Food for thought… More often than not, the public is very quick to judge, throwing agriculture under the bus every chance they get. This usually occurs because of lack of education. As an industry, agriculture spends most of its time on the defense, defending against false claims, instead of being on the offense. As an industry there needs to be more education, but how is that done? Farm Bureau (both State and local, but mostly local) does a great job of keeping its members informed, and providing education where needed, but it’s always geared at agriculture. Recently there has been more and more animosity within our own industry. Farmers are pitted against farmers for one reason or another. At what point as a “farmer” do you stop, take a breath, think before you speak and consider what the other person may be facing? Everyone has a different way of doing things, but in the end, all anyone wants is to survive as the never-ending roll of red tape continues to wreak havoc. Every area of agriculture is struggling in one way or another, how do we find common ground in an effort to find a solution that may benefit the industry not the individual? Personally, I think being proactive with issues and politics (unfortunately politics play a big part in all of this) is key.
Now that the primaries are over, MCFB has decided to host a candidate forum to discuss agriculture in the near future. Although MCFB does not endorse, the Board of Directors feel that it’s time to impress upon the candidates the role they play in our everyday lives as they head on the campaign trail to the November Election. If any of the membership has specific questions they would like included in the forum discussion, please send them to staff at MCFB. Please stay tuned for updates on date, time and location.
Recently, the MCFB Board of Directors voted to purchase SmartWater CSI for its agricultural members… What does that mean you ask? If you are a voting member of MCFB, you and your business, have the opportunity to use this new technology. MCFB and Madera County Sheriff ’s Department have contracted with SmartWater CSI to assist in combating rural crime in Madera County. This technology allows owners to mark their property with a “coded” solution. If the marked property is stolen and recovered the item can be traced back to the correct owner using SmartWater CSI. The program will launch on July 18th, and is only being offered to Farm Bureau members. We will host lunch at noon, followed by a presentation from SmartWater CSI. So, make sure that your agricultural membership is current if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity. If you plan to attend the launch please contact the office to RSVP no later than Friday, July 13th. On another note, as harvest approaches, please make sure employees have their necessary training. MCFB is partnering with Agriland Farming to provide Hazmat Training on June 20th for anyone that may be transporting chemicals, fuel and/or hazardous materials. There will also be a harvest training for Trees and Vines on June 28th. Please contact the farm bureau office for more information. In the meantime, enjoy the wonderful weather. I look forward to hearing from you with any thoughts/ideas on the things discussed this month.
