Right or wrong, does it matter? Recently I found myself in an interesting situation. I was reviewing information on a rather controversial issue and found quite a few errors within that information. I shared my findings with several MCFB board members, who pointed out that my findings actually helped the “the other side”. Keep in mind, MCFB is not supportive of this specific issue. I explained to them that I understood, but if something is going to move forward, whether we support it or not, it should move forward as accurately as possible.
Integrity- “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness” (Bing Dictionary). More often than not I’m finding that we need to be reminded of this definition…Doing what’s right, should be at the forefront of everyone’s dealings, not just when it’s convenient. Society is so focused on what is best for them as individuals, that they forget that the world doesn’t revolve around just one person. Self-preservation tends to blind people when the “bigger picture” is the actual concern. With so many potentially detrimental issues at hand, including SGMA, we need to stop for a minute and remember that what is going on is bigger than one person or piece of land. IF things are looked at from a position of integrity, no one should come back and challenge the accuracy of what is being proposed. Right or wrong (depending on your position), what’s right is right, and we should all strive to be as honest and transparent as possible. Working together is always more beneficial than fighting amongst ourselves…the only ones that get ahead are the attorneys, technical experts, etc.
On to a lighter note, I’d like to try something…I often wonder how many people actually read our newsletter, maybe even specifically my column, so I’m going to test my theory. The 25th person that calls the office and mentions this article will get a farm bureau swag package. Now, by the time you’ve read this we will have already celebrated our annual scholarship fundraiser. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary and taking into the consideration the date it fell on, we decided to give it a theme, Cinco de Vino. We brought in a taquiza, tequila tasting and mariachis. In 20 years of existence, Madera County Farm Bureau Scholarship has awarded nearly $400,000 to 179 students! I find that amazing for a smaller farm bureau like ours. This shows that our community cares about the future and the “bigger picture”. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the scholarship fund over the years. We appreciate all of the continued support and hope to continue our efforts in aiding those that will lead agriculture in Madera into the future.
