Standing Up For Production Agriculture
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
Taking swipes at the way production agriculture grows food today seems to be a popular topic for columnist and others of the media. Nicholas Kristof supposedly went home to visit his Oregon roots and penned a column for the New York Times, “Food For The Soul” taking agricultural producers to task for their efficient, “factory farming” ways, supposedly pumping food products with chemicals and animals with medicines they don’t need and causing untold damage by not caring enough.
“Not so fast!” Mr. Kristof, Missouri hog producer Chris Chinn responded. We’re getting just a little bit sick and tired of this stuff writers are peddling in their quest of reshaping the way American food is produced. Social engineering must not require a lot of factual linkages. Off-hand observations without truth seem to be the mode that those promoting a Norman Rockwell-like agricultural system prefer.
Unfortunately, those who buy food and who have become very disconnected with agricultural production may not be aware of the misstated and irresponsible accounts of modern agricultural production. This is why it is as critical as it has become to have advocates like Chris Chinn, Trent Loos, Troy Hadrick and others who aren’t going to take besmirching their way of life and business enterprises lightly.
As farmers and ranchers they understand that setting the record straight is a responsibility that can’t be left to others.
Thank you to those who make such efforts and who refuse to knuckle under to those who promote an anti-agriculture agenda.
Taking swipes at the way production agriculture grows food today seems to be a popular topic for columnist and others of the media. Nicholas Kristof supposedly went home to visit his Oregon roots and penned a column for the New York Times, “Food For The Soul” taking agricultural producers to task for their efficient, “factory farming” ways, supposedly pumping food products with chemicals and animals with medicines they don’t need and causing untold damage by not caring enough.
“Not so fast!” Mr. Kristof, Missouri hog producer Chris Chinn responded. We’re getting just a little bit sick and tired of this stuff writers are peddling in their quest of reshaping the way American food is produced. Social engineering must not require a lot of factual linkages. Off-hand observations without truth seem to be the mode that those promoting a Norman Rockwell-like agricultural system prefer.
Unfortunately, those who buy food and who have become very disconnected with agricultural production may not be aware of the misstated and irresponsible accounts of modern agricultural production. This is why it is as critical as it has become to have advocates like Chris Chinn, Trent Loos, Troy Hadrick and others who aren’t going to take besmirching their way of life and business enterprises lightly.
As farmers and ranchers they understand that setting the record straight is a responsibility that can’t be left to others.
Thank you to those who make such efforts and who refuse to knuckle under to those who promote an anti-agriculture agenda.
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