I’ll Be Honest: Sometimes I Feel Defeated, Too

It usually happens when I least expect it. A television commercial. A magazine advertisement. A casual comment. A new food label. Something tips me off that the bent against modern agriculture is just getting worse.

It makes my heart sink.

Because it feels like all the work I’ve done is for nothing. It feels like all the hours were wasted. It feels like all the effort was fruitless. And “ag-vocating” isn’t making one bit of difference.

After all, what can I possibly accomplish against well-funded organizations? How can I compete against the powerful food companies? How many people can I reach as opposed to celebrities?

Yet here I am. And so are you.

Why?

This is too important to quit. You’ve heard you can take the girl off the farm, but not the farm out of the girl? I suppose that’s true. I’m passionate about agriculture. I care too much to quit.

And I know it’s making a difference. I’ve chatted with people who confirm it. They’ve changed their minds. They’ve learned something new. They’re now having conversations, too.

Quite literally, this entire conversation about food production exists, where it really didn’t a few years ago. We’ve seen people push back against misleading advertising. We’ve seen companies reject fear-based marketing tactics. We’ve reached all new people.

That’s how change happens: one person at a time.

But yes, sometimes I feel a little defeated. Supporting one another and lifting each other up is so important to keep us going. We’re all in this together. And together we make a difference.