UF’s artistic approach to end hunger

Aug 16, 2023

The University of Florida Collegiate Farm Bureau has embarked on a creative mission in 2023. Their aim is to ease the hunger with a Gator-twist. Collaborating with various university entities since 2020, they’ve consistently hosted the ExtravaCANza, an event distinct from typical food drives.

Instead of merely gathering cans, participants are tasked with building sculptures from canned goods and everyday items. The creativity on display was amazing, from detailed depictions of sports stadiums to farmscapes.

Funding from the American Farm Bureau Federation's Mini-Grant program made it possible to acquire over 500 pounds of canned goods for the event. These were later generously donated to the Alan and Cathy Hitchcock Field & Fork Pantry, an initiative serving the UF community.

The success of the event, drawing 50 participants including 10 CALS groups, 40 students, and faculty members, wasn't just in numbers but in its substantial impact on the university populace. The ambition now? Doubling the participation in subsequent years.

Dr. Charlotte Emerson, a guiding force behind the initiative, underscores the importance of collaborative efforts. She believes that teaming up with educational stakeholders not only infuses fun but accentuates the core issue - local food deprivation. The grant provided, she asserts, was instrumental. It eliminated a significant barrier, encouraging more groups to join and thus broadening the event's impact on tackling campus hunger.

For those eyeing similar support, the 2023-2024 grant cycle of the American Farm Bureau Federation's Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant program is now open. More details can be found at fb.org/cfbgrants.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.