Ending world hunger is a big debate in our culture and world right now.  How are we going to do it?  How can we satisfy the hunger needs of a growing world population?  Read the following article and post a summary.  Also, answer these questions.

1.  In what ways do politicians believe that we can end world hunger.

2.  Do you see any problems with any of these solutions?

3.  In your opinion, what is the best solution?  Why?

http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-11-12-voa19.cfm

In the following article link, a Texas newspaper talks about the importance of Agriculture Education classes in urban Texas.  More and more schools are beginning to offer these Ag Science programs and more and more students are becoming interested in them.

Agriculture is always going to be needed.  We need to eat.  We need to have shelter and clothing.  However, the jobs have shifted from the farm to more processing and laboratory jobs.  While I am a fan of production agriculture, I do believe we need highly qualified people in these other agriculture careers as well.

These Texas schools are doing a great job taking advantage of these career opportunities.  Students can even gain certification for certain jobs while still in high school.  This makes their programs highly marketable.  And their students are also very marketable for finding a job or getting into a specialized college program.  Perhaps the greatest benefit to these Urban Agricultural Programs is the knowledge people gain about agriculture.  This can wipe out some of the stereotypes about farming and agriculture that are held in urban areas.

Here is a link to the article:  http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-schoolag_09met.ART0.State.Edition1.4b76d3e.html

The debate looms on in our public and in our legislatures.  What rights do animals have?  This debate is gaining even more popularity lately with some legislation that is on the ballot in Ohio.  Voters in Ohio have a chance to decide whether or not to create a farm board of sorts that would set standards for the care and management of livestock and food production in Ohio.  This board would consist of farmers, veterinarians, animal rights people, and educators just to name a few.

So why this board?  What would make farmers want to involve the government in making decisions that affect their management?  Recently, California voters passed a ballot measure that will no longer allow farmers to keep chickens in cages and sows can no longer be kept in farrowing crates.

Read the following two articles and post a reply to these articles.  How do you think Proposition 2 will affect agriculture in California?  What about the United States?  How will it affect the economy?

What is your opinion of Issue 2 in Ohio?  Will this program be a good thing or a bad thing for Ohio agriculture?  Why?

Your reply should be descriptive and well thought out.

California Proposition 2 website article http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/us/24egg.html

Ohio Issue 2 website article http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Animal-Welfare–Why-All-The-Fuss-Over-Issue-2/2009-10-28/Article.aspx?oid=929867

In an article in the Argus Leader it talks about a wind farm that is going to be built just east of Groton by 2010.  This will have an impact on many things in our community and area, including agriculture, economy, and jobs.  Read the article and the comments to the article and make your own comment on my blog.

http://www.argusleader.com/article/20090910/NEWS/909100335/1001/news

I recently read an article in TIME magazine that discussed the safety issues with our food in America.  I have my own opinions about the article but I would like you to read it and let me know what you think, what is your opinion about what the author had to say.  Click the following link to go to the article and post a comment about it on the blog.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1917458-1,00.html

The Ag II class recently finished up their unit on habits and ecosystems with a field trip to Pigor’s Lake to help spruce up the environment.  These students were furnished trash bags and gloves by the Game, Fish, and Parks Department and sent out to clean up the lake.  The students were surprised by some of the stuff they found.  They picked up an old door and the frame off an old television set.  They picked up enough trash to fill the bed of Mr. Sweeter’s pickup.  The students did a great job and had fun doing the work.  They learned an important lesson about caring for our environment.  A few of the students fish or hunt right around there and I think it surprised them to see how much stuff was actually out there.  Hopefully they will have the leadership and initiative to keep working to preserve our natural resources.

Wow, big happenings here in the Freshmen ag class.  We’ve just finished up the FFA creed and there are a number of students that want to compete for the top 2 spots at our district.  The kids did an excellent job learning the creed and are now fine tuning their actions.  I’m excited to see how they do.  But even more important than learning the creed, I could feel the passion in their voice as they spoke the words about agriculture.

Last weekend was the South Dakota State Fair.  I love attending this fair, not that I’m a big fair goer anyways, but I like going to fairs in South Dakota.  It seems like SD people don’t forget where they are from or who they are.  They know that agriculture is a big part of their lives and drives our economy and it is noticeable when you attend the state fair.  It is also a great time to see friends as well as meet new ones.  This year at the fair as I was helping with some early morning FFA livestock shows, one of the state officers sees me and shouts, “Mr. Franken, isn’t it the best day ever?”  It took me off guard right away until I replied, “Yes it is.”  As I think more about this, wouldn’t it be great to always have this positive outlook on life.  Wouldn’t we be a much happier society and funner place to live?  So I am challenging myself to see life this way. 

I found an interesting article on soil.  When farmers use up their topsoil it can take years to replenish it, could it be a possibility to get that soil from Mars?  It seems a little far-fetched, but read the following article and comment on what you think.

Mars Soil Resembles Veggie-Garden Dirt, Lander Finds

Soil near the north pole of Mars is surprisingly Earthlike, with a pH not unlike many vegetable gardens, according to preliminary results from the Phoenix Mars Lander.

“You might be able to grow asparagus in it, but strawberries, probably not very well,” said Samuel Kounaves, a chemistry professor at Tufts University, during a NASA press conference this afternoon.

Previous data from the two rovers exploring Mars’s equatorial zones had suggested that the geochemistry on the red planet might have been too acidic to support most forms of Earth-type life.

But as little as an inch (2.5 centimeters) beneath the surface, dirt from Mars’s arctic plains proved to be very similar to alkaline soils on Earth, with a pH between 8 and 9. The pH scale goes from 0 (acidic) to 14 (alkaline).

The finding is good news in the hunt for signs that Mars was or could now be habitable.

“This means there is a broader range of organisms that can grow [in it],” said Kounaves, who works with the lander’s Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA).

“But Mars is a huge place, whose soils might differ radically from spot to spot,” Kounaves said. “We have to remember that we’re looking at tiny areas.”