As another busy year draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on all the people I have met in 2014. Most people want to make the world a better place, but we have different ideas on how to do this. Even though I don’t always agree with everyone, I make it a point to listen and be respectful.

I also want to be heard. That’s why I’m extremely active in promoting what I do as a farmer. I want to help others understand what farmers do and why we do it. I want consumers to ask their questions to a real farmer!

Too many rules and regulations are being determined by people who have no idea the consequences of their actions. That’s why I’ve been active in a lot of political issues. Regulations of any kind hit my radar: farming, conservation, healthcare, finance, school lunch, and more.

Anytime you enter the political arena, you know you’re going to find people – who are very passionate about their beliefs – on both sides of the issue. Both sides, at least for the most part, believe the world would be a better place if everyone just agreed with them! Take for example the issue of soil and water conservation…

Last year at this time my Letter to the Editor was published in The Des Moines Register. Because of my letter, I received hate mail. Some of the filthiest language imaginable came back to me in the form of “anonymous letter” simply because I’m a farmer. The person who responded to me believes all farmers are polluting all the drinking water in Des Moines.

Am I just hated because I farm? I tried to consider why another person would send me an anonymous letter. I honestly believe this person wants cleaner water, but I don’t believe his distasteful actions will help accomplished his goal. I’m sure he does not have the same life experiences I have had growing up farming. Has he had a terrible experience due to unclean water? Did he live beside a farmer who did not care? (Believe it or not, I have known a few farmers who didn’t care. As with every profession, there are some rotten apples.) I would have liked to have had a conversation with this person, so I could understand where he was coming from but I honestly don’t believe he was interested in either talking or listing. Listening should be a two-way street.

When one listens before speaking, understanding can be reached. Last week I had a conversation with a young lady, who asked why we can’t make gestation stalls larger. I explained to her how gestation stalls actually protect the pregnant pig (sow) from hurting other pigs and more the farmer.

I’m sure this particular lady’s questions were raised after the singer Cher got herself involved in the debate over gestation crates, probably at the request of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Yes, the majority of the people who donate their $19 every month are just trying to help the poor little puppies and kitties they see in the commercials on late night TV. It’s just too bad that their money doesn’t get used as intended. Only one half of one percent of the funds raised by HSUS goes toward animal care! To ensure abandoned animals or displaced pets find a forever home, donate to your local (no kill) animal shelter.

The HSUS is a prime example of how a person can “follow the money and find the motive.” If research is cited, who paid for it? Did the information come from a special interest group? If a consumer is concerned about food safety, did he or she consult with a dietician or a doctor? Or did the consumer get his or her information from the “experts,” like those who set up the new school lunch program?

Speaking of the school lunch program, I’d like to believe that the First Lady wants our kids to grownup healthier. But I’d like to know where she gets her information. Why does she promote the choices for kids that she does? Why not let concerned “experts” like head cooks at local schools choose the best food for their areas?

Another issue I’ve been pondering is the debate on GMOs. Our nation has done such a great job of raising large quantities of food that Americans enjoy the luxury of food choice. Because most Americans want to make healthy food choices, multi-billion (yes, “billon”) dollar anti-GMO campaigns are causing people to fear what they don’t understand. Consider the source before you believe the rhetoric!

Increase your comfort level by engaging in productive conservations. Conversation is a great thing. Really listening is a fantastic thing! Understanding where even the nastiest conversation is coming from brings a whole new light to the conversation.

People are different. Life experiences and information sources makes us that way. As we work to make a positive difference in the world around us, we must remember to disagree without being disagreeable. And keep in mind, the outcome of change affects more than just you!

Here in the Upper Midwest, we have produced ourselves into a period of low prices. Times like these show us which farmers have the deepest pockets as they’re the ones who are taking on more ground.

Last week I heard that another young neighboring farmer is losing most of his crop acreage to an older, larger farmer who is able to pay more in rent. That makes three that I’ve heard about in the last three weeks!

It’s no wonder that the average age of the principal U.S. farm operator is 7.5 times higher than the average age of a farmer in the 1980s. Farmers are 17 years older than the average American worker, according to a recent National Geographic article.

Truth is, there are many young farmers – many with a college degree in hand – who are for an opportunity to farm. It’s just that there are many barriers to entry, including the high price of farmland and equipment.

Any business is hard to start from scratch. But the very capital intense business of farming, with very low or even non-existent margins, makes it next to impossible to get started without help. There are many USDA programs to jump start a farm. There are even tax benefits for those who rent to a young farmer, yet too many barriers remain.

Here are a few barriers that must be removed to help younger farmers:

• Reduce cumbersome regulations that cost farmers’ money. Research shows farmers are likeable people, yet some vocal consumers hate the practices we use. This has led to many regulations. What we need are more people who understand farming and know that farmers – not the government – should decide the best way to farm.
• Remove death tax. If a young farmer is fortunate enough be part of a family farm, then our government shouldn’t make it impossible to keep that farm in the family.
• Our current administration claims to support the middle class, yet life is getting more expensive.  The cost of energy tops my list. By limiting how electricity is generated, costs can only rise. Coal and atomic power are by far our most reasonable priced. Making our abundant oil supply more efficient with pipelines and rail also would be a huge help.

Plus, the U.S. needs to stop throwing dollars at our competition! The new Farm Bill is a SNAP for foreign farmers. Building roads and infrastructure in other countries may be a great cause, but we shouldn’t build them with dollars that the American public already thinks of as “American Farmer Welfare.”

The U.S. Farm Bill should not decide who the winners and losers. We can’t keep throwing the huge amount of dollars at the farmers that know how to “farm” the government. I’ve been studying the new farm program that we need to sign up for, and it’s a complicated mess. What a farmer decides right now can make or break a farm, and you have to live with your decision for the life of the Farm Bill!

The U.S. government is getting too complicated and expensive. Too much money thrown at problems that don’t get fixed. I believe most farmers can make it if we can keep the government at bay.

Bottom line: Let the economy and the hard work of farmers decide how the farms in this country will transition. They may get bigger, or they may start many new small specialty farms. However, the current system of government meddling is just going to tilt the transition the wrong way.

In this week of Thanksgiving, I’ve been thinking a lot about food – more specifically the growing number of hungry Americans. In 2012, there were 15.8 million kids living in food-insecure homes in this country. A growing number of these children don’t even live in homes! A staggering 2.5 million children – or 1 in every 30 children – are homeless in America.

It’s ironic that food insecurity is an issue in a country where each farmer grows enough food to feed 155 people! As recently as 1960, a farmer only feed 25.8 people. You’d think we’d be making strides in feeding everyone, yet it seems we’re becoming more of a country of “haves and have nots.”

While 1 in 6 Americans struggles with hunger, obesity is becoming a real problem for a growing number of Americans. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage of obese adolescents aged 12–19 years increased from 5% to nearly 21% during the same period.

Why is one in five kids in this prosperous country at risk of going to bed hungry? (And I’m not even talking about school lunches!) Is hunger related to the percentage of income it takes in this country to buy food? Data from the U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) shows that Americans spent only 6.6 percent of their 2012 household income on food. Americans spend less of their income on food than any other country.

Is there a correlation between hungry Americans and the percentage of the food dollar that gets returned to the farmer? This week I’ve been engaged in a related conversation started by farm broadcaster Trent Loos. This online discussion reports that a farmer only receives from 11.6 to 18 cents each food dollar, so this stat alone would suggest that hunger in America is caused by something else.

With a growing amount of welfare support including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as school lunch programs and summer lunch programs, one would think everyone is getting everyone fed! I believe food (in)security is a very complex issue. It’s one that will take time and many different approaches to fix, but I do believe it can be fixed!

It not politically correct for me to say this, I know, but I believe the deterioration of moral values is a major reason we’re seeing an increasing number of homeless and hungry people. When I was child, families were intact and parents took pride in working hard to put food on their own tables. America’s family and living arrangements have changed drastically. The number of single-parent households is on the rise. Broken families are a huge issue; it’s very difficult for a single parent to pay for the costs of living today.

In addition to food and clothing, many Americans now feel entitled to cable TV, gaming systems and smartphones. The average U.S. household today has more televisions than people! Priorities have changed during the past 50 years, and the line between wants and needs has become blurred.

It’s time to stop the attitude of entitlement! Government handouts are not working. Education and training programs all good ways to start. American workers don’t need a PhD, but they do need skills and training to make a good living.

Every student gets a good job when graduating from North Iowa Community College in Industrial Technology (welding, tool and die, diesel technology, building trades). The Iowa State College of Agriculture has a 98% placement rate. It’s being done… this is how we can move this country forward! I truly believe we can do this if we get our values back where they belong!

This Thanksgiving I hope you and your family will enjoy time together and give thanks for all of blessings. Whether you celebrate with ham or turkey, remember wrapping it in #bacon makes everything better. 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!