She then asked me if I was a farmer, and I said, “Yes, I raise cattle, hay and chickens.” Then, she asked, “Are you one of those factory farmers?” There it is — that question based on a lack of understanding at best or a bias against modern agriculture at worst.

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Eric and Megan Scheller received the Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture award from Indiana Farm Bureau for their involvement in agriculture and leadership abilities. The couple farms corn, soybeans and wheat in Vanderburgh County. Eric grew up on the family farm, where he helped his father grow row crops. He was an active FFA member. “There are always opportunities and challenges that come along with farming,” Eric said. “I enjoy the overall experience of raising crops and being involved with day-to-day operations.” In addition to being a farmer, he also is a diesel technology instructor. Megan serves their rural community as a nurse and is working toward a master’s degree in nursing.

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African swine fever virus is a highly contagious disease that spreads rapidly in pig populations. It has no impact on people, so pork remains safe to consume. To help keep the United States ASFV-free and protect the country’s pigs, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the National Pork Board awarded $535,780 to research teams at Kansas State University and Iowa State University to study how ASFV survives and how to test pigs for the virus. ASFV has existed in Africa for decades. However, the virus is spreading due to changing production practices and increasing globalization.

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