I spoke recently with Chuck Hubbert, from MFA, about a topic we’d both been thinking about a lot lately. Many of you fear coming changes in agriculture policy, and the impact of PETA and the HSUS on your business. Worse, you feel your hands are tied to really have a voice in doing anything to influence the public.
As Chuck and I visited, we both agreed, farmers don’t realize the impact they can have. Do you stay at your farm 100 percent of the time? I’m bettin’ not. You probably go to church with some “city folk”, have coffee with a few of ‘em every now and then, too.
Well I want to encourage you to speak up and be vocal about the positive points of agriculture every chance you get. Your doctor probably isn’t a farmer. You’ve heard of seven degrees of separation – everyone in the world is connected by seven people they know. Well, don’t forget about that when it comes to you being worried that the “good story” of agriculture isn’t being told. Your cousin who moved off the farm 30 years ago, call him up, tell him about your fears that people don’t understand agriculture, that they don’t understand where their food comes from. Then tell him to tell his friends the good story of agriculture. Don’t forget to tell people that abused livestock won’t make you any money. You have to take care of your animals, not only because you know it’s the right thing to do, but also because your livestock are your business. If you don’t take care of them, you’re not going to make any money when it comes time to sell them.
Look for articles in Ozarks Farm & Neighbor in the issues to come. We’re going to be looking at ways to advance the positive message of agriculture. It’s up to us, no one’s going to do it for us. And we all know our livelihood depends on a positive message of agriculture being told.
I’m telling my friends, are you?
God Bless,
