Ag Business, History

Guest Speaker Ed Kee: Food Shed

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“The Delmarva is the main food provider for the eastern states” (Ed Kee). Mr. Ed Kee, former secretary of agriculture, educated students of the university of Delaware’s, understanding todays ag class, about the importance of agriculture in Delaware, the history, and the factor it plays in feeding the east coast and the surrounding population. Delaware’s agriculture, unlike many states, feeds 1/3 of the U.S. population due to its close proximity to the large cities on the east coast. Delaware has over 2,500 farms which makes up 40% of the land in the state and 30% of that land is permanently reserved so the industry stays within Delaware and further contributes to the U.S. population. With agricultures major production to nearby states, the agricultural industry is able to make 1.2 billion in ag sales and 7.9 million in production and agricultural sales in total which allows the economy for Delaware to further drive in success. However, this was only possible due to the improvements in technology and the family and individual run farms that have been added and continue to grow over many years.

During the past centuries, railroads developed and eventually water transportation and local highways opened up which allowed food to be easily transported throughout the neighboring states; eventually leading to the improvement in the technology of equipment and process in crop production to occur as well. Improvements in tractors, genetics of plants, water production (irrigation), soil fertility, pest management, weed control and other production processes has allowed farmers to produce more food more efficiently with fewer problems throughout the plants growth which has allowed for better production and better food to be grown overall. Although agriculture is a striving industry in the state of Delaware, many challenges are faced in order to keep agriculture striving in the state. Before the presentation came to a close, Mr. Kee informed the students that within the agricultural industry, farming and agriculture as a whole must remain profitable, maintain a consistent and fair regulatory environment that is also effective, promote the best technology practices that are most efficient in production for farmers and safe for the environment, connect farmers with market opportunity and have connections with state and federal organizations in order to keep the industry striving and profitable enough for the farmers and others working in the industry to keep their businesses and production running. From this presentation, many things about the agricultural industry in the past and current day time can be learned, which can help the students and myself to develop a better understanding of the industry, especially the agricultural industry in Delaware.

Throughout this lecture, Mr. Ed Kee stressed the importance of Delaware’s agricultural industry and the history that led the industry to success today which led myself and other students to develop a further understanding of agriculture within the state of Delaware and discover an interesting fact which was that Delaware, on its own, feeds one third of the U.S. population making the agricultural industry very important to sustain now and for the future day time.

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Ed Kee Guest Speaker “Food Shed”

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Mr. Kee’s presentation was very informal and taught me a lot of new things. While driving around Delaware I never really take into account truly how many farms there are. So, when Mr. Kee had in his presentation that 41% of Delaware is farmland I was little skeptical. But, now while I’m driving around I really notice just how many farms I pass between fields and poultry farms its kind of eye opening. I am very intrigued by Delaware’s Young Farmer Program it sounded like it could be very intersting and I would like to learn more about it. One thing that all of our guest speakers have hit on is just how much technology has changed the game for farmers. Like, Georgies chicken farm the houses temperature were kept in check by the system she installed. Ed Kee showed us some other examples like irrigation systems for fields and how farmers can control it all right there on their phones.  I can’t wait to learn more from Ed Kee in his next presentation.

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Ed Kee Guest Lecture

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Ed Kee, the former Secretary of Agriculture, came into our class and educated us on Delaware Agriculture. Ed taught us the 40% of Delaware’s land is farmland and around 30% of that land is permanently reserved by the Aglands Preservation Program. This program was established in 1991 and it helps preserve the farmland by making the land only be able to be sold for agriculture purposes. In Delaware alone, there are about 2,500 farmers and about 1/3 of those farmers till 2/3 of the land. Agriculture in Delaware creates 7-8 billion dollars in economic activity every year.  Along with these statistics, Ed also taught us how genetics and irrigations have been helping to improve the yields over the years. Genetics have also helped increase the average cow population. Lastly, I learned how technology is changing everyday and is helping farmers in many ways. One change in technology that really stuck out to me was how an app on a phone can control multiple irrigations at once. From the click of a button, the farmer can change how much water is being put out and how fast the irrigation is moving. This technology is incredible and will help farmers a lot when it comes to saving time and putting out the correct amount of water.

Ag Literacy & Social Media, Agriculture Careers

Michele Walfred: Branding Yourself and Advocating for Agriculture

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In today’s society almost everyone has some type of social media. Whether it be Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, or even Linkedin, most people seem to post their everyday life. Because of this, employers have found that by browsing through applicants social medias, they will be able to gain a relatively accurate understanding of what their potential employee is really like. Unfortunately, for a good amount of people, this is not always a good thing. Most people post on their social media whenever they are out partying or doing anything in their life that’s worth remembering. During these events, individuals tend to forget that what might be appropriate at the time, can end up leading to them being declined a job or even fired. See, the issue is that most people don’t know how to properly balance being professional and having fun on their free time. In the lecture from Michele Walfred on Sept 11th, 2019, we learned the importance of branding yourself in a professional way.  It is always important to brand yourself as a reliable and responsible individual. If you go to a party and happen to be doing things that are not necessarily important for a business setting, either refrain from posting it on your social media or post it on an account that your employer can’t find. Your main account should only display things that brand you as responsible or also reflect what you are like as a person. Remember, even if it seems like not a big deal to you, to your employer  it might make the hugest difference between you having a successful job or filing for unemployment.

As for using social media in the Agriculture field, Walfred explained how it is our generations duty to tell the true stories of Agriculture. It seems that in more recent years , the Agriculture field has been portrayed negatively on social media, and the ones who should be representing Agriculture have failed to do so. Some of farmers are old fashion and don’t care to use social media to share their stories and explain to the general public what real goes on in the Ag. communities.By joining career fields in Agriculture,  such as videography, Social Media coordinator, and Ag communications, this information can be shared more openly. It is our duty to find out the truth and hear both sides of the story. If someone posts negative things about Ag., it is important to ask them why they feel that way and try to share what we personally know. And it is the same case when dealing with professional Agriculture associates. It is important to stand up for what you believe in, but it is just as crucial to know both sides of the story. Maybe then, a complete understanding can be obtained by both parties.

Ag Literacy & Social Media, Agriculture Careers

Michele Walfred Social Media Lecture

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Our class had the privilege of Michele Walfred being a guest lecture. Her lecture focused on social media use in many different aspects. These included how social media can be beneficial for getting a job while also hurt somebodies chances at getting a job. Creating a theme among all social media platforms with a public account that uses your real name is an amazing way for employers to see who they’re hiring and gives an applicant an advantage. Posting photos that could possibly negatively harm your perception isn’t a good idea such as underage drinking or excessive parting. Furthermore, the use of LinkIn was talked about as it is a great way for networking. Throughout her presentation we were also able to hear some life advice that could be used in various different ways

Ag Literacy & Social Media

Mrs. Michele Walfred on Personal Branding and Social Media

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Mrs. Walfred discussed Personal Branding, and the Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media. One thing that caught my eye about this presentation was when she asked “What’s your brand?” That question is very important, because it involves knowing who you are, and what you want to be known for. During her lecture, she gave really good life advice. She stated that it was a good idea to have two specific social media accounts. A personal one, and a professional one which focuses more on “your brand” or career. Mrs. Walfred made note of this particularly because of the way social media affects our lives. Having a more professional account will help brand yourself in a positive way, and it protects you from the consequences of what may be on your private social media account. It’s a great idea to start knowing what your brand is because it may help increase your chances of getting a job. The example Mrs.Walfred used was becoming a Veterinarian. If this is your particular career goal, then it’s best to start following former veterinarians, and vet schools, and to post pictures of you doing animal related activities (I.e volunteering at an animal shelter). I really learned a lot from this lecture, and took some things to heart because my image is important to me and I don’t want my actions on social media to affect my life forever.

Ag Literacy & Social Media

Mrs. Michele Guest Lecture

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Mrs. Michele delivered a helpful guest lecture about social media, developing a brand, and spotting fake news online. Of particular interest to me were her ideas on the potential uses of social media, and how it can tie in with a professional career. I agree with her about having a public, professional social media page for prospective employers to view, as well as a private page for friends to view. I also concurred with her assessment that not having social media or a presence online can be detrimental.

Her emphasis on the importance of developing a trustworthy and positive brand was also interesting to me. I agree that developing a positive brand that employers can take not of is essential to a professional career. Likewise, a negative image is likely to be looked down upon. Thus, it is essential to maintain a positive and professional brand, especially on social media.

Ag Literacy & Social Media, Agriculture Careers

GUEST LECTURER MRS. MICHELE

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On Wednesday, September 11th, Mrs. Michele lectured to the class about the advantages and disadvantages of social media, and about the strategies that we should employ in social media as young people about to join the workforce.

Firstly, she talked about how social media is a great tool for employers and employees to use in order to connect with and research each other during the hiring process; especially on certain platforms like LinkedIn. They are wonderful places to list job openings, apply for jobs, and network.

However, Mrs. Michele noted that if an employer was looking at an applicant’s profile, and they saw something unsavory, that would drastically reduce the applicant’s chance at landing the job. So, one must have caution when they are posting something online, and take into account every factor (i.e. who might see whatever you are posting, is it professional, and so on).

Finally, she mentioned strategies on what to post in order to make our image more desirable among employers. She mentioned that our picture should be a head shot, not a selfie, and that we should only post what we would want employers to see.

Ag Literacy & Social Media, Agriculture Careers

Guest Lecture Mrs. Michele

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On Wednesday, September 11th Mrs. Michele gave our class a lecture on the importance of branding yourself. She discussed the need for public social media profiles that portray the image of a professional and hardworking individual. It was also pointed out that these social media profiles should have good bios that help to tell people who you are and what you do. A very important point she made is that nothing ever comes off the internet, it is always saved somewhere even if you delete it. She stressed that anyone can see what you have posted online and how that can cause problems if someone searches for you online and finds images or posts that paint yourself in a negative or unprofessional light. The way you act can change the perception  others have on you and behaving in courteous and professional ways  can create a positive image of yourself in their head and be helpful in potentially earning a job or other similar scenarios.

Ag Literacy & Social Media

Guest Lecture

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There is no doubt that social media is everywhere.  We are all apart of it somehow and how we use it determines the kind of outcome we expect to receive.  Keeping clean and interesting profiles depicting to others who we are can create a positive first impression to employers.  When they are able to see the types of interests relating to the job and a respectable profile, they can see a potential employee of the company.  This is very important because almost all employers will look up your profile on various platforms of social media because they want to ensure their investment will benefit the company.

Ag Literacy & Social Media

Guest Lecture Mrs. Michele

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Mrs. Michele talked about social networking and how social media can be used as a overview of yourself. Social media can expose you and your image to the world. Anyone can look you up and see what you post and how you portray yourself. She talked about making a good first impression on your social media accounts and how you want people to portray your image. She talked about writing a bio that explains yourself and gives your followers, or anyone who wants to look at your profile, a synopsis of you and some of what you might post or what you like to do. Mrs. Michele also touched on the things you post and how it can effect your entire life. What you post will never come off the internet, no matter if you delete it or not. Someone can easily take a screenshot or picture and its on the internet forever. Being careful about what you post is important to keeping your image clean in order to get a good job or career.

 

Ag Literacy & Social Media, Agriculture Careers

Guest Lecture 2

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On Wednesday, September 11th, Ms. Michelle gave us a guest lecture about social media and your personal brand. She talked about how we should always be careful about what we post online and that we should start to create a name for ourselves online. Twitter is a very popular site used for branding, especially in the agriculture business. 

My parents have always been very cautious of my social media presence. They didn’t let me get a social media account until I was in high school. They were always a little worried that I might abuse social media. I am actually glad that I didn’t have it until high school because it taught me to have more focus elsewhere. 

I am always very cautious about having a public online presence. It makes me feel a bit more comfortable by having my accounts private. I can choose who I want to view my content. I am very careful with what I post and how much I post. I make sure to only show the good parts of my life, to create a better online presence. I think everyone should be careful what they post, it could come back to bite them later. 

Ag Literacy & Social Media

Guest Speaker Mrs.Michele

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This guest lecture put a fire under me when I left class I was in a very good mood and felt like I could do anything. I went to work right after class and immediately started to do so I’ve been getting more done then I ever have been. I’ve been looking at working as a way to brand myself better so that way when a future employer calls my current employer I will get nothing but positive comments. I will soon also be making a linkedin and a personal branding instagram. I’ve been wanting to do a instagram account like this where I share my gardening achievements and the different stuff Im trying out in my garden. I also had no clue what linkedin was so I’m glad Mrs.Michele  gave us a brief overview of that it truly sounds like that will be very helpful in finding jobs in the field I want. I am not on twitter at all but I will also look more into that for the future. This whole presentations was amazing thank you so much Mrs.Michele

Ag Literacy & Social Media, Agriculture Careers

Mrs. Michele Walfred Guest Lecture

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September 11, 2019, communications specialist Mrs. Michele Walfred came to our class to lecture us about social media influence in today society. Social media become more and more important, and what we post on our social media may affect our future career. Because what we posted on there is resulted to create a brand of ourselves, and many companies will check that out when they hire new employee. Mrs. Michele taught us how to make a good and clean brand. Using a high quality professional-looking headshot, 
 email with your real name, create a blog, provide thoughtful comments on public pages, never post racist or discriminatory information or comments, etc. With the rapid development of Internet, there are more and more fake news online. The major reason they existed is for ad and click-bait revenue. we should be aware of it. Because they may not just fool people, but also may lead the people who trust those lies to danger.

Ag Literacy & Social Media

Professional Social Media

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Michele Walfred talked to the class about professionalism and how to build a positive “brand” for yourself on social media. To help us understand our impressions, she showed us pictures of several well-known logos, company names, and people and asked us to say what our first thoughts were. Some were good, some were bad. Walfred then gave us some tips on how to build an image of ourselves so the first thing people think about when they see our face or hear our name it is positive. She told us to be consistent and have the same professional profile picture across our public social media accounts, so people know it is the same person when looking us up. Anything non-professional needs to go on a separate, private account. She also strongly suggested that we leave out anything that could cause polarized opinions such as anything political or religious. Someone looking to hire you wants to know you can be trusted and responsible.

A Class Journal for UDel CANR AGRI 130