Get “Stuff” Done This Holiday Season

The past three weeks, I have stayed in a bed that’s not my own over 90 percent of the time. I went to the Montana Farm Bureau Convention in Billings one week, the Montana Stockgrowers Convention the next week, then traveled to Texas for 10 whole days to spend time with my family over the holidays. Needless to say, I am in desperate need of some alone time in my own home and my husband is in need of a meal that doesn’t come out of a box in our freezer.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a reoccurring theme in all of my visits with ag industry professionals: getting “stuff” done.

It’s what the Montana Farm Bureau Federation and Montana Stockgrowers do and celebrate every single year at their annual conventions.

It’s what my brothers and their friends are about to do with final exams coming up at their respective colleges.

It’s what my family members do every day when they go to work.

Heck, it’s plastered on a coffee cup my boss Matt Pierson gave me when I started working for the Producer Partnership.

But most importantly, it’s what we need to do as American Agriculturists.

Last week, I’m sure many of my readers passed serving platters of delicious Thanksgiving foods around a beautifully set table. As with large family gatherings, I would be willing to bet something about politics came up — it does every year.

Your parents, aunts, and uncles bring up a topic they saw on the news a few days prior; your grandparents mutter phrases like “this world we live in…” or “this generation…” and shake their heads; and the younger folks either silently shove side dishes around on their plates, or maybe they speak up about something off the wall and radical. Regardless, it’s deemed as a “sensitive” topic and is almost guaranteed to ruffle someone’s turkey feathers.

But what good does that do? Seriously, think about it, what good does a bunch of voting citizens sitting around complaining or arguing about a current event ACTUALLY do for the betterment of society, neigh, the ag industry?

My dad hammered the phrase “actions speak louder than words” into my brain when I was in high school. At the time, I brushed it off, but as I’m getting older, I understand it more. The big bad wolf can huff and puff all he wants but until he blows the house down, he’s just blowing smoke.

We as ag industry supporters, professionals, and elected officials need to do a little more acting and a little less speaking. But how?

Idea #1: join a grass roots organization.

Farm Bureau, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, American Sheep Industry, Grain Growers…these are all examples of grass roots organizations that are fighting for the ag industry on your Capitol’s steps each and every year. In my opinion, this is where change can really bloom and flourish. It’s so cool to think that just by being an active member of an industry organization, you can actually see your ideas come to life. 

These organizations have the time and resources to make the ag industry better for farmers and ranchers; they give you the opportunity to take those Thanksgiving table gripes and turn them into true blue legislation. It’s kind of amazing when you really think about it.

Idea #2: start a social media movement.

I know I bring taking advantage of social media up quite a bit in my columns, but there’s a reason for that: it works. I think back to September 2019 when Kayla Walker and I were both at the Western Ag Reporter and ran the #FairCattleMarkets social media campaign. Our goal was to start a conversation amongst producers about the unfair practices of the big four packers — boy, did we achieve that goal. The icing on the cake? The cattle market genuinely got better for a little while…the campaign worked.

Find some like-minded people, set an attainable goal, and get to working. Don’t feel confident in your social media abilities? Email me at activistsvsagriculture@gmail.com and I will help you in any way I can.

Idea #3: give back to the younger generation.

‘Tis the season of giving, am I right? Whether it’s your time, your knowledge, or your money, giving back to some sort of ag industry movement will help agriculture.

Set aside an hour of your time to mentor a young agriculturist. Call your elected officials and visit with them about a current agricultural bill and why you feel they should or shouldn’t support it. Donate $25 to your local 4-H or FFA chapters, a little donation can go a long way.

Now is the time to think about the future of agriculture, not the past — maybe spend a little less time complaining about my generation and more time educating us. Do what you can to make our industry the best it’s ever been. 

The point I’m trying to make here is this: real change only happens when action is taken. So wipe your lip, push your chair away from the table, and get stuff done. Make it your goal to take the fire lit at those Thanksgiving lunch debates and turn it into action before Christmas dinner.