Pictorial
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on October 8, 2010
single click to enlarge a photo, and hover mouse over for more info
Confronting the past
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on October 6, 2010
A morning visit to Buchenwald Memorial left me with a heavy heart pondering the atrocities suffered in the not-so-distant past.
Buchenwald Concentration camp was one of the first and biggest of all concentration camps built during WWII. Built in the hills and woods not far from Weimar, the camp was supposed to be hidden from the public. It is estimated to have held nearly 240,000 people from 1937 to its liberation in 1945, while more than 56,000 souls died here.
click on pics to enlarge
The front gate has the inscription “Jedem das Seine” which is roughly translated “To each his own.”
This is the crematorium. Rolling dark smoke lifted from the chimney daily.
Upon entering the first room in the crematorium, you are immediately confronted with a a sterile tiled structure where it was obvious that bodies laid. This is the room where Nazi staff would remove gold fillings and other “valuables” from prisoners who were just executed. In all of the rooms we visited, it was hard to not notice drains throughout the floors of the rooms.
Next is the mortuary room holding the urns. If you click to enlarge the photo, you can read a description of the room.
Next the haunting incineration room… Not only were prisoners executed, the camp also served as a site for large-scale human medical testing. The Nazis would infect prisoners with typhus and other diseases. Inmates were even burned severely so testing of balms for wounds could take place.
Next, the basement showed high hooks surrounding the walls where prisoners were hung. They were then hauled up an elevator to the incineration chamber.
And back up to ground level, on the backside of the crematorium, was a series of room. In particular Russian POWs were led in here and told to stand with their back to this measuring device. While in a room behind, a Nazi soldier would shoot the prisoner through the back of the neck into their skull…. All so the executioner would not have to look them in the eye. My only thoughts, “May God have mercy on all of their souls.”
And on the other side, here is the room the executioner stood in.
Much of the camp was torn down in 1950, including all of the barracks. Although today, rocks outline where these housing structures stood.
The hundreds of thousands of innocent people who were starving, forced to live here, were given a specific color of triangle patch to wear based on what their “crime” was, whether it was for religious, political, homosexual, prisoners of war, or any number of other arbitrary reason. I pray human history never will see such likes again.
Trade with Germany
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on October 5, 2010
Although the official McCloy Fellowship has ended and we have returned to our lives back in the states, I would like to continue a few more blogs on some of the interesting topics presented to us.
The last leg of the experience brought us to Berlin, home of the DBV (German Farmer’s Association). We spent a couple days just meeting with their team as well as other organizations, including the WWF (World Wildlife Fund).
Colorado native Paul Spencer is the Agriculture Counselor for USDA FAS in Germany and is based at the U.S. Embassy. After spending several years in Japan with the same position, he transitioned to Germany just a few weeks ago.
The U.S. ships $1.7 billion to Germany. Deutschland is the biggest market for U.S. almonds.
The FAS has three main areas of involvement here:
1. Marketing – The biannual trade show Anuga is the world’s largest food show, and is located in Germany.
2. Policy – Although most policy is set in Brussels, the FAS works to resolve any trade issues at the port that might come up. The U.S. has just begun shipping corn to Germany for the first time in years.
3. Reporting – a country and EU wide report on commodities and bio-fuels is generated through the FAS office.
One of allybiggest issues currently on the table is that of GM (genetically modified). Mr. Spencer quoted a newly released survey that 19% of Germans are identifying themselves with the Green party, which is a significant increase over the past year.
Although the ultra-sensitive testing machines at the German ports might pick up a hint of unapproved corn dust in a shipment of soybeans, which recently happened, Mr. Spencer thinks it’s time to move past the genetically modified debate.
“Europe has lost the GMO debate. It’s over,” Spencer said. “Even China is working on it now.”
The German Farmer’s Association wants the debate separated into 3 areas:
1. seeding and raising of GMO (which is banned here)
2. Import of GMO feedstuffs which they are working on because a few varieties are allowed. Germany imports quite a few feedstuffs as well.
3. Labeling of meat from a GMO feed
Also, the many biogas plants we saw as part of a farm were part of a new energy policy that is not related to agriculture, which much of the development in Europe is based on incentives.
“Think about how much freedom farmers here give up to get a fair amount of support from the government,” Spencer said.
On the other side, Germany is renowned for great technology, which farmers are using to decrease labor cost, such as with robotic milkers.
Next year, the EU will begin a free market labor worker program, where anyone from an EU country can stay as long as they would like. Currently, mainly Polish workers make up the agriculture labor force. So ag leader are anxious to see if those workers look for more stable, less strenuous jobs.
Currently the Foreign Agriculture Service office in Germany has 4 employees, and the only US citizen there is Mr. Spencer. Twenty years ago the office had a staff of 20. Now, more and more staff are being moved from Europe to markets in Asia and India.
After our meeting, we were guests at the German Farmer’s Association Grummetfest. It’s a post-summer get-together for all Members of Parliament and their staff. Even Germany’s Minister of Agriculture attended.
“Ich Nicht”
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on September 28, 2010
Toralf Mueller, 2009 German McCloy Fellow in Agriculture, has been our host for the first part of the former East Germany. Thuringia is a rural district which has much larger farms than we saw in Bavaria. Hildburghausen is a town in this rural area. Toralf is the manager of a farming cooperative that includes 32 other farmer-owners who work for the coop as well. Before the Berlin Wall came down, there were 261 farmers on this same land. After WWII, Russia controlled East Germany under GDR, or German Democratic Republic, otherwise know as communist rule until the “wall” came down in 1989. Residents here refer to that period of time as “GDR.”
Under GDR rule, the communist government controlled everything – what buildings could go up, what crops you grow, etc. Even though the current land is best used for livestock, the government wanted the coop to grow potatoes and carrots… so they did.
In areas close the the free west, like Thuringia, 3 fences that were 5 km wide were in place to keep people from coming in, and especially leaving. This 5 km wide area had towns known as “no mans land” where residents had to apply to the government any time they wanted to leave that area. If you worked there, you showed identification and papers every time you entered and every time you left. Of course, GDR military was stationed all throughout. In fact, if any resident in East Germany wanted to leave their county, they had to apply to the communist government.
Toralf is recognized as an outstanding ag leader, even before the wall fell, and when asked if he ever went to “No Mans land” or to apply to go to the west, his reply was, “Ich Nicht” (I never).
Today we visited a cooperative that has a 2,800 head swine operation, slaughter facility, processing site, and grocery store. This year is the 20th anniversary of the company, and it is housed in a typical-looking GDR building. It used to be agricultural administration offices, including t raining for young farmers in GDR times. Workers would spend the summer doing field work, especially potatoes, then in the winter would come into the building to manufacture arms for toy dolls.
“When the wall fell”, as many Germans say, this company had 1,400 employees to support. Today, efficiency has brought them to 98 total employees.
Later we met with the county adminstrator, Thomas Mueller, of Hildburghausen, a town of 68,000 which include 17 communities in his area. His parents married in 1946, just after the war ended and tried to flee to Hamburg. They were unsuccessful and forced to return to Hildburghausen. Many of their family was split up.
Mr. Mueller spoken openly and honestly about the fall of the wall and transition that has taken place.
“I wouldn’t be able to sit here with you if the wall didn’t come down 20 years ago. We were locked in with a fence and wall; it was bad times” he said. Luckily we had a peaceful revolution and the only time no blood was shed in a revolutioc. Now we still have a big challenge to bring together and integrate both societies (east and west).”
“For the East German, the word ‘freedom’ is hard to understand,” T. Mueller said. “It’s hard to grasp the freedom to think and the freedom to travel.”
Even though they were in East Germany, they knew of freedom in the USA. But Administrator Mueller says there are still challenges.
“It might be one more generation before people here realize that freedom is a responsibility,” he said. “And that people have to believe in themselves and not think the government should provide them everything.
Fellow blog
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on September 28, 2010
Be sure to follow along with Sarah Wilson’s blog of our fellowship at http://farmeronamission.blogspot.com
Fendt-astic
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on September 28, 2010
Fendt is a German-based tractor manufacturer that is very popular in Europe. It started in 1930 with the Diesel Horse. AGCO acquired the brand in 1997. The main headquarters and manufacturing plant is in Marktoberdorf. There are 2,400 employees at the main site, and an additional 1,100 at another site that makes the cabs. They market to the “professional farmer” using a tractor more thanter 800 hours per year. And with an average of 5,000 parts in a tractor, the process is very technologically advanced as only 800 of those employees are actually on the production line. After a guided tour, we met with Sepp Nuscheler, the director of advertising and public relations for the Fendt brand.
Overall, AGCO sees $6.6 billion in revenue, while Europe has 57% of their market share and North America has 22%. The four core brands are Challenger, Fendt, Massey Ferguson, and Valtra.
At the plant, every tool has an electronic chip that counts the usage hours so they can dispose of it. It is the same philosophy that airplane manufacturers use; they don’t wait for it to break.
The employees are organized in a union and work in 3 shifts: 6-2, 2-10, 10-6. The main enemy iat the plant is dust, which is why the entire facility was spotless. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures of the production process. Each year they hire 25 trainees to become skilled workers They go through a 3.5 year training process. Trainees wear blue uniforms and skilled workers wear green.
Each day they produce 82 tractors of 4 types according to orders from the farmers. They only take orders for equipment. No excess is sent to dealers for selling on the lot, and there is no storage room on the lot at the plant. Every machine gets shipped the day it’s “born” to it’s new owner.
The first stage of production begins with rear axle production, then clutch followed by transmission. The only piece not made by Fendt is the engine, which has been made by competitor Deutz since 1950.
With tractors over 50 hp, Fendt and John Deere usually battle for the top spot in European market. For tractors over 200 hp, Fendt is the overwhelming market leader.
Three years ago, Fendt started making a forage harvester, with a rear axle suspension to drive 40 kph. It’s chopping unit has the largest drum on the market.
With tough environmntal standards, they have implemented SCR (selective catalytic reduction). It captures particles and traps emissions while also reducing fuel consumption by up to 7%. The buildings on the plant site are set up to capture heat from each machine and puts it back into the buildings, which 70% of their heating comes from.
Our host for 5 days in Bavaria was Martin Wunderlich, 2009 German McCloy Fellow, and General Counsel of the Bavarian Farmers Association, with more than 160,000 farmer-members. We both think Segen would enjoy this ele-fendt.
After the tour, I was fortunate to be able to test drive their 700 series on the dealer’s test track. Quite a quiet and smooth ride. Keep any eye on the US market the next few years – you might be seeing another green tractor in the fields.
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on September 23, 2010
Wilkommen en Bayern (Bavaria)
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on September 23, 2010
urer
click here to watch video of sights and sounds of ag in the Alps
Veggies
Posted By suttonj@kfb.org on September 21, 2010
Geil Farm is a large vegetable producer, growing triple crops of radishes, butterhead lettuce, lamb’s lettuce, squash, and onions. And with rainfall at 30% more than the annual average so far this year, they haven’t needed to irrigate as much. The company is split into 3 entities (growing/production, packaging, and marketing). And because of the proximity to France, they have sold 49% of the marketing entity to a French company. With a total of 400 workers who harvest everything by hand, the company provides on-site housing, similar to H2A, but do not provide meals. Again, most of the laborers are Polish or Romanian. In addition to their own crops, they also buy vegetables from five other farmers.
Later in the day we visited a historic farm.Herr Doktor Von Heyl is an area farmer whose farm dates back 2,000 years ago to Roman times. The name of the farm is Noninghof (House of Nuns) because it was created as cloister for nuns to make money. In the 1840s his family purchased the farm from the church as an investment from their leather shop in Worms. Until after WWII, the family rented out parts of the farm to be farmed. Today, they farm all of it but share machinery, land, and labor with neighbor farmers. Because most of the buildings on the farm were built between 1600 and 1800, they are protected under special government authority. So Mr. Von Heyl is unable to use some of the building he owns the way he wants for his farm. Just like with historical preservation in the US, he needs permission to make any changes, such as windows, etc. Low interest loans are available to him for such improvements, but he chooses not to because he wants a say in what is put in. On the other side, it is good for Mr. Von Heyl because many area companies would like his land, like BASF, but it is all protected “viewscape”. His crops are split in thirds: potatoes, sugar beets, and wheat.
Currently they are harvesting potatoes, which are contracted to Intersnack, which is one of the largest potato chip manufacturers in Europe. This year he locked in his contracted price for potatoes at 120 euros per metric ton, but the current market price is 230 euros per metric tons. I’m sure everylem farmer can relate.
This year the potatoes are coming in too wet and muddy, and with a clay-based soil, it’s causing problems. Same problem with too much moisture with the onions. After they are dug, they will go into a storage bin that keeps 1,000 metric tons until next spring at a cooler temperature, which keeps the sugar content down.