Hallie Frobose Pork Industry Blog from Oklahoma St University,December 8th 2011

Well it is that time of year again! For us students we see the light at the end of the tunnel and are looking forward to just getting through our finals and getting home for the holidays. For many of us pork producers we are gearing up for the hard cold snows about to come, and upping biosecurity to protect our farms from disease. This winter season I think it is vital we look at family and the true spirit of Christmas on the farm. We all know that this is the season of giving and when I look back to all the gifts I have received from my family one stands far above all the Barbie’s, Gameboy’s, and clothes I no longer play with. The greatest gift I received was easily having the ability to work on the farm with my family and friends. I am particularly thankful for those opportunities as a child because the U.S. Labor Department hopes to change that in the first rewrite of child farm labor laws in 30 years. The new rules would restrict children under 16 from doing dangerous jobs, such as driving heavy machinery, working around livestock or handling pesticides. When I look back at the most valuable lessons I have learned, that have helped me in my college education and life, they all came from my experiences on the farm. I urge you all to think back to how your childhoods playing in hay lofts and wrestling livestock have affected you, and realize how important it is to give youth this same opportunity. Although it is past the deadline to comment to the Labor Department, I think it is important to focus on the positive things we have in our lives like our health, the loved ones with us, and the many experiences we have had that are often taken for granted. This Christmas do not worry about the gifts so much, take the kids to the barn to see that sow farrow on Christmas morning or teach them how and why we take such close care in our animals, looking back they will realize that those experiences as a family were truly the most valuable gift all. I know that they were for me and I cannot wait to share those experiences with my own family one day.

Keep Pork on Your Fork and Happy Holidays! – Hallie Frobose

Follow Hallie on Twitter or email her halliemfrobose@gmail.com

About Hallie:

I grew up on a small cow/calf and feedlot operation and was raised by a niche beef marketing specialist and a veterinarian. I am the second of four siblings and we each became involved in pork production through 4-H exhibiting show pigs at county, state, and national levels. As I became older I became more involved in youth leadership organizations and even more passionate about the swine industry and advocating for agriculture. I was a Jr. Board Director for The National Junior Swine Association which gave me the opportunity to travel the U.S. and connect with exhibitors and producers and get a real feel for issues in the swine industry.

I completed my Associates Degree at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas where I competed on the livestock judging team and then transferred to Oklahoma State University where I am currently a senior majoring in Animal Sciences with a Pre-Veterinary Option. Coming to Oklahoma State is the best decision I have ever made and I feel so blessed to have the opportunities to speak up for agriculture and the swine industry. In this blog I plan to discuss issues facing the swine industry, promote meat consumption, and discussing life as a college student pursuing a career path in agriculture.

I look forward to talking about the Pork Industry on Swineweb.com!