If you watch the show "Dirty Jobs" on Discovery Channel, you know the name Mike Rowe, the host who shadows people doing jobs most folks don't see on a regular basis. What you might not know is the respect he has for the American farmer, as shown in an editorial recently posted on his website.
In it, Rowe writes about how the modern farmer's technology rivals that of Silicon Valley, yet no one seems to notice. He also speaks of the importance the American farmer can play in producing food for the globe.
"What's more important than feeding a hungry planet and supporting the people who grow our food?" Rowe asks. "Every year we demand more and more from our farmers. More food from less land. More food from less energy. More food from less labor. And every year our farmers deliver."
He also talks, with some frustration, about how the term farmer has evolved into a stereotype most of the public doesn't connect with.
Sometimes, it's better to get something right late than never at all. In the case of agriculture, the time is now, and one organization is refocusing its attention in the right direction.
I am proud of our farmers and ranchers. They work hard. They put food on our table, clothes on our back, and fuel in our cars and trucks. But, today, our farmers and ranchers not only have to cope with unpredictable weather and unfair global markets, but they must also suffer from abuse on TV and in the newspapers from folks who really ought to know better than to bite the hand that feeds them. Our nation's farmers and ranchers need to know that they will never have to apologize to this Chairman or this Committee. We appreciate the work you do every day and we are on your side.
