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Michigan governor needs to decide how she feels about ag

Picture this: The governor of a state where the second largest industry is agriculture decides to declare National Agriculture Day as her state’s “Meat-out Day.”

I wish I were joking, but I’m not. This was the buzz recently, and it had Aggies in Michigan ticked off. The governor recently signed a proclamation declaring March 20 as Michigan Meat-out Day.

This is the same Gov. Granholm who thought that slashing extension would be a good place to start with her budget cuts. It is difficult to imagine any governor pulling the rug out from under one of the most valuable industries, but the FOOD sector? Seriously?
If she had attacked the largest industry in our state, the auto industry, I think she would have feared for her life; the UAW doesn’t take kindly to being undermined, and she is now finding out that the ag industry doesn’t like it either.

When the Michigan Meat-out Day was declared, the word spread like wildfire across the social media venues, and before dawn the next day Gov. Granholm knew she was in the middle of war with livestock producers in her state.

By noon the president of Michigan Farm Bureau was on the radio condemning her actions. The Michigan Milk Producers Assoc. were informed in the middle of a board meeting and before the day was done, had drafted their response to the governor, while ag types on Facebook and Twitter were sounding the alarm, making fan pages. And bloggers were blogging, of course.

Within hours, thousands of supporters across the country were storming into Michigan’s cyberspace to stand behind our livestock producers. Phone calls and e-mails from Michiganders and out-of-staters rolled in. It took less than 48 hours before Gov. Granholm took her pen and signed another proclamation stating that March 20 would be named Michigan Agriculture Day, admonishing everyone to partake in all of the commodities produce in Michigan.
Her first proclamation read this way: Now, Therefore, be it Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, governor of the state of Michigan, do hereby proclaim March 20, 2010, Michigan Meat-out Day in Michigan. In observance of this day, I encourage the residents of this state to choose not to eat meat.  Eating a healthy diet can be fun. Explore the different recipes that can be created by using fresh ingredients and by having a sense of adventure.

Her second proclamation read: Now, Therefore, be it Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, governor of the state of Michigan, do hereby proclaim March 20, 2010, Michigan Agriculture Day, and encourage people throughout the state of Michigan to partake in the abundance of Michigan’s agricultural commodities.

So I pose this question: Has the woman absolutely lost her mind? Or does she just sign anything that crosses her desk without thought or consequence?

Her double-proclaiming is confusing, and I think she needs to make up her mind on this one; it’s got to be one or the other. We’re not supposed to eat meat, but we are supposed to eat Michigan commodities?

Please. I only have a bachelor’s degree in animal science and ag communications, livestock producers only know how to produce the highest quality meats for human consumption while running their own business, taking more risks than any Wall Street banker, all while being conservationists, mechanics, veterinarians, husbands, wives, mothers and fathers.

Please, Gov. Granholm, don’t confuse us – we don’t have time or the patience for this. Which is it? Meat or no meat? Riding the fence isn’t recommended.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.

3/30/2010