Keeping things in Perspective

Fall is upon us - okay, maybe not in Phoenix, but in the rest of the country - and with fall comes elections and a lot statistics and propaganda. Something I have heard and try to remember is to keep all statistics within their context. The same is true of speeches and quotes - politicians and many others are oft quoted out of context. 'Tis the season, though, right? All is fair in American politics.

Anyway, that wasn't just a rabbit trail off into the randomness of my mind, rather it is my segue into tonight's post. Often times buzz words and phrases become trendy, and suddenly we find masses of Americans claiming to do what is best, right or most healthy. Take for example the locavore movement. Take for example buying a tomato in New York City; it is practically a sin to buy the juicy fruit if it came from California and those who buy local heirloom varieties are applauded for their contribution towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions produced from transportation and eating healthier. Truth is, the biggest energy hog is actually the home consumer not the 18-wheelers moving across America. Home preparation and storage account for 32 percent of all energy use in the food system.

A single 10-mile round trip to the local farmer's market can easily consumer 14,000 calories of fossil fuel energy. Running your refrigerator can consumer up to 9,000 calories; that number will double if it is not one of the energy efficient models. Cooking and running a dishwasher also add to that bottom line. Local households make up 22 percent of all energy expenditures in the United States.

Interesting, huh? I'd say we need a bit more context around these claims. Just some food for thought as you head into the weekend. Oh, and in case you're wondering, I love a good farmer's market. I have nothing against locally produced agriculture; I simply want to promote fairness among the various sectors of agricultural production. Conventional versus organic. Locally produced versus imported produced, whether domestically or internationally. Agriculturists need to stop the infighting and promote ourselves as a group; we only damage our own chances of survival when we start picking on those that have pursued different avenues of production or marketing methods.

Are Celebrities crossing the line?

YES!! Can I get an amen? Ahem, sorry for my excitement, I guess I got a little ahead of myself. I’ll explain. In a December 23 article in the Life Section of USA Today, author Liz Szabo asks if celebrities are crossing the line on medical advice.

Jenny McCarthy says the pediatrician who vaccinated her son is “guilty for his autism.” Lance Armstrong raises money for cancer, and advocates policy changes instead of certain treatments to help patients. Suzanne Somers touts alternative cancer treatments that experts say have been debunked for years.

I think it’s safe to say that celebrities cross the line in many areas, but an especially important one being giving medical advice. I have no idea why someone would proceed with a treatment or take a side in a medical argument with a celebrity as opposed to any medical physician. Sadly enough, it happens. Physicians have legions more knowledge and years of practical experience to draw upon as opposed to celebrities who casually make statements without realizing their influence.

Another area that celebrities cross the line too often is the agricultural arena, an area many of you know I hold near and dear. Using the same logic as above, why would the American public take advice or consider the totally uneducated and inexperienced opinion of a celebrity (or politician) in issues pertaining to production agriculture? I think most people with average intelligence understand that it is wiser to seek medical advice from a doctor as opposed to a celebrity. Why then do these same people not make this parallel here? If I wanted to know what war was like, I’d ask someone who has been in the trenches. If I was considering switching careers from education to baking, I’d ask a pastry chef or someone who’d started their own small bakery.

If I wanted to know how a cow was slaughtered, I’d ask someone who has done it. In seeking the truth though, I would try to postpone making hasty decisions regarding my opinion until I fully understood the process. Instead of sighing and thinking about all the blood involved in harvesting an animal, I’d ask questions about the process. Why is it done this way and not that? What safety issues have been taken into consideration? If I wanted to know about vegetable production, I’d find a farmer and ask them about the chemical products they apply. How do you calculate the rates? How is it absorbed? What are the products designed to do? Are they safe, and would you feed them to your family?

I am willing to bet that American farmers and ranchers would be more than willing to share information with you regarding their production methods if they were simply asked. May this be admonishment for my fellow food producers – take the time to share what you do with people. Put a face on the American farmer. May this also be a wakeup call for those of you take advice from the wrong people, including celebrities. Go to the source, find a professional and wait before you form an opinion.

Thankful for Ranchers and Farmers

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching I find myself frequently thinking of things that I am thankful for. I wish this attitude of thankfulness was contagious to the other ten months of my year, but I guess that is something I can work on in 2010. With that said, I want to briefly describe a group of individuals who I am thankful for at least three times a day.

As the fourth generation to be raised on my family's cow-calf operation in northern Arizona, I fully comprehend what it takes to get beef from the gate of the pasture to the plate of a hungry consumer. I'll list a few things that I am especially thankful for:

• I am thankful that ranchers and farmers are good stewards of the land they produce food on. Serving as good caretakers directly benefits them because if they misuse or abuse it, they will not be able to pass it on to their children. If they are to ensure the sustainability and longevity of their operation, you can be they will do all they can to protect, provide and invest in their land.
• I am thankful for the abudance of American agricultural products. Technology and transportation have evolved over time, making more products available to more Americans.
• I am thankful for the affordability of food in America. Relative to the rest of the world, Americans spend the least amount of their money to purchase food. People in other countries spend anywhere from 25% to 65% of their money on food simply so they can eat while Americans spend approximately 10%.
• I am thankful for the high standards that American farmers and ranchers continually meet and surpass. The food we produce is not only great tasting, it is also safe. American agriculturists meet the strictest food safety standards anywhere in the world.

If you haven't thought about the effort that goes into raising the food on your plate, please take a moment to do so. If you want more information on production agriculture in America feel free to post a comment or question and I will respond directly.

Note: This blog was in response to the "food fight" that National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) and other agriculture commodity groups are launching against mainstream media. If you are involved in production agriculture, please join this "food fight" and post reasons why you are thankful for America's farmers and ranchers on your own blog.

It's in the numbers

Disclamer: I am in full support of most agricultural producers.

It doesn't matter to me if you choose conventional production methods that include the use of pesticides, herbicides or growth implants or if you choose to produce food products in an organic or natural manner. If a farmer can make a profit in a niche market for organic products, local products or natural products hats off to them. But please, pretty please, don't criticize the thousands of producers who currently employ conventional methods. Too often ignorant consumers and media extremists report that organic, natural and local are the only way to go. What? Excuse me, let me rephrase: WHAT?! In a few concise points below, I hope to illustrate that the world has an undeniable need for conventional methods of production in the coming years. (Note: John Lawrence, ISU agriculture economist has studied the effects of modern technology on beef production. To read more: http://www.econ.iastate.edu/faculty/lawrence/Pharma%202007%20update.pdf)

• Some estimates predict that the current world population of 6.7 billion people will expand to 9 billion by 2050.
• Based on 2007 prices, removing the use of growth-promotant implants, dewormers, and fly control from cow-calf production would increase the breakeven price 47%, a value f $274 per calf.
• In the feedlot phase, removal of growth implants ionophores antimicrobial therapy, beta-agonists, and dewormers results in a 13.2% increase in breakeven, a $155 value.

If these numbers haven't hit home yet, let me elaborate a bit more. In 2007, 11.1% of US households were reported as food insecure (http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FoodSecurity/). If the cost of food production increases as illustrated above, this cost has to be passed onto consumers. If people already cannot afford the price of food, then increased prices only means more of the same. Fewer people can afford food that is becoming increasingly expensive.

Now back to organic, natural and local. While I don't have specific research that supports the following claims, personal experience and first hand observation are enough to tell me that my claims are true. Organic, natural and locally produced foods are more expensive. Because of their comparitively higher cost, fewer people can afford to purchase them. If we require the production of food animals (or plants) to be organic and natural, fewer people are going to be able to purchase enough food to meet the requirements of their family. And this goes without considering the fact that our global population is growing.

Now back to my disclaimer at the beginning. I wholeheartedly support agricultural production, even if its not the method that I would choose. What I don't support though are people who deny the facts--the world population cannot afford to survive on organic, natural and local products alone. There is nothing wrong with consuming or producing such products; but please don't try to pull one over on America by telling her that organic, natural and local are the only way to go. She simply can't afford it.