The wind howled. It howled, and howled, and howled. The windows iced over from the rain, snow, and cruel winds making it difficult to see the drifts forming near the tree line. The cows stood, piled together for warmth, backs turned to the blowing storm. We huddled inside; longing to make it out to “the girls” to check on them. Some relief was to be had with every calf “on the ground” in the barns; protected from the conditions outside. But what about the cows yet to calve? How can we get to them with zero visibility? The only thing we could do was wait the storm out; they’re always the most painstaking hours, waiting.

American Agriculture as a whole is always under an immense amount of scrutiny. With the recent extreme weather events, our country’s farmers and ranchers have sacrificed countless hours and resources to continue to fuel the nation. Regardless of the misleading animal rights activists or fear-mongering regarding genetically modified crops, we continue to work and supply food for the American people and the world. I don’t think that the general population has any idea how much work it takes to supply food and fuel to EVERYONE. Everyone has to eat, therefore, Agriculture is important to the well being of every individual in this country. Not only have these fly-over states been dealing with horrific weather conditions and the aftermath of them, but we also deal with a difficult climate to navigate in the media, politics, and the public eye. Why are the flyover states and the hard-working producers within those states not worthy of national news coverage? The people who provide a safe, reliable, and affordable source of food and fiber to the American People suffering horrible tragedy and loss in this extreme weather event should be more important than anything else the networks can cover.

The Bomb Cyclone blizzard of 2019 was BRUTAL. Like all storms, the tail is still whipping around and leaving destruction in it’s path. Nebraska is under water, Colorado had the worst blizzard in decades, livestock is lost and dead, and where is the national news coverage? We had a hurricane in middle America, and nothing. Several blips here and there on the news about farmers and ranchers digging out horses and cattle, but that’s it. If you haven’t seen the harrowing photos; long-faced ranchers standing over a dead cow and calf, or the farms rushed away by the surging waters of the Missouri and Platte Rivers, it’s absolutely soul-crushing. These people deserve to be heard, they deserve to be helped, they deserve for the country to see what they go through and sacrifice to put food on the Nation’s tables.

Regardless of the criminalization of Agriculture, we continue to work and try and pick up the pieces after the Bomb Cyclone to continue to provide food and fiber to the American people. Whole farms and ranch’s have been buried in water and mud, countless cattle have suffocated in the blustering snow, producers are reaching down in the deepest parts of themselves to push through this horrific event and continue to carry on. Producers care more about protecting and caring for our livestock and animals more than we do ourselves. Our farmers and ranchers deserve so much more respect, loyalty, and praise for what they sacrifice; for what they go through not just on this day, but everyday, to put food on our tables. The Midwest needs recognition for the natural disaster we have just endured.

For most, the Bomb Cyclone was just an inconvenience; a snow day or a day off from work, and snow piling up on the driveway and streets. But for Ag and producers, it was days of preparation before- hand to protect livestock, it was days of getting out in the aftermath of the storm looking for animals and assessing damages, it was mourning the loss of your cows that had provided so much for your family, it was choking back tears as you look over your families farm of 3 generations being swallowed by surging waters, it was so much more than “just a blizzard.” For the strong and courageous people and producers of central and eastern Nebraska, it’s still going on. I implore you today, to pray for our producers, for our farmers and ranchers, and for our livestock. I ask you to please educate yourself about Agriculture and ask questions if you don’t know. I ask you to please support all of the people who provide nutrition and fuel to your family. I ask you to pray for Colorado and Nebraska. Today, and everyday, God Bless America and God Bless the American Farmer and Rancher.