By Julie Tomascik
Editor
When it comes to food, there’s plenty of fights. From farming practices to the crops grown, consumers have questions. And farmers want to answer them.
That’s why Bell County farmers participated in the Mother Earth News Fair in Belton over the weekend. It’s their second time to attend the event.
“We talked with people from all walks of life about agriculture and what kind of production we do,” Richard Cortese, a farmer and Bell County Farm Bureau board member, said. “We talked about GMO crops, water quality and the environment. Some people just wanted to know more about how to grow something.”
That desire to know more is part of the foodie movement, creating a culture that celebrates niche markets.
It’s a conversation modern agriculture is trying to be a part of, but there’s a disconnect between the farmer growing the crops and the consumer buying the food in the grocery store.
So, Bell County farmers and ranchers pulled a seat up to the table during the event—reaching out to consumers to build relationships and share more about modern agriculture.
“We talked to most people over the weekend about the benefits of genetically modified crops that allow us to use fewer resources like fuel, water and pesticides. I think we had good interaction,” Cortese said. “We shared the message that there’s room for all types of agriculture—small, large, specialty crops and major commodities.”
Part of the exhibit included Texas Farm Bureau’s new Mobile Learning Barn. The revamped educational trailer includes ‘Meet a Farmer’ videos and facts on crops and livestock grown in Texas.
Families from near and far stopped by the exhibit and asked questions about issues facing agriculture.
“People want to know about GMOs and water. They want to know about Farm Bureau,” said Robert Fleming, who farms and ranchers in Bell County and serves on the Bell County Farm Bureau board of directors. “We told them about what we do on our farms, and we talked to them about issues that Texas Farm Bureau helps advocate for—things like private property rights, eminent domain, water quality and overregulation.”
An antique corn sheller that’s been in Fleming’s family for generations, along with a kiddie pool filled with corn and buckets, were conversation starters.
The corn sheller helped transition conversations to modern technology—like combines and other equipment farmers use today—and the role agriculture plays off the farm.
“Agriculture is important to all of us, even to those who don’t farm,” Fleming said. “Agriculture means jobs for Texans and Americans. It’s a major economic driver for us.”
But some of the conversations were with those who don’t have a favorable view of agriculture.
“There are always some people who don’t want to be convinced that modern agriculture is sustainable,” Cortese said. “That’s okay. We were still able to tell our story and share our information with them and many others over the weekend. We were able to talk about what we do personally.”
Even when they agreed to disagree, the Bell County farmers felt the interaction was still a learning experience.
The event in Belton was one of six that Mother Earth News hosts throughout the year. Mother Earth News is the largest and longest-running publication about self-sufficient lifestyles.
The weekend event was an opportunity for Bell County farmers to make modern agriculture more relatable. Folks came from all across the state and from around the nation.
“There’s room for everybody, for all types of farming and ranching. That’s what we told people,” Fleming said. “But we can’t feed the world with backyard chickens. We need the larger farmers to help feed our growing population.”
It was a weekend of conversations, relationships and outreach—the ingredients to cultivate a future with a better understanding of agriculture and food.