This morning is particularly beautiful. The wind blew wildly yesterday and this morning’s particular calmness was more than welcomed. The cattle graze quietly in the muffled sunlight of the dawn. My little one and I make our way to the tractor with our coffee and chocolate milk in hand to feed the hungry bellies’ of the animals that take such good care of our family. While we ride quietly together in the tractor, I can’t help but reflect upon our way of life and the privileges and the heartache associated with it. The unprecedented family time, quality time with God and his creation, but also public scrutiny, and the never-ending criticism from the very people that we feed; are all par for the course with what we do. The news talks about the “Green New Deal” and “reducing food production’s carbon footprint”, but have any of the powers that be reflected on Agriculture’s true impact on this Country and the World? American Agriculture is the backbone of this country and fuels the mind and belly of every single American in this great nation. Where has MSM and the general population got it wrong? Why has it gone so astray? I’ll tell you.
Everywhere you turn you hear about the negative impact of Agriculture, particularly animal agriculture, on the environment. With environmental consciousness being a current “hot topic”, it seems that animal agriculture is synonymous with a negative carbon footprint. This is not accurate, nor a fair representation of the industry. After all, as I say, producers are the original environmentalists! Producers have the unique opportunity to kill two proverbial birds with one stone. We have the ability to produce the safest, most reliable source of protein in the world while also recycling our carbon emissions at the same time. Responsible, pasture-oriented, modern rotational-grazing practices have been proven to sequester the carbon emissions of cattle grazing. Between the soil absorption, plant absorption and proper animal husbandry, our industry can be beneficial to the reduction of our carbon footprint. For more information on this topic, here are some links: Environmental Footprint of Beef Production – Beef Cattle Research Council (beefresearch.ca), Methane and grazing: A broader view | Successful Farming (agriculture.com), Beef Production and Carbon Sequestration | Oklahoma State University (okstate.edu). Animal Agriculture encourages the restoration of our grasslands and helps in reducing the amount of native grasslands and important ecosystems from turning into industrial and residential land-grabs. This responsible management will allow them to enjoy and produce more food and fiber for America and the World.
Another hot-button issue associated with the meat industry is animal welfare and the ethics associated with it. Is it ethical to consume animal protein for nourishment? Yes it is. The consumption of animal protein, along with its byproducts, are some of the most nutritionally dense foods in the entire world, accompanied by the byproducts which provide us with countless resources (uses for beef cattle besides meat – Bing images). I believe that with ethical animal treatment practices and providing them with the best life possible in our care, we have honored that animal and their life. We thank them everyday for the incredible nutrition they provide to our family. What I find particularly interesting is the assumption that ranchers are animal-hating, heartless people who don’t care about the well-being of their livestock. This assumption could not be further from the truth. Animal stewardship is at the forefront of every good producers program. It has to be for a healthy and financially reliable herd. It isn’t only the right thing to do, but it’s just plain good business. Our livestock aren’t just animals to us, they’re our family. They are cared for before we are, fed before we are, sheltered before we are, they’re well-being comes before our own. Everything we do for our animals whether it be vaccinations, tagging, branding, calving, weaning, and everything in between; is all in the name of caring for them in the best way. Like in any industry, there are bad apples in the bunch, but the vast majority of producers know that without successful and ethical animal husbandry, you can’t and won’t have a successful business.
No matter what corner of the country you come from, American Agriculture directly impacts YOUR family. Without the less than 2% of the population feeding 100% of the population and beyond we would be in dire straits. We need to come together as a nation and make food production easier, not more difficult. Through legislation and public knowledge, I believe that we can give ranchers and farmers more power to produce the highest quality nutrition in the world. With many Americans, especially those with a public platform, not knowing profound hunger, it is easy to be over-critical of the people putting food on your table. Frankly, they are doing this without ever walking a mile in the American Agriculturalist’s shoes. They have no idea what it takes to keep America’s belly full. With the constant stream of “green washing” and extremist groups, our industry’s voice is being drowned out in the the noise. The best defense is a good offense. The best way that we can combat misinformation is with the truth. Bridging the gap between producer and consumer and educating with fact-based, unbias information is the best way to aid in reeducating the general public about where their food comes from. Listen, learn, and go straight to the source for your agricultural information. Don’t forget, without your local rancher or the farmer that keeps the grocery store shelves stocked, your family suffers, too. I can promise you, in this thankless profession, we are just as passionate about providing safe and affordable nutrition for your family as we are for our own. With a little bit of information, it seems that the attack on agriculture isn’t warranted or appropriate, is it?
God bless America and God bless the American Rancher and Farmer.
The View From Under a Cowboy Hat 
Right on and very well stated! Can you get this published in an urban newspaper? Try the Wall Street Journal….they just had an article(1/30 weekend edition) on the value of beef for diabetics, etc. I haven’t read the whole article, but it sounded positive to start.
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Hi Barbara! Thanks for your comments, I can definitely try and get published in something with more broad of a forum. I just haven’t had much success contacting MSM. Please keep reading and sharing the truth! We appreciate you!
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Try having The Epoch Times publish this article. Thanks for sharing.
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AMEN
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Well said! I worry also about the generation coming behind us…..the 3rd on our ranch, they see our sturggles and are choosing to go in a different career path. Who is going to feed our world…….
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Absolutely! The perpetuity of the family farm/ranch is dwindling! I completely agree that this is an issue we need to tackle. I believe that with making things easier and more lucrative for the American producer, we can make it easier for our children to come back to the farm!
Keep sharing knowledge and truth! God Bless!
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Farmers and Ranchers are the back bone of America. We need them. So the you see a farmer or a rancher, tell them thank you for their hard wok and labor to keep America Feed.
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Very well said, Thank You.
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Very good read and well stated. I have many farmer friends who all practice regenerative agriculture, but one of the best examples I have is Will Harris of White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Ga. Are you familiar with him? https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/meet-us/faq/
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While I enjoyed reading this and agree completely, I think it’s time to also get a different tact out there. Pieces like these are valuable and needed, but we also need to state loud and clear to our local officials that we will not be eating insects and petri dish grown meat. This message should not be coming just from the producers but from the consumers themselves. Behind the scenes they are working in their little planning committees on how to bend us over a barrel next while making it seem like it’s good for us and the environment. We need to be working our own committees and come up with declarations or resolutions or what have you, that state we will not be going in this direction. Get your state officials involved and lets stop playing defense all the time.
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Very well said ! Although my husband and I don’t ranch, I spent a lot of my time as a child and growing up on my grandparent’s and uncle’s ranch. A wonderful opportunity, that I think every kid in America should have to experience for at least one month ! I learned so much, about life, about respect for Mother Nature, about respect for the cattle, horses, and all the other livestock that was raised. Respect for the land and what it can provide, if used sensibly by a rancher/farmer. It’s a hard, unforgiving life, but these great people get up everyday and do what they can to provide for themselves and the rest of the world ! A very, seems to be in this day and age, thankless task ! So thank you to all of you for what you do, against all odds ! God Bless you !
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It is too bad that many of these never reach the general public. They are the ones tat need to read it, not those that already agree.
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a phone number that works. have short sensitiveQuestion.
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Hi Charles,
If you would like to speak with us directly, you can private message us via our Facebook page by the same name. Thanks so much!
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Well written and accurate.
In my opinion, the wheels went under this wreck with the roll out of the UN report “Livestock’s Long Shadow” which had the famous line about eating a steak having more impact than driving a hummer. Totally buried on about page 55 was the recommendation that THE way to solve livestock’s long shadow was worldwide adoption of USA production practices. The report assumed that all livestock use was for producting food when water buffalo were the main means of tillage in Southeast Asia. Most of the livestock in the world are on maintenance diets rather than production diets, resulting in very large inputs for very small meat yield.
The next flawed notion about diets and saving the planet mostly trace to a study by Tilman and Clark, Oxford physicists, who compare dietary impacts. They compare the diets on a calorie basis, not grams of protein. Since servings of most vegetable proteins come with at least 2 1/2 times the caloiries per gram of protein compared to meats, vegan diets look great. Missing from the analysis is that over half of agricultural land is not tillable ald therefore unsuitable for vegetable protein production, that much of our agricultural production is utilizes waste or bi products and that animals on the land can be important contributors to soil health.
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Great article. Unfortunately farmers and ranchers are only a small cog in a vast movement to eliminate all animal use from our world.
Extremists target rodeo, fairs, zoos, marine parks, and breeders of our companion animals.
With hsus and peta pushing their propaganda on the early grades in our schools and the fact that a large portion of our kids never see farm animals, we are fighting a up hill battle.
A few years back, in the Bay Area (California), a person had all their meat rabbits removed and person cited for breeding because they didn’t agree with them being used for food. Only one example of the bs that’s happening.
Their goal of divide and conquer is working one step at a time.
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As a producer myself, I agree with the majority of what you are saying and the problem with some people that criticize producers, is that they have it in their heads that cattle are bad. Look at the mountain ranges that are subject to overgrown grasses and potential fire danger associated with that….
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