Animal Care
Q: Should we be concerned about how animals are treated on the farm? Melisa: I love hearing that people care about the well-being and treatment of animals. Farmers, as a
Common Ground
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The agriculture industry depends upon clean water, soil and air — as does the world’s supply of food, fuel, feed and fiber. Every year, Nebraska’s farmers are growing more with less — less water, fewer chemicals, less land and a lower impact on the environment.
Family vs. Corporate Farming
I think sometimes when people hear the term “family farm,” they picture a small, quaint scene from yesteryear with a farmer holding a pitchfork and wearing overalls.
Animal Health
Dairy farmer Melisa Konecky from Wahoo, Nebraska, and poultry producer Karah Perdue from York, Nebraska, address concerns about how our food is raised. Dawn Caldwell, a farmer near Edgar, Nebraska, and Joan Ruskamp, a feedlot owner with a background in veterinary science from Dodge, Nebraska, focus on misconceptions surrounding hormone and antibiotic use in the livestock industry. Sharon Portenier, a rancher from Farnam, Nebraska, explains the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef.
Grass vs. Grain-Fed
The difference between grass and grain-fed beef boils down to what the animals eat. For at least part of their lives, all cattle on our ranch eat grass. When cattle enter the “finishing” phase of their lives is when that can change. “Grass-finished” cattle are fed grass products, such as hay.
Antibiotics & Hormones
All of us want to ensure the food we’re feeding our families is safe to eat. Occasionally, food labels increase confusion about the safety of substances such as added hormones and antibiotics.
Sustainability
sus•tain•a•bil•i•ty (noun) Supplying a growing world with food, fuel, feed and fiber — while safeguarding its resources for future generations. Our world’s natural resources matter. The agriculture industry depends upon
Soil Health
Healthy soil sustains our world’s food supply. When soil is healthy, the ecosystem within the soil has the optimum levels of structure, living organisms, nutrients and all other biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) components.
Water Conservation
Conserving water means not using more water than necessary for any given purpose. For example, we use shade structures to keep our cattle cool and comfortable on hot days, which alleviates the need to use water sprinklers to cool them.
Celebrating Food Choice
Producers feed the same foods to their families as other consumers do. Celebrate the fact that our food supply is abundant and safe. Don’t fear your food!
