Opinion: The Freedom of Not Having to Farm

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently said: “Every one of us that’s not a farmer is not a farmer because we have farmers.”  That’s a lot of “farmer” in one sentence. And the powerful statement makes sense.  There aren’t many farmers among us. Less than two percent, as a matter of fact. Even more telling, 85 percent of what’s grown in our country is produced by less than one-tenth of one percent of our population.  Vilsack is right. We delegate the responsibility of feeding our families to a small percentage of this country. It’s an incredible freedom that we often take for granted.  Something’s happening, though, in this current age of mistrust.  Some folks are a little unsure about the actual practices of farming. That’s because we’re two, three and sometimes four generations removed from the farm or ranch. And getting further away every day. But they still trust the farmer. Surveys continue to point to that fact. The efficiencies of U.S. agriculture have given us a luxury. We don’t have to grow our own food. Someone else can. And does so safely. That’s a freedom we