In a famous scene from the movie "The Naked Gun," Leslie Nielsen tells a gathering crowd to "Move along folks, there’s nothing to see here." Meanwhile, in the background, explosions erupt, fire consumes whole city blocks and the chaos he has unleashed fills the screen.
International trade is a cornerstone of our country. From the 18th century when Native Americans traded fur to the French along the Ottawa River to the $131 billion in U.S. agriculture exports forecast this year, we have always been a player in the trade arena. After all, said President Calvin Coolidge, "The chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world."
In a year destined to be dominated by election year politics, farmers are hopeful congressional lawmakers will complete a new farm bill before the current one expires on September 30. It won’t be a fun or pretty process, but it’s important for American agriculture, rural America and those who care about food production. One of my friends reminds legislators that farm bills aren’t written for the good times; they are written for the bad times.
According to Phil Lempert, best known as the Supermarket Guru, "Farmers are becoming the latest food celebrities." He goes so far as to predict that celebrity chefs are out, celebrity farmers are in.
My parents taught me from a young age that you need not look any farther than the end of your own shirt sleeve for a helping hand. It’s a creed that I, and most of the farmers in this great country, live by. In an era of corporate greed and government bailouts, I’m mighty proud of that old shirtsleeve, as I know other farmers and ranchers are. We are also fond of our trusty bootstraps, by which we sometimes have to pull ourselves up.