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SPEAKING OUT FOR AGRICULTURE October 22, 2010 by Jerome Janak, Victoria County Master Gardener edited by Charla Borchers Leon, Victoria County Master Gardener |
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Gardeners' Dirt VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION |
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Public misconceptions will be addressed at South Texas Farm and Ranch Show Farmers, EPA engage in debate over dust MYTH: The only sustainable form of food production is organic. Hog farm growth worries activists MYTH: The world can support more vegetarians than meat eaters. |
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PHOTO CONTRIBUTED Betty Wolanyk will address how to deal with attacks on agriculture and dispelling myths on modern agricultural practices Wednesday at the South Texas Farm and Ranch Show luncheon. She is well versed in this field as the chief operating officer with Ag Literacy Works from Barker, N.Y., and the former director of education and research for the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. |
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PHOTOS BY JOE JANAK/VICTORIA COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT | |||||||||||||||||||
Why are you seeing this title in a "Gardeners' Dirt" column? What does farming, hogs, cattle and so on have to do with gardening? Well, gardening - or horticulture - is a multi-billion dollar industry that is agriculture - and agriculture is being hit on with so many untruths that if we don't speak out for agriculture, it will directly affect our food supply in the near future.
UNTRUTHS IN HEADLINES The titles listed above are just some examples of recent newspaper headlines for news stories reporting on current agriculture-related issues, which might be controversial to you if you have an interest or rely on agriculture. Likewise, you may have read, seen or heard other agriculture-related media reports and myths such as those mentioned above, which you believe are skewed or misrepresent the truth or facts. Those working in agriculture often sense that the nonagricultural public doesn't always understand the food and fiber system. Often the reporting of a one-sided activist type viewpoint will without counter feedback leave an incorrect and lasting impression on the general public being especially worrisome if left on our youth. For instance, it has been reported that activists pushing for changes in animal agriculture actually have ulterior motives to end the practice of raising animals for food. HOW TO ADDRESS THEM Do you know how or desire to learn how to address public misconceptions about agriculture? Are you smarter than an activist? Not if you don't know what they are up to or how activists are working together. If you are wondering where all those attacks on modern agricultural practices are coming from, there is a presentation you need to see. LUNCHEON, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 27 If you want to know or learn more, then make plans for next Wednesday, Oct. 27, at noon during the South Texas Farm and Ranch Show to attend the special luncheon program on "Speaking out for Agriculture: Why?" It will be presented by Betty Wolanyk, who is the chief operating officer with Ag Literacy Works from Barker, N.Y., and also the former director of education and research for the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. Betty is an outstanding presenter and authority with many years of experience in addressing how to deal with attacks on agriculture and dispelling myths. Immediately following the lunch program and also the special workshop "Answering the Right Questions," she will show how to be prepared to counter these attacks and to dispel the many myths about modern agricultural practices. BENEFITS FOR ATTENDING In addition to becoming prepared to effectively speak out for agriculture, everyone attending the workshop leaves with a customized educational package of material for further study and reference. Crop consultants and advisers also will be eligible to receive one hour of certified crop adviser credit in professional development. LUNCHEON TICKETS BY MONDAY, OCT. 25 So, if you wish to learn how to defend the current advanced status of American agriculture as a model for the world and help assure that our farmers and ranchers can efficiently continue to provide food and fiber production to feed and clothe multitudes of peoples around the globe, then plan to attend this luncheon and seminar in the Victoria Community Center Annex next Wednesday. To assure a seat, luncheon tickets ($10) should be purchased by Monday, Oct. 25, from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Victoria County office at 442 Foster Field Drive, the Victoria County Airport. BOOTHS, EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS While you're at the show, take time to visit the 125-plus booths that will be there to help those of us interested and involved in agriculture. The Victoria County Master Gardeners will also have a booth at the show offering free gardening and landscaping information. Stop by and see us. As in the past number of years, the Master Gardeners have assisted again this year with putting together some of the Farm and Ranch Show's educational seminars. We've helped pull in presentations on citrus, grasshopper control and pesticides from top educators with CEU credits offered. During the "Pasture to Pyramid" educational programs to teach children about healthy foods, healthy beverages and nutrition as related to agriculture, some of our Master Gardeners will again be involved teaching the pre-registered, third-grade classes. FOR MORE INFORMATION Look for a special article in next week's Advocate that describes these seminars in more detail. For further information on the show, see www.southtexasfarmandranchshow.com/. Whatever your interests may be, plan to attend the show and speak out for agriculture. After all, we are all a part of the industry as providers and/or consumers. |
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SOUTH TEXAS FARM AND RANCH SHOW
Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 *Victoria Community Center *More than 125 exhibit booths open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday. *Free admission/free parking *Free breakfast each day to the first 300 at 6:30 a.m. *Educational programs start at 7 a.m. each day *CEU's offered: TDA 14 hours - 5 Laws and Regulations, CCA 19.5 hours. *Luncheons: $10, Wednesday; $7, Thursday PROGRAMS AT SHOW ON WEDNESDAY *Pesticide License Training/Testing *Cattlemen's College Topics: DPS Rules/Guidelines Update Electric Fence Applications General Laws *Pesticide Misuse Cases *Regulation of Pesticides Discharged into Water *IPM Concepts & Applied Research *Wild Turkey Management *Wildlife: Harvesting Agri-Tourism Dollars *Antique Tractor Exhibit and Restoration PROGRAMS AT THE SHOW ON THURSDAY *Cattlemen's College Topics: Karnes/Wilson County Forage Work, Forage Quality and Managing Stocking Rate Economics *Estate Planning for Farmers and Ranchers *Retirement Planning for Farmers and Ranchers *Buffel Grass Update *Grasshopper Control *Latest Technology in Row-Crop Planters *Citrus Pests & Citrus Greening |
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The Gardeners' Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas AgriLife Extension - Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com. |