Holidays! What a wonderful time. A time when we give thanks to the Lord for the bounty he has provided for us. Cold days in the North Country, but warm hearts and houses abound. The smells of fantastic meals being prepared and the sounds of company arriving to enjoy a day dedicated to God and his blessings.

Let us not forget to thank the farmer from whence the food on our tables comes. Mr. Farmer is the unsung hero of many holidays as all holidays seem to be centered around food that comes from the farm. But Mr. Farmer gives us so much more than the food before us. He also, in many cases, gives us power, heat and fuel for our cars. Due to his willingness to work very hard, we have surplus food to feed the needy in our country as well as other countries. Due to his labor we have ethanol from corn, a renewable product to help fuel our cars and help keep oil prices down.

My wife and I have been blessed by the support of this community having made a living by serving the people in southern Minnesota.

The people of southern Minnesota have been good to us, and for this we say thank you. The Lord has been good to us, and for this we praise him. But I cannot help but think that the farmer has helped my business and many other businesses in our area grow. There is a great deal of talk about federal farm programs. Much of it is negative. Do you know what is in the federal program? Really? Look it up. If you do, I think you will see it in a different light. Especially if you have just eaten. Most of the farmers I talk to would like to see it change or go away except the federal crop insurance.

Some people criticize the farmer if he drains swamp land to turn into harvest land. Now I love nature and animals and birds, but put yourself in Mr. Farmer’s place. He pays taxes on that land. He maintains the land and owns the land. Without the government paying him for leaving it swamp land, why should he? Farming is not an easy job and it is not free money. The farmer risks everything every year to keep us all fed and now to keep us going down the road with affordable fuel for our trucks and cars.

Yes, farmers are a big deal to me and now so is ethanol. Ethanol produces good-paying jobs, clean renewable fuel and higher prices paid to the farmer. This all comes back to us. If the farmer is making money, he is spending, usually locally.

If farming were easy, we all would be farmers, but most of us moved off the farm for a “better life” in the city. So the next time you get stuck behind that big old piece of farm equipment or your run into someone who may be a little dirty and smell a little funny, don’t curse him. Thank him. He is the one who grows your food.

 

Milan Hart
Republican candidate
House District 27A
Albert Lea