Blogs

In 2016, dairymen and women were among the agricultural coalition that helped flip traditionally blue states red – places like Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio – during Donald Trump’s journey to the White House.

How many of you have ever had a new veterinarian out to your place? You think you’re scared?

We’ve all heard of people who are “legends” like John Elway, Carol Burnett and Ronald Reagan. People who were great at what they did. And then we’ve also heard of people who are “legends in their own minds.” Like the Kardashians and CNN’s Jim Acosta.

Each year, for eight days in January, hundreds of thousands of people flock to Harrisburg to visit the Pennsylvania Farm Show. This event is known across Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region for its delicious food, animal shows and family-friendly exhibits but, mostly, it’s where city people go to learn about farming.

India, a country in which 70 percent of people are involved in agriculture one way or another, has experienced an epidemic of farmer suicides in recent decades. The phenomenon is attributed to the difficulties of the occupation, which can range from monsoon failure to crop problems to money-lending vultures.

The song “Amazing Grace” has been on my mind lately. The image of Il Divo, a male quartet, singing the song at the Coliseum in Rome is etched in my memory.