Hello blogging fans! I hope you all celebrated Earth Day by taking out the recycling and sharing how farmers practice environmentally friendly production methods every day. Recently, I attended the Master’s of Beef Advocacy Commencement that took place on the KSU campus. Daren Williams, Exec. Director of Communications for NCBA, encouraged all participants to submit letters to the editor about how Earth Day is everyday for farmers. I sent my letter in to the newspaper in the closest town, Garnett (my hometown of Colony, KS, population 343, doesn’t have a newspaper) and unfortunately it wasn’t printed. However, I figured someone should read it so I’ve posted it below! Happy reading!
Dear Editor:
The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day is fast approaching and I decided to take it upon myself to compile a list of environmental practices I, and fellow agriculturalists, do to preserve our environment.
– Provide a habitat for Kansas’ wildlife in our green, grassy pastures
– Graze our cattle on grass for as long as possible to preserve and oxygenate topsoil
– Recycle the constant flow of Dr. Pepper cans that accumulate in the feed truck
– Efficiently raise beef on land that is otherwise not viable for crop production
– Convert some of the waste products created by my animals (cattle, horses) to make compost for my backyard vegetable garden
– Utilize the best management livestock production practices that have been passed down from generation to generation in order to allow us to do more with less
– Adopt new technology as it comes along to reduce our carbon footprint
This is far from the entirety of the environmental initiatives farmers exemplify. However, it’s the daily ‘go green’ practices that farmers, ranchers and agriculturalists exhibit everyday that will allow our children and grandchildren to enjoy the same blue skies and green grass in their childhood that we were so fortunate to experience.
I’ll leave you with this line from the old Alabama song Pass it on Down, “So let’s leave some blue up above us; Let’s leave some green on the ground; It’s only ours to borrow, let’s save some for tomorrow; Leave it and pass it on down.” Happy Earth Day!
Until next time,
~Buzzard~