I seem to do a lot of preaching to the choir and while they like to agree with me, preaching to the congregation would be more effective, as one reader pointed out.

Let’s open the mailbag…

Once again your column contained some encouraging information. Unfortunately it is not getting to the people who need to hear it. You received your information from a trade-specific newsletter, in turn I received it from an agricultural oriented weekly newspaper. Farmers already know that most beef dairy and food is produced by conventional methods.

These messages need to start reaching the mainstream media or they are worthless. As we speak, a local dairy (whose owners happen to be friends of mine) are fighting a negative media blitz because of fish that may or may not have been killed by manure runoff that may or may not have come from their farm. These people always go out of their way to be good environmental stewards.

This may have been a freak accident caused by unpredictable weather conditions. Now their 200+- cow dairy is being labeled a factory farm and industrialized agriculture. Who will speak up for them? MMPA? Farm Bureau? MDA? Even if they did the information would only reach those of us who already know the truth about farms and farming. – T LaFrance

I agree with this reader whole-heartedly and am happy to report that just exactly what he wanted to see has happened. In a New York Times editorial called Food for the Soul written by columnist, Nicholas D. Kristof, he laments over his opinion that the food we eat is full of antibiotics, produced on factory farms and the farms have no souls to them anymore.

In his piece he longs for the diverse family farms that were chaotic but, in his opinion, produced healthier food for America. He claims the American farm is nothing more than lots of animals spewing out pollution and ending up as so-called food – a calorie factory, without any soul.

In response to his opinion, a farmer from Michigan called Kristof on the carpet in the following letter to the New York Times editor.

Dear Editor:

The Op-Ed piece titled “Food for the Soul” (Aug. 22) misrepresents agriculture today. I am a fifth generation family farmer, and I have first-hand, present-day knowledge of how a farm works. I farm because I love what I do, I love caring for my livestock, my land and providing safe food for my family, and your family.

Modern technology empowers farmers to better protect our environment and livestock so the next generation will be able to live off the land. Our goal is to leave our farm in better shape than we received it. Our farm is the lifeline of our family, and our nation.
American farmers use technology on their farms to feed a growing population, we are an important part of solving hunger in our world today, and we take that responsibility seriously. Farming is a labor of love, no matter what size your farm is. Not only are our souls embedded in our farms, so are our hearts.

We don’t pollute the environment; we drink the same water and breathe the same air as our neighbors. We are the people who go out in the middle of the night to check on a cow giving birth. We are the people who miss our children’s school play because there is a sow that needs our help to give birth.

We are the people who miss our son’s little league game because there is a rain coming and the hay needs to be baled. On Christmas morning, our livestock are fed before our children open presents. Are these the acts of people with no souls? Our spirit embodies and our families personify the livelihood you brand as soul-less.

Farming today doesn’t look like it did 40 years ago when Mr. Kristof was growing up. An important reason for this is because each American farmer is feeding more people today than we did 40 years ago — 155 compared to 73 — and we are doing it on less land.

If agriculture is forced to downgrade to practices of 40 years ago, who will decide the 73 people who are allowed to eat and the 82 who are not. Will only the well-off not starve?

Feeding people is my business. It is my calling. It is my belief. The soul of my modern family farm, like many others across our nation, is renewed every day by each ounce of passion, energy and commitment I pour into producing food for our hungry and growing world.

Sincerely,
Chris Chinn
All I can say is a hearty Amen!

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.