Agriculture Activists

Farmers Urged to ‘Become Activists’ for Agriculture

SAN ANTONIO, January 12, 2009 – Farmers and ranchers at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th annual meeting were encouraged to speak out and become activists for agriculture.

“We can’t think of the word ‘activists’ as a dirty word anymore,” said Will Gilmer, a third-generation dairyman from Lamar County, Ala. “We have to be proactive, aware and informed about our industry and what others are saying about us. It’s going to take all of us to be active.”
Gilmer’s activism takes the form of maintaining the family farm’s web site, which includes an “E-dopt a Cow” program, and writing a blog that explains what goes on at a dairy farm. He said he could reach more people through the Internet than he can in rural Alabama.

Gilmer was joined by Chris Chinn, a hog producer from Clarence, Mo., and Michelle Ganci, a livestock/poultry consultant from Clovis, Calif., on a panel discussion on the issue of animal agriculture. The three shared their different experiences in becoming active in speaking out for agriculture. Read More

Having met two of the three panelists over the past couple of years, I can tell you that they are doing great things for agriculture. Many times it’s easy to feel like the lone wolf howling at the moon when you are out trying to tell the story of agriculture. However, there are many of us working hard every day to share the truth about our food production systems. If you doubt that there are young enthusiastic people in agriculture today, just contact anyone on this panel or myself and you will discover that US agriculture is in fine hands.