Ranchman's...not that I took full advantage or anything.

Sam & I were excited about Ranchman's showing some Alberta Beef love.
We love you too, Ranchman's.

I had the opportunity to help share agriculture's story with news sources that reach hundreds of thousands of people. I had conversations with the public, both in person and online, about where their food comes from. The Calgary Stampede is a fantastic place for people to learn about animal agriculture and the great things we're doing. I can't wait to make my career out of this.

So I'm a few dollars richer, lacking a lot of sleep, and incredibly excited for what a future in Agriculture Communications involves. I'd call that a success, people!

Huge thank you to the Calgary Stampede Ag Media Committee and Summer Synergy Committee for all of your hard work and dedication to making the last week a success! 

Wanna send me to Nashville? #agchat

Here's the deal:

About 2 months ago, I succumbed to the powers of Twitter.

I haven't look back since.

Follow me @rotempleton

I love Twitter. There are so many networking opportunities. My followers and those I follow are almost all involved in agriculture in some way. I'm learning a lot about different types of farming and ranching all over North America.

And I thought it was just another channel for my random musings and thoughts (it's that, too).

Here's another thing I discovered on Twitter: #agchat

AgChat is a conversation that takes place on Twitter every Tuesday night about ag-related issues. This week's topic was summer ag activity, giving me a great opportunity to tell people about Summer Synergy and the Calgary Stampede.

There's also an AgChat Foundation. 

The AgChat Foundation is hosting a conference this year in Nashville, their 2nd annual Agvocacy 2.0 conference. It will focus on the use of various types of social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, etc.) and their usefulness in communication between agricultural producers and consumers.

When I read that description, I thought, I have to go to this. I'll admit, I love a good conference. That may be strange, but there's nothing better than networking with like-minded people and bouncing off one another's ideas to reach a goal.

I love meeting new people. I love learning about agriculture communications. I get antsy when I stay home for too long..or in the same country, for that matter. I feel like I would love Nashville. And I need to start dispersing that box of 400 shiny new business cards somewhere!

If that story has you ready to send me a first-class ticket to Nashville, be my guest! If not, I have another way you can help me out.

Here's the photo I submitted. It's one of my favorites, taken and edited by me.

The AgChat Foundation is having a photo contest, with the winners earning scholarships to Agvocacy 2.0 pending acceptance, as well as a feature in their calendar. The most votes on your picture gets you there!

I chose a picture I took out on one of our pastures last summer. It's one of our herd bulls, 9P, with his ladies and calves. I just love how it looks like a bovine family photo.

Go to the AgChat Facebook Photo contest. Click this link to go directly to my photo. Click VOTE! You can do this once a day. Which I'm sure all of you will, because you are very supportive of my latest slightly crazy but awesome endeavor.

FYI: I'll find out whether or not I've been accepted at the end of July.

I encourage you to check out the other applicant's photos. There are some amazing shots!

Thank you so much for your help. What would I do without you?

PS. Happy Canada Day :)

Marketing You

Are you marketing yourself?

While I was networking and meeting new people at YCC in Washington, there was one thing I knew I should have came with. A business card. It's simple, a little old-fashioned, and effective. It's a way to make people remember your name and what you do, and keep in contact with you. I collected tons of business cards (see below) but due to the fact that I'm not exactly a business, had none to give out.

Some of the great people I met last week between ALMA and YCC!

Well, I've decided what I do is worthy of creating business cards for. I made them online tonight at a great website I found called MorningPrint. I was able to go through and step-by-step pick the type of paper, design, and text to put on the card. Here's how the card turned out:

The blacked-out line is my phone number. I trust you..but not the rest of the internet :)

Backside

I love the design I ended up with. It matches my blog (yes I think of these things) and is a little bit aggie and a lot of me.

I only spent $28.99 + about $10 shipping and handling for 400 business cards. All of the places I called in my town were between $50 and $150 for this amount. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

So what are you waiting for? You are marketable as yourself, and you don't need to be tied to a company to do it. Having a personal business card is a great way to keep in contact with the new people you meet. I'm wishing I had these ages ago, and I know they'll start coming in handy right away.

Wordless Wednesday- Making Headlines

Rosie is on Real Agriculture! 

Head over to RealAgriculture.com to see the blog I wrote for them about my DC trip. It's similar to the one featured on this blog but more industry-focused. Thanks to Shaun Haney for giving me the feature!

Bringing Canada to the YCC

After a whirlwind week across the continent, I've made it home from Washington DC feeling more inspired than ever.

I told you how I scored the opportunity of a lifetime here, and gave you a quick update on the trip here, but as promised, I want to tell you exactly what an experience like this means to someone like me.


What is YCC? The individuals I met at the Young Cattlemen's Conference were between the ages of 25 and 50 from all over the United States. It's a pretty prestigious thing to attend YCC- participants were nominated by their state associations and had pay a hefty fee or seek sponsorship to be involved in the tour. The group took in three locations across the US (Denver, Chicago, and DC), taking in feedlots, processing plants, Chicago Board of Trade & OSI, Inc., and a day meeting with congressmen and senators on Capitol Hill. 

The 2011 YCC group. All rights reserved by Beltway Beef

Many of the YCC members were established ag and beef businesspeople, primary producers, and policy professionals. It's more than refreshing to meet people who share my passionate love for cattle and the international business of "farm-to-fork."

The Presentation. On Thursday, Fawn and I had the privilege of speaking at the NCBA Young Cattlemen's Conference about the Canadian beef industry and trade between Canada and the US. What I was expecting was a speaking engagement in which I would have to be over prepared for- knowing how to answer difficult questions and have challenging conversations with young producers. I did. What I wasn't expecting was to make connections around the globe, gain insight to international issues, and become completely inspired all over again by the industry I love. I did that too.

Our presentation gave an overview of Canadian agriculture, our trade relations and history with the United States, and programs of interest like our national traceability and Cattlemen's Young Leaders. Shoot me a comment if you'd like to see the presentation.

Million Dollar Questions. At the end of our presentation, we opened the floor to questions from the YCC members. Traceability was the greatest concern. Traceability is the system of monitoring where a beef animal has been between birth and slaughter, with the ultimate goal of making beef more appealing to export markets and consumers. It means no one can look at a steak and say, "You don't know where that's been."

The questions surprised me. They all wanted to know how Canada's national traceability system came to be, and what America needs to do to work towards one. It was clear that the main concern is opening reluctant markets who are still hesitant to import beef from countries with a history of BSE cases. The Canadian system is mandatory, and Americans want to know if they could ever implement one. This question isn't easy to answer, but the long and short of it is that the American beef industry will need to decide if the costs of a national traceability system (eartags, equipment, setting up a database) would outweigh the benefits of access to more foreign markets.

YCC in DC. We were also able to sit in on a YCC alumni panel of prefessionals working in the food industry, and a Five Nations panel composed of an Embassy representative from Canada, USA, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. One of the highlights for Fawn and I was sitting in a DC sports bar visiting with the Canadian, NZ, and Australian Embassy diplomats discussing their careers and foreign trade. We also took part in the NCBA Political Action Committee fundraiser, a live auction, as the "Vana Whites" for the auction items.

Fawn displaying an auction item

Bottom Line. Looking around the room at a sea of cowboy hats, I feel pretty at home. I also feel honored to associate with such industrious people who will, without a doubt, be on the front lines of the beef industry in just a few years. It makes me excited to be involved in this rapidly growing industry, and even more excited that my specific interest, communicating agriculture, is one of the top issues cattlemen are talking about.

A friend asked me why I would fly across the continent for a twenty minute speech. Well, I didn't. I flew across the continent to share my passion, and to hear from others about what they're doing to move the beef industry forward. I flew across the continent to make invaluable contacts and have insightful conversations about issues that are important to me. I always come away from conferences and events like this one with a strong reminder of why I do what I do, and an excitement to carry what I learned into my current and future involvement in agriculture.

I feel honored to have been asked to represent the Canadian cattle industry, and beyond appreciative of the opportunity. Thanks to the Canadian Embassy, Canadian Cattlemen's Association, and the national Cattlemen's beef Association for making this experience possible for me. I hope to keep in touch with all of the great people I met.

If you were at YCC or are an alumni, please leave a comment! I`d love to hear how the experience impacted you.

Live from DC

Howdy! Things are going great here in the beautiful but very muggy city of Washington, DC. It has been between 30 and 38 degrees Celcuis (85-100 Fahrenheit) every day, and I'm definitely not used to the humidity. But I spend far too much time complaining about cold weather to even think about complaining about the warm, so I'll take it.

Yesterday was a very big day for Fawn and I. We joined the NCBA Young Cattlemen's Conference at the Canadian Embassy for the day, hearing a YCC alumni panel in the morning, presenting on the Canadian cattle industry at lunch, and listening to a 5 Nations panel in the afternoon. We also took part in the YCC banquet that evening.

Big thanks to our coordinator at the Embassy, Pamela, for organizing our stay and making sure the day went smoothly.

Me, JD Alexander(President-Elect, NCBA), Pamela, and Fawn at the banquet

The whole day was a fantastic opportunity for networking. I was able to see old friends and contacts and make new ones. Our presentation was well-received and we had many questions and conversations about Canada-US relations later on in the day. More on that in a later post.

On the balcony of the Canadian Embassy. If you look closely, the
Vancouver Canucks flag is flying under the Canadian one.

Also, note my farmer's tan acquired at the Birchall ranch last weekend.

Everyone needs a cheesy pose picture with the Washington Monument. This is my second.

Today gave us the opportunity to spend some more time at the Canadian Embassy and tour the monuments of DC. More touring to come tomorrow! I promise to post a far more reflective blog post after my trip about some of the great speakers and conversations at YCC. However, my brain will need some unwind time first!

ALMA Future Fare

Coming to you from plane 3 of day 2!

Today was excellent. The ALMA Future Fare was far more extraordinary than I expected, with world-class speakers addressing the issues around livestock and meat at the Edmonton Expo Center. Speakers came from the industry as well as organizations to which ALMA contributes funding. Unfortunately, Fawn and I had to duck out early after our presentation to make our flight, so we missed quite a few presentations I would have loved to see.

Fawn and I presenting

The best part about conferences like this one is the networking opportunities. Representatives from every sector of the livestock industry gathered in one room can get a lot done during breaks. The business cards are flying and conversation revolves around livestock, markets, trade, and all the latest industry happenings. It’s a great atmosphere to get people talking about the ag and food issues concerning them.

I was interviewed after our presentation by a radio program, Call of the Land, by Caitlynn Reesor. I also spoke on video with Megan Oleksyn of RealAgriculture.com, which I’ll be able to post on the blog soon.

I love talking to crowds about my passion, and why a career and future in agriculture is so important to me. Talking about ag comes easily because it’s something I don’t have a moment’s hesitation about pursuing. I’m feeling pretty lucky to have found something I’m so passionate about.

Clearly the lack of sleep and out-of-whack ear pressure has me all reflective and such. Off to change the world again tomorrow at the NCBA Young Cattlemen’s Conference! Stay tuned for posts from DC.

Agvocating in Canada, and Beyond

5 days. 4 airplanes. 2 countries. 2 presentations. 


Here we go! It's finally here, DC week. But I have a few things to get to before I'm US-bound. 


I accidentally got to the airport a couple hours early today. I did this by accidentally driving fast to get here. Oh well! I'm actually quite enjoying the chance to take a breather and catch up on some things. I'm currently on #agchat on Twitter, a weekly conversation between people from all over North America about agricultural topics. This week's topic is right up my alley- ag blogs- so I'm trying to keep up.

On top of that I'm preparing myself for what's sure to be an outstanding week filled with opportunities, networking, and challenges.

Here's the low-down on my itinerary for Canadian part of my trip:

Tuesday
Board my flight from Calgary, Alberta, to Edmonton, Alberta. It's a whole 40 minutes in the air.
Arrive in Edmonton, check in to hotel, and prepare for tomorrow with my presenting partner, Fawn.

Wednesday
Wake up bright and early for the ALMA Future Fare! Fawn and I are set to speak at 11 am on behalf of the Cattlemen's Young Leaders program. I'm speaking as a CYL Graduate, and Fawn as the CYL Program Coordinator.

We're presenting to ALMA (Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency) officials and supporters to feature the great things our program has accomplished with the help of their funding. ALMA supports tons of cattle-related projects and programs, many of which are dedicated to advancing our industry and focus on youth. I'll be talking about my experience as a candidate with my mentor as well as my trip to Denver for the Five Nations Beef Alliance Young Rancher's Program.

So that's lag 1 of my trip, friends! Lag 2 begins by rushing off from the Future Fare to catch a 2:30pm flight to Washington DC. Hopefully that evening I'll have time to check in and update you on day 2. Wish me luck!

Countdown to DC

In 13 days, I'll be headed south and eastbound to Washington, D.C for the opportunity of a lifetime.

I'm going to speak to the members of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Young Cattlemen's Conference about the Canadian beef industry and trade. The group will be composed of cattlemen and women aged 25-50, with a cross-nation tour of America's beef industry starting in Denver and ending in DC.

My first trip to DC in 2010 for a 4-H conference

So what's a ranch girl from Alberta, Canada doing there? Reaping the rewards of being involved in a great youth organization, that's what! I've told you before about the Cattlemen's Young Leaders program which I graduated from this April. At the wrap-up banquet, I gave a speech on my experiences that was noticed by an NCBA member. She requested that me and Fawn, the current Policy Analyst for the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, travel to meet the NCBA YCC group to talk about issues concerning Canadian cattlemen.

And here we are- 2 weeks away. I'll be spending as much time as possible between now and then gearing up for the trip and preparing our presentation. I'll be brushing up on my knowledge of Canada-US trade, traceability, and policies like Country of Origin Labeling. And of course, working on my Masters of Beef Advocacy.

This is where I'll need your help, readers! I'm going to be posting about those issues a lot in the next two weeks, and your feedback is essential. Whether you boast an agricultural education, farm or ranch background, or want to know about these issues as a consumer, you can help me fine-tune my presentation and prepare for any questions that may be asked my the group. So I'm inviting your questions and comments(which I always love) even more than usual!

If you are a Canadian involved in agriculture, what key issues do you think need to be voiced with a group of young to middle-aged American cattlemen?

If you are an American in agriculture, what Canadian beef industry issues would you like to know more about?

YCC Class of 2010

Thanks for the help, friends- stay tuned for my first research post.

Masters of Beef Advocacy

I've been approved to get my Master's!

Okay..so not the kind you're thinking of. But one that will probably be as useful as any formal education as far as my future career goals go. I'm taking my Masters of Beef Advocacy, a National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) program funded by the Beef Checkoff. It's an online program consisting of 6 modules that should take me a few weeks to complete.

Photo credit


I first heard about the MBA Program in Denver, CO in Januray at the International Livestock Congress. I've wanted to find a way to get involved since then, and in April, I did. Cattlemen's Beef Board member Ann Anderson travelled to Edmonton, Alberta to speak to various media and cattle groups, including the Cattlemen's Young Leaders. I attended a presentation by her as a CYL Graduate where she went into detail about the MBA program and how we could get involved. It is an American program, but she opened the applications to the CYL Graduates and current leaders. Last week I sent my application in, and this week I'm beginning my modules!

So what exactly does an MBA Graduate leave the program with? Here's a basic overview of the six online modules:



• Modern Beef Production – Sharing the many benefits of modern, efficient U.S. beef production
• Animal Care – Explaining our commitment to  raising healthy animals
• Beef Safety – Communicating why producing safe food for consumers is a top priority
• Beef Nutrition – Explaining how great-tasting beef strengthens and sustains our bodies
• Environmental Stewardship – Sharing how we’re protecting the environment for future generations
• The Beef Checkoff – Communicating the value of your investment in growing demand for beef



Source: beef.org

Photo credit

This is me doing my part to make sure that I'm as knowledgeable as possible about the industry I'm advocating for. I want to learn the most useful tools and methods to communicate with consumers. I'll make sure to keep you all updated with interesting things I learn and do during my program. If you've completed it, I'd love to hear from you!





Virtual Farm Tours

Ever wonder what happens on a sheep farm? Or what exactly raising ostriches entails? How about how that steak on your plate spent the first year of its life?

One of the dilemmas farmers and ranchers find themselves in is how to show people what we do every day. Of course the best solution would be for every consumer to visit a few different types of farms themselves, but we know this isn't very practical. So the Ontario Farm Animal Council has come up with something fantastic to teach you more about where your food comes from.

They're called Virtal Farm Tours. With a click of your mouse, you have inside access to a chicken, cow-calf, deer, turkey, vegetable, grain, or other types of operations. There are 15 different categories and within those even more tours you can take. I love this site because it really is the next best thing to actually being there. Using your mouse to navigate, you have a 360 degree view of the farm you have chosen, and can click on the question marks for an explanation of different buildings and objects.

Tip: Hold down your mouse and move side to side to rotate the view. Don't try to click and drag.

 Virtual Grain farm

Baby calves on a dairy farm

Egg processing on a laying hen operation

Sheep Farm

This site is a great reference source for any questions you might have about how animals and crops are raised or grown. I found things I knew very little or nothing about and educated myself by clicking through the scenes.

Try it out for yourself. I assure you, you will learn something. And probably spend more time than intended looking through all the different farms. Happy touring!

http://www.farmissues.com/virtualTour/

Using Your Words

When was the last time you came across something that frustrated you? For me, this happens every time I read an article or watch a video highlighting a negative aspect or delivering false information about agriculture. Cattle and agriculture are how I define my lifestyle and how I plan to make my living, so it hits home when someone uses the media to harm my industry. I spent far too much time seeing this information but not knowing what to do about it. I would discuss what I read or saw with my family and come to the conclusion something needed to be done about it, and then find myself too busy to actually do it. Guess what I figured out since then? The things that I want to change will never get there unless I do something.

So, you're feeling inspired from that short paragraph to start changing your world. How exactly do you start such a thing? Small, my friends, we start small. The idea of the week is letter-writing.

For example, you just watched the Oprah episode where her and 378 staffers went vegan for a week. As an agricultural advocate, you feel like Oprah is only telling one side of the story and neglecting the benefits of meat in a person's diet. So you write a letter addressed to the contact on her website. At this large of a scale, it may not feel like your letter could make a difference. But if every agriculture enthusiast wrote the same type of letter, our impact could be huge. With these letter-writing tips, you'll be well on your way to voicing your opinion in a tactful and educated manner to animal rights groups, media outlets, and around your community.

Letter-Writing Tips

• Create as many rough drafts as you need to get it right. Write it out first on paper or a word document- never directly into an email where you could press send at any point.
• Keep it simple. The reader should understand your point in the first paragraph. Delete any sentences that don't contribute to your main idea.
•  Use personal examples for a personal issue, like your family's farm. Give the reader an image of your life and let them identify with your perspective.
• Propose a solution at the end of your letter. The last thing someone wants to read is a letter riddled with complaints and no solutions. Create a rational and simple solution.
• Follow the correct letter format, outlined here. Professionalism is the best way to be taken seriously.
• Triple-check your grammar and spelling! Another key to being taken seriously.

Good luck writing your next letter. Keep following the blog for a feature on one that I've written. Questions?

Meet Your Farmer!

A great new website was recently brought to my attention by my fabulous mentor, Dianne Finstad, who I will hopefully have a chance to blog about later. She sent this link to me after it was recognized by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture for outstanding Agriculture Awareness and Education. It is a project of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture..so far. But my agvocavy wheels are already spinning with how much further an idea like this could go! Before you read on, check out the Meet Your Farmer website!

As you can see, the goal of the website is to create a consumer-friendly space for people to feel like they are interacting with and getting to know the people growing their food. It seems to me like the next best thing to a real live farm visit, which are far more difficult to get people interested in. I think the NSFA has done a great job of showcasing the honest, hard-working food producers as just that. 

The best part is the diversity in the operations they've highlighted. Care for the environment and sustainable practices are common to all the bios and videos, no matter what type of farm they run. They even provide contact info of the farmers if you have more questions or would like to schedule a visit.

I'm sure I haven't found a one-of-kind-site here. Many more with the same general goals are popping up on the web, where they can be easily accessed by consumers. I am quite sure, however, that this is the only one of it's kind in Canada. So what are we waiting for? 

I like to think I have a similar goal in creating this blog. I want to teach people about agriculture in the best way I know how- by giving them an honest look at what I do everyday. So check out the website, I assure you you'll learn something about agriculture you didn't know before. And if you yourself are an agricultural advocate, use it as inspiration to tell your own story! I like to think the Canada-wide version of Meet Your Farmer isn't too far off either.