A teacher told a student that he was a bad person for raising cows…

“The Punchy Bunch” is a poem written about some boys who are just too punchy for their own good — and don’t understand that the word “punchy” is not meant as a compliment.

A few years ago I went vegan for the season of Lent as an experiment and, in turn, found out something totally unexpected.

When it comes to my column/blog and agriculture, I don’t often write about my mom. I think it’s because I don’t have as many photos of her on a horse as I do my dad but let’s be honest here… nothing I have ever done in my entire life would’ve been possible if it weren’t for her. So, here’s what you need to know about my mom, Kristi Jane Purviance, or “Mrs. P” as most of her former students call her on Teachers' Day.

Makenzie Raesner is spotlighted in the Corporate Cultivators series, a series dedicated to showcasing agriculturists of all kinds outside of the typical farmer/rancher stereotype we often see portrayed in the media. Raesner is an Own Brand manager at HEB, a Texas grocery store chain, and plays a vital role in making food go from the farm to your table.

Introducing “Corporate Cultivators,” a new series dedicated to showcasing agriculturists of all kinds outside of the typical farmer/rancher stereotype we often see portrayed in the media. It takes more than just a sodbuster or a cow-puncher to get food from our gate to your plate, this week’s blog post details some of those key players in the ag industry who often go unnoticed!

Elwood’s Organic Dog Meat is a social media brand and website used to sway meat-eaters to the vegan diet which advertises organic dog meat as a livestock producer would. It’s clever, I must admit, but totally sick. In this blog post, I try to combat resources such as Elwood’s Organic Dog Meat with well thought out, educational, fact-backed arguments.

I believe the Producer Partnership, my full time employer, is something great in a world focused on bad right now — and I want to tell y’all all about it.

Seven years ago, I wore my blue and gold corduroy jacket for the last time. When I think of my time as an FFA member, like many people, I get nostalgic. The stories I could tell from that period of my life are sweet, some funny, and almost all too ag-nerdy for most people to want to listen to. So, in leu of sharing those memories, I’d like to share with y’all how my investment in being an FFA member is currently paying off for me in honor of National FFA Week.

A few years ago, "fake meat' vs. traditional meat was pretty much all anyone in agriculture talked about. It was a huge issue for me and many other agvocates out there.⁠

Two weeks ago, while on my honeymoon, I overheard a person look at their dinner guest and say, "what’s the point of the Beyond Burger anyway? It’s basically a real burger.” Which made me realize just how big of an issue some things can be for some people and how it's a non-issue for others.⁠

Today, I give my cliff notes and key points on the biggest differences between alternative proteins and traditional animal protein.⁠

Last week, the White House announced the Biden-Harris Administration’s Action Plan for “Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain.” In this week’s blog post, I do my best to educate you on what exactly this means for everyone from the barn cat to the consumer.

The past two years, I’ve published columns right around the new year with my predictions for the anti-ag agenda in the upcoming year. Following suit, today, I will give my 2022 trend predictions for what I believe the anti-ags will attack agriculture with.

The hands that feed you need a helping hand themselves every now and then; and it’s our responsibility to reach out our hand and pull them out of whatever pit they’re stuck in.

“You ever plow a field? To plant quinoa or sorghum or whatever the ‘heck’ it is you eat? You kill everything on the ground and under it. You kill every snake, every frog, every mouse, mole, vole, worm, quail…you kill them all. So I guess the only real question is: how cute does an animal have to be before you care if it dies to feed you?”

— John Dutton, Yellowstone

In summary: Yellowstone did a better job of communicating agriculture than I ever have.

My dad hammered the phrase “actions speak louder than words” into my brain when I was in high school. At the time, I brushed it off, but as I’m getting older, I understand it more. The big bad wolf can huff and puff all he wants but until he blows the house down, he’s just blowing smoke.

We as ag industry supporters, professionals, and elected officials need to do a little more acting and a little less speaking. But how?

There was quite a bit that happened in the past two weeks as far as anti-ags go, and I can’t really narrow down what I want to focus on. So, without further ado…here’s what you missed in the ridiculous world of anti-ags this week.

Who do you trust more: Actress Kate Winslet or science?

Instagram prioritizes anti-ag content over pro-ag content? Let’s investigate.

I got attacked this week by an anti-animal ag activist on Instagram.

The activist in question goes by the Instagram handle @andrea4liberation and has 11.6 thousand followers. They have a master’s degree in Animal Law and frequently posts videos of protests and tear-jerking photos of baby animals.

Today, I want to discuss something that is at the forefront of every Northwesterner’s mind: fire.

Growing up in a swampy, lush area of Texas, where our average rainfall is around 50 inches per year, my experience with fire was basically nonexistent. I remember a few houses in our area burning down due to electrical issues, the back pasture of some family friends catching fire while their parents weren’t home, and roasting marshmallows on an open fire at our family’s Deer Camp. Needless to say, I was not prepared for the crazy that is wildfires in the Northwest.

So I’m frustrated — actually, no, frustrated doesn’t begin to cover it — I’m frazzled, frantic, and just flat out sick and tired of animal rights activists blaming the U.S. for “animal crimes” committed in other countries.

Wild horses, although beautiful and intriguing, are a problem — that’s a simple, unarguable fact. So, here’s what you need to know about the issue of wild horses…