For a farmer, every day is Earth Day. Preserving and protecting our natural resources has always been and will be a priority in every aspect of food production. Farmers are innovators and continue to create and adopt methods to achieve our goals. We care about the environment. We care about our animals. We care about our families. We care about our communities – and we care about you.
As farmers, we constitute less than 2% of the population. We are responsible for caring for 40% of the earth, but we are responsible for feeding the entire population here in the United States. We’re talking about huge responsibility – no pressure, right?
On my family farm, we strive to provide our employees with a positive workplace. We hope that by working closely with our employees and offering them the flexibility to spend time with their families and take care of their mental health, our employees look forward to work With we do not Down us.
I care about protecting the environment around me. I grew up on this land and now I am blessed to raise my family here.
Maintaining soil health is a critical first step in bringing the healthiest and safest food in the world to your table and mine.
Farmers maintain soil health by implementing practices such as no-till and cover crops. No-till means leaving the soil untouched – imagine planting a garden on your lawn without using a tiller to loosen the soil. Cover crops keep the soil covered year-round and facilitate absorb water and nutrients that plants can employ to grow.
On my family farm, we employ cover crops to retain soil nutrients between growing seasons.
A key element in ending the environmental cycle is cattle. We benefit from using manure from dairy cows as fertilizer to grow our plants. On my dairy farm we manage fertilizer, working closely with our agronomist to maximize nutrient employ. The employ of cow dung helps us reduce our dependence on the commercial employ of fertilizers.
Lowering our carbon footprint goes far beyond farms alone.
Food waste is part of everyone’s impact on the environment. In the US, food waste is estimated to be between 30 and 40% and it happens from farm to fork, with spoiled and surplus food being thrown away.
Farm animals can consume some of the food waste that we cannot. Cattle can turn potatoes and vegetables, biscuits, distillers grains, cottonseed and many other products into another source of hearty protein.
On my farm, we facilitate tackle the food waste crisis by feeding our cows with by-products. We also work strenuous to feed our animals the right amount of feed every day to minimize waste. Computer programs facilitate us provide the cows with the most precise diet. I am proud that I can provide my animals with the best care and nutrition.
Reducing emissions, reusing and recycling have always been and will continue to be the driving force for farmers. On my farm, the same water is used three times. First from the well to frosty our milk, then to water the animals, and finally to maintain the crops.
Farmers have been working to improve practices for generations and will continue to make progress in protecting our natural resources. I commit to doing the right thing – today and every day. Are you?
