Dedicated to Dairy

If you follow this blog, my twitter account, or our farm's facebook page, you probably understand that it takes a lot of dedication to be a successful dairy farmer. That dedication is not just about the amount of hours spent working as it extends to how carefully we care for and manage everything about our farm.  Our dedication to our cows, our milk, and our land has enabled our farm to operate for nearly sixty years, and that same dedication will allow us to continue dairying for as long as there are Gilmers who want to make their living on the farm.

All dairy farmers share the values of responsibility and good stewardship, and we all work hard to do the best we can with what we have been entrusted with.  And though our dedication and values are the same, we each have our own stories to tell.

Enter "Dedicated to Dairy".

Our regional dairy check-off program recently launched the "Dedicated to Dairy" campaign to help Southeastern dairy farmers give consumers a closer look at how and why we do what we do. The D2D website has lots of good information ranging from cow nutrition to milk quality to conservation. My favorite part of the website is the "Videos" section, where you can actually see and hear dairy families from around the Southeast talking about their farms and their dedication.  I highly recommend you check out the video of me and my father, as it is of much higher quality than what you're used to seeing on our YouTube channel!

I hope you'll spend some time perusing the Dedicated to Dairy website, and follow along on Facebook/Twitter so you'll know when new content is being added.  And, of course, don't forget to check out our own social media accounts or GilmerDairyFarm.com to learn how my family is dedicated to dairy: our cows, our milk, and our land.

Happy Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, the day when presumably more people give thought to what they can do to improve the natural splendor and conserve the precious resources of our planet.  Do farmers and ranchers celebrate Earth Day? For me and probably lots of others, it' s just another day. After all, our way of life demands that we take our stewardship responsibilities very seriously EVERY day, not just when the calendar says April 22.

Yes, farmers and ranchers are working hard to save the planet every day of the year.  We are doing our part to sustain our planet's resources while producing the crops and livestock needed to achieve and sustain a healthy, happy human existence.  A combination of new technology, old fashioned work ethic, and a strong sense of duty allow us to do so more effectively and efficiently year after year.

Do we all agree on the technologies and methods that are needed to best protect our planet while producing for its population?  Nope...we all have our own opinions, viewpoints, and strongly-held convictions.  We are all human, and none of us are perfect (that's why "Good Friday" happened).  But our humanity compels each of us to do the best we can with what we have and strive to improve our operations at every opportunity. Why? Because we live here too, and clean air, clean water, fertile soil, and abundant resources are just as important to us and our families as they are to you and yours.

So as you marvel at the beautiful, complex, magnificent, fragile, unpredictable planet we call home, please remember the positive contributions farmers and ranchers are making to ensure that future generations will enjoy the same beauty and bounty we enjoy today!

I'll leave you with a video message I made on Earth Day 2010.  It may be a year old, but the message is still (and always will be) the same...WE CARE!

New Leadership for a New Decade...guest blog by Glen Zorn

We all hear political rhetoric about how government needs to be downsized and red tape reduced, and it’s something you should expect from leadership. But during the past few years we’ve already downsized the Department, and it will probably shrink even more as long as our state’s economy suffers and the state’s budget remains tight. I intend to look for ways to eliminate duplication of services between what we do and what other agencies do, as well as partnering with our colleges and universities to get the job done.

However, there are some things we do at that we shouldn’t be willing to throw away for the sake of reducing government. For example, we check to make sure that the scale at the grocery store cash register is calibrated to weigh your meats and vegetables; we inspect gas stations to make sure you are getting your dollar’s worth; we license your pest control companies. Are we really willing to sacrifice the sense of security we have as consumers for the sake of “reducing government”

We have fought the battles of food labeling – so you would know where your food comes from; we stopped fish and consumer products from entering this country because of harmful ingredients and chemicals; we expanded trade of Alabama agricultural products around the globe; we championed the development and use of alternative fuels in this state when no one else was talking about ethanol and bio-diesel. I don’t think we can or should stop doing those things that help every consumer in this state every day.

There is something I will breathe new life into – and that’s learning how to manage our water resources. It is going to take some bold leadership. It will take input from production agriculture, from agribusiness and from consumers. We have enough water; we need to learn how to make it available when we need it. I have made this the centerpiece of my campaign. If we can put a man on the moon, as we did more than 40 years ago, surely we can figure out how to manage our water resources!

With 40 years experience in business, some great years giving back to my community as mayor, and serving in the capacity I have at the Department, I’m ready for the job of Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries in 2010 and I ask for your support.

Thank you.

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bio (provided): I’ve been a farmer nearly all my adult life; my brothers and I own an agribusiness in Covington County which includes one of the only privately operated grain elevators in Alabama. We raise peanuts, cotton and pine trees – and we understand what it means to compete. I was elected to two terms as mayor of my hometown, Florala, and I’ve served as Deputy and Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries for the last seven years. I’m ready to lead our state as Commissioner.

As Assistant Commissioner I have been director of The Center for Alternative Fuels, Light Weights & Measures, Heavy Weights & Measures and Plant Protection divisions within the Department. I have been a Certified Crop Advisor for decades. I know agriculture, I know the Department, I will lead us into the next decade. I ask for your support in November.

Conserving Alabama's Water Resources: guest blog by John McMillan

One of the issues I have stressed during my campaign for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries has been the need for more conservation and planning related to Alabama’s water resources.

We have taken the ample supply of water in our state for granted. This can no longer be the case as we face threats to our water supply from neighboring states as well as demands created by population growth, farming, manufacturing, and from other freshwater consumption.

Unlike some forms of energy, water does not have substitutes. We must take steps to better measure our water usage and educate our consumers on volume and cost.

There are also great opportunities available for water conservation in the area of treating wastewater. Great savings can be obtained by focusing efforts on recycling wastewater on-site at points of high-volume usage rather than moving these waters off-site for treatment.

Water conservation can be improved by monitoring soil moisture in urban parks, golf courses, and farm irrigation systems.

Another area for conservation of our water resources is in developing crops that need less water than current seed strains. Steps can be taken to avoid crops that are more moisture demanding in some areas of the state.

Alabama is also positioned to take advantage of our salt water access as desalination becomes more economically feasible.

As our state becomes more and more “thirsty” we need elected officials who will provide reasoned leadership in addressing the water issue to avoid unpleasant consequences and assure Alabama consumers, agribusiness, manufacturers, and recreational users of safe, economical and adequate water resources.

As Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries I will work to initiate the planning and conservation steps needed to address water resources through working with the Governor, legislature, state agencies, and other stakeholders.

Our campaign website (johnmcmillan2010.com) provides information on other important issues the next commissioner will face. I hope you will review my qualifications and positions and “hire” me with your vote and support to lead the department.

bio (excerpts from website): Alabama has been home to my family for six generations, and I am blessed with a legacy of strong people who have worked the land and enjoyed the many natural resources our state has to offer. My wife Kathryn and I met in high school and, this past July, celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary. We have two sons, Murphy and William, and our wonderful daughter-in-law Beth. Murphy and Beth are the parents of our two grandchildren, El, 11 and John, 6, who continue to amaze us and make us proud. My life’s work has centered on agri-business, forest products, wildlife protection, natural resource management and the protection of private property rights. I love hunting, fishing and enjoying God’s good earth. And, one of my great joys now, is guiding young John toward the same love of the outdoors.

Happy Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, the day we turn our attention and social consciousness toward the many issues that face our planet. Students will take a few moments to pick up litter scattered around their school grounds, adults will make short-lived pledges to themselves to live more eco-friendly, and buzzwords like "green", "carbon footprint", "climate change", and "sustainability" will be thrown out by every pundit with a platform from which to preach. And while designating April 22nd as Earth Day may be necessary to bring about a heightened public awareness to our home planet's health, there's at least one group that celebrates the spirit of Earth Day every day...America's farming families.

Agriculture has been and always will be linked directly to our environment. Those of us who raise our nation's food and fiber continually refine our farming methods to grow our crops and livestock more efficiently. This commitment results in the increased conservation of soil, water, and fossil fuels, thereby preserving our precious natural resources for years to come. We have a responsibility to balance the nutritional needs of a growing global population with the needs of our sensitive environment, and we are able to do both without sacrificing one for the other. We continue to protect and improve the quality of our soil, water, and air, develop agri-based alternative energy solutions, and find more ways to productively process our livestock and crop residues. These issues aren't just important to our financial bottom line, beacuse the bottom line is that environmental stewardship is critically important to the health and well-being of both our own families and the public we serve.

So as you celebrate Earth Day and do your part to "save the planet", take time to thank conservationalists, environmentalists, and sustainability experts for all the contributions they are making to keep the Earth healthy and viable for generations to come. And remember...you can thank all three by thanking a farmer!