In this week’s column, I’d like to write about how politicians are working together for the good of the citizens of this country.
I’d also like a bag full of $100 bills, but it appears neither is happening today, so on to the next topic.
I’ll admit I can sometimes miss the good story opportunities when I go into an event with some kind of agenda in mind. I tell myself I have to go here and talk to this person, even if I feel there might be something more pressing that I am missing. That was the case at this year’s
Minnesota Organic Conference
on Jan. 9 in St. Cloud.
I had a few must-attend sessions where I felt I had a good chance of finding a story to share with readers. And many of those sessions were certainly good ones to attend. I applaud the many presenters who come from across the country with their expertise to share with others in the farming community. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture does a great job of offering a splendid conference here — away from the Twin Cities.
With about 80 different booths offering their products or services, someone who went there looking for answers certainly should have found some.
One of the interesting highlights at the event is a legislative panel made up of leaders who have a significant voice in agriculture policy. It’s a chance for attendees to ask questions of the panel or for the panel to just listen and really hear people.
Typically questions or concerns brought up have to do with producers’ struggles and the desire for programming and policy to help them be more profitable. This is not uncommon among farm conferences we at Agweek cover year round.
What stood out to me at this particular listening session was a man, named John, who spoke to the panel about several key issues facing farmers that he felt needed to be addressed. What was unique was that he proclaimed he was not a farmer. He wasn’t looking to improve his bottom line and he was not politically motivated. He genuinely just cared enough about agriculture that he took it upon himself to visit a dozen farms in his area to hear from producers about what they were up against. It was unexpected and refreshing.
Not only did he outline what he heard quickly and clearly, but he printed off enough copies so everyone on the panel had copies to take home with them. While it may have been easy to simply applaud the man’s actions, agree with him and move on, I hope the group actually took the papers and looked them over thoroughly.
They included comments about the difficulties faced by small farms up against the growing power and wealth of conglomeration. And my favorite part was that they were concerns shared by a man who wasn’t a farmer.
I want to personally thank John for doing what I am not seeing others do, and that’s advocating for something good for the sake of others instead of oneself. At least not directly. It’s easy to argue that if it benefits agriculture, it really is a benefit to us all.
John’s action, if replicated, could perhaps pull our current political mayhem out of the proverbial muck into some resemblance of sanity and decency. I won’t hold my breath.
While I missed my chance during the conference, I aim to track John down someday and visit with him about his desire to see his rural neighbors succeed in their work all so they can pass it on to the next willing generation.
Michael Johnson is the news editor for Agweek. He lives in rural Deer Creek, Minn., where he is starting to homestead with his two children and wife.
You can reach Michael at [email protected] or 218-640-2312.
