Family Farmers a Model of Efficiency
Posted: July 29, 2009
This is the time of year when many agricultural groups provide some subtle education on our profession in the form of feeding the public. While many environmental groups, animal rights groups, global petroleum interests and others spread misinformation about family farmers, maybe the best answer is to simply “spread the table.”
Just this morning one of these breakfasts was held and the intent is to charge the attendees only the amount of money the farmer receives for producing the bounty on their plate. This year a hefty plate of eggs, bacon (both corn-fed no doubt), pancakes and milk cost a whopping .45 cents.
A dollar on the table covered this unbelievable breakfast for two people. Keep the tip! Given the high quality, safety, selection, and abundance of food in this nation it makes one wonder what critics of agriculture really want, when a thank you and perhaps an antacid would seem the appropriate response.
Today, it takes 25 cents of corn to produce a pound of beef; 32 cents to produce a pound of pork, and 36 cents for a dozen eggs.
In the case of American corn farmers, we are five-times more productive today than we were in the 1930s (on 20% less land), and worldwide farmers are producing enough crops to feed twice as many people as they did in 1950 on the same amount of land. All this is being done thanks to an environmentally friendly combination of technology and innovation.
Agriculture may be the greatest story never told. Ok, some people are trying to tell it, but good luck bringing a good news story to the attention of the American public. Cutting through the information clutter and getting the attention of a public worried by the economy and health care seems nearly insurmountable, especially when the vast majority of citizens are still seeing full shelves and paychecks sufficient to put food on the table.
At least today, in a small corner of the world dozens of well fed citizens in one city started their day knowing more about farmer’s true contribution to our food supply and quality of life. Let’s hope the message sticks and they become evangelists who take the time to educate their urban cousins.