The following advertisers support The Agricultural View and the promotion of agriculture however they may not necessarily agree with every point of view within the newsletter.
“Please patronize these sponsors and express seeing their ad in the View”
Stacy family farm since 1899 Bill & Janet Stacy Goodrich Rd., Oak Grove, Marietta, OH 45750 740-374-2371 www.stacyfarm.com
Florida Farm Bureau Marketing Division
Roy W. Singleton Director/General Manager roysingleton@ffbf.org Cell 352-636-6161 7705 US Highway 441 Leesburg, FL 34788
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A special thank you to the other eight contributors as well.
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If you wish to use the Blog Site and not receive a hard copy mailing of The Agricultural View e-mail me at: coffman_ralph@yahoo.com or call me at 740-984-2567
My New Blog Site Address: http://theagriculturalview.blogspot.com
This site has a copy of each issue of the View and other updates and postings.
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“Please share the newsletter with others, and let me know what you think”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you wish to contribute: 1. General Donation(Make checks payable to: Ralph Coffman (The Agricultural View)
2. Placing an ad in two issues for $15.00 (*See details below)* The ads will be 1” by 2” (basic label size). Clearly print the ad content (written only) and your name, phone number, address and return it to me. The ad will be an insert page with the following statement: The following advertisers support The Agricultural View and the promotion of agriculture however they may not necessarily agree with every point of view within the newsletter. Please patronize these sponsors and express seeing their ad in the newsletter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memorial Day tribute: Morgan County Herald Web Site, see bottom of the home page (Memorial Ceremony 6/3/09) Eric Massey
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Agricultural View June 2009 (Issue 3)
Exciting news – see my blog site at: http://theagriculturalview.blogspot.com
A Glance Back - Washington County Fair
1st Fair was October 15, 1846.
The Board changed the name to “The Washington County Agricultural and Mechanical Institute” August 5, 1858.
The Board changed the name to “The Washington County Agricultural and Mechanical Association” – its’ present name on June 29, 186.
No fairs were held in the years of 1861-1867 due to war. By Hugh Coffman
Farm Tragedy
A few years ago a friend of mine retired from teaching Ag. Ed., and within a few months he was tragically killed in a tractor overturn. I did not understand how that was possible because he had always been very safety conscious. Later I found out that he had mowed that same bank for years. His fatal mistake was that he did not factor in the abnormally high rainfall, which saturated the bank with water causing it to give away.
1
Say What?
FFA citrus sales have long been a key to the funding of FFA banquets, contests and conventions etc. Over twenty years ago I was startled when the state auditor’s representative came into my office and challenged my right as the FFA advisor to offer an incentive to students for selling fruit. Offering incentive was a common practice. He also warned me that he could make me collect every dollar paid to students the previous four years, or I could take the money out of my pocket. Later, after being threatened with audit findings, he told me that when the school’s findings eventually came out in the news my misdeed would not be nearly as bad as it would seem in the newspaper. I was sick for more than month in anticipation, however, nothing came out at all. The final result was the need for prior board approval. They found my financial records to be complete and accurate, and my only misdeed was offering students a bonus! Today – I’m told that chapters can no longer offer financial incentive. Instead they can only offer small prizes. The state auditor’s office current rationale – we don’t know what the kids might spend their money on! 2
Congratulations to Kalleigh Mason of the Marietta FFA for being elected to the state FFA officer team.
Cattle Trivia
Cattle outnumber humans in 9 states: Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Wyoming.
The 4 stomach compartments in cattle are; rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. The only one that functions in a newborn calf is the abomasum -nicknamed the true stomach.
Message to teenagers:
Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.
Oklahoma – National Soils
The Fort Frye FFA team of Josiah Fryman, Derek Kirkbride, Heidi Heiss and Greg Heldman placed 23rd in the United States in Oklahoma. There are 7,000+ FFA chapters nationally and 300+ in Ohio. Individually, Derek placed 18th nationally. Fort Frye held the highest Ohio national placing for nearly 20 years and currently has the 2nd highest finish ever (9th in 1985 - with team members Mark Duskey, Brent Kirkbride, Kara Zimmer and Scott Ferrell).
A website giving animal rights updates: info@consumerfreedom.com
3
From the View’s Desk
I continue to plug away and provide food for thought – nothing more and nothing less. No one has all of the answers, and I certainly do not. I am grateful for those who have given support financially with donations, ads, and/or encouraging words. Any mistakes and definitions are all mine. For the new clientele - I plan to continue the View for one year (6 issues) and based upon responses, financial assistance and my time and energy I will reevaluate at the year’s end. coffman_ralph@yahoo.com
Animal Rights groups continue to work diligently to eliminate animal agriculture. The Humane Society of the United States has an annual budget of approximately 200 million dollars and a powerful staff of more than 30 professionals backed up with 25+ board members. The HSUS contributes less than 5% of its budget to hands-on, local animal shelters to actually assist animals in real need!
If vegetarian activists Rip Esselstyn has his way, within 5 years restaurants will have a special section for those eating meat and dairy products (like a smoking section). Contact Farm Bureau and other farm organizations for steps to take ASAP!
4
Free Enterprise/Capitalism – the system America was founded on - it is the freedom to take risks by investing in a business, and working hard by utilizing your God-given creativity and management skills to produce a product of your choice. You have unlimited opportunity to succeed or fail based upon your efficiency, quality and quantity of your work, and the demand for your product. Those who take the risk have the opportunity to earn, or lose, the most. The founders believed that without a moral influence (God) guiding business owner they would become greedy just like the government does in socialism. Socialism – the government decides who pays and who receives tax money, and ultimately ownership. Officials develop an insatiable appetite for power through the guise of helping those in need. Ultimately, this can dupe the masses as to their need for the handouts. Government programs generally prolong and expand most problems ex. 2nd and 3rd generation welfare. The Pilgrims tried socialism in Plymouth, Ma. (labeled communalism) where everyone could take freely from the general storehouse with the idea that everyone would give back an equal or greater amount. This theory was a disaster as more and more took, and less and less contributed. According to their journals, “this system did breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment.” Eventually, Bradford their governor and historian divided up the land
5
into plots and each family could keep what they grew - individual incentive came into play. According to Bradford, “this had very good success for it made all hands very industrious.” Also, imagine if we used the socialistic system to grade students. We could average all grades on each test and then every student would receive the class average grade, or we could implement a heavy progressive or graduated grade/point tax. This would gradually destroy the motivation of the students working to excel. Government farm subsidies - initially farmers did not want or need them because payments were small so very few farmers participated. As the years passed, payments and regulations grew to entice more participation. A few participating farmers even hired away nonparticipating farmer’s better workers. Eventually, payments became so substantial that today most farmers participate. In fact, for some participation means survival. Maybe farmers could make a trade with the government by ending farm subsidies and in exchange farmers could initiate a tax (government approach) on agricultural imports, and every citizen in America who does not produce food. The money could go directly to farmers – those who dwell and labor on the farm. Isn’t it appalling that so many citizens only think of farm subsidies as welfare conjoining the work farmers do daily with those who collect a monthly direct deposit welfare payment?
6
Exciting news – see my blog site at: http://theagriculturalview.blogspot.com
A Glance Back - Washington County Fair
1st Fair was October 15, 1846.
The Board changed the name to “The Washington County Agricultural and Mechanical Institute” August 5, 1858.
The Board changed the name to “The Washington County Agricultural and Mechanical Association” – its’ present name on June 29, 186.
No fairs were held in the years of 1861-1867 due to war. By Hugh Coffman
Farm Tragedy
A few years ago a friend of mine retired from teaching Ag. Ed., and within a few months he was tragically killed in a tractor overturn. I did not understand how that was possible because he had always been very safety conscious. Later I found out that he had mowed that same bank for years. His fatal mistake was that he did not factor in the abnormally high rainfall, which saturated the bank with water causing it to give away.
1
Say What?
FFA citrus sales have long been a key to the funding of FFA banquets, contests and conventions etc. Over twenty years ago I was startled when the state auditor’s representative came into my office and challenged my right as the FFA advisor to offer an incentive to students for selling fruit. Offering incentive was a common practice. He also warned me that he could make me collect every dollar paid to students the previous four years, or I could take the money out of my pocket. Later, after being threatened with audit findings, he told me that when the school’s findings eventually came out in the news my misdeed would not be nearly as bad as it would seem in the newspaper. I was sick for more than month in anticipation, however, nothing came out at all. The final result was the need for prior board approval. They found my financial records to be complete and accurate, and my only misdeed was offering students a bonus! Today – I’m told that chapters can no longer offer financial incentive. Instead they can only offer small prizes. The state auditor’s office current rationale – we don’t know what the kids might spend their money on! 2
Congratulations to Kalleigh Mason of the Marietta FFA for being elected to the state FFA officer team.
Cattle Trivia
Cattle outnumber humans in 9 states: Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Wyoming.
The 4 stomach compartments in cattle are; rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. The only one that functions in a newborn calf is the abomasum -nicknamed the true stomach.
Message to teenagers:
Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.
Oklahoma – National Soils
The Fort Frye FFA team of Josiah Fryman, Derek Kirkbride, Heidi Heiss and Greg Heldman placed 23rd in the United States in Oklahoma. There are 7,000+ FFA chapters nationally and 300+ in Ohio. Individually, Derek placed 18th nationally. Fort Frye held the highest Ohio national placing for nearly 20 years and currently has the 2nd highest finish ever (9th in 1985 - with team members Mark Duskey, Brent Kirkbride, Kara Zimmer and Scott Ferrell).
A website giving animal rights updates: info@consumerfreedom.com
3
From the View’s Desk
I continue to plug away and provide food for thought – nothing more and nothing less. No one has all of the answers, and I certainly do not. I am grateful for those who have given support financially with donations, ads, and/or encouraging words. Any mistakes and definitions are all mine. For the new clientele - I plan to continue the View for one year (6 issues) and based upon responses, financial assistance and my time and energy I will reevaluate at the year’s end. coffman_ralph@yahoo.com
Animal Rights groups continue to work diligently to eliminate animal agriculture. The Humane Society of the United States has an annual budget of approximately 200 million dollars and a powerful staff of more than 30 professionals backed up with 25+ board members. The HSUS contributes less than 5% of its budget to hands-on, local animal shelters to actually assist animals in real need!
If vegetarian activists Rip Esselstyn has his way, within 5 years restaurants will have a special section for those eating meat and dairy products (like a smoking section). Contact Farm Bureau and other farm organizations for steps to take ASAP!
4
Free Enterprise/Capitalism – the system America was founded on - it is the freedom to take risks by investing in a business, and working hard by utilizing your God-given creativity and management skills to produce a product of your choice. You have unlimited opportunity to succeed or fail based upon your efficiency, quality and quantity of your work, and the demand for your product. Those who take the risk have the opportunity to earn, or lose, the most. The founders believed that without a moral influence (God) guiding business owner they would become greedy just like the government does in socialism. Socialism – the government decides who pays and who receives tax money, and ultimately ownership. Officials develop an insatiable appetite for power through the guise of helping those in need. Ultimately, this can dupe the masses as to their need for the handouts. Government programs generally prolong and expand most problems ex. 2nd and 3rd generation welfare. The Pilgrims tried socialism in Plymouth, Ma. (labeled communalism) where everyone could take freely from the general storehouse with the idea that everyone would give back an equal or greater amount. This theory was a disaster as more and more took, and less and less contributed. According to their journals, “this system did breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment.” Eventually, Bradford their governor and historian divided up the land
5
into plots and each family could keep what they grew - individual incentive came into play. According to Bradford, “this had very good success for it made all hands very industrious.” Also, imagine if we used the socialistic system to grade students. We could average all grades on each test and then every student would receive the class average grade, or we could implement a heavy progressive or graduated grade/point tax. This would gradually destroy the motivation of the students working to excel. Government farm subsidies - initially farmers did not want or need them because payments were small so very few farmers participated. As the years passed, payments and regulations grew to entice more participation. A few participating farmers even hired away nonparticipating farmer’s better workers. Eventually, payments became so substantial that today most farmers participate. In fact, for some participation means survival. Maybe farmers could make a trade with the government by ending farm subsidies and in exchange farmers could initiate a tax (government approach) on agricultural imports, and every citizen in America who does not produce food. The money could go directly to farmers – those who dwell and labor on the farm. Isn’t it appalling that so many citizens only think of farm subsidies as welfare conjoining the work farmers do daily with those who collect a monthly direct deposit welfare payment?
6
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