CSIF Tips of the Month – August 2015

08-03-2015 in Through The Gate

Avenue of Breeds

Believe it or not, the Iowa State Fair will be here shortly! The Coalition is excited to sponsor the “Avenue of Breeds” for the fifth year in a row.

The 2015 Iowa State Fair runs August 13-23 and the Avenue of Breeds is one of the fair’s most popular attractions. Located in the northwest corner of the Swine Barn, the exhibit showcases 125 different animals and provides fairgoers with educational information about the livestock displayed. Members of the North Polk FFA chapter volunteer to answer questions from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm daily and also to tend to the animals throughout the fair.

“Agriculture is the heartbeat of Iowa, providing one in five jobs in the state, with livestock alone generating $31.6 billion for the states’ economy,” CSIF Executive Director Brian Waddingham said. “The livestock exhibited in the Avenue of Breeds showcases the diversity of Iowa farms. Livestock is so important to the success of agriculture in Iowa and a terrific way to encourage young people to stay in the rural areas of our state.”

Those not able attend the fair can get an inside look into the Avenue of Breeds by following #AveOfBreeds on Facebook and Twitter during the fair.

Summer Edition of ‘The Green Network’ Newsletter Now Available Online

Interest in the Green Farmstead Partner (GFP) program continues to grow with over 65,000 trees now planted on Iowa livestock farms! And the most recent edition of The Green Network newsletter is now available on the Coalition’s website.

To extend the reach of the GFP program, the Coalition launched an interactive blog where online visitors can access case studies, design considerations and more. The blog is an extension to The Green Network newsletter and will replace the print publication at the end of the calendar year.

The content from this edition of the newsletter is also available out on the blog, including case studies about Allison Brown and Travis Swartz’s tree plantings, a quick look at types of trees and how they impact wind and snow differently, and practical ideas to create pollinator habitat within windbreaks.

Head over to http://greenfarmstead.blogspot.com to learn more!

Investment Partner Highlight: Polk County Cattlemen

The Polk County Cattlemen, an affiliate of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, is continuing their annual investment in CSIF. Brian Waddingham, executive director of the Coalition, says the group has stepped forward to support CSIF’s efforts assisting livestock farmers.

“We’re extremely grateful for Polk County Cattlemen’s ongoing contribution to the Coalition and deeply appreciative of their continued support of Iowa agriculture,” he says.

“The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers plays an important role in Iowa agriculture. The Polk County Cattlemen and the Coalition have common goals of not only growing Iowa agriculture responsibly, but also spreading a positive message about how agriculture touches so many people within our great state,” said Eric Sanny, cattle farmer from Bondurant and Treasurer of the Polk County Cattlemen. “We are proud to support the Coalition and all their efforts to promote and help farmers throughout Iowa.”

Farmgate Quotables

“We chose to use the Coalition as a resource to help us get started with our building project. Working with CSIF gave us a better handle on the rules and it helped to ensure we were doing things right.” – Ryan Jargo, Clinton County cattleman

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