Families in agriculture are adaptive, we all need them to continue

I originally wrote this for my hometown newspaper, in which I try to avoid politics to some length. With this below I thought that it all needs to be said straightforwardly, and politics unfortunately is interwoven deeply into the matter at hand, quite unnecessarily I believe. Some may see some problems of thought within my writing. That is what I’m a writer here for, to transmit thought and ideas. And I certainly can’t speak directly for those now on the land trying to express their point of view. That would be disingenuous of me. Below is my opinion only based on my past experiences in agriculture.

Let’s start with some questions; when was the hay day for the horse-drawn wagon industry? If you will do an internet search you will find it as about 1900. What happened to these companies by 1920? Most of the many centered in Ohio did not continue in the auto industry primarily due to lack of expertise in engineering needed and ended abruptly. As Americans do we look back at this evolution of the ending of one industry (horse and buggy) and the beginning of another (automobiles) as somehow deeply unjust? Of course we do not, as innovation is celebrated to this day. Was there a political force behind saving buggies or making autos? That is doubtful, and an Internet search did not bring up any mention. But that leads to a question as well, could have government softened the blow to the carriage builders? I will leave that question stand as is.

Today we find ourselves in a similar situation to change in locomotive power with advances in green energy sources and in particular to the adoption of electric power for transport and industry. You will find at least one fully electric farm tractor on the market today, Walmart has been using electric powered eighteen-wheelers for some time. A recent advance by Toyota in solid state batteries which are quickly recharged have emerged recently.

Clearly, many people are continuing with innovation in a changing world. As a species, humans have always been able to survive through adaptations in the way we work and behave and not in say, growing larger antlers. Many other countries are speeding ahead of the United States. This is primarily a result of one political party trying to cripple our innovation in select industries. There are certain large companies who do not wish to act innovatively either in an American fashion and try to only see from their perspective, quarter earnings to quarter earnings. And they may spend money they could use for innovation on campaigns to keep the status quo. It would all be good, and innovation would not be dampened but for a rather large segment of the population which support the stifling of progress. Many of these people are agricultural. This somewhat perplexes me and was the main impetus for this writing.

Anthropomorphic climate change has no more business being a political party issue as mask wearing in a pandemic was or may still be. Yet, unrestricted freedom is the primary focus of many who only see as far as to their fence gate. Precise time has been wasted on this unmovable mindset towards perhaps a 1980’s slogan. Now almost all must be spoken down off the ledge. If one does not see good in one’s government directly to improve their lives, then it is up to the individual to demand a government to do so. But the possibility America having no government is frankly as much of a stark delusion as any can possibly have.

That said we all must join in the conversation on what to do. Those of us not in agriculture must hear your concerns, but we all must be serious about addressing a growing problem together. Perhaps the thoughts of the efficacy of a complete free market will be dismissed in the beginning. That would help us adjust and have a chance to adapt. But if those in agriculture are only here for criticism, and not possible solutions, the place at the table will not be left vacant. Innovation will occur elsewhere if left alone, there can be no doubt in that fact.

Family farmers and ranchers are perhaps the most adaptive of any business in this country. It has been this way since the founding of the country and only continues. Large corporate farming may be a different animal, but I’m mostly concerned with families in agriculture with several generations on the same land. Large corporate farms may fill a niche, but I’m not the correct person to comment on this. Although corporate power in this sphere most likely also hampers adaptation throughout agriculture in the United States.

If I were to go to a ranch today after not being a ranch hand for forty years I would probably be surprised with how things have changed. The climate undoubtedly has changed and those in agriculture are adapting. Going to renewable energy sources is only another adaptation needed. This is second nature to those ranching and farming.

It is imperative that those in agriculture look at changes in energy sources as only one of many adaptations needed to stay in business. Possibly the cost of machinery changes is utmost on the minds of farmers and ranchers. This is rightfully a very large concern. And this concern must be considered by policy changes. There are other concerns that I’m sure I’m unaware of, or have slipped my mind.

My main emphases is that the family farmer or rancher must become engaged in the process now. If one assumes that the status quo will continue, most likely you are mistaken. You must work with the government, not against it in this matter. Frankly you will have no other choice with a more erratic climate to contend with and the social and economic disturbance it will bring.

You have the opportunity to shape your future if you decide to adapt. If you decide not to adapt, then perhaps you will have a different future. My point is that agriculture has much to give for the years to come. And as we all know we all must have food so you have a gigantic voice in our adaptive future. You need to use it to help adapt, not recede into a past not possible to regain with atmospheric carbon dioxide levels where they are now at.

The Biden Administration has nominated a quite traditionalist Agricultural Secretary in Tom Vilsack.

He is on record accurately specifying the true nature of agriculture’s contribution to greenhouse gases, which it does not get a fair shake in the minds of many on the left. Agriculture’s effect in the United States in total is much less than upon the minds of some on the left. This is a frustration of mine with many people without a basis to know agriculture in any meaningful way, the nation’s food consumers.

But the former Iowa Governor Vilsack did say correctly that American agriculture does add to climate change. I suspect that changes in agriculture in adaptation will be slower paced than elsewhere, agriculture is just too important to be thrown into upheaval by monumental change. In my years in agriculture it always seemed that consistency was somewhat followed in farm programs between administrations. Perhaps there are instances where this is incorrect, but in general I do think I’m correct. Many farm programs have been in place for decades, with some changes incrementally. I see green innovation within the U.S. Department of Agriculture programs in the same fashion, with incremental changes.

All competent leaders understand the importance of our food system. Not that modifications must not be done and done equitably, however. Although I’m not in the position to forecast what will be required by family owned farms and ranches in the coming decade, it will most likely be drawn out. I certainly see future funding for change in equipment, most likely through the federal government. This is what I assume will happen.

My final point is that of the support some in agriculture give to large corporations, such as oil companies. You as adaptive business people must not give a pass to the large corporations to not be the same. Your blind support of these companies, who have had years to innovate with changing times, is unwarranted and unnecessary. It only gives them more power to stymie our adaptation to a warming planet.

We have gone away from horses and buggies after all. Let’s take an American innovative approach. It’s never really failed us in the past. Family ranchers and farmers can have support from the center and left of the political spectrum easily with some effort. There is a certain ignorance that was identifiable to me growing up on a small ranch, that is of the ‘city slicker’. One doesn’t hear that term much anymore but it certainly still applies, and that is a challenge as well. But let’s all work on the divides, we must unite rural and urban substantially better than we are at the present. That is the wish of this writer, however futile it might be.

About Erwin Curry

Retired Agricultural and Water Resource Engineer in federal and state government and private sector work. From a ranch in Carter County, Montana. Graduate of Montana State University in Agricultural Engineering 1982. Onetime resident of MT, WY, ID, MS, KS, and ND.