He once wrote, “I love my job. I love fighting for what I believe in. I love having fun while doing it. I love reporting stories that the Complex refuses to report. I love fighting back, I love finding allies, and -- famously -- I enjoy making enemies. Three years ago, I was mostly a behind-the-scenes guy who linked to stuff on a very popular website. I always wondered what it would be like to enter the public realm to fight for what I believe in. I've lost friends, perhaps dozens. But I've gained hundreds, thousands -- who knows? -- of allies. At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror, and I sleep very well at night."
I love that quote.
Every day on the internet I read opinions with which I don’t agree. Like: GMO crops are evil. Rich people should pay all the taxes while poor people should pay none. Dairy is bad for you. Organic should be the only choice of food available. Farmers are money-hungry people-haters who want to pollute the world and your body.
I don’t believe any of those things.
Yesterday Kris went to the capitol with Farm Bureau to give support to a bill that exempts farm vehicle drivers from having to have a commercial driver’s license to drive a truck pulling a trailer. Another government regulation.
Another one that’s up – labor laws. Under a new proposal, no child under 16 on a farm can do anything on a farm, unless it’s your kid. So my nephew couldn’t run an electric screwdriver, my friends’ kids couldn’t help feed a calf a bottle … a teenager who wants a part-time job couldn’t work here. The original proposal didn’t even have the parental exemption.
Even if that’s passed, it won’t be respected or obeyed. And enforced? Come on.
What’s the best we can do? Be a part of organizations that try to affect the outcome of laws. So we try. And we do.
Unless I’m directly confronted, I don’t often voice my more controversial opinions. I save my defenses for the things that matter most to me. Laws definitely do. I’ll fight for what I believe in, and I’ll sleep well at night.
3 comments:
That labor department law is particular madness. I am a Brit living in the US and involved indirectly in ag, and am amazed that any government agency would pass a regulation like this. Like they will go to every farm in the country and check this out?
What a useless, wasteful regulation. Small businesses continue to be villainized, even as they create jobs. I'm sad to hear this sort of thing seeps into the farming communinity as well.
Thanks for your comments and support!
Farmland investments - I know, that certainly seems unlikely. The entire law is a waste of time and money.
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