Agriculture photo challenge project announced in Iowa

Mar 12, 2015

Secretary Bill Northey will also participate

This social media thing just might catch on.

It’s everywhere and it’s growing. People from all walks of life and all over the world use social media to interact with one another and share photos and videos based on their interests, location or any number of characteristics.

Agriculture is no exception and the state if Iowa is getting involved and encouraging residents to do the same.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is challenging residents of Iowa to do the “A Day in Iowa Agriculture” photo challenge on Wednesday, March 18 - National Agriculture Day.

“Iowa is a beautiful place and spring is an exciting time in agriculture,” Northey said in a press release. “The Day in Iowa Agriculture photo project is intended to document this special day of the year and record the activities of not only farm life in our state, but the many, diverse aspects of Iowa agriculture,”

With over 88,000 family-owned farms and about 420,000 people employed by the agriculture sector, there should be ample content to document and celebrate Iowa’s agriculture community.

“We are looking for photos that document all aspects of farming and Iowa agriculture. This includes caring for livestock, preparing for spring planting, working conservation practices, moving equipment, and showing family members and children on the farm,” said Northey, who will also post pictures of his agriculture journey that day.

Photos can be uploaded to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #DayinIAag.

Agriculture already has a strong social media presence.

The hashtag #Farm365 has been popular all year. Farmers from around the world have been taking a daily photo documenting their practices on their own farms. Andrew Campbell, a farmer from Southwestern Ontario has been using Twitter as a platform to dispel any myths about agriculture and engage in discussions with customers and people who have questions.

Andrew can be followed on Twitter @FreshAirFarmer.

Other popular Twitter hashtags include #Ag, #Ontag, #Farming, #Felfie and more.

Join the conversation and tell us what hashtags you use to interact with other farmers or consumers. Do you find it as a helpful tool?

Video: Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. David Rosero from Iowa State University explores the critical aspects of fat quality and oxidation in swine diets. He discusses how different types of lipids affect pig performance and provides actionable insights on managing lipid oxidation in feed mills. Don’t miss this episode—available on all major platforms.

Highlight quote: "Increasing levels of oxidized fats in swine diets reduced the efficiency of feed utilization, increased mortality, and led to more pigs being classified as culls, reducing the number of full-value pigs entering the finishing barns."

Meet the guest: Dr. David Rosero / davidrosero is an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University. His research program focuses on conducting applied research on swine nutrition and the practical application of smart farming. He previously served as the technical officer for The Hanor Company, overseeing nutrition, research, and innovation efforts.