Monthly Archives: July 2014

I’m a Farmer and I’m Voting Yes on Amendment 1 Part 2

Posted on July 31, 2014 by daddystractor

Follow the Butterflies. Um, no, that’s not it. Follow the… paper trail? I’ve got it! Follow the money! If you really want to know what’s going on, follow the money.

In my last post I told you why I’m voting Yes for Missouri Constitutional Amendment 1. And before I continue I should probably tell you where the money comes from on the “Yes” side. Here ya go:

Missouri Farmers Care, Missouri Soybeans, Missouri Corn Growers, Missouri Farm Bureau, MFA Incorporated, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Columbia Chamber of Commerce, FCS Financial, Missouri Grocers Association, Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, Missouri Dairy Association, MFA Oil, Missouri Egg Council, Missouri Equine Council, HUNTE, Missouri Family Network, MoFed, Missouri Sheep Producers, Southwestern Association, United Producers Inc., Missouri Electric Cooperation, Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association, Mo Ag, The Poultry Federation, American Soybean Association, St.Louis Agribusiness Club, Missouri Levee and Drainage District Association, Missouri Association of Meat Producers, United All Breed Registry

Plus a whole host of private individuals I will not be typing out.

Family Farmers are voting Yes on Missouri Constitutional Amendment 1

The Gerkes own a vineyard and winery and they will be voting Yes on Amendment 1!

Want to know who is supporting the “No” side? I like this graphic.

But HSUS? Aren’t they the Human Society of the United States? Don’t they help puppies or something?

According to their own financial report HSUS took in $169,900,291 in 2013. Again, according to their own report they helped118,328 animals. Sound odd yet?

This Future Farmer of America will be voting Yes (or at least her parents will!).

Almost 6 million went to “management and general,” and 25 million went to more fundraising. Just under 55 million went to advocacy and public policy! That’s one third of their budget, in case you forgot your calculator. And what are they advocating for?

The end of puppy mills, they say. The end of factory farming.

But if you follow the work they’ve done you’ll see it’s much more than that. They want to be rid of farming all together.

Don’t believe me? Then take it from the horse’s mouth. In a speech in 2006 the vice president of farm animal issues said “We don’t want any of these animals to be raised and killed… unfortunately we don’t have the luxury of waiting until we have the opportunity to get rid of the entire [animal agriculture] industry.”

The director of Animal Cruelty Policy (that thing they spend 55 million a year on) once said “My goal is the abolition of animal agriculture.”

HSUS isn’t a human society that takes care of abandoned kittens. Last year they sent about 1 million dollars to local animal shelters. Out of nearly 170 million. They are a lobbying organization with millions to spend– against farmers.

So that’s where the money leads you. And maybe, if you thought the wording was too open ended or the proposed amendment was too extreme, maybe you’ll understand where we as family farmers are coming from.

Maybe you’ll support us.

The Kelleys raise cattle on their family farm. They are voting Yes!

The Hursts are a muli-generational farm family whose grandkids love helping in the greenhouses. They are all voting Yes!

Help make sure this little guy can come back to 8 Story Farms someday, join his family in voting Yes!

The Gregorys are voting Yes on August 5th as well!

This little guy is already planning to come back to the Whitt family farm, so his parents will be voting Yes!

Categories: Animals | Tags: agriculture, agvocate, animals, family farm, HSUS | 1 Comment

I’m a Farmer and I’m voting Yes on Amendment 1

Posted on July 30, 2014 by daddystractor

I stand to benefit from Missouri’s constitutional amendment 1. I know that. What you might not know is that you will benefit too.

I just finished reading dozens of articles saying that we don’t need excess legislation, farmers are fine, agriculture shouldn’t be afforded special rights, and by the way, if you farm with your brother or father and have an LLC you’re probably a bad guy anyway.

My favorite so far was a comment on Facebook by a lady telling me I should take some time and learn how food in our state is produced.

My farm family is voting Yes on Missouri’s Constitutional Amendment 1

Indeed.

But in all seriousness, why has agriculture suddenly lit up your Facebook feed?

The ballot amendment itself is short and sweet. It reads: Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure that the right of Missouri citizens to engage in agricultural production and ranching practices shall not be infringed?

So what are people worked up about?

This farm family is voting Yes on Missouri's Constitutional Amendment 1

This is the Chinn family, hog farmers in Missouri who will be voting Yes!

Well, some say its about Chinese ownership of farms in Missouri. I think many of us would prefer Missouri businesses to stay in the hands of Missourians, but unfortunately this is an entirely separate ballot issue. But the Chinese are already here and in this regard, Right to Farm will change nothing that isn’t already happening. Make no mistake. This really isn’t about China.

The Brays farm row crops and cattle in Missouri. They are voting Yes!

Others are really concerned about “big ag.” Huge corporations who care nothing about the environment could run amuck with this free license to earn a profit however they like. So consider this. Ever since the Civil War federal law has superseded state law. Farmers, organic and conventional, small and large, moral and unethical, still abide by The Clean Air and Water Acts. Plus the actual constitutional language states that farmers and ranchers are “subject to duly authorized powers.” It’s not about the environment.

This girl’s family knows the importance of ag. The Browns will be voting Yes!

On the other hand many are worried about the “little guy.” They say this will do nothing to protect the small farmer. On the contrary. The language was specifically chosen so that anyone earning more than $1000 annually is covered. That’s a pretty small “little guy.”

The Cope family is voting yes! They are ranchers in MO.

And then there is the issue of being vague. To clarify, here is the constitutional language.

That agriculture which provides food, energy, health benefits, and security is the foundation and stabilizing force of Missouri’s economy. To protect this vital sector of Missouri’s economy, the right of farmers and ranchers to engage in farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in the is sate, subject to duly authorized powers, if any, conferred by article VI of the Constitution of Missouri.”

A few years ago a county in Missouri tried to stop farmers from running equipment after 10:00 PM because it was “noisy.” The case went through several layers of litigation before being resolved.

The Durhams are row crop farmers and they are voting Yes on August 5!

But what next? Can you predict what crazy will look like? I’m grateful for the protection and you should be too. Here’s why.

Remember how I said you would benefit from Amendment 1 too? Lots of people don’t get that. They see this as unnecssary. They wonder why farming deserves the same rights as speech or bearing arms.

I guess I believe eating is a fundamental right.

This farm family is voting Yes on Missouri Constitutional Amendment 1!

The Riekhofs are voting Yes!

I don’t remember it but I’ve heard healthcare was a different world before doctors worried about being sued constantly. Before malpractice insurance hit the roof and prices sky rocketed. Before everything a doctor did was measured against what a lawyer could do with it.

That day and age is coming for agriculture. Actually it’s here.

This farm family is voting Yes on the Missouri Constitutional Amendment 1!

Her parents are voting Yes to give her the chance to stay on the Hackmann family farm if she wants to.

What will a world full of red-tape and insurance premiums look like for you? Money. Scarcity. Sort of what health care looks like today.

Yes, I want my kids to come back to the family farm in 20 years if they like. I want my husband to do the work he is passionate for. I want to look out my window at the amber waves of grain and the fresh cut corn stalks. But mostly I want to feed those kids, my husband, even the world.

This isn’t about China, or big ag, or little guys. It’s about food security. And I’m voting Yes.

Categories: Science | Tags: agvocate, Amendment 1, family farm, Missouri Constitutional Amendment | 16 Comments

For the Fun of It

Posted on July 23, 2014 by daddystractor

It’s almost like a baby kitten hissing at you. Or a little lap dog barking like the vicious attack dog he thinks he is. But somehow a mostly-grown bantam rooster learning how to crow is much funnier than any of that.

You can really hear it at the 17 second mark when one of the “regular” roosters and a bantam crow at the same time. Makes me laugh every time.

The bantams (or banties as we call them around here) were hatched in April, so they’re pretty much the equivalent of teenagers. They won’t get much bigger but they will likely fill out a bit more and it won’t be long till they begin laying eggs and being grown-up chickens. They are, however, about half the size of a regular hen. And everything small is adorable.

Really. cute.

And funny. Just thought you should know. 😉

Categories: Animals | Tags: animals, bantams, chickens | 1 Comment

Knee-High by the…

Posted on July 3, 2014 by daddystractor

If you can make jello salad with marshmallows six different ways you might know what I’m talking about. Actually if you’ve been on the internet anytime in the last 15 years you’ll definitely know what I’m talking about. Those lists. You know, 15 ways to tell you’re the mother of toddlers. (Write checks with the crayons in your purse.) 8 things both college and preschool students do. (Wear your backpack on both shoulders.) And 23 ways to know you’re from Missouri. (That’d be the marshmallow salad.)

And while making salad from jello and marshmallows is a legitimate way to assess your geographical origins, there is always one notation on these lists that suggests knowing the corn should be knee-high by the 4th of July is a trait Midwesterners share.

This one drives me nuts.

It is true that corn in years past didn’t grow as tall as corn today, but I’d never claim to be old enough to tell you if this adage once held any truth at all. Just let me assure you that corn standing two foot tall at any point in July is a sure sign of trouble for today’s farmer.