Farm Fresh Podcast: Raw Milk

Illinois food safety regulations now allow dairy farms to sell raw milk, but consumers should be aware of the risks.

Get the whole story in this week’s Farm Fresh Podcast from Jim Fraley, Livestock Program Director for Illinois Farm Bureau.

Raw milk does not go through pasteurization – the process of heating the milk to kill bacteria or pathogens.

For more on raw milk & food safety, check out these posts from Food Insight, Midwest Dairy Association & Ask the Farmers.

Tune in every Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. for the Farm to Table segment on WJBC Radio.

 

Farm Fresh Answers Podcast
Farm Fresh Answers Podcast
Farm Fresh Podcast: Raw Milk
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Farm Fresh Podcast: McLean County Rich in Farm History

Challenges, choices & changes in agriculture will be on display in the new “Farming  in the Great Corn Belt” gallery being developed at the McLean County Museum of History.

Find out more about the redesign and what visitors can expect to see when the exhibit opens next year from guest curator, Don Meyer, in our Farm Fresh Podcast.

To see more of what the McLean County Museum of History has to offer, click here to visit their website.

Be sure to listen every Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. for the Farm to Table segment on WJBC radio.

 

Farm Fresh Answers Podcast
Farm Fresh Answers Podcast
Farm Fresh Podcast: McLean County Rich in Farm History
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Farm Fresh Podcast: Spring Road Postings

A heavy load on a country road when the ground is soft and mushy is a recipe for road damage. Protecting the pavement on rural routes  means posting lower weight limits when the road is most vulnerable – during the freezing and thawing of early spring.

Learn more about spring weight postings and what they mean for local farmers from Arin Rader, who is a farmer and the Dry Grove Township Road Commissioner in this week’s Farm Fresh Podcast.

Check out the Farm to Table segment on WJBC radio every Wednesday at 12:45 p.m.

Farm Fresh Answers Podcast
Farm Fresh Answers Podcast
Farm Fresh Podcast: Spring Road Postings
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Pesticides on Your Plate?

What does a mom who makes pesticide recommendations for farmers feed her own children? Organic. Homemade. Conventional. Store bought.  I use it all.

Yes, I sometimes bought organic baby food. I bought it for the convenience of the pouch packaging. I bought it for the unique food combinations. I did NOT buy it because I thought it was more nutritious or better than conventional.

I am somewhat particular about the country of origin of the foods I feed my children. Any food grown in the US or Canada I am completely comfortable purchasing.

I will admit that I think twice when I see produce, particularly berries, from other countries and often opt not to purchase them. Berries have soft skin that can be easily bruised during transport and I am not as comfortable with the control measures for complex pest management strategies in other countries.  But, I obviously buy foreign grown bananas because they aren’t grown in the US.

My master’s degree is in Weed Science. I studied Herbicide Physiology and lots and lots of chemistry.  My master’s thesis involved glyphosate (aka Roundup). Yes, I sprayed it myself – gasp!

I studied the chemical structures of herbicides, how they breakdown in the environment and at what speed, which products should be used in what situations, and how the herbicides fit into the entire cropping system.

I am very comfortable the pesticides used on our food in the US. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers chemicals after review of the pesticide ingredients, crops to be used on, the amount and frequency of use, timing and also how the pesticide should be stored and disposed.  They determine the risk of potential harms to humans, wildlife, and non-target species.

The EPA also determines a pesticide tolerance – the maximum amount of pesticide residue that can legally remain in or on a particular food. It takes generally 8-10 years from discovery to registration of a herbicide.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors and enforces pesticide tolerances in both raw and processed foods.  Meat, poultry and eggs are monitored and enforced by the USDA. Food grown domestically and imported food are both monitored for pesticide residues.

Bottom line – I trust the safety of the food I buy because I trust the science behind it.

Farm Fresh Podcast: Caring for Pigs When Weather Outside is Frightful

When the temperature drops below zero or a blizzard brings blowing snow, livestock farmers have to take extra measures to ensure the safety and comfort of their animals.

Find out how Bane Family Pork Farm works to keep their pigs warm, dry & toasty when the weather outside gets frightful in this week’s Farm Fresh Podcast with local farmer Pat Bane. Plus check out the video clip of baby piglets on Pat’s farm (above).

Tune in every Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. for the Farm to Table segment on WJBC radio.

Farm Fresh Answers Podcast
Farm Fresh Answers Podcast
Farm Fresh Podcast: Caring for Pigs When Weather Outside is Frightful
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