.STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH

              

Duane A. Lienemann
UNL Etension Educator

     Well, for me Summer is officially here now with the smell of fresh harvested wheat fields; trucks and combines traversing the roads; and of course Independence Day – the Fourth of July! Those things have always signaled to me that summer was upon us.  That means that crops and gardens are all growing with a vengeance, the climate is getting warmer (hotter) and all of the county fairs are about to start or are just around the corner. I always enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the 4th of July. Summer is the perfect time to recognize the abundance provided by America's farmers and ranchers. The firecrackers, parades, grills, town activities and yes the evening fireworks really does start out the middle of growing season with a resounding bang! Today is when we can say “Happy Birthday America!”
     When the United States of America was established 238 years ago, 13 colonies held 2.5 million people, primarily of European descent. In this mostly agrarian society, the majority of these citizens were farmers, raising livestock from imported stock, or crops introduced by the Native Americans – things like maize, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins, gourds, squash, watermelons, beans, grapes, berries, pecans, black walnuts, peanuts and maple sugar. Today, the U.S. is home to nearly 314 million people, a population that embodies significantly more diversity than our forefathers could have imagined. Our agriculture has also diversified over the years, and today’s farmers and ranchers are raising an unheralded abundance and variety of food on 922 million acres of cultivated land, and in some cases, in water.  
     Firing up the grill on Independence Day is about celebrating our freedom with family and friends. And thanks to the American farmer, the 4th of July backyard barbecue doesn’t have to cost a lot. Because of the hard work, efficiency, and continual upgrading of best practices, our American farmers help keep the cost of a Fourth of July feast under $6 bucks a person, according to a recent survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation.
     Considering Americans spend just 10 percent of our incomes on food – the lowest of any country – we are all indebted to the “thin green line” of only 210,000 full-time U.S. farms that produce a product that is safe, abundant and uniquely American. These farmers are also critical to our nation’s “food independence.” It will become much more critical in the next 40 years, as the world population grows from 7 billion to 9 billion and demand for agricultural commodities doubles, we need practices, research and education that encourage investment and constant improvement. If done right, more nations and peoples will continue to know the happiness of a safe and reliable and affordable food supply. 
     I really liked a piece that I read a couple of days ago, which I think was attributed to Bob Stallman, President of AFBF, who basically points out something that we sometimes forget about. He reminds us that in their quest to obtain freedom the Continental Congress wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."  The writer points out that nothing is more essential to life than food and, therefore, agriculture. Farmers and ranchers have a special appreciation for liberty-the freedom to be productive and profitable. Also, it's much easier to pursue happiness when you are free from hunger. 
     While we celebrate the declaration of American independence from Britain and oppression, it is also fitting to recognize how farmers and ranchers, who produce the bounty we enjoy, also give us our personal independence. Because farmers have chosen to work the land for a living, others are free to pursue other careers and interests-whatever constitutes their personal pursuit of happiness. There is much healthy debate about what we should eat, how it should be produced, etc. And it is because of our abundant food supply and farmers' amazing productivity that we are able to have those debates. If we didn't live in the land of plenty, and plenty of choices, our national conversation would be very different than it is today. If you think about it Farmer’s provide us, even those who seem to want to denigrate what we do, with sustenance and give them the time to worry about what we do and how we produce their food.
     Let's also remember to thank the farmers and ranchers who work and face risks that would keep most people awake at night, so all of us can fill our picnic plates. Since we all like to eat three or more times a day, no one is “outside of agriculture”.  We are all dependent on agriculture several times a day to be healthy and enjoy the quality of life we are all afforded here in the United States. It is clearly relevant to consider this fact on the day of our Nation’s independence; because the courage it took for people to envision what a democratic republic could look like is a similar courage farmers and ranchers demonstrate each day as they work to grow food.  In fact, nine of the fifty six patriots that signed the Declaration of Independence were farmers that owned sizable plantations. And most of the patriots who gave their lives in fighting the British and their allies were farmers. Our sustainability as a Nation, as well as our security, rests with our ability to provide for ourselves and the communities we live in. Our independence depends upon our freedom to produce!
     I believe the strength and success the people of our country have accomplished is connected with our ability to produce food and fiber. It is worth a minute of your time over this Independence Day holiday to consider this connection. We can all be thankful for both the Stars and Stripes flying on the front porch and the burgers on the grill because of our farmers!   

The preceding information comes from the research and personal observations of the writer which may or may not reflect the views of UNL or UNL Extension. For more further information on these or other topics contact D. A. Lienemann, UNL Extension Educator for Webster  County in Red Cloud, (402) 746-3417 or email to: dlienemann2@unl.edu or go to the website at: www.webster.unl.edu/home