Cyndi's Two Cents

Words and deeds are needed

“I believe in the future of agriculture with a faith born not of words but of deeds.”

Many of you recognize that sentence as the opening line for the FFA Creed, written by E.M. Tiffany and adopted at the Third National FFA Convention. When I was a high school FFA Greenhand member learning the creed it was the future of farming in which we believed, but the revision doesn’t lessen the importance of farming.  It broadens the pool for membership.

The 92^nd National FFA Convention is underway in Indianapolis, Indiana this week.  Members from across the country come together at the annual convention & expo for national competitions, celebrating accomplishments, finding inspiration, and many, many more experiences.

FFA is about doing.  It’s one of three components in an agricultural education. The others are the interactive classroom and laboratory and the SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience Program) which is work-based learning.

A vast majority of people working in agriculture today, whether on the farm or ranch, in agribusiness or in another of the many career fields tied to the production of food, fiber and fuel – took high school ag classes and were members of FFA.  Experiential learning is the heart and soul of agriculture education.

“. . .not of words but of deeds.”

We are living through a tough spot in agriculture today.  Changes in climate, trade issues, anti-agriculture activism and the overall ag economy have many of us struggling.  There’s so much on our plate that we are exhausted.  The thought of doing one more thing is overwhelming.

But we need to do one more thing if we are going to successfully make it through the tough spot we are in today.  We need to do more than talk about what is wrong and what should be done to “fix” it – we need to act.

Many of us have strong feelings about those issues debated by Congress, yet we fail miserably when it comes to sharing our views with those who are in the position to make a difference. If you can honestly answer that none of the issues are relevant to you, your family or your community, then you have no reason to contact a lawmaker. However, if one or more of those issues is important to you, the people who could shape the laws to fit your wants and needs and beliefs are easy to reach.

USA.gov is easy to remember, easy to type and is a good place to get contact information for those who represent you in the United States House and Senate as well as state government contacts. 

I’ve heard every excuse in the book from those who choose against contacting their lawmakers. We are all busy. But if you can voice an opinion with a group of neighbors at the local feed store, restaurant or grain elevator then certainly you can make a phone call or send a letter or e-mail voicing your opinion to those who can do something about it!

I believe that as citizens of this great nation, we should remain informed and engaged and hold fast to those rights and responsibilities granted us in the Constitution of the United States of America. Many of you reading this column today have backgrounds like mine. My ancestors were pioneers who battled the elements and so many other forces against them to tame the land that would become the home and farm for the next six generations of the Young family. Apathy wasn’t in their vocabulary and it should not be in ours.

Alone, you are one voice, but my friends, united, we are many. United, we must be heard!