| Proper chisel plowing techniques are imperative to conserving our farmlands. This shows how techniques used in the treatment of crop residue play an important role in successful soil management. Produced by AVIO Video Productions. 08DR JSCA 15 min. |
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"Recommended. This program is engaging, well presented and illustrative of the appropriate use of high technology and ecological finesse in a specialized niche of agribusiness." -EMRO Review The Merino sheep, which is prized for its wool, is the most economically influential breed of its kind in the world; super fine Merino wool is considered the finest and softest. This documentary introduces us to a single farm family in New Zealand who has forged a niche world market for their merino wool. By selectively breeding and computer tracking large numbers of merino sheep, they have achieved an ultra-fine wool fiber. This gives them a product that sells for as much as twenty times the average price of crossbred wool. This in turn provides them the capital to restore and improve their rangeland in the beautiful high country of the south island. It's entrepreneurial thinking such as seen here that helps farmers and ranchers remain economically sound. Produced by Maplewood Productions, Inc. 08DR JSCA 12 min. |
| This insightful program shows how being a good steward of a pasture allows a person to maximize economic returns while protecting water quality and wildlife habitat. Here we learn the importance of rotational grazing and managing plants in the pasture, while seeing the dangers of too much erosion, sediments and phosphorous. Proper pasture management we discover will produce: higher productivity for farming, more livestock per acre, improved livestock weight gains, less supplemental feed, better distribution of manure, reduced mowing costs, quality hay product in the spring, and healthier livestock in general; also improving nearby water quality means: less soil erosion, healthier fish and aquatic life, improved food and shelter for wildlife, and more recreation opportunities. Produced by AVIO Productions. 08DR JSCA 15 min. |
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"The acronym NOSLaM stands for North Otago Sustainable Land Management. North Otago is a region on the southeast coast of New Zealand. The program objectively assesses the environmental impact of agricultural practices and provides proof of compliance, steps that would be prohibitively expensive for many individual farmers. Issues addressed include soil erosion, animal health, chemical herbicides and insecticides, and organic product certification." -EMRO Review The United Nations estimates there will be over nine billion people on the planet by the year 2050; how are we going to healthfully feed everyone? This many people means there will have to be a dramatic increase in agricultural production capabilities; however, organic farming, which is becoming more and more popular, often results in less crops; also, if we cut down forests to increase areas for crops, what about global warming? There seems to be no easy answers; still, there is hope. American filmmaker, Craig Hinde, traveled to New Zealand to document the success story of a local organization of farmers, which has the acronym NOSLaM, who have become internationally certified as sound environmental managers of their farms. They have led the way in establishing this standard because they want every marketing advantage possible for their products. New Zealand farmers do not receive governmental subsidies, and ninety per cent of farm income comes from exports; thus they have put emphasis on environmental management, animal welfare, and food safety as a means of attracting world consumers. They believe that this, combined with their penchant for creating niche markets, will make them environmentally and economically sustainable. Because of the looming reality, sustainable agricultural plans such as this need to be considered if farmers are going to be able to produce food indefinitely without causing irreversible damage to the health of our ecosystems. Produced by Maplewood Productions, Inc. 08DR JSCA 35 min. |
| Agriculture is one of the most important industries in the United States. Farming, on the whole, means big business. But there's another side to farming that is as much a part of America today as it was hundreds of years ago, the family farm. Certainly, technologies have improved and assisted the family farmers, but there are some things about being a family farmer that never change, and that's the message of this classic documentary. Singer/songwriter Ry Cooder (Into the Purple Valley) starts the program with a song and its message is clear, "it's the farmer who feeds us all"; then we see profiles of two American farming families, the Friedrich family's dairy farm and the Miller family's cattle farm, both located in Kansas. We meet the family members in-between the chores they do on a daily basis and discover the reasons why they choose to be farmers; we too learn how important these farms are to each community's local economy. Produced by David Kendall. 08DR/CL JSCA 30 min. |