Agvocacy on the Net

Since I started this whole #agblog thing a few months ago, I've realized that the presence of agriculture online is far larger than I had previously known.

I'm following a number of blogs and websites, and I'm more or less a full-blown Twitter creep. These young ladies have had a few of the most compelling and thought provoking ag-related blogs this week, so I thought I'd share with you. Prepare to be enlightened.

#1: Where Your Steak Comes From, a guest blog by a meat locker heiress, Jenny Dewey, on Meg Brown's agriculture blog.I learned a ton about how each cut is removed from the beef and prepared for wrapping. I love Meg's concept of being more transparent in agriculture, and specifically, the beef industry. Things like slaughter or calving are often considered too gruesome to share with the public, but Meg points to that fact as one of the leading causes of the disconnect between people and their food. I encourage you to check out the rest of the posts on Meg's blog, too.
Follow Meg on Twitter @MegRaeB.

#2: I've Got a Bone to Pick with "Agvocacy", an opinion piece on her blog by Kelly Rivard, hits the nail on the head. I'll let you read the blog to form your own opinions on it. Personally, I completely agree with her in that just because we as farmers feed the world, doesn't mean we should carry a sense of entitlement around when communicating with consumers. We need to remind ourselves that we're doing a service for society just like everyone else is in their jobs, and we need to be on the consumer's level to effectively communicate.
Follow Kelly on Twitter @KMRivard.

#3 Conversations with consumers in the "Reduced for Quick Sale" section of the meat counter is agricultural journalist Celeste Harned's account of a recent opportunity to educate and be educated about buying food. When telling our agricultural story, it's easy to overlook the fact that it can be done a day at a time and in the simplest of places. I find random conversations in grocery stores or fast food venues to be the best places to lend some ag knowledge to a customer who has questions about the safety or difference in varieties of meats. Celeste did a great job of teaching this person about meat safety and what to look for depending on what you're cooking.
Follow Celeste on Twitter @CelesteHarned.

I hope you'll check out these articles and keep reading their blogs for great insights in agriculture. These are just a few of my favorites. Look for more "feature" posts like this on my blog in the future!

Summer Synergy Youth Livestock Showcase

The countdown is on for my favorite Alberta youth livestock event of the summer.

Summer Synergy had it's first year last year, and was wildly successful. The goal of the show is to "synergize" different breeds and species into one collaborative show. This year it will host the Provincial Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, Gelbvieh, Limousin, and Shorthorn breed shows, as well as the Provincial 4-H Dairy, Horse, and Sheep shows, and the Calgary Stampede International Youth Livestock Show.

It runs from July 9-17 in Olds, Alberta, hosting approximately 200 youth from Alberta and neighboring provinces. There will be nearly $55 000 in scholarship money available for individuals who participate in the required events, in the amount of $2000 down to $500.

Receiving our scholarships on the Grandstand at the Calgary Stampede

For a Senior (15-21) to be eligible for a scholarship, they must participate in Confirmation and Showmanship (show an animal), Show Team Judging, Multi-Species Judging, and Marketing.

I will be participating in all these categories, with the two heifers I introduced you to here as my livestock component. I'll also be participating in a few categories unique to the Alberta Jr. Hereford Show, including public speaking and art & literature.

The marketing component is where this blog comes into play.

This year, Crystal.Cattle and Laura Bodell had the great idea to have Senior members create an Agvocacy blog as their marketing component. There are over 50 blogs that were created for this competition, and you can see the list here.

That's where I need your help!

The more followers, views, and dialogue I have on my blog, the better, as far as the marketing competition goes. Don't fear, the end of the marketing competition is not the end of this blog. I have far too much to say to quit now :)

So if you stop by the blog once in a while, feel free to become a follower! Let me know what you think of the posts in the comments, and any suggestions you have are welcome.

To learn more about Summer Synergy, visit their website.