by William and Mary Weaver     
Don’t let pain from arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome sideline you from the farm or greenhouse work you love. Help is available from a national organization called AgrAbility. All you need to do is ask.
The first step is to see a doctor to find out for sure what is causing your wrist, hand, arm and shoulder pain. Carpal tunnel syndrome can produce pain in all these areas from pressure on a nerve in the wrist, caused in large part by repetitive work that places your wrist and hand in a flexed, unnatural position. (more…)

You know you’re guilty of saying it, or at least thinking it, at some point: “Ugh. Young people these days!” And often, you are probably justified in the sentiment.
I’ll admit to something we Millennials have valiantly tried to keep secret: we do make mistakes — a lot of them. And sometimes, those mistakes are tied to our age: our naiveté, unique work ethic, over enthusiasm, and more have all led us to err. (more…)

by Steve Wagner
In 1911 Maricopa County AZ, the Spur family began to farm about 15 miles west of Phoenix. In 1956 Spur’s successors began to develop feedlots, and in May of 1959 developer Del Webb started planning a retirement community to be known as Sun City, about 10.5 miles north of the Spur feedlot. By 1965, the Del Webb community had expanded to within 500 feet of those feedlots. The proximity of the feedlots to the retirement community was bound to cause issues, and did. Some tenants had already moved in, but the fragrance of manure and accompanying flies started to inhibit housing sales. (more…)

Maybe it was a teacher, coach or co-worker, but if you were fortunate enough to have a mentor sometime in your life, you understand the benefit of another person’s willingness to share wisdom gained from experience. In business, having a good mentor helps you identify your strengths, as well as prepare you to meet challenges with a plan for success.
The Small Business Administration has, for many years, promoted business-mentoring services and offers this definition. “What is a mentor? A mentor is someone who has been down the same path you’re taking. He or she is experienced, successful and willing to provide advice and guidance — for no real personal gain.” (more…)

by Kristen Park, Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University
Introduction
The role of buyers and category managers has become fundamental to the success of supermarket companies. In a world where fresh produce is procured globally year round and where food safety and sustainability are becoming paramount concerns, produce procurement has become a complex arena where supply chain coordination and transparency are vital but not easily achieved. (more…)

by Kristen Park
Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University
Introduction
This is the first in a series of four Smart Marketing articles reviewing the results of a study that describes changes in produce procurement. It provides the produce industry with information on buying practices so they can improve overall supply chain performance. The full report by Edward McLaughlin, Kristen Park and Rod Hawkes can be found at:
http://publications.dyson.cornell.edu/outreach/extensionpdf/2015/Cornell-Dyson-eb1510.pdf (more…)

Millennials rarely use paper anymore. Our news comes to us via websites, our books are downloaded on Kindles or iPads, and we barely know how to use a phonebook or thesaurus! “Just google it” is our catchphrase.
In order to get our attention, you must use the internet. But how? Do you simply drop a bunch of money on an expensive website and call that good? How do you actively market your business online and drive traffic to your website? (more…)

by Bill and Mary Weaver
If you are having difficulty finding enough help for summer and fall farm work for this year, the H2A program is definitely an avenue to consider. Despite the paperwork, which an agent can assist you with, most farmers tend to be happy with the quality of the workers they receive through H2A. These workers are hoping to return next year so they are generally productive and looking to please their employer. (more…)