Over the past year Illinois farmers feel that they have been very well behaved. We have worked diligently to once again feed the world while making several changes to help our environment, protect the safety of our consumers, and produce high quality products. In fact, America’s corn farmers have cut soil erosion forty-four percent by using innovative conservation tillage methods! As far as yields are concerned, nationwide there has been a twenty percent increase since the year 2000. We hope that you will please take our Christmas list into consideration and do whatever you can to help us make the best better in the agricultural industry. Have a Merry Christmas!
Yours Truly,
Illinois Corn
1. Free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama.
2. Corn based ethanol to be allowed to qualify as an advanced biofuel.
3. Upgraded locks and dams.
4. Consumer trust in the American farmer.
The family farmers Illinois Corn represents are misunderstood.
Ninety-eight percent of farmers are family farmers and two percent are corporate farmers. However, the general public would tell you the opposite. Over the past two decades, corn farmers have cut soil erosion by forty-four percent using innovative conservation methods. American consumers will tell you we are destroying the land. Americans spend approximately ten percent of their annual income on food while other countries spend up to seventy percent of their annual income. Yet, the general public is encouraging new laws and regulations that will run our American farmers out of business forcing us to import food.
While I hate to bore you with facts, they have the capacity to change the entire outlook of our industry. The only problem is that the facts are not reaching our consumers.
Everyday United States farmers fight the battle to protect their image in the public eye. Due to groups and organizations such as PeTA, the Humane Society of the US, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, and even the Environmental Protection Agency, our battle is getting harder every day. While these groups are attempting to dismantle our industry, farmers are quietly continuing to feed the world, which, if you know any farmers, is our way.
Growing up in the grass roots of production agriculture, I have strong feelings on this issue. Over the past year through my internship with Illinois Corn my eyes have truly been opened. As a Tazewell County farmer’s daughter, former 4-H queen, and an Illinois State Ag Major, I was not aware of the depth of the criticism the agriculture industry was receiving every minute of every day … and I’m taking offense.
My dad does not work an eight to five job. During harvest and planting seasons my mom, sister, and I make meals for the farm hands, help move guys from field to field, run for parts when we have unexpected breakdowns, and are prepared to jump into any piece of machinery at a moment’s notice. Throughout the summer, my dad spends sleepless nights running irrigation systems that allow us to grow crops in fields that we would otherwise not be able to utilize. Every farm family in the United States could tell the same story; we work hard because we love what we do. In fact, feeding the world comes naturally to us and we take a great deal of pride in the family farms our ancestors developed decades ago.
More and more farmers are beginning to understand that quietly feeding the world isn’t going to fix this issue and they are learning to utilize social media to talk about the truth on their farm. For others, though they are independent people that enjoy quiet and solitude, they are inviting school groups for farm tours to prove they are transparent. This is the hard part – how do we convince people who love peace and quiet, who are independent business owners, and who just want to be proud of their family farm legacy to work together with consumers, listen, and take harsh criticisms without being defensive?
Santa, we need your help. Farmers will have to go against years of tradition and become better communicators who are transparent about their businesses. Consumers will have to understand more about farm life and who farmers really are.
What a daunting task.
Illinois State University Student
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