The Farm Post eNews

Friday eNews from the Pike and Scott County Farm Bureaus
 

APRIL 1, 2016
Gov't Affairs Conference next week
Georgia farmer, Vincent "Zippy" Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation in January, will be at the upcoming Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference (GALC) in Springfield next week.

The meeting schedule calls for Duvall to address IFB members and other GALC attendees on Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 a.m. "He's looking forward to the trip, visiting with our members, and getting out in the country," said IFB President Richard Guebert Jr.

Other stops planned by IFB to host Duvall while he's in Illinois include the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Archer Daniels Midland, and Caterpillar.

The GALC is on Wednesday, April 6 and Thursday, April 7. An IFB member reception with state legislators will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday.
 
If you are a Farm Bureau member, contact us to register. The general public can register online at this link.
NREC Phosphorus Runoff Webinar
On March 2, 2016, NREC partnered with Illinois Farm Bureau to present a webinar that highlighted the research conducted by scientists at University of Illinois. The research focused on phosphorus runoff and how fertilizer application methods can impact the rate of runoff. The archived webinar can be viewed here.
School Gardens
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has posted new resources on getting support from your school administration for a garden, how to start one and getting students excited to plant.

School Gardens: The Why and How
Pork Paradise
The Salvation Army KROC Center in Quincy was the place to be on March 12 for pork lovers. The first ever Pork Paradise event drew in over 300 attendees.

Those who attended had the opportunity to taste samples of pork from local vendors, play games, and learn about the pork industry. There was also cooking demonstrations from a Kohl Wholsale corporate chef.

Sami Buckert & Julie Mountain, county pork ambassadors, help with the bacon flipping game.

There was something for all ages at Pork Paradise; a bounce house was provided by the KROC Center and the Illinois Pork Producers Association had a bacon flipping game and a trivia wheel, both with prizes to give away. Recipes and an "Ask A Farmer" table complete with a miniature barn set up were also at the Illinois Pork Producers Association booth.

Thank you to the Western Illinois Pork Producers for providing volunteers for the event.
Spring Polaris Event
Now through April 30, get rebates of up to $2,000 or receive financing as low as 1.99 percent for 60 months on select new Polaris off-road vehicles during the Polaris Spring Sales Event! Eligible Farm Bureau members in participating states receive an added $200 - $300 discount on Polaris off-road vehicles.  
More than 1,000,000 workers suffer back injuries each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can help spare your back and stay productive on the job by following 10 Tips for Moving and Lifting, an easy-to-read infographic on Grainger.com. 
TODAY IN HISTORY
APRIL 1, 1976
HOLD ON TO YOUR KNICKERS

Sir Patrick Moore announced on BBC Radio 2 on April fool's in 1976 that due to an unusual alignment of planets, known as the Jovian-Plutonian gravitational effect, Earth would have a temporary reduction in the gravitational pull. He urged listeners to jump at exactly 9.47am to experience weightlessness.

Thousands called in to say they'd felt the decrease in gravity and one woman even claimed that she and eleven friends "wafted from their chairs and orbited gently around the room."

Surely, the Jovian-Plutonian Effect looked genuine because it was announced by a credible source (BBC) and an acclaimed astronomer (Sir Patrick Moore) in 1976. Although it was done in the name of fun, it created quite a stir and some people who called in somehow believed that they really floated. A strange psychological effect indeed.

Sir Patrick died in 2012.
 
April Fool's Day Explained
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