Captain Mark Kelly Lands In Nashville

Captain Mark Kelly

Mark Kelly, a navy pilot who flew 39 missions in Iraq, went into space four times, was Commander of the Space Shuttle Endeavour for its last voyage, delivered a passionate and inspiring message to the Farm Bureau delegation.

“Have a goal, a plan and then work hard.”

Whether you are setting personal, professional, business or organizational goal, take the time it takes to plan out how to achieve it and then do what it takes to get it done.

“How good you are at the beginning is not a good indicator of how good you can become.”

No matter what you do, you can always improve your skills and knowledge. Those who are successful, continue to find ways to improve and are not content with the status quo.

“There’s never an excuse for not communicating.”

Failure in relationships, business and organizations is almost always a result of not communicating with others.

Safety comes first, then mission success.”

Always address issues of safety first…without safety, even the best planned mission will fail.

“Create the best team possible…no ‘yes’ people.”

If you want to succeed, surround yourself with individuals who are not afraid to ask questions, look at things in a different light. If you are never challenged, you will never do the best that you are capable of.

“Deny the acceptance of failure.”

No matter what the challenge is that you face, you will be successful by not accepting failure as an option.

In closing, Captain Kelly delivered a message from his wife:

“Be passionate, be courageous, be strong.” – Gabby Giffords

A wonderful address, by a man who has shown what it is to be true hero and how to overcome the most challenging of circumstances.

Getting to Know Animal Expert Jack Hanna

I wrote this post about top ten things I learned about Jack Hanna for my blog and thought I’d share here too since the post was enabled by being at the AFBF Annual Meeting. 

There are people who through TV seem to have always been a part of your life but you rarely get to look behind the curtain so to speak, and see what kind of people they are. I have had the chance to meet various people through conventions or pure happenstance and I have to say that animal expert Jack Hanna has probably made the most lasting impression.

Let me explain my encounters with Jack Hanna though before I get to the top 10 things I learned or thought of as I traveled home from AFBF13.

Obviously, I have seen him on TV for years (I am a Letterman fan). But last year in Hawaii he came to the American Farm Bureau meeting and gave talks in the trade show. I caught one of his presentations and thought that was nice.

This year’s Farm Bureau took it to the next level as I heard him do a longer, more personal presentation during a pancake breakfast on Sunday. Throughout the trade show I saw him doing his presentation too (my favorite part was the two-toed sloth – loved the fur and the fact it sleeps all day, afterall, I have a deep love of morning sleep). Finally, I saw he and his wife at the airport.

So now the top 10 which will shed more light on the encounter. Please know that I don’t know for certain Jack Hanna’s story, but these are things I have running through my mind.

1. He has followed his passion. Early in life he realized he had a real passion for animals and he found a way to make that his career. Too few of us are able to figure that out and follow a path that lets us practice our passion routinely. I am blessed to get a paycheck for doing things I’m truly passionate about too. He first cultivated the passion while working for the family’s veterinarian in the Knoxville area, he’s had a pet store and directed the Columbus Zoo.
2. His passion is always evident. If you have ever seen Jack Hanna do a guest spot on a TV show, you have seen the excitement he shows whenever he has animals around him and is especially excitement to share information about them in a way that people remember and love. Love the enthusiasm.
3. Hanna has a deep love of his family. Throughout his stories, he spoke to various things that involved his family. You could tell he’s in a good place. And what’s really cool is that as I came through the airport, his wife Sue seemed the same pointing out small things like where he’s from as she chatted with fellow passengers. I love celebrating the new accomplishments of my board-certified teaching sis, sharing a school project with one nephew or taking a niece for her first farm trip. I hope that as I talk about them, people see the connections!
4. He knows what is truly important and acts on it. One of the stories he told on Sunday that was especially touching was about how he came to be connected to the sponsor of the event, Nationwide Insurance. His connection to the company is much deeper than sponsorship. He said he owed them eternal gratitude as the company is responsible for his daughter’s health after a serious illness since they are major supporters of the Columbus Children’s Hospital.
5. He is generous with his time. Throughout the show, Hanna posed for photos, signed autographs, etc. At the airport, it was the same. He stopped, pulled photos from his bag and signed one to each of the TSAs who wanted one. They were thrilled. And as you can see, he was nice enough to do the same for several of us. I mentioned that my nephew has always loved animals and used to dream of being a zookeeper. He asked his name & wrote out an autograph.
6. When action is required, he gives it his best shot and learns from mistakes. When he was talking about working for a vet as a teenager, he told the story of his being the only person there as a cow had trouble calving. And while he was on the phone with the vet finding out what needed to be done, it became clear that he’d have to do it. Pulling a calf is hard (so I hear and this AgProud post explains why calving season is tough) and he hadn’t done it. He listened to the directions & worried about having to do it but went ahead. While he made a mistake (he said he ended up pulling the back legs instead of the front legs), it all turned out okay.
7. There is a genuineness with he and his wife. I guess I’ve sort of pointed to this already in part, but, I love that the Hannas were really talking with whoever they were with.  As he talked to some TSAs, she chatted with another passenger who was sure his daughters would be pumped about the run-in. She then complimented me on my necklace — yep, it is a cotton boll piece I bought at Beltwide.  When I mentioned I worked for Monsanto, he remarked he had noticed us at the show.
8. He is willing to put his time toward things that are important. He thinks animal conservation is important too and its obvious that he’s done incredible amounts of work to raise the profile Sunday’s breakfast was to support agriculture education programs like My American Farm.
9. He knows there is middle ground in topics that sometimes get polarized. It was interesting to me that he brought up the issues happening now with wolves. He says wolves are problems on farms & ranches, mainly because people keep encroaching on their habitats with suburbanization. But he also understands that when wolves begin to attack humans, control efforts will get put into place. He wants to do what is fair and right.
10. Schedules are different for a lot of city folks and farmers. One of the very first things he told us has stuck with me. He mentioned Saturday evening as he left for Nashville that he had a 7 a.m. breakfast talk to give and the guy said asked who in the world would come to hear a speaker that early. Hanna enjoyed pointing out that farmers are up early all the time — they have to put in long days to feed all of us! So true.

I really encourage you to follow him on TV and social media. You can find Jack Hanna on:

• TV through Into the Wild and Wild Countdown on ABC Saturdays
• Twitter @JungleJackHanna
• website/blog JackHanna.com
• Facebook Jungle Jack Hanna 
• Pinterest Jungle Jack Hanna
• And of course he’s on Letterman now and then!

Janice AKA JPLovesCotton is Janice Person, a city girl who loves cotton and biotechnology. Her work at Monsanto includes blogging and social media outreach. A colorful adventure is her personal blog. Follow her on Twitter (@JPLovesCotton). .

A Night at the Grand Ole Opry House

No trip to Nashville is complete without a trip to the Grand Ole Opry. Tonight we attended the Foundation’s Night Out at the Grand Ole Opry House.

The Grand Ole Opry House

The evening was hosted by GAC’s Nan Kelly. The first group to entertain was Mike and the Driven Bow. They entertained the crown with bluegrass music from artists such as Bill Monroe and Bob Wills.

Mike and the Driven Bow

Next up was the new sound of The Fiddleheads. You may have seen them last spring on the show America’s Got Talent.

The Fiddleheads

Prizes were given away during the night. Chevrolet gave one lucky attendee a Superbowl Package including game tickets and a hotel stay for two.

Nashville is a city rich in history and back-stories. Award-winning songwriters Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman entertained the crowd singing some of their long list of popular songs that have been recorded by artists such as Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, JoDee Messina and Kenny Chesney, to name a few. Their energy and zeal for song was contagious and they kept the audience laughing with stories about the ideas and inspiration for their songs.

Craig Wiseman and Tim Nichols

And then it was time for the headliner – the moment everyone was waiting for – Phil Vassar took the stage.

Phil Vassar

At the end, in Opry tradition, all the artists returned to the stage for a rendition of Will the Circle be Unbroken. The night was truly fun, energizing and lived up to the Opry’s reputation as “The Show that Made Country Music Famous.”

sarahdcarte is Sarah Carte of Florida, a wife, mother and fourth-generation farmer. She currently serves as vice-chair of the Florida Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. Her Twitter name is @sarahdcarte and she’s also on Facebook (Sarah Dasher Carte)

Young Farmers and Ranchers Win Big

Winners of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture competitions were announced today at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 94th Annual Meeting. Young farmers and ranchers from around the country competed for the awards by demonstrating knowledge of and achievement in agriculture, as well as commitment to promoting the agriculture industry.

 Ryan and Misty Bivens of Kentucky won the Achievement Award. They are the winners of either a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado or 2013 GMC Sierra, courtesy of GM. The Bivens will also receive paid registration to attend the 2013 AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., in February.

Runners-up in the Achievement Award contest are Michael Springer of Kansas, Dan and Mikki Hosman of Arkansas, and John and Alicia Boelts of Arizona. The runners-up will receive a Case IH Farmall 65A, courtesy of Case IH, and $3,000 in cash and STIHL merchandise, courtesy of STIHL.

The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership outside of Farm Bureau.

Dillon Kjerstad of Arizona won the Discussion Meet. He will have his choice of either a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado or a 2013 GMC Sierra, courtesy of GM, plus free registration to the 2013 AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference.

The three runners-up in the Discussion Meet are Ann Larson of Illinois, Stacy Vincent of Kentucky and Allison Honea of South Carolina.

Each runner-up will receive a Case IH Farmall 55A, courtesy of Case IH, and $3,000 in cash and STIHL merchandise, courtesy of STIHL.

The Discussion Meet simulates a committee meeting in which active discussion and participation are expected. Participants are evaluated on their ability to exchange ideas and information on a predetermined topic.

Dana Allen Fisher of Virginia won the Excellence in Agriculture Award. He will receive his choice of either a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado or 2013 GMC Sierra, courtesy of GM, plus free registration to the 2013 AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference.

The three runners-up in the Excellence in Agriculture competition are Kelby and Kathie Iverson of Utah, David and Meghan Corvin of Tennessee, and Jarrod and Sarah Bowser of Kansas. Each runner-up will receive a Case IH Farmall 45A, courtesy of Case IH, and $3,000 in cash and STIHL merchandise, courtesy of STIHL. 

The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who do not derive the majority of their income from an agricultural operation, but who actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agriculture, their leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

Congratulations!

All Good Things Must End

All good things must end and the closing session of AFBF’s 94th Annual Meeting is upon us. The meeting kicked off with a presentation to the retiring board members of the AFBF Board of Directors. Next up was Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack who emphasized the importance of a five year farm bill being passed. Vilsack commented that rural America was losing relevance and we needed to look for ways to expand our reach in less conventional ways.

Another highlight of closing session was retired astronaut Capt. Mark Kelly from NASA who has made four trips into space. He talked about how practice, persistence and the drive to never give up are what contributes to success. He also says there is no excuse for not properly communicating with those you work with.

He shared his account of his wife, Gabby Giffords, being shot in Arizona while she was visiting constituents. He said he never dreamed his wife would be the one to almost lose her life by serving our country, he was the pilot, not Gabby. He said every day as Gabby leaves the house and goes to rehab her last words to him are “fight, fight, fight.” Kelly said one of the highlights of his life was seeing his wife return to the U.S. House floor to cast one of her final votes. Hearing her voice on the House floor was inspiring to so many.
Following Kelly’s speech, the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee was introduced. The winners of the Y&R contests were announced next. Chairman Glen Cope announced the new chairman for the coming year which will be Zach Hunnicutt from Nebraska. President Stallman then handed Zach his diamond pin which is tradition. Stallman thanked everyone in attendance and invited everyone to come back next year to San Antonio, Texas.

Chris Chinn is a Farm Bureau member in Missouri, serves  on the Missouri Farm Bureau board of directors and will represent her state at the delegate session in Nashville. She is a hog producer, 5th-generation family farmer and former chair of the national AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee. Find her on Facebook and Twitter (@ChrisChinn).

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Closing Session Includes Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack

Secretary Tom Vilsack’s talk started with recognition that he has been asked to stay on with President Obama’s second term.

Vilsack, a card carrying member of the Iowa Farm Bureau, said the challenges of the drought and navigation on the Mississippi River may not be understood to the general public, but farmers and others get it.

He said there are efforts to improve weather forecasting, to provide more research into climate change impacts and other long-term challenges.

A key point from the drought was the resilience of American farmers who adapt and adopt technology, Vilsack pointed out. The risk management efforts in place were critical and he was disappointed in the lack of a Farm Bill.

Vilsack says there was potential for reform, and the opportunity went passed. “we are disappointed that you all were not given the certainty that a five year program can do,” he said. There will be opportunities to opt-in or opt-out.

He assured the members that the Ag department continues to push for a five year bill. With the rural economy and momentum there, it was especially difficult.

His statement “We need a five year bill and we need it now” was met with applause.

Although it can be tough to articulate the needs to the broader public, we have a responsibility to do so. And the benefits to the environment, to conservation and other areas are important to all of us.

The nutrition assistance program are also important safety nets. These programs provide for American families, Vilsack says. He says the support of them is important to get support for the bill in Congress.

Rural America provides food, fuel, millions of jobs and the military – distortion steely having the 16% of America that is rural, provide 40% of the military.

Rural America needs to find a way to connect and make people see how it is relevant to the masses, Vilsack says. One way to do that is to convey agriculture’s message. There are other connections to make like Chuck Hagel of Nebraska becoming secretary of defense. Understanding the bio based economy, he could reduce our military’s dependence on foreign oil. Same matters on treasury secretary.

Vilsack says agriculture has a stake in immigration reform. He says rural America needs to embrace diversity and discover common causes.

He understands how frustrating it is to be the best at what is done and not have people join the cause. We need to get more people involved not in consumption but in production which is what rural America does best.

Vilsack finished by thanking farmers and rural America for feeding his family, providing the economic benefits that are so common, for protecting the environment and for providing so many of the men and women to the military.

Janice AKA JPLovesCotton is Janice Person, a city girl who loves cotton and biotechnology. Her work in public affairs for Monsanto includes blogging and social media outreach. A colorful adventure is her personal blog. Follow her on Twitter (@JPLovesCotton) and find her on Facebook.

A Little Slice of History

This morning, my husband and I took time out of our jam-packed schedule to stop and have a few minutes of our morning archived for future generations.

What am I talking about?

We were given the opportunity to have a 40 minute interview recorded through Story Corps, and it will be archived in the Library of Congress. Talk about an amazing opportunity.

The only issue we had? Apparently if you take a cell phone and cover it in foam, my normally talkative husband clams up. That’s right, Mr. Social seemed to have an issue with keeping a conversation going with me. But never fear, the wonderful woman assisting us jumped in at the right moments, helping him open up and tell even more wonderful stories.

The best part of all was knowing that this information will be recorded for all of posterity, allowing our children, our grandchildren and even their grandchildren the opportunity to hear our thoughts, memories and plans for the future. It’s not every day that you get an opportunity like that, and we have Farm Bureau to thank for it.

If you ever have an opportunity to tell your story, be sure to do it. Not just your plans for the future, but where you’ve been, how you made it to where you are—including the trials and tribulations.

Amazing moments in amazing places—it’s the Farm Bureau way.

wagfarms is Val Wagner, a North Dakota farmer and rancher. The Wag’n Tales blog features stories from this mom of four who loves farm life and invites readers to come along for the ride. Follow Val on Twitter (@wagfarms) and find her on Facebook. She is a member of the North Dakota Farm Bureau’s Promotion & Education Committee.