I’m Glad I Know Where My Food Comes From

I don’t about you all, but I love to eat.   I’ll admit, eating is one of my favorite hobbies.  In fact, I’m enjoying a hot sausage and egg sandwich as I’m writing this (and the grease on my computer keys proves it).  I also enjoy the fact that while I am eating, I know where my food comes from.  I know the hog farmer that spent countless hours and money maintaining proper herd health and while providing his hogs with the proper nutrition, facilities and medications that they needed.  I enjoy the fact that the eggs I fixed came from my own barn.  I also know that the bread I carefully toasted to perfection to complete my sandwich came from the fields of a well-educated grain farmer. 

 

Growing up on a farm, I had always assumed everyone understood the source of food products.  However, the older I get the more I realize how wrong I was in that assumption.  While many of us do realize the hard work, time and money that is invested in producing our food, sadly there are people that do not understand where their food comes from.  Unfortunately too many of those people would rather believe what they read on social media or listen to bogus rumors about their food sources instead of taking the time to do their research and educate themselves about their food.  If our generation claims to be so health conscious, then I would expect more people to believe the real facts about farming and food production rather than what they read on social media. 

 

We are so fortunate in the United States to have the safest food supply.   Our farmers have the most stringent regulations on grain, fruit, vegetable and animal production put on them by the USDA and FDA.  Even with all the rules, regulations, testing and research that goes into our food, we still pay less for groceries than any other country in the world.  That means our farmers make less from each dollar sold in the grocery than any others.  Yet still, people want to publically criticize farmers and tell them how to do their job. 

 

Not only are our farmers having to jump through hoops for the government rules and regulations, but they are constantly having to attend educational programming and educated themselves on technology, safe uses of pesticides and herbicides, seed varieties, parasite control, marketing, environmental issues, water quality management, business managements and several other important facets of the industry.  Within the Cooperative Extension Service alone, we offer several educational programming for all producers, many which are mandatory such as Pesticide Certification, Beef Quality Assurance, Pork Quality Assurance, and GAP (Good Agricultural Practices).

 

Next time you are led to believe that our food isn’t safe for consumption or you get frustrated because you get behind a tractor on the road, just take a minute to stop and think about what all our farmers do to make sure that your grocery store is stocked with a food supply for you to purchase.  Be thankful that farmers take their job so seriously that they put endless hours into producing and marketing the “product of our toil”, and they care enough to make sure they continuously educated themselves on all facets of the agricultural industry.  They really are a “Jack of All Trades” and deserve our appreciation for all the time, hard work and money they invest in providing all of us with a safe food supply. 

I doubt that you could find a better humanitarian, environmental steward and animal caretaker than a farmer.  So farmers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing me and my family with a safe food supply.  I appreciate you and all that you do to protect consumers and meet all of our needs. 

 

If you would like more information on educational programming provided by the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service, please call 273-3690.