I recently made a round-trip flight from Grand Island, Neb., To Cleveland for a board meeting of the National Corn Growers Association. I grow corn and soybeans and run a cow calf and background farm with my husband Paul on our PG Farms Inc. in central Nebraska. I’m also on the board of directors at NCGA.
As for decades, I’ve chosen a window seat for my flight. The view of our world from thousands of meters above our planet brings new insights and brings the perspective “we are together” home, no matter where we are at home.
As I descended into the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I looked out the window and wondered what my life would be like if I lived in the middle of downtown Dallas-Fort Worth. As a consumer, how would I get truthful information to make smart food, fuel, and fiber choices?
What concerns would I have about the environment and natural resources? How many generations back in my family would I find a farmer or rancher and would I have any memories of being on the family farm or ranch? What agricultural knowledge would I have and how could I learn more about agriculture when I am in the middle of Dallas-Fort Worth?
Understand Ag
Many describe agricultural education as a person who understands how agriculture works. It’s more than understanding where food comes from. It’s deeper. It’s an understanding of who grows them, as well as the impact agriculture has on the environment, economy, technology, lifestyle, and its relationship with livestock.
Improving our nation’s agricultural education is critical to our freedom to carry on for generations to come the life we love on our farms and ranches.
Our urban cousins pay attention to the groceries they buy, the fuel they use, and the purchases they make. Your requirements are driving trends in the production of food, fuels and fibers. This comes at a time when many consumers are three or more generations away from the farm and ranch.
Farmers and ranchers make up only 1.3% of the working US population, a total of about 2.6 million people. There are about 2 million farms in the U.S. today – far from 7 million in 1935.
According to the US Census Bureau, rural areas make up 97% of our US landmass and contain 19.3% of our population, which is in decline. Urban areas make up only 3% of the total US land mass and have 80% of our population that is increasing. Our nation is becoming more urban. Now is the time to bring the farm and ranch to our urban cousins.
Communication skills
Farmers and ranchers have special skills and knowledge, and there was a day when no one thought of sharing the daily activities of farming and ranching. Today it is different. We need to add communication to the list of special skills we have on our farm or ranch.
I like to use the word “advocacy”. Our lobbying can give our urban cousins a “lifeline” for agriculture, which in turn will improve agricultural education.
Advancement of agricultural education through advocacy can take many forms. Resource & Livestock Organizations, Farm Bureau, Common Ground, and the Nebraska LEAD program are fantastic places to hone your skills and share ideas on how to share the history of what you do and the reasons why you do it.
Social media, speaking opportunities, farm visits, face-to-face and online conversations, and hosting events all help share truthful farming stories. Research shows that farmers enjoy a high level of trust in public – a once in a lifetime opportunity. Let’s use it wisely.
It is up to all of us in agriculture to find a way to stand up for the life we love and cherish. Our urban cousins are counting on us.
Gangwish is a graduate of LEAD class 28.
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