It is Time We Channel Our Energies
By Trent Loos
Last week, I spent two days at Husker Harvest Days near Grand Island, NE. Typical of any event in the Plains region, I had the pleasure of meeting several High Plains Journal subscribers. One reader’s comment really stuck in my head. At first I took it as a pat on the back but upon further reflection I am not sure I can take any of the credit at all. The reader said, “I used to read the High Plains Journal just to look at the classifieds but the editorial content has improved so much in the past few years that is why read it today.”
I must tell you that since I began a crusade to educate consumers about United States food producers, I have witnessed some very unbelievable things. 2004 will be recorded as one the best years in history for most farmers and ranchers financially, yet I see some real problems ahead.
I have had 6th grade school teachers tell me they are converting students to veganism because it can’t be healthy for kids to eat meat that has gotten its flavor from the urine that it is soaked in.
A 7th grade teacher told me about training kids to become animal rights activists. They walk the streets of New York City every weekend passing out brochures on the benefits of plant-based diets.
High school students from farming communities in Iowa have teachers that threaten their classes with failing grades if they speak up for animal agriculture.
Farming parents have called me to find out why their first graders are bringing home fund-raising paraphernalia from organizations that aim to transition our world to a meatless society.
Farmers that have listened to one of my presentations have walked into their local classrooms only to find that most teachers don’t know any more about the origin of their food than the kids they are teaching.
I could go on and on about the thousands of groups like PETA who brag about influencing 2.3 million school children each year with classroom-ready handouts.
Today, 3% of our nation’s population claims to live a meatless life. Let me remind you that the meatless now outnumber the food producers two to one! And it is not all about reducing the number of people who consume our beef products. It is about the average consumer who refrains from eating meat but isn’t content with that being just their personal life choice so they become politically active and attempt to create laws that force the remaining 97% of our population to join their campaign.
By now I am sure you are wondering how the preceding comments are relevant to the issue of editorials in the HPJ. In the Sept 20, 2004 edition, Jennifer Latzke wrote a tremendous article called “Fourth Graders discover ag through field day”. I am willing to bet that not one single letter-to-the-editor will appear endorsing this approach as the greatest need in all of agriculture.However, I am sure that the letters about Holly Martin’s Aug 23, 2004 editorial (Having it both ways) are still streaming in. My hat is off to Holly for printing what see believes. For the same reasons she asked me to be a part of this industry-leading paper, she was willing to print words that she knew would ignite frustration from the individuals who want to romanticize the heritage of American agriculture rather than seek productive solutions to ensure the future of the industry.
No single issue threatens agriculture more than the “divide and conquer” tactic we seem to be executing for the benefit of our opponents. These “small picture” issues that we squabble about will only be put to bed when someone is willing to take a stand. Someone must be willing to print the things that others may not want to hear in order to generate dialogue. For decades we have ignored and been unwilling to address the issues generated by groups like PETA. Look where it has gotten us!
My hope lies in the fact that when we in food production come together and unite our focus on groups that are affecting the mindset of our nation’s future consumers, there is no carrot-killing, tofu-eating, raw milk promoter that has a chance if we can channel our energies in the right direction.
