Let’s stop making political assumptions about ag advocates

There are so many assumptions in agriculture, especially when it comes to politics. I’ve often faced criticism from both sides, being called both a “Trumper” and a “libtard.” Why? It’s because I advocate for agriculture based on facts, not party lines, and sometimes this means calling out both sides.

One thing I want to get straight is that I will never publicly discuss my political leanings and who I did or did not vote for in any election. Both in general and in agriculture, I don’t believe it’s about being right or left. It’s actually about doing what’s right for farmers and following credible science. My job as an advocate has nothing to do with telling people how to vote, but I do give people the knowledge they need to think critically about agriculture.

Attaching a political label to things means we lose the opportunity to have meaningful connections and conversations based on fact. Political statements cloud the entire conversation. I want the conversations we have about food and farming to be one thing: fact-based. Land use, rural communities, farming practices, and more are debated in politics, with each side claiming the moral “right” side. In reality, each side is missing the nuances of ag and often ignoring the science, economics, and actual feedback from real farmers and ranchers.

Each issue that’s debated can easily become a political talking point used to call attention to the party or politician instead of creating a real solution to help our ag industry.

Both sides have done things that are not great for agriculture, which is why we need to think critically about everything. Lets call out things that politicians and elected officials say and do that spreads misinformation (or worse, disinformation) or has a negative impact on ag. It’s especially hard when many politicians themselves are removed from the farm, so they are often supporting causes based on party lines, not because it’s what is actually right for our industry.

When I look at politics through the lens of ag, I don’t care about most things. I care that those who make decisions about our food, farmers, and rural communities make decisions based on facts, not just what follows party precedence. Ensuring those individual decision makers have at least some experience and background in ag is key. For example, I was excited to see Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins take Robert F. Kennedy, our Secretary of Health and Human Services, to a Texas farm in April. This was a good step to help him gain a little first-hand knowledge that can hopefully help him see what farmers need and what will actually make America healthy again.

I support evidence based practices in agriculture. This means I support genetic engineering (GMOs), am honest about how farmers are working to be more sustainable, and I also support organic farms. I do not support marketing labels that lie or mislead, but I do believe there is room for all farms and each person should have the right to make their own food choices, whether that be organic or conventional, grass-fed or grain-fed, and so many other options.

The second you say “genetically modified” or “climate,” people assume they know which side of the political fence you’re on. And frankly, I’m tired of it. The ag industry is one of the most technologically advanced areas I can think of, filled with people who wake up every day with one goal in mind: to provide for the world around them. Yet when I speak up for our farmers and ranchers, the political assumptions roll in.

I care deeply about the ag industry and the people behind it. My goal is to share the voice of ag to a wider audience. That doesn’t make me a pawn for one political party or the other. It simply makes me a person trying to share the truth about ag and your food.

I firmly believe that regulations on agriculture that are created without farmer input can do more harm than good, and we should be listening to the experts. This includes those who study how environmental, economic, and climate factors impact ag, and the real experts, the farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, agronomists, and so many other people who work in agriculture day after day, not the “activists” and politicians who think they know best without ever experiencing it or listening to those who really matter.

Moving forward, we should all try to be more open minded and approach situations where we don’t agree with others about politics with a willingness to hear someone out. You might learn something new and be able to have a real conversation about how we can all work together to make a better future for the next generation, especially across party lines and in agriculture. Or maybe keep in mind that at least in ag, it probably doesn’t matter which party someone’s affiliated with. Agriculture is not conservative or liberal, in fact it’s the one thing we all have in common due to it being the source of so many things we use every day.

Let’s stop making every statement someone says about labels and assuming things we think we know; instead let’s work together to create an industry that is rooted in facts, not fear.

Michelle Miller, the Farm Babe, is a farmer, public speaker, and writer who has worked for years with row crops, beef cattle, and sheep. She believes education is key in bridging the gap between farmers and consumers.