Why Can’t We All Be Friends?
Posted: January 8, 2010
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) First Vice President Bart Schott did a great “Our View” column this past week about why there should be no conflict between “traditional” and organic farmers. He writes:
As a farmer, having marketing choices and diversity is not only a good idea; it is essential to profitability. It also gives consumers options. In that respect, organic farming is no different than agritourism, specialty grains or a host of novel and creative ideas that make farming a vital and evolving profession.
He says the alleged conflict between the two types of farming practices reminds him of a song from the musical Oklahoma! – “The Farmer and the Cowman Should be Friends.” I would say that goes for all of agriculture. Crop and livestock producers should be friends, organic and traditional farmers should be friends, liberal and conservative farm groups should be friends, etc. We are all in this together. Creating division within our fragile industry that makes up only a small fraction of the general public that we serve only makes us more vulnerable to attack on the legislative, policy and public opinion fronts. Like the song says, “Territory folks should stick together, Territory folks should all be pals.” Agriculture is our territory – let’s stick together!
Here is a YouTube video of “The Farmer and the Cowman” from the original motion picture version of Oklahoma!
Kathy Said,
January 8, 2010 @ 10:21 pm
If organic farming is no different then why isn’t the government subsidising them and making these healthier crops more readily available to the public? this country needs to increase organic farming and this will require help from the government. You shouldn’t have to be wealthy to eat organic foods. You would certainly agree with that.
Bob Parkhurst Said,
January 10, 2010 @ 2:35 pm
Crop and livestock producers should be friends, organic and traditional farmers should be friends, liberal and conservative farm groups should be friends, etc.
There is a difference that makes it difficult for the sides to see eye-to-eye. Industrial, monoculture farmers see themselves as in a business — their chief goal is to make money and they will use politics, lobbying, the media, or whatever it takes to do that.
The organic farmers do what they do because of belief and unbridled passion. They see it as a question of lifestyle, and while making money is necessary to stay in business, it’s not their driving motivation.
And then there are the actual family farmers who are caught somewhere in between.
Dan Cooper Said,
January 17, 2010 @ 7:56 pm
Good points about the ag subsidies Kathy. For example, if I raised cherries in Michigan or on Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula, I wouldn’t qualify for any subsidies. The entire ag subsidy program is out of whack and reflects more about politics and the power of the Big Ag lobbyists than it does reality — or benefit to consumers.
Why are organic farms — as well as fruit and vegetable farms — excluded from the same subsidy programs that benefit those farmers who raise commodity crops such as corn, soy, rice, and cotton?