While sipping my morning cup of coffee, I usually browse my social media news feed. While doing so last Thursday, I came across a post entitled “Did You Know?” on the blog Jean’s Boots Are Made for Talking. Imbedded in this post was a video that I’d seen before, and honestly, it blows my mind every time I watch it. This video virtually reminds how we’re not isolated in our own part of the word, and it also explains why I believe we must work diligently to educate others about farming practices and how their food is grown.
Why should farmers care about consumers? The long and short of it is that hate stems from fear. People, who lack a clear understanding of GMOs, for example, fear the GMOs and hate everyone who grows GMO crops. More consumers need to understand why farmers plant GMOs, for example.
Another reason farmers should care about consumers’ thoughts and opinions is because – thanks in large part to social media – misinformation spreads faster than wildfire. Below is an excerpt from a post I saw last week on Facebook:
DANGER TO YOUR FAMILY!!
from the Department of Life Education:
The small cocktail (baby) carrots you buy in small plastic bags are made using the larger crooked or deformed carrots, which are put through a machine that cuts and shapes them. What you may not know and should know is the following…
Once the carrots are cut and shaped into cocktail carrots they are dipped in a solution of water and chlorine. (This is the same chlorine used in your pool). Since baby carrots don’t have a skin or natural protective covering, they’re given a higher dose of chlorine.
You’ll notice that once you keep these carrots in your refrigerator for a few days, a white covering will form. This is the chlorine which resurfaces! At what cost do we put our health at risk to have esthetically pleasing vegetables? I used to buy those baby carrots for vegetable dips. I know that I will never buy them again!!!
I was watching this conversation – trying to decide if when and how to engage – when I saw a fellow agvocate, Carolyn Olson, post. Carolyn shared “Myth & Fact about the white film on baby carrots” and then shared a related link for waterandhealth.org. Great job, Carolyn!
It’s difficult to always be in the right place at the right time as Carolyn was, but I hope this explains why there is a group of agvocates speaking out and trying to have that conversation. I hope this also helps explain why we need more farmers to join our effort. Agvocating: It’s harder to say than do. Just do it!
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