Grains of Knowledge

Prepared for a crisis? What's your plan?

No one likes to think about the worst case scenarios that could potentially impact your business, family or organization.  However, thinking through a crisis that could occur and preparing a plan as to how you will address a crisis can be critical in mitigating the potential impact of an unforseen event.  Westfield recently partnered with Validus Services to deliver a day-long Crisis Management Training session to several of our Farm customers in Minnesota. 

From our standpoint, part of our business is to respond to the loss you have suffered.  However, an insurance policy is not a substitute for a sound crisis management plan.  Knowing in advance how you will respond to a crisis can go a long way in mitigating extent of the crisis and mitigating the impact to your business.  Production agriculture faces a wide variety of risks that includes damage to property, worker safety, food safety, public relation risks, and various liability exposures. 

Thinking through your "worst case list' is a start to developing a crisis management plan.  What are the worst case scenarios that have some likelihood of occurring and could significantly impact your ability to continue to operate your farm? 

Consider developing a crisis management plan as a part of your entire risk management program.  Your agent and insurance carrier should be able to provide you some insight on what you need to get started.  Purdue University and the Dairy Herd Network are also two areas that have some good resources on their websites.                                                                

The best crisis management plan is one that hopefully never has to be used.  However, in the event of a crisis, having a plan will  help to keep your family, employees, animals,and operations better protected as you have already taken the time to plan out your response. 

Images Source: Flickr

Craig Welsh is the Agribusiness Division Leader at Westfield Insurance.  You can connect with Craig on Twitter @cdwelsh and on LinkedIn @ Craig Welsh.

 

I Dig the Pig! Notes from the 2011 Ohio Pork Congress

Earlier last week I had the privilege of attending the 2011 Ohio Pork Congress located in Columbus, Ohio along with six other Westfield Insurance employees.  The agenda was packed this year with great topics ranging from animal health and welfare, crisis management, updates on the Ohio Care Standards Board and discussion break out groups focused on pork outbuildings.

The annual event is sponsored by The Ohio Pork Producers Council, along with numerous other sponsors who bring the event to life each February. 

 The general session included:

• PRRS control projects update (PRRS = porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome).  This disease affects the breeding herd and causes reproductive losses and respiratory diseases in nursing piglets.  The presenter, Noel Garbes, DVM, explained how the control projects work, reviewed the phases and success stories as well as talked about the impacts to the herd.
• An update from a member of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, swine sub-committee, shared their progress, process of review and discussion as well as their stance on certain issues.  It is important to note that the board is complaint driven and not the "barn police"
• A consulting firm representative, Hinda Mitchell, from CMA Consulting, shared information about being prepared for activism and the importance of key messaging and overall response.  Hinda is solely focused on food safety issues and has been involved with many of the undercover videos from some local Ohio farms

The afternoon session included a yummy pork-filled luncheon and awards presentations.  Discussion break out groups focused on building maintenance issues and proper farrowing and finishing house management.

Overall, a great information-packed session, and I even walked away with t-shirts emblazed with the phrase..."I Dig The Pig!".

 Stacey Bruce is an Agribusiness Region Leader at Westfield Insurance.  You can connect with Stacey on Twitter @moo2you1 and on Linked In @ Stacey Bruce

Proper Care and Feeding of Your Holiday Tree

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our home state of Ohio with all the snow on the ground, and soon it will be Christmas.  One important ingredient for the holiday decorations is the Christmas tree.  It is important to pick the right one for you and your family, and here are some tips to help:

1. Know what size of tree will fit in the space you picked for your tree.  Do your homework and take measurements if you are not sure of the size.  Also consider width as well as height. 
2. Choose a Christmas tree lot to be sure they receive shipments of fresh trees on a regular basis.  If the lot is not well-lit, inspect the tree carefully (and maybe bring along a flashlight!).
3. The fresher the tree is, the longer its life will be.  Most fresh cut trees will last about 5 weeks if cared for properly.  One quick test is to tap the tree at the stump, and if only a few needles fall off, that is a good sign.
4. Ensure you have a proper stand and water reservoir for your tree.  Always keep water in the base, and all you need is plain water - no chemicals needed!
5. The most important factor is to keep you tree away from all heat sources to avoid fires.  The tree will dry out and become a fire hazard if not properly cared for.  Ensure your Christmas tree lights are in good working order and not frayed.  At night, unplug the lights and do not just leave turned off.
6. For fresh-cut trees, it is best to take down before the tree dries out.
7. Go green and recycle your tree!  Check out your local city's disposal offerings.

Happy and safe holidays!                                                                                                

Stacey Bruce is an Agribusiness Region Leader at Westfield Insurance.  You can connect with Stacey on Twitter @moo2you1 and on LinkedIn @ Stacey Bruce.

10 Turkey Facts

It's the time  of year again to spend with family, friends and of course, turkey!  I hope you enjoy this list of 10 fun and interesting turkey facts!  

1. A whopping 88% of Americans eat turkey for Thanksgiving.
2. In 2009, more than 226 million turkeys were consumed in the U.S., and more than 247 million were raised.
3. Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey be the official U.S. bird, and he was upset when the bald eagle was chosen.
4. Male turkeys are called a tom or gobbler, female turkeys are hens and baby turkeys are poults.
5. The largest turkey raised was recorded to weigh 86 pounds.
6. A turkey has over 155 bones and 3,500 feathers.
7. Turkeys lived in North America almost ten million years ago.
8. Some turkeys spend the night in trees.
9. The most popular ways to serve leftover turkey include a sandwich, stew or soup, casserole or stir-fry.
10. The USDA has great tips and advice for turkey safety and cooking!  Check out www.usda.gov and type in "turkeytips."

 

Stacey Bruce is an Agribusiness Region Leader at Westfield Insurance.  You can connect with Stacey on Twitter @moo2you1 and on Linked In @ Stacey Bruce

The 1,810 Pound Pumpkin

Did you know this year the world's largest pumpkin was 1,810.5 pounds?  The monster pumpkin was grown by a Wisconsin man named Chris Stevens.  He presented his giant at the Stillwater Harvest fest in Stillwater, Minnesota in October.  Thank you to the folks at www.pumpkinnook.com for this photo:

If this inspires you to try to grow your own pumpkins, please read on!

Pumpkin growing does not require a large amount of space nor a super green thumb.  What it requires is rich soil, lots of water and fertilizer.  You can start the seeds indoors or outside after the first frost.   Pumpkins are vining plants and they can spread far very quickly.  Make sure to follow the spacing recommendations on the packets.  After planting, water very well and then again two to four days later.

The planting of the seeds depend on the variety of pumpkin.  Miniatures can be placed closer together while other seeds can be planted in hills four to six feet apart.  Pumpkins are big feeders and prefer rich soil, with lots of compost and manure. Fertilize on a regular basis and consider using a high nitrogen formula in early plant growth.  

Pumpkins require a lot of water so try to keep the soil moist (but not wet) at all times. Try not to get the leaves wet as this may lead to mildew in your pumpkin patch.  Pumpkin's are

 

One last tip...when a pumpkin is bright orange, that means it is ripe for the picking.

Enjoy the fall and happy pumpkin planting.   

 

Stacey Bruce is an Agribusiness Region Leader at Westfield Insurance.  You can connect with Stacey on Twitter @moo2you1 and on Linked In @ Stacey Bruce.

Practice Safe Cider!

Happy Fall!  Look around and you will see leaves turning brilliant colors, and pumpkins are all around grocery stores and farm stands near you.  To help celebrate this new season, many people enjoy fresh apple cider and juices.  A recent article from www.foodsafety.gov highlighted some important information regarding "safe cider and juicing".  Here are some key points to consider:

• Most juice is pasteurized or treated to kill bacteria.
• Some fresh-squeezed juices can harbor bacteria from the produce unless there is further processing to destroy bacteria.
• Most people have a strong enough immune system to fight off illnesses from foods.
• People at risk for catching a food-borne illness include young children, older adults, pregnant women and others with a weaker immune system.
• Many local farm markets sell juice and/or cider that was made on site and not processed.  Those items must be kept refrigerated.

Untreated juices and ciders must include this label:

WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and therefore may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.

Be watchful for local stands or stores that do not say "pasteurized".  The FDA does not require this warning label for local stands and markets so you may want to ask about the processing for these items if serving to those people mentioned above in a higher risk class.

Make the most of your Fall season by practicing safe juicing.  For more information and food safety updates please visit www.foodsafety.gov.

 

Stacey Bruce is an Agribusiness Region Leader at Westfield Insurance.  You can connect with Stacey on Twitter @moo2you1 and on Linked In @ Stacey Bruce.

 

National Farm Safety and Health Week in Full Swing

We are currently in the midst of recognizing National Farm Safety and Health Week (Sept 19 - 25th).  Establishedby proclamation of every sitting U.S. President since 1944, the development and dissemination of materials for Farm Safety and Health Week is the work of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS).  The NECAS is the agricultural partner of the National Safety Council.

The theme for 2010 is ATVs: Work Smart. Ride Safe.  There continues to be tremendous growth in the number of ATVs in use all over the country.  There is also a wide variety of ages and ability levels operating these ATVs which has lead to dangerous situations that result in serious injury or death.  As an insurer of farm operations, we see the unfortunate incidents that result from improper use of ATVs.  Frequently, these involve the owner and family members of the farm.

Additional information can be found at the NECAS Website or at the Government's ATV Safety Website. Whether it is National Farm Safety and Health Week or any other week, let's stay safe every day all year long.  

     

Craig Welsh is the Agribusiness Division Leader at Westfield Insurance.  You can connect with Craig on Twitter @cdwelsh and on Linked In @ Craig Welsh

2010 Ingham County Fair

 

Earlier this month, we spent a day at the Ingham County Fair in Michigan with Tracy Ostrander from the David Chapman Agency. Tracy spent the week at the fairgrounds working to building a relationship with the farming and agriculture community in the area. The exhibit showcased Westfield as a farm insurance provider.

Tracy and the agency's presence with their booth at the fair drew some attention to the agency, and will hopefully continue to spur some name recognition as an agricultural insurance provider in the area. In conversations with fair growers, there were several individuals who had questions about their insurance we were able to assist with and generate some client opportunities for the agency.

What a great way to get involved in the community and generate some awareness of agricultural insurance!  If you are an independent agent and would like our assistance with promoting your agency within your local agricultural community, please contact your underwriter to learn how we can hep!

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Guest Author: Bethany Haynes is an agribusiness underwriter who currently works with farm and commercial agribusiness accounts from our home office in Westfield Center, Ohio. Her background in the dairy industry and passion for agriculture guides her to assist our Westfield Agents and Customers to find insurance solutions.

Tweeting in a Twub via Twitter - @WestfieldAg gathers for #AgChat!

 
Last evening, various members of our AgriBusiness Division gathered to discuss hot topics in agriculture via a Twitter discussion group (also known as a "twub") called #AgChat.  Not only did the group include underwriters and Division leadership, but we were also joined by a Westfield Agent, Marc Clinard from AVI Risk Management and Insurance Brokers in Farmington, NM.

We participated in the discussion with the @WestfieldAg Twitter handle, but also had members of our group participating with their personal user names and even had members of our business unit joining in the discussion from home across various states!   Last night's moderated discussion touched on farmer's markets, their vendors and customers and also vetted thoughts on community supported agriculture.  According to Scott Orndorff, our National Leader of Specialty Markets, "It's amazing to observe the diversity of opinions shared during the conversation."

The purpose of us attending as a group was to help staff gain a greater comfort level with social media and specifically to explore the many ways that we can utilize Twitter to build a deeper knowledge of specific segments and issues within agriculture.  We also believe this is another avenue for us to develop stronger relationships with our agency partners as well as current and prospective customers who are also using the tool.

When asked about her thoughts on the evening, underwriter Bethany Haynes shared, "#AgChat is something I've wanted to participate in for some time now, but was never able to find the time.  After we were organized in a fun group environment, I will feel more comfortable joining the discussion in the future when the time suits my schedule and I look forward to following future topics that may be discussed."  Lee Kolenich, another underwriter agreed that the evening was enjoyable and she liked "meeting other #AgChat participants on line and reading views and questions from all over the country!"

All in all, the event was a success and we're looking forward to finding more opportunities to engage in social and professional networking.  Please feel free to share comments below on how and why you use social media to support your busines!

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Kristin is a farm and commercial agribusiness underwriter with the Western Region of Westfield’s AgriBusiness Division. She is located at the company’s headquarters in Westfield Center, Ohio and holds an underwriting responsibility for the states of Illinois and Iowa.  Kristin’s love of agriculture is strongly tied to her experience growing up on her family’s registered Jersey farm in north-central Ohio. .

Spring Dairy Expo - Not Just About Cows!

This past weekend I attended the Ohio Spring Dairy Expo in Columbus, Ohio.  The event was sponsored by COBA/Select Sires, Commodity Blenders, Land of Living Farm, ADA Mid-East, Sexing Technologies, Dairy Farmers of America, Ohio Holstein Association, Ohio PDCA, the Agrarian Marketing Corporation and many others.

Westfield Insurance had a booth next to COBA/Select Sires and the Ohio Dairy Council.  It was a perfect spot to watch and observe lots of activities including feeding, watering, cleaning, brushing, washing, blow drying and general preparation of cattle in and around the arenas.  Also, a great spot for free milk!

What I observed was a very strong work ethic (starting at a very young age too!) and pride in ownership of the cattle and in the business of farming.  I learned more about farming by spending a day at this event watching and talking to dedicated farmers than I could have reading any book, magazine or blog post.  The breed shows were fascinating and watching the youth judging and the youth showmanship confirmed how dedicated, patient and educated our younger generation are about dairy farming.

My favorite memory was the drive home when my youngest daughter said "wow, those cows are really big in person" and, we learned, poop happens and you move on!