So today is the start of the Michigan Ag Expo on the campus of Michigan State University. Jeff from the farm, who is also an MSU graduate, and I went early this morning to attend a special breakfast that we were invited to. (I know not to end a sentence in a preposition, but I couldn't bring myself to say "...to which we were invited." Well I guess that wasn't so bad afterall.) Even though it was early morning, it was very hot and humid already. Exhibitors and visitors are in for a burner. Plus it seems like this show always falls during wheat harvest.
Anyway, we had a great breakfast where all food was from Michigan: eggs, sausage, potatoes, blueberry muffins. Although the coffee was probably not, but it was all good. Then we heard an address by MSU President Lou Anna Simon who had seen the university through some tough years, but said things are on the upswing, and praised agriculture and the contributions from MSU.
Then the Governor Rick Snyder took the podium. He took some good natured kidding from President Simon since he graduated from that other university in Michigan. But he said he is proud to be an Honorary Spartan. But he outlined his priorities as they apply to agriculture: Research and Development, value added processing, and increased exports. He also talked about increasing Agri-tourism. But even thought he is from U of M and a business background, he has been pretty good at keeping funding of ag programs up, like the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program, or MAEP. In fact he is wearing a MAEP shirt. But this is a program for farms to meet qualifications on the way they farm to maintain good agricultural practices. In fact, the
North Central Research Station has been MAEP qualified for many years, and have the signs to prove it.
After breakfast, Jeff and I toured the grounds. Here is Jeff by a display for people who may run short of High NRG-N.
If you live in Michigan, you know that the governor hates coats and ties and is rarely seen in them. (That makes me like him more.) But you can always spot the security detail as they are all dressed in full suits, in spite of the oppressive heat. Well we saw some suits by this combine, and sure enough, the governor was inside. It was running with the AC on.
So that was a fun early morning. Well here is the special announcement. On the way back, I got a call from my friend Matt who works for Ag PhD TV. Well it seems that Brian and Darren Hefty are launching a radio show on a Rural Radio, a new channel on Sirius XM. I don't know how they manage a daily show, plus their weekly TV show, and run a business. Anyway, Matt asked if I could be on the show today and talk about any crop nutrient issues that I have encountered from calls or visits around the country. And did I say that was today? Like in less than 2 hours. So if you have Sirius XM, and have it on channel 80 at 3 pm EDT, well don't change the channel when I come on. It's only for a few minutes.
Well it's a good thing I got a haircut today.
