Stories and Perspectives from the Farm
New Pigs Dilemma, Prohibit Egg Hatching in Schools?, Cattle Trackers
Farm Update:
Can you believe this March weather? It is 72 degrees on March 11. I love open windows and mine are open today!
Pigs are doing well. We are scheduled to have newly weaned pigs arrive on Friday. Because we are no longer part of a sow farm, access and scheduling new pigs is different. When you are part of a sow farm, you know your source of pigs and you are on a schedule as to when you will receive new piglets. Now, it’s kind of a free for all—hoping you find pigs and hoping the pig cost is reasonable.
Well, we did find another source and the number they have available is the exact number we need. We took this as a hint that we should buy them. Actually we have received pigs from this farm before. The farm is located in South Dakota.
The only problem is the availability of the pigs does not fit our schedule. When you purchase pigs, you have to take them when they are available. Normally, there isn’t any negotiation.
The site they are going to is the farm we are currently selling. So what do we do with the piglets until those barns are empty and cleaned?
Well, we have pig nurseries available that we haven’t been using. The pigs will go there until the other site is emptied and cleaned. Then we will move them over. Lots of extra work to make it work. In fact, we had to buy another bin to accommodate the new pigs.
We do what we need to do, but this is precisely why we bought into a sow farm. We knew when the new pigs would be delivered. We knew the price. We knew the biosecurity protocols used. We knew (and had a say) on which vaccines they would receive.
Now, we are in a different world right. We will make the best of it.
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In the News
Ban Hatching Eggs in Schools?
Sometimes there is craziness that just can’t be explained.
There is a bill in the Minnesota legislature that will prohibit schools from hatching eggs.
I know a number of local teachers that use incubators to hatch eggs. Students love watching the new chicks. A great science lesson. Hands on. Expose students to agriculture.
Why on earth would you prohibit this?
Cattle Tracking
15 million to track cattle in the U.S. using electronic identification tags. This is to comply with the Federal Animal Disease Traceability rule.
Here is what makes me nervous. I don’t think we need the U.S. government in control of the cattle industry. As we have seen many times, government mandates are abused and misused. I am concerned that giving our government control over the cattle industry could be used improperly.
It will be used to limit beef production and challenge small ranchers. According to Tom Massie, “It will be used by the GREEN agenda to limit beef production, and by the corporate meat oligopoly to DOMINATE small ranchers,"
Along with what Massie states, it’s also about the money. Follow the money.
As farmers and ranchers, we need to speak up and let our voices be heard.
Blog Post
Here is a new blog post from my friend at Farmer’s Daughter. And she is right, people do look down at Big Ag.
Why is Big Ag Treated Like Big Bad?
One of my favorite blog posts from the past. I find it so relaxing to take walks, especially in nature.
Until next week . . .
Hi Wanda, what bill number is this one about the egg hatching? I can't find it, and would like to comment on it to my state rep. Thanks! (Rick in Prior Lake)