I think Earth Day in the past has left a bad taste in most farmers’
mouths because activists tend to use this day as a platform and a launch pad
for their attacks on innovation and progress in the Ag industry. I can’t blame
farmers in some ways. Animal and anti-GMO
activists are like that annoying mosquito who would rather be flattened with a
belly full of your blood, than to have the sense to get what they need, leave a
mark and move on to their next victim. See the latest on HSUS here, here and here.
So on a day when a farmer should truly be celebrated, they
get eaten alive by people who have zero experience cultivating the land or
raising livestock. That can leave
quite a lasting mark on someone who is typically very proud of their
livelihood.
A beautiful evening during the 2014 planting season. |
Even so, today is a day that is supposed to celebrate all of
the resources we have the responsibility to care for, and I am proud to say
that my family is a part of an industry and a population that is achieving the
highest production in human history on less land all the while leaving a
smaller footprint on the environment, nurturing our resources for the next
generation and keeping our animals as comfortable and content as possible.
Very few professions are as in tune with and care as much
for our earth as farmers do. They wouldn’t
be in the business or successful at it if they didn’t. And with the vast majority of farms being
family operated, farmers want to pass their heritage and livelihood down to the
next generation in better shape than how they received it.
You can’t improve without innovation and progress. And sometime change like that can be scary. I’ve always been of the mindset that it’s
good to question as it means your mind is working and you are thinking for
yourself. The only thing I ask of you is
to look closely at your source of information, carefully discern what is news
and what is opinion and talk to an expert before making up your mind.
I'm looking forward to Bobcat rides around our waterways again this summer! |
As for me and my family, it’s a treat to be a part of this
innovation and progress. We are thankful
for the blessings God has bestowed on us and we take seriously our
responsibility to leave the Earth in better shape for the next generation. Happy Earth Day, everyone!
Until next time,
Katie