Mom's Day Out Wrap-up

Posted: 8/5/2011

The first “Moms’ Day Out on the Farm” event was a tremendous success. More than 100 moms applied to participate, and 40 were chosen to tour hog, dairy, beef, corn and soybean farms on July 13.

It was a great day, with open dialogue and several questions asked about modern food production, animal care, food labeling and other issues.  Photos of the event are posted on Ag United’s Facebook page, and videos are available on our YouTube channel.

The event was covered by Keloland, KSFY, KDLT and Tri-State Neighbor. Several of the tour participants publish their own blogs, and they posted entries about their experience. Check out their postings at Living – Laughing – Saving  and Sioux Falls Frugal Mom.

Every participant of the tour received $50 in beef, pork or ethanol certificates good at any grocery store or restaurant, as well as other gifts. Lisa Ludeen, a tour participant from Sioux Falls, was the winner of $500 in groceries, drawn that day.

Thank you to the farm families who hosted the tour stops: Dennis Steineke, Lynn Boadwine (and herdswoman Heidi Selkin who conducted the tour), and Ryan and Sarah VanderVliet. Monsanto agronomists, Chrissa Fruechte and Joe Shepers, led the discussion of corn and soybean production.  In addition, Dr. Corale Dorn, a veterinarian from Dell Rapids, spoke about animal care and addressed many questions about product labels and claims.

Kelly Wubben
Outreach Director, Ag United for South Dakota