I find myself using the word, "really" frequently these days. It’s sometimes replaced with, “Are you kidding me?” or “That’s unbelievable!”
Any of the above exclamations would fit for what happened in Michigan last week. Michigan’s Governor Jennifer Granholm, issued a statement calling for March 20 to be recognized as “Michigan Meatout Day.”
Ironically, last Saturday, March 20 was National Ag Day!
Agriculture is a $70 billion-plus industry in Michigan, but obviously there are some major issues with this state’s chief executive officer and her lack of support for agriculture. Adding salt to the wound was the fact that Michigan’s Ag Day at the Capitol was held the day after the Governor’s announcement. This is an annual event in which more than 30 state agriculture groups convene on the State Capitol to share the bounty of Michigan’s diverse ag products with legislators, staffers and other government employees. Years ago, I participated in this tradition: It was a great opportunity to interact directly with lawmakers and stress the importance of agriculture to the state’s economy.
Obviously a great deal has changed since those days.
Members of Michigan farm groups were livid with the Governor’s proclamation. Michigan Farm Bureau President Wayne Wood stated, “It’s inconceivable to us that the Governor could stoop to this level of telling people what they should and shouldn’t eat based on the philosophies of 'food elitists’.”
The group called the proclamation “unconscionable and insensitive to livestock and dairy farmers.” Not only was the Governor’s rationale for encouraging residents not to eat meat in her proclamation “misleading and incriminating,” Wood said, but it’s “unbelievable” that the Governor decided to declare Meatout Day on the same day as National Agriculture Day.
“Her action is blatantly degrading to Michigan consumers and farmers, and is destructive to Michigan’s entire $71.3 billion agriculture industry,” Wood said.
Pork producers were upset also. Sam Hines, Executive Director of the Michigan Pork Producers Association says, “The Michigan Pork Producers Association was shocked and dismayed with Governor Granholm’s decision to proclaim March 20th as ‘Michigan Meat-out Day.’ The pork industry is a vital part of Michigan’s agricultural economy contributing more than $500 million annually in economic activity.
“More importantly, Michigan’s pork producers are concerned about the confusing signal the proclamation sent to consumers,” he continues. “Most health professionals agree that nutrient-dense meat products, including pork, can be part of a healthy diet along with a proper balance of fruits and vegetables. Producers have worked very hard to improve the quality of pork products and were extremely disappointed that the Governor would issue a proclamation lacking scientific validity that disparaged products from Michigan’s livestock sector. Michigan Pork Producers Association is committed to redoubling its efforts to inform consumers about the vital role pork plays in a healthy diet.”
Conservative groups responded to Granholm with a massive barbecue on the Capitol lawn a week ago. The Governor was clearly caught in the middle, saying the proclamation was issued at the request of vegetarian activists. Liz Boyd, a press secretary for Granholm tried to make amends with the meat industry by working with the Department of Agriculture to also celebrate all-purpose agriculture on the 20th.
Following the brouhaha, the Michigan Senate passed a resolution calling on the Governor to rescind her Meatout Day proclamation. The Michigan Commission on Agriculture met the same day and planned to pass some sort of resolution in opposition to the Governor's proclamation.
As the backlash from agricultural groups continued throughout the day, Governor Granholm issued another proclamation in celebration of Michigan Agriculture Day, also on March 20, 2010 (requested by the Michigan Department of Agriculture). In complete contradiction of her earlier Meatout proclamation, this decree called for residents “to help celebrate this day with meals made with a variety of local Michigan ingredients, including but not limited to meat, vegetables, and dairy products.”
Ag groups were pleased to see Michigan’s agricultural industry recognized by the new proclamation, but were disappointed that the Governor had yet to rescind her earlier decree. Which did she support? Boyd said the governor’s office receives hundreds of requests for proclamations throughout the year and said “no one should read too much” into the politics of Meatout Day.
This apparent lack of awareness clearly shows the general public’s distance from agriculture, and as Sam Hines notes, the need for ag groups to reinforce their efforts to inform consumers. I believe it also exemplifies the fact that it’s been a long time since most Americans have been hungry, and how easy it is for government personnel to be duped by special interest groups. At the very least, I hope Governor Granholm learned an important lesson.
What do you think? How can we educate our elected officials to support agriculture and farmers and not special interest groups....Join the discussion.
Any of the above exclamations would fit for what happened in Michigan last week. Michigan’s Governor Jennifer Granholm, issued a statement calling for March 20 to be recognized as “Michigan Meatout Day.”
Ironically, last Saturday, March 20 was National Ag Day!
Agriculture is a $70 billion-plus industry in Michigan, but obviously there are some major issues with this state’s chief executive officer and her lack of support for agriculture. Adding salt to the wound was the fact that Michigan’s Ag Day at the Capitol was held the day after the Governor’s announcement. This is an annual event in which more than 30 state agriculture groups convene on the State Capitol to share the bounty of Michigan’s diverse ag products with legislators, staffers and other government employees. Years ago, I participated in this tradition: It was a great opportunity to interact directly with lawmakers and stress the importance of agriculture to the state’s economy.
Obviously a great deal has changed since those days.
Members of Michigan farm groups were livid with the Governor’s proclamation. Michigan Farm Bureau President Wayne Wood stated, “It’s inconceivable to us that the Governor could stoop to this level of telling people what they should and shouldn’t eat based on the philosophies of 'food elitists’.”
The group called the proclamation “unconscionable and insensitive to livestock and dairy farmers.” Not only was the Governor’s rationale for encouraging residents not to eat meat in her proclamation “misleading and incriminating,” Wood said, but it’s “unbelievable” that the Governor decided to declare Meatout Day on the same day as National Agriculture Day.
“Her action is blatantly degrading to Michigan consumers and farmers, and is destructive to Michigan’s entire $71.3 billion agriculture industry,” Wood said.
Pork producers were upset also. Sam Hines, Executive Director of the Michigan Pork Producers Association says, “The Michigan Pork Producers Association was shocked and dismayed with Governor Granholm’s decision to proclaim March 20th as ‘Michigan Meat-out Day.’ The pork industry is a vital part of Michigan’s agricultural economy contributing more than $500 million annually in economic activity.
“More importantly, Michigan’s pork producers are concerned about the confusing signal the proclamation sent to consumers,” he continues. “Most health professionals agree that nutrient-dense meat products, including pork, can be part of a healthy diet along with a proper balance of fruits and vegetables. Producers have worked very hard to improve the quality of pork products and were extremely disappointed that the Governor would issue a proclamation lacking scientific validity that disparaged products from Michigan’s livestock sector. Michigan Pork Producers Association is committed to redoubling its efforts to inform consumers about the vital role pork plays in a healthy diet.”
Conservative groups responded to Granholm with a massive barbecue on the Capitol lawn a week ago. The Governor was clearly caught in the middle, saying the proclamation was issued at the request of vegetarian activists. Liz Boyd, a press secretary for Granholm tried to make amends with the meat industry by working with the Department of Agriculture to also celebrate all-purpose agriculture on the 20th.
Following the brouhaha, the Michigan Senate passed a resolution calling on the Governor to rescind her Meatout Day proclamation. The Michigan Commission on Agriculture met the same day and planned to pass some sort of resolution in opposition to the Governor's proclamation.
As the backlash from agricultural groups continued throughout the day, Governor Granholm issued another proclamation in celebration of Michigan Agriculture Day, also on March 20, 2010 (requested by the Michigan Department of Agriculture). In complete contradiction of her earlier Meatout proclamation, this decree called for residents “to help celebrate this day with meals made with a variety of local Michigan ingredients, including but not limited to meat, vegetables, and dairy products.”
Ag groups were pleased to see Michigan’s agricultural industry recognized by the new proclamation, but were disappointed that the Governor had yet to rescind her earlier decree. Which did she support? Boyd said the governor’s office receives hundreds of requests for proclamations throughout the year and said “no one should read too much” into the politics of Meatout Day.
This apparent lack of awareness clearly shows the general public’s distance from agriculture, and as Sam Hines notes, the need for ag groups to reinforce their efforts to inform consumers. I believe it also exemplifies the fact that it’s been a long time since most Americans have been hungry, and how easy it is for government personnel to be duped by special interest groups. At the very least, I hope Governor Granholm learned an important lesson.
What do you think? How can we educate our elected officials to support agriculture and farmers and not special interest groups....Join the discussion.
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