Yes farmers are an endangered species but not for the reasons most will imagine.
A reflection on a real life couple as they suffer a setback in their farm careers.
So here is the tale
I heard a sad story the other day about a farm family and a set back in their farm careers. A young family man who had been building a great cowherd had to sell all his cows. I will let you speculate a while as to the cause of the disaster. Let me describe the family. The couple met at one of our great land grant universities. He from one of the small places in our country, so small even those in Forgottonia think it is small. She considered herself a city girl, but actually she was from a very small town. They were from dedicated educated families, the best of farm families. The kind that head up church events, Farm Bureau committees, local volunteer groups, school boards; the Paul Harvey image of farm families. Paul Harvey’s farmer tribute dusted off for a Dodge Ram Super Bowl commercial is a little more centered in 1950’s -60’s than today. It is still true that many of those solid family farmers do exist, just many fewer of them. The full time farm population is about 500,000, depending upon how you define full time, in today’s America of 300,000,000. Many farmers in my boyhood farmed on 200 to 400 acres, now 2000 to 4000 acres is more typical of full time farm families. This young family seemed to be making it work, even in an age where fewer are offered the opportunity to choose to farm.
They are strong active members in their local United Methodist church. I know this family best through their active participation in our church. He has once again become an ag-educator; she still continues her witty blog while taking a leave from her job. She has new twin daughters, a month old, to take some of her time along with four other children. All six children are under ten, possibly less than 8 years old. Time moves along children grow up fast. It is hard to keep track. They were wonderfully farm: 4-H, FFA, Farm Bureau, and Extension types. A couple so picture perfect; ag-corporations would salivate to be able to use them as props for their ads.
I just need to insert I do not think Monsanto is evil. I think the GMO debate is mostly nonsense. I think corporations are amoral; they love to hide behind real people in ads and in their lobbyist's arguments. They will twist science for profit, this is why independent fact based regulation is essential.
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