Search - Pro Farmer

“Beltway Beef” serves as a sounding board for the U.S. beef industry for decisions being made in Washington, D.C., that directly impact\ the cattle business. Posts on “Beltway Beef” are produced by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association staff and invited guests.

Founder & Executive Director, Noble Growth Network Over the past 20 years, Sara has developed deep expertise in agriculture, climate change, business and sustainability. She worked as a legislative staffer on agricultural and environmental issues in the U.S. Senate, built alliances between farmers, environmentalists and Republicans on the issue of climate change for Environmental Defense Fund and worked as a sustainability consultant in the private sector. In 2017, Sara launched Noble Growth Network — a unique business and consumer resource platform that makes it possible for better-for-you food companies to build partnerships with regenerative farmers. Noble Growth is building supply circles instead of chains — which benefit people, the planet and the profitability of businesses and farms.

Our family farming history began with my great-great-... (nine generations ago) grandfather Johannes. He, his wife and three children left Saxony, Germany, on April 20, 1734, aboard the ship St. Andrew, mastered by Capt. John Stedman. They landed at Philadelphia on Sept. 22 and eventually settled our family’s first “New World” farm near Society Run in Frederick Township, Montgomery County, Pa., in 1743. Pig farming was our family’s specialty until the mid 1950s. A lot has changed since then. Our farm is now located in Northeast PA and includes a 100% Grass-fed closed herd of Registered Red Angus BEEFALO, pastured Tam-Roc pigs, and roasters & layer chickens. We organically maintain 150 acres, comprised of 25 acres in rotational pastures, 15 acres in tillable cropland, and alfalfa/mixed grass hay on the balance 110 acres. We have never used chemical pesticides or herbicides on our pastures or hay fields. We also do not have a “vaccination schedule” for our animals. We do however reserve the right to administer antibiotics to the animals in life-threatening circumstances. Because of our humane animal treatment we are not a “certified” organic farming operation. We do however employ the natural/organic approach to help promote sustainability and environmental health. Additional info. about us and our farm can be found at thekuhnfamilyfarm.com.

Jeffrey Carter is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor and independent trader. He specializes in turning concepts into profits. He co-founded Hyde Park Angels one of the most active angel groups in the United States in April of 2007. He previously served on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Board of Directors.

Dairy Today editors bring you the latest research on the production and management challenges that directly impact your dairy’s profitability.

Thomas A. Grisafi is a 20-year veteran trader and member of CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX, MGEX. Grisafi currently serves as President and CEO of Indiana Grain Company, LLC and is a regular contributor to Futures Line. Not a Broker, Not an Analyst. Follow me on Twitter @indianagrainco

Kevin Van Trump has over 20 years of experience in the grain and livestock industry. Van Trump traded professionally at the Chicago Board of Trade and the Kansas City Board of Trade, often advising some of the biggest players in the market. Van Trump recently launched Farm Direction in an attempt to help farmers improve their overall marketing efforts. In this blog, he’ll help guide you through some of the pitfalls and mistakes associated with marketing in today’s volatile markets. He will help you build and execute a plan that is right for you and your operation, while providing you with his specific marketing thoughts and current positions.

For the last 33 years I have farmed in south Oxfordshire England UK – in partnership with my wife. We have four grown up children. Our ‘downland’ farm is located in the Thames Valley on the outskirts of a village called Brightwell-cum-Sotwell in an area classified as one of ‘Outstanding Natural Beauty’. The farm has an extensive range of traditional and modern farm buildings but a limited land base which has demanded intensification and diversification of the business over the years. We have been through the gambit of livestock enterprises breeding and fattening pigs, beef at all levels and now run an early lambing flock of sheep in-wintered with straw as the base fodder, grow wheat, oilseeds, potatoes and have an extensive diversification enterprise letting traditional farm buildings as workshops. Marketing is through cooperative or group resources and we also sell produce directly from the farm-gate. My formative years were spent at the Royal Agricultural College Cirencester with a post-graduate at the University of Reading and worked as an Advisor with the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food and in Farm Management Consultancy before having the farming opportunity – which was never intended to be a full-time job! I am a Nuffield farming Scholar. My wife and I are very involved in our local community and with many wide ranging farming committees and bodies. Currently I am a Director of a Farm Buying Group and for the last five years have been stretching myself writing a monthly ‘Farmer Focus’ column for the Farmers Weekly Magazine one of the leading farming journals here in the UK. The aim is to have more holidays and wind down – but this seems to demand in the short term greater involvement and a winding up!

Tell AgWeb what is on your mind! Send your comments to editors@agweb.com.