Monday, August 5, 2019

"Living to Learn" by State Vice President, Salem Johnson

August Blog



When many people think of agriculture, the image of a 500-acre row crop farm may pop into their head. For others, it’s an open pasture with 200 head of cattle roaming around. Either way, these agricultural industries are very important, but what about the industries only a few think about? What about the fisherman working in the Gulf of Mexico, or the foresters estimating how many board feet you can get within a certain area, or even the farmers that grow flowers for weddings instead of lettuce for salads? We as FFA members continuously represent our organization in and out of the blue jacket, but it is also our duty to be able to effectively advocate for each agricultural industry and its importance to our society. Here are three of my personal favorite unusual and unfamiliar agricultural industries.
Pearl Farming: The pearls generated by the pearl farming industry make up nearly 99% of all total pearls sold around the world. Since the beginning of pearl farming in the early 20th century, to now, it has become a billion-dollar industry. Starting at the beginning of the pearl farming process, many pearl farmers start by breeding their oysters. Once the oysters are mature, in about 2-5 years they will make a beloved pearl that will eventually be made into jewelry. How cool is that?! Each oyster can produce about 2-3 pearls in their lifetime before they are released back into the wild or are sold to various restaurants. Many people are not familiar with the pearl farming industry, but just imagine life without the beautiful, gleaming pearls that many of us enjoy today. 
Deer Urine Collection Farms: This second agricultural industry does not directly supply food to its customers, but instead better enables a customer to supply their own. If you are not familiar with hunting, a human's scent can repel a deer from a certain area; the deer urine collected from these farms can be used to mask this smell, resulting in a lower chance of repelling a deer and a higher chance of a kill. The deer urine industry is small and not very well known, but has a great impact on the food supply in the United States. About 40 million Americans' food security depends on the consumption of wild game each year. With the help of these deer urine farms, hunters can be better equipped to feed their families!
Lavender Farming: The popularity of lavender farming has grown tremendously over the past couple of year and is known to be very profitable. It is said that a quarter-acre of lavender can produce about 3,000 bunches, which is worth about $18,000! From floral arrangements and essential oils, to air fresheners and medicine, lavender has a great array of things it can be used for. So, next time you smell the calming sent of lavender, remember that a farmer produced it too!
Many people only consider the agricultural industries that produce us food, while a handful think of commodities such as jewelry, oils, wood, and countless others. However, it is our job as the future generation of agriculturists to inform the public about these different commodities and the effect they have on our lives. I encourage you to learn about a new agricultural industry you’re not familiar with.  Don’t be afraid to advocate for an agricultural commodity that has not had a direct impact on you. We as FFA members have the opportunity and obligation to be a platform for every agricultural industry and its influence on our world! So, stay informed, use your voice, and change the world!