5 things about food and farmers I wish everyone understood

My life if no one made assumptions about food production. 

Some days my enthusiasm for sharing agriculture’s story runs over, and then there are days I just want to stay in bed and pull the covers over my head. Some days I laugh at the things people believe about food and farmers, while I really want to pound my head against the wall.

It seems we are in a never ending battle, especially when we are up against Dr. Oz, the fitness guru du jour, or Facebook friend who shared an article.

However, I am convinced my job would be infinitely easier if every person understood a few key points:

1) The family farm is not dead. Despite what Willie Nelson wants you to believe, family farmers are alive and well. Some are large. Some are small. Some are incorporated. Unless it is a hobby, all true family farms are businesses interested in making a profit. The successful family farms have learned to adapt to changing markets and situations. Some grow to support more family members. Some do not. There are fewer farms producing our food, but let’s not assume that giant corporations have gobbled them up.

2) There is no such thing as hormone-free food. All living things produce hormones, and if our food once came from a living thing, plant or animal, we are ingesting hormones. Some food companies are marketing poultry and pork as “no hormones or steroids added,” which I believe adds to consumer confusion. All poultry and hogs are raised without the use of hormones and steroids, because it is illegal. I heard one mom say she would prefer to purchase brands labeled as such, but since they were more expensive, she had to purchase those that did have hormones. It makes me upset to think she feels guilty for her purchase. While hormones can be used in other animals like beef and dairy cattle, many do not realize that plant foods like soy, cabbage and others have exceedingly higher levels of hormones present. In fact, an 8 oz. serving of cabbage has 1,000 times more estrogen than an 8 oz. steak from a hormone implanted steer. Some point to hormones in food as the cause of early puberty in girls, but all the studies I have read says there is no correlation.

3) Farmers don’t want to use antibiotics, pesticides, and fertilizers. In a perfect world, farmers would not need to protect their crops and animals from disease and pests, and all soil would provide the perfect nutrition for maximum growth. But let’s be honest. That world does not exist in many places. Even organic farmers need to use some sort of control and yield boosting mechanisms. These products and the labor and energy required to apply them are expensive and reduce profit. Every farmer I have talked to uses every input as judiciously as possible. It just makes economic sense.

4) Today’s technology benefits the consumer and the environment. The thought of drones, huge planters and combines, genetic modification, and electronic pig feeders make those that long for the idyllic farm of yesteryear very nervous. Anyone who believes these technologies are only in place to make farms larger may be missing some other important benefits. When a farm of any size can be more efficient, it reduces their cost of production, and that savings is passed on to the consumer. Technology also works to reduce environmental impact. Farmers can now pinpoint specific areas of plants that need nutrition. Farmers are saving soil and reducing fuel use. Improved genetics are reducing chemical use. Improved technologies are being used by all size farms and farm types. Providing more affordable, safe, sustainable food is the ultimate goal of our farmers. I applaud the farmers that still want to invest more sweat equity into their operations, but let’s remember that we will have to pay for their added time.

5) Local, natural, organic, safe, etc. do not mean the same thing. I love that more people want to support their local farmers and it is providing more marketing opportunities, so I have a difficult time deciding if the assumption that local food is somehow infinitely “better” is benefiting or hurting our farm community. The food that is sold at the local farmers market may not be any more nutritious or safe than that produced by a farmer 500 miles away. Produce may taste better for sure, since it can get to market much faster. I also find it interesting that putting a face on our farmers makes people feel better about our food. Does the mom farmer toting her kids around the fields convince you that she is not using any pesticides? It works for many, and those of us in the farmer PR world are using that to our advantage. I encourage local. I encourage everyone to have conversations with our farmers to learn what certain labels mean. I encourage our farmers to be honest so people can make the best decisions for their families. What I don’t want to encourage is for anyone to assume that farmers who do not market direct to consumers are part of what’s wrong with the food system.

Now that my work is done, I think I'll take a nap. I really wish it were that easy. 

Playing on food emotions

I wrote the following for Michele Payn-Knoper's book No More Food Fights. I was thrilled to share how my experience talking to non-farmers has changed over the years. Learn more about the book and MPK's services by visiting http://www.causematters.com/farmfoodbook/. 

Like it or not, food is an emotional subject for many people. It can bring happiness and fond memories, but can also quite easily cause fear. Good or bad, a lot of people wanting to share information about food like to play on these emotions. Whether or not a person will internalize or act on the information they receive depends a lot on their individual experiences. Realizing that we don’t all think about food the same way was my breakthrough moment, and it significantly altered my approach to having food conversations.

I have worked in agricultural business for 15 years. For the longest time, I knew all the “right” things to say and found myself getting extremely frustrated when someone had an alternate opinion. One of my earliest memories of a food conversation happened on an airplane. I sat next to a woman who said she only purchased organic eggs. Unfortunately, I remember responding with some form of “that’s stupid” and people began to stare because my voice continued to get louder and louder.

Fast forward to a conversation 14 years later, I am again sitting on an airplane. I discover that the woman beside me shares my love for fashion and shoes, and I eventually find a way to drop in that I love my job working for farmers (yes, I definitely have a passion for what I do). She was then quick to tell me that she was a vegan. I didn’t get mad, and I didn’t jump to the conclusion that she had a mental disorder for not embracing my meat-eating culture.

We continued to have meaningful conversation. I learned that she grew up on a grain and beef cattle farm, but adopted her behaviors at a very young age because of her love for animals. I learned that she had friends who had serious health problems that doctors related to eating too much meat. I also learned that many vegans are careful to label their eating habits because other vegans are watching very closely and will be quick to call them on their mistakes. In the end she still told me she loved my leather shoes. I figured out that this was not the time to question someone’s eating habits. She had very personal reasons for making those choices. She was not quoting me facts she had heard, just sharing her experiences.

Today, I critically think about why there are so many differing opinions about food. I never make assumptions, and I ask questions instead of talking AT people. I also rarely lead my questions with “why” because it puts many people on the defensive if they think I am questioning their judgment. Once the conversation starts to move along, I start to share my experiences and make it clear that I feel a certain way because of my experiences. This opens so many doors for people to ask me questions, and many of those questions start with “why,” which I am glad to answer.

In the end, there may still be people who want to be vegans, or only buy organic, or continue to make daily trips to their favorite fast food restaurant. Our food system can meet all of these desires. I no longer believe it is my mission to change behaviors, but to just share some of my knowledge of agriculture and what farmers are doing. My daily goal is to erase fear one may have about food and hope that decisions will be made with a bit of understanding.