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Farm Aid, An Agricultural Charity to Consider Donating to This Holiday Season

Farm Aid Showcased in Farms.com Ag Charity Series

By , Farms.com

If you’re involved in agriculture in the United States, you have likely heard of Farm Aid. In an effort to bring exposure to agricultural related charities that are making a difference in Canada, the United States and abroad, Farms.com is focusing on a special series this holiday season - helping showcase agriculture charities. Farm Aid is just one of the many agricultural charities that Farms.com has chosen to feature this year.

In an interview with Farms.com Jennifer Fahy, Communications Director for Farm Aid provides some insight into the mission of Farm Aid as well as some of the key initiatives the organization seeks to achieve.

Fahy provides some context into how Farm Aid emerged and explained the evolution of the organization over its 28 year history.  For those of you who aren’t familiar, Farm Aid started in 1985 in the height of the farm crisis in the USA. As a result, Willie Neilson saw what was going on in the country side and decided that he wanted to do something about it; he was also successful in recruiting about 50 other musicians to get involved in the cause. The first concert was held in

Champaign, Illinois and attracted 78,000 people, in addition to its worldwide audience. As a whole, the concert was a success, raising $9 million.

Following the success of the concert, Willie Neilson went before Congress to testify on behalf of family farmers to urge politicians in Washington to work on addressing some of the disparities that farmers were facing at the time. Ever since, the musicians decided that they would continue to perform a concert every year.

“We are an ongoing charity concert, but also behind that is an organization that works each and every day to support family farmers,” said Fahy.

Farm Aid offers a number of services including – a farmer’s hotline, online farmer resource network and a farm advocate link.

“We have focused a lot on informing folks about the value of family farmers and why they should support them every time they go to purchase food,” said Fahy.

The farmer’s hotline is one service that has evolved over time to meet the needs of family farmers. The hotline was introduced in 1985 as a 900 number with the aim to help raise money; however, what ended up happening is that farmers started calling the hotline instead.

“It was farmers [calling who were] very much in crisis…they were being foreclosed on as a result of farm policies that encouraged farmers to grow as much as possible and then we had the price drops so that their crops were worth nothing essentially and they couldn’t pay back those loans,” said Fahy.

Ever since, the 900 number was transferred over to an 800 number that Farm Aid has staffed, continuing to answer calls from farmers.

Fahy is a veteran of Farm Aid and is approaching her 10th anniversary with the organization.

“I believe so much about this organization because it isn’t just about the direct services that we give, but also the cultural change that we are making and that comes right out of the concern event,” said Fahy.

Farm Aid works with farmers on tough issues; it works with some of the best musicians in the industry and it continues to work with the public and see their transformations.

Information about donating, buying a membership with the organization or join one of its social media networks can be found on Farm Aid's website.


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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