Celebrate the Growing Network of Awareness this 4th of July.

There is a growing network working farmers, food producers, Ag industry professionals, and concerned consumers who are looking for or wish to share information about what they buy or what they sell.

The frustration of over legislation, taxation, wasteful government spending, congressional incompetence, urban sprawl, consumer ignorance, and more recently, an outright assault of a way of life may be causing the long reserved American Farmer to take action. Many of these things are shared in common with our Nation's Founders. Most people would never make the connection, but the reality is this country was founded by Farmers.

The Pilgrims on the May Flower, you know the ones we remember every Thanksgiving with a feast of all the things a good harvest provides. They did not come looking for a good place to construct towering glass and steel buildings. They came looking for land that would sustain them and allow a way of life they where persecuted for.

Our first president, then General George Washington led a rag tag group of citizen soldiers to run out the Red Coats, for much of the same issues California Farmers are dealing with today. Many of those soldiers were farmers themselves. What most people do not remember is that in the 18th century, George Washington, operated a state of the art farming operation. Some people would have call it a "Factory Farm" by today's standards. George Washington's role as a farmer and businessman is often over shadowed by his service to our country. Washington beveled that America's future economic success lay in agriculture was integral to his vision for the new nation. Like the modern Farmer, George Washington was always looking for ways to expand the productivity and profit of his farms. Washington built a gristmill and later a distillery. He sold flour, corn meal, and whiskey locally and overseas. This, by the way, is what some call the "American Dream" . Washington's farm was called Mt. Vernon and is today celebrated as a National Treasure.

(fast forward to the 20th century) Farmers have relied on food producers and distributors to convey the message that food grown and produced in the United States is good for the United States. Good for the consumer, good for the farmer, good for the U.S. economy. Somewhere along the way this system has gone a rye. My opinion is that food producers and distributors have been looking to creeper imports. One, to increase profits (it is a business after all), and two, to keep up with growing demand for easy to prepare meal products (who has time to cook dinner these days?). The American Farmer, as it seems, is getting a bad wrap for all of this. This is not the reality of the situation today, Farmers work daily to provide a quality product that they would, and do, serve to their own families without hesitation for quality and freshness.

This 4th of July Holiday, Please take time to think about this Great Nation, and who built it out of dirt! As the rest of the word is starved for American "Grit" and Freedom. I, like Gorge Washington believe that America's future economic success lay in agriculture and is integral to the vision for this nation. The American Farmer is the foundation if this country, and will be till the end of time. I should not have to remind you that there was a time that every kid in Russia wanted a pair of Levi 501's made with American Grown Cotton. Just the thought of good Ol' Fashion Apple Pie brings to mind the Freedoms we take for granted every day. (I challenge you to name one single ingredient in Ol' Fashion Apple Pie that a Farmer didn't provide). This truly is the Greatest Nation in history. God has Blessed America! From Sea to shining Sea! Now, It's time to pick up the slack and tow the line.

This growing network I speak of is a grassroots movement in the truest scene. Individuals are springing up as Bloggers, Tweeters, Facebook groups, MySpace sites, , YouTube Vloggers, and in other places where information can be shared conveniently.

They are Agivist. No, it not a typo, I said, "Ag-i-vist". An Agivist is one who emphasizes direct vigorous action especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial agricultural issue.

This seems to be the new generation of farming. Networking together and the willingness to sharing information is becoming an increasingly effective tool to educate consumers about misconceptions about what that eat and helping them to make better choices with how the spend their grocery budget. Allowing the Farmer to speak directly to those consumers who want to know what's in their food. Maybe more importantly, allowing the consumer to provide feedback and concerns directly to the farmer.

Be vocal, Farmers. Ask questions, Consumers. I did, and it led me right here! Because I eat, and I want to know where my food comes from. I am proud to say now, I am an Agivist!

Get to know your Farmer. Celebrate your Framer. Look for the product of USA label, even better , Buy California Grown!

Keep California Farming.

California Dairy Industry Facts *

• California has been the nation’s leading dairy state since 1993, when it surpassed Wisconsin in milk production. California is ranked first in the U.S. in the production of total milk, butter, ice cream, yogurt, nonfat dry milk, and whey protein concentrate. California is second in cheese production. (CDFA)

• California leads the nation in total milk production. In 2008, California produced a record 41.2 billion pounds of milk – one-fifth of the nation’s total production.

• Dairy farming is the leading agricultural commodity in California, producing $6.9 billion in annual sales in 2008. (CDFA)

• Forty-three percent of all of California milk goes to make California cheese. (CDFA)

• Currently there are 1,950 California dairy farms that house 1.83 million milk cows. Approximately one out of every five dairy cows in the U.S. lives in California

• California milk production is expected to exceed 50 billion pounds by 2020.

• The average California dairy cow produced 22,344 pounds of milk in 2008.

• Currently, 35 percent of the total U.S. exports of dairy products are coming from California.

• California’s dairy business generated $61.4 billion in economic activity and 435,000 full-time jobs in California in 2007. (CMAB, J/D/G Consulting)

• California’s milk standards exceed federal standards because California processors add nonfat milk solids which offer improved taste and nutritional benefits. California milks exceed the federal guidelines for the amounts of calcium and protein in each serving.

• Real California Milk can be found at Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, Target, 7-Eleven, Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs, Stater Bros., Food 4 Less, Superior Grocers, Lucky, Longs Drugs, Nugget and O’Brien’s.

*All data provided by the California Milk Advisory Board, except as noted.

http://www.californiadairypressroom.com/Press_Kit/Dairy_Industry_Facts

Young Farmers Use Ag Tweets?

From http://capitalpress.com/

Networking news
Student group uses Facebook, Twitter to garner support for ag

Cecilia Parsons
Capital Press

A non-traditional approach to promoting agriculture is taking place on the Internet. The message isn't new - the vehicle is.

"I Love Farmers ... They Feed My Soul" is youth-to-youth, edgy and not always politically correct. Its sole purpose is to support all American farmers and ranchers. The website puts a young face on food and fiber production and with links to Facebook and Twitter, reaches out to youth more comfortable with social networking than traditional media. The idea is to get the word out about where food comes from and how it is produced.

The five young people who are the current face of the campaign are passionate about agriculture and eager to speak with their urban counterparts about farmers and ranchers and what they do.

"We wanted to create a conversation among friends in the electronic world," said Scott Vernon, the creator of the project. "If we're consistent and constant we'll begin to have a subtle impact."

So far, numbers show the message is spreading. As of June 12, there were more than 7,000 followers on the social network Facebook.

The I Love Farmers ... They Feed My Soul site is also evolving. Annalisa Clarke, website manager said as more funding becomes available the site would become interactive.

Currently shirts and caps with the I Love Farmers logo are being sold on the site to keep it operating. When the web site becomes interactive, she said they would do their best to answer questions and explain farming and ranching practices.

Though Vernon is a professor of agriculture communication at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, the website isn't affiliated with the school or any particular segment of the agriculture industry. Clarke said if it is believed that "Big ag" backs the campaign they'll lose some of the trust that has been building with the followers.

"That's what makes us tick - they trust those young people to speak from their hearts," said Clarke.

Traditional agriculture interests might not trust the way they are going about supporting agriculture, but they will have to trust the people on the website.

The young people, all students at Cal Poly, are more approachable, Vernon believes, because this isn't a high-powered advertising campaign. It is also important the students put a young, hip face on an industry that is mostly "all old white guys" said Vernon.

"They're good-looking, and image is powerful," he added.

I Love Farmers' messages are aimed at a world that has little day-to-day contact with the people who grow their food, but the students are also having some fun. Vernon said they've been able to toy with the animal rights group Humane Society of United States by posting a video that shows how money donated to the group is used more for political purposes than saving animals. With the release of the movie "Food Inc." last week they have another hot discussion topic.

Clarke said they have been experimenting on Facebook with current issues, posting topics and asking for feedback. The catalysts in this have been the students who encourage two-way communication.

Farmers and ranchers are great a talking to each other about agriculture issues, but they don't have a pathway to the general public, said Clarke, who also participates in the conversations.

They don't want to bombard people with information.

"We're seeking a social level, adding some fun but bringing ag to the forefront of the conversation," Clarke explained. "This is a good opportunity to clear up misconceptions."

Facebook Group: I Love Farmers...They Feed My Sou