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Dear Offended Farmer,

Krista Stauffer

Dear Offended Farmer,

In today’s society, consumers are more than ever disconnected with where their food comes from. There are over 313,000,000 people in the United States and only 1-2% either claim farming as their occupation or live on a farm. I would venture to guess that the majority of the population has never even stepped foot on a farm.

More than ever consumers are wanting to know where their food comes from. SO where do they go to get that information? No, they do not come to us as farmers. They go to the internet. AND we all know that everything you read/see on the internet is true (insert sarcasm). The internet can be a source of great information but it is also a source of millions of opinions and agendas. You click on an anti-farming page and you have tens of thousands upon thousands of followers. You click on a farming page and you are lucky to see they have hit 1000 people. Consumers these days are being raised in a world of social media, it is everywhere. It is much easier to go to the internet for answers than drive to a farm.

This is where you come in. I know how hard you work. I know how much you care. I know first hand how it feels to struggle. I know the sting of an uneducated comment intended to bash me as a farmer for who I am and what I do. I know how frustrating it is to have friends/family members share negative and uneducated comments regarding agriculture. But you know what, we kind of have ourselves to blame. I know how easy it is to just lash out at those that are spreading manure from their mouth.

BUT…

We cannot lash out! We cannot match ignorance for ignorance. We cannot possibly reach someone by calling them names and/or using profanity. We need to explain to them as to why their information is incorrect. If someone says farmers work an 8 hour day. Explain to them how many hours you work, what you do in that time and why. If someone says that we are lazy, invite them to “job shadow” you for the day. If someone says that we do not care, explain to them that you do and why. If someone doesn’t understand something we do, explain it to them. Patience is very important. Not everyone will see your point of view and that is ok. Move on. Education is key and we need to step up our game!

There is no reason why anyone of my friends or family should be uneducated to my farming practices. There is no reason for a single one of them to be worried about the food I supply. If they are looking for answers, I should be their number one resource. They should have access to my farm and to me for any questions they may have. Doesn’t mean they will not go to the internet, but they should have access to the truth(me & my farm).

So I guess the point of this letter is more like a plea to you as a fellow farmer. What you do or don’t do affects us all. If you decide to attack someone that just got done bashing you, what are you really going to gain? Nothing. Take all that energy of being “offended” and turn it into educating. Instead of calling someone names and using profanity, explain to them why what they are saying is wrong. If you have trouble with putting your feelings into words, do a little research before you respond. More than ever farmers are stepping up to share their story and there are quite a few that are good with words.

Most importantly if you find that you are offended that someone is uneducated and is “bashing” you for what you do, think for a minute, what have I done to educate consumers? Do I have a farm page where I can share my farm with people? Do I have a blog where I can explain in detail what I do and why I do it? Have I wrote the local paper to share within the community? Have I participated in community events? Is my farm open for farm tours? Even more, is what I am about to say (or type) going to be affective in showing this person that they have been given the wrong information about my farm?

How you respond is more important than you may think…

Sincerely,

Krista, The Farmer’s Wifee

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Krista Stauffer

Owner at Stauffer Dairy
Krista didn't grow up on a farm but fell in love with a dairy farmer and now works alongside her husband on their family dairy farm, raising five children. Despite her non-farm upbringing, she embraces farm life, enjoys gardening, and remodeling their farmhouse. She also runs a successful women's boutique, manages social media for local businesses, and serves on the board of a non-profit creamery, showcasing her dedication to entrepreneurship and community service.
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