I am NOT a farmer. Our livelihood, however, depends on the American farmer. If they didn’t raise the crops that we harvest, we would have no reason to do what we do.
The food I purchase from the grocery store, prepare in my home or eat from a restaurant comes from…the farmer. And for this, I say thank you, dear farmer! Anti-Ag continues to tell the public what you are not. I personally see what you ARE.
I see people who have lived on the same land for generations. I see people who work the land and sometimes struggle year after year. I see someone who loves what they do with a passion not mirrored by many industries. The farmer will do whatever it takes to make it through one more year based on the faith that next year will be better. I see the love of family and of country. I see multi-generations working together for one common cause – to provide us with the food we need to exist.
Anti-Ag wants to paint a picture of farmers/farming providing us with the unhealthy choice. The one question that continues to spin in my head is, “Why would someone who LOVES what they do so much intentionally jeopardize their livelihood?” Most farmers have the next generation of farmers waiting to take over where they leave off. I personally see the same love of land and way of life in the eyes of 10-year-old kids wanting to one day take over where dad and grandpa left off. Please, Anti-Ag, explain to me in common sense language why a farmer would want to ruin something so good.
Did you know that 96% of the 2,000,000+ farms are family owned?
The vast majority of farms and ranches in the United States are family owned and operated. USDA classifies family farms as “any farm organized as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or family corporation. Family farms exclude farms organized as nonfamily corporations or cooperatives, as well as farms with hired managers” (USDA, Economic Research Service 2007Family Farm Report). Under this definition, the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s 2007 Census of Agriculture reported that family farms account for almost 96 percent of the 2,204,792 farms in the United States. (USDA website)
Definition of “family farm” according to Merriam-Webster, ” a farm on which the farmer and members of his family do a substantial part of the work”.
Generations of family on the same land doing the same work to feed an ever increasing world population. And why would they do something that would jeopardize this way of life? Why would they feed the same food products they grow to their family if it weren’t safe? Those of us who live and work with farmers don’t understand the negativity the anti-farm groups want the public to believe.
A couple of days ago, a blog post by “The Adventures of…Dairy Carrie” caused quite a stir within the Ag world. Panera Bread has a new marketing campaign which insinuates that farmers and ranchers are lazy. Make sure and click on the link to Dairy Carrie’s blog and read about Panera Bread’s “all natural, antibiotic-free” chicken campaign. I, along with a lot of others, will not step foot in their stores again. If I want a sandwich (much like the ones I make every day for my lunch in the field) I will purchase the ingredients and eat it at home.
So, while continuing to read the buzz that Dairy Carrie has created with her post, I ran across the following Culver’s marketing campaign. I warn you, Anti-Ag groups, you are NOT going to like this! I love it and hope the positive, pat-on-the-back you, dear farmer, deserve is circulated just as much or more than the Anti-Ag, anti-farmer campaign.
“Culver’s wouldn’t be what it is today without the family farms that grow and produce the wholesome, delicious food we so proudly serve.
From the cattle ranches of the Great Plains to the dairy farms of Wisconsin and south to Georgia’s chicken country, it’s important to us to make sure farm families across the nation clearly see how thankful we are for their hard work and dedication. Our big, blue barn is just one of many ways we’re showing our gratitude.”
The following video was uploaded to YouTube only eight days ago. Have you seen it?
Thank you Culvers! I will be supporting you whenever I can. And thank you too, dear farmer, for producing the quality food I eat every single day!
I could not agree with you more. While there are a few bad apples in every situation, farmers I know would never do anything to jeopardize their way of life. They love it to much to shoot themselves in the foot. The problem is education and too many people’s disassociation with agriculture. Even in my home county here in Nebraska, there are kids today that don’t know where their food comes from. That is scary. I am proud to have grown up on a farm and am able to work with Ag producers every day. I am also very proud that my children know where their food comes from because they know Ag. My parents just took some calves to butcher yesterday. I told my oldest daughter about it and her response was, “I can’t wait until thy are done. I bet it tastes good!” It made me smile.
Spot-on! Education is exactly what this country needs. Unfortunately, it appears the public would still choose to see the farmer and the farming practices as evil and I just don’t understand. Do they not realize that when it’s impossible for the farmer to do his job and he is forced to quit our food supply will be outsourced to other countries? And worse yet, when they realize what damage is done and they want all the farmers to come back and feed them, it’ll be too late. I feel sorry for our future generations unless people begin to wake up – soon! We live in rural Nebraska, as well, but they still have no understanding even of what we do in the summer. Those of us who have children who do know their food doesn’t just appear on the grocery store shelves are lucky! Thanks for leaving a comment, Anthony!