Reconnecting Nebraska's Farmers and Grocery Retailers

Sponsored by your Nebraska Grocery Industry Association

Message from Kathy Siefken, Nebraska Grocery Industry Association

It's a Jungle Out There! Is the theme for our upcoming Annual Conference, scheduled for July 15 at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, followed by the Annual Sand Bagger Golf Outing at Iron Horse in Ashland on July 16.

The speaker lineup is being developed, and it appears this will be one of the best events held to date. We encourage you to mark your calendar to attend this event. The Annual Conference is a great place to meet old friends and find new ones! Between the educational session and the networking, members of the industry can count on having a great meeting with many take-aways. We invite you to bring the family to enjoy Henry Doorly Zoo for the day!

Federal All-In-One Posters are available through NGIA. Drop us an email or give us a call and we will forward a poster and send an invoice. The cost is $15 plus tax and shipping. A list of required State of Nebraska posters can be found by clicking here, and then entering "posters" in the search box in the upper right corner. The posters can be printed from the website. All state posters are free of charge.

We hope you enjoy the information brought to you by Farmer Goes To Market. Our goal is to enlighten, educate, and stimulate discussions among all aspects of the food industry!

Sincerely,

Kathy Siefken

Executive Director

Nebraska Grocery Industry Association

Nebraska's soybean farmers are proud to bring you this information to help answer customer questions

Nebraska soybean farmers and their checkoff are proud sponsors of the Farmer Goes to Market program, realizing that this program provides an integral link in the food system chain. The information provided in this newsletter is a key step in our educational initiative, providing consumers with information on our effort to provide them with a safe, affordable, abundant food supply.

The farm and ranch families represented by Nebraska Farm Bureau are proud sponsors of the Farmer Goes to Market program. We take great pride in supporting Nebraska's agricultural foundation. A key part of that effort is to make sure we produce safe and affordable food. This newsletter is an important part of our effort to connect the two most important parts of the food chain -- the farmer and the grocer -- with the goal of increasing consumer awareness and information about how their food is raised in Nebraska.

An educational program produced by Food-Chain Communications and delivered to members of the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association. Farmer Goes to Market was established in 2008 to help bridge the growing gulf between today's grocery retailer and today's farmer, empowering them with full-chain knowledge to carry agriculture's true message to food consumers.

Translating Food Technology:
Introducing 'Why Do Farmers Do That?'

Why do farmers do that?

What farmers do day in and day out sometimes remains a mystery to those looking in from the outside. In response to some of your questions, Farmer Goes to Market introduces a regular installment, "Why Do Farmers Do That?" to help answer those questions. First up this month: You may have seen some of the "undercover" hog farm videos showing farmers manhandling--even castrating--baby pigs. Why do farmers do that to baby pigs? Click here for some answers.

Foresight on Food Politics:
The six states most likely to be targeted
for political action against agriculture
Which state is activists' next likely target?

It's no secret groups like the Humane Society of the United States are pursuing a state-by-state strategy to force agriculture to make changes to traditional practices that don't fit their vision of "humane" farming. It's one reason Nebraska's governer made it clear he didn't welcome the group in our state last year. The question is, which states will the group turn to next? A new study looked at the demographics that might make them likely targets and came up with a hit list to watch.

Navigating the New Food Movement:

Doctor/grocer, grocer/doctor... can you prescribe me some fruits and vegetables?

Public health clinics in some urban centers are experimenting with the idea of issuing vouchers to fill "prescriptions" of fruits and vegetables for chronically ill consumers. Is it an idea the supermarket as modern "health center" is prepared to capitalize on? Here's how it might work for you.

Competitive Commodity Insight:
With meat prices increasing,
where do your shoppers plan to turn?

Where will consumers turn with high meat prices?

The domestic meat supply is squeezing up against strong global demand, causing prices for some to enter record territory. What are consumers planning in response? Here's some ongoing consumer survey data that can give you an indication and help your intermediate-term planning. Click here for a quick graphic look.

Meet your Farmers...
Enjoy the visual artistry of a typical
modern high-tech Nebraska harvest

Mead's Kerry and Angela Knuth, farming along with their two sons Gregory, 16, and Garrison, 13, typify the high-tech investment today's farmer relies upon to produce. Knuth Farms is "a family farm founded on the work ethic of parents and grandparents, yet continually advancing through our investment in modern equipment and technology," they say. Sit back and enjoy this stylishly produced visual story of their last season's wheat harvest.

On the Lighter Side:
Make room on your schedule
for one more baby video

Though we maintain a strict no-cats/no-cute-babies video policy at Farmer Goes to Market, this one's the exception that proves the rule. If you have time for only one cute baby video this year, put this one on your list. Better yet, cue it to autoplay on grey Monday mornings.

Click here for more details on today's Food Morality Movement