Column #14

And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker.” So God made a farmer.

That was Paul Harvey’s opening line in his famous 2.5-minute speech at the November 1978 Future Farmers of America convention in Kansas City, MO. You can hear his moving presentation HERE.

The world was different in 1978. Most Americans respected farmers, although few desired farmwork. Today’s beliefs toward farmwork is the same, but farming as a profession is mostly despised. People call it factory farming and accuse it of using dangerous pesticides, drugs, hormones, synthetic fertilizers, and Frankenseeds. They say the industry forces unhealthy food on consumers. They label all forms of livestock raising and processing as inhumane and damaging to the environment.

Like most industries, agriculture is far more sophisticated than it was in 1978 but few consumers comprehend the new technology. More food is now grown and raised per acre with fewer inputs. Animal handling has never been better. Food is safer with fewer contaminants than ever. U.S. food prices are the world’s lowest in terms of per capita income. Food choices, year-around availability, and the emphasis on nutrition are also vastly superior.

In spite of the advancements, Americans naively criticize agriculture while enjoying one billion meals a day. They not only disrespect agriculture and the food industry, they do not respect food. They discard three times more food than in the 1960s and school lunch programs condition children to throw food away.

So, who are these evil agriculturists? They are exactly like you, regular people whose tools have improved spectacularly over the past 50 years.

In 2012 there were 1.85 million small family farms averaging 231 acres, 81,900 large family farms averaging 1,421 acres, and 96,600 very large family farms averaging 2,086 acres. Nearly all farms host family residences with mothers and children taking active roles in the enterprises.

Many smaller farms don’t provide a living wage. Therefore these farmers usually work in town as bankers, lawyers, teachers, firemen, policemen, businessmen, laborers, doctors, truckers, etc.

Professional farmers whose livelihoods depend on farming must focus on long-term economic and environmental sustainability. Likewise, small landowners are also very concerned about the environment, animal welfare, and the many issues we all care about.

In 1950 I rode my grandfather’s work horses while they worked. I watched Grandpa Rust do all the caretaker tasks Paul Harvey mentioned. Many years later I spent over four decades, 365 days a year, doing the same work but with modern tools. Yet it was still physical work, up close and personal with the animals and the land. I followed in my grandfather’s footsteps with the same caring, commitment, and perseverance he had. In that respect I am no different than anyone else in modern agriculture. For all of us, it’s our calling.

And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker.” So God made a farmer.

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

For additional reading:

Paul Harvey's Original Speech

Maybe the most popular Super Bowl ad of all time:  Official Ram Trucks Super Bowl Commercial “Farmer”