Editor’s Note: The following essay by Tim Wightman, sustainable farmer and President of the Farm to Consumer Foundation is a response to the Dodge Superbowl Commercial “God Made a Farmer” that was seen by millions this past weekend. I have included the commercial here for you to view prior to reading Mr. Wightman’s eloquent, insightful and moving words.
Are you a sustainable farmer? How did you react to the “God Made a Farmer” commercial? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
God may have made a farmer ….
I came of age on the Great Plains of this continent spanning from Texas to North Dakota seated in the cab of a combine consuming endless square circles of wheat for 4 summers. I met, worked with and for many farm families during those years. We regularly worked 16 to 18 hour days, sometimes for as long as 103 days in a row. Three times a day on AM radio, the words of Paul Harvey rang clear and true, reinforcing the work ethic those of us in the fields came to acknowledge as sacred.
Mr. Harvey told me John Wayne had passed on along with many other stories and legends of hard work and sacrifice that seemed to be the path of every American who had succeeded in this land and the selfless contribution that was the ingredient to success. I had heard the same mythology from my grandfather and his peers cutting trees and pulling stumps and calves and nursing food and forage from the land where only the wild had existed before.
So in 1979 I headed west not knowing if I had graduated early from high school to earn my place in the agricultural community through the many hours and sacrifice I was told was part of the job.
7 months prior Mr. Harvey gave that speech that served as the basis for the Dodge Super Bowl ad to the attendees of the Future Farmers of America National Convention. Little did the attendees know that the Earl Butz expansion model of cheap money to farmers was at full bore and by 1981 the planned consolidation of that policy would hit the agricultural community harder than anything Mother Nature could ever have thrown at them.
Farm Aid was launched in 1985 to pick up the pieces and I was left with the task of finding work in a rapidly disappearing calling. It seemed all my effort was lost to a fading memory of a proud history now blamed for doing itself in. It wasn’t until 1994 that I heard of a new movement in agriculture. They called it sustainable, community supported and organic but the movement was so new, it had just barely gotten off the ground.
As we sit and watch this commercial heralding the fact that “God made a Farmer”, it is important to remember that it was Big Ag and its lobbying in Washington that broke that same farmer’s back.
This ad perpetuates the myth that rugged individualism and the competition it creates was and is the way forward. Perpetuation of the delusion that the products grown are of no value at the farm gate, that the farmers who grew them are lucky to get anything for them, and that “off farm jobs” are normal.
In this finite wisdom we now have a collapsing health care system and soils near the end of their ability to provide for us. This is all part of Big Ag’s “bargain” – a chemically altered microbial system that has been so compromised that the tragic end result is too much to face so no one mentions it save for the occasional whisper.
The visuals of the Dodge “God made a Farmer” commercial is what we have always wanted to believe, told we should believe. I find myself having lived long enough to call 1978 long ago and words from that time stir memories and passion today. I even found myself being reminded of the myths and desire to be that rugged individual that was up and at it before much of the country hit snooze. By the end of the commercial, a sickening feeling of being sold a lie and persuaded to believe it set in, and how the reality of today’s farming community is so far from Mr. Harvey’s words of 1978.
There are those who still want to feed us, but to do so alone as a rugged individual is no longer an option. It is not that they all want new Dodge pickups, it is the fact that all should be eating in the land of plenty and no one should be scared of their food.
The commercial conveniently glosses over the fact that three-quarters of those farmers in the commercial operate at a loss for the food industry. Yes, they are their own boss but it is not fair to burden others for the sake of ourselves.
I ask that we do not take these myths, these manufactured perceptions perpetuated in the commercial to our farmer or farmers market this week. Thank them for thinking and growing out of the box. Yes, they work hard but no longer need to stand alone.
It is this generation of local farmers that will put the face of agriculture back to its rightful place in our society. Every dollar you spend directly with a local farmer is another dollar less that will be used against all of us.
I fell for the hype of serving a corporate food system with duty, honor and 100 hour weeks and very nearly ruined my health in doing so. I am now reminded of all the John Henrys I have known over the years, desperately trying to stay ahead of the system. I am reminded of the migrant workers who’s names we will never know still working the 100 hour standard. I am reminded of all the farm sons and daughters who are not on the land. God may have made a farmer, but Big Ag broke his back, broke the spirit of his wife and damned near turned our futures to dust.
I am glad there are still people who can see the truth behind a slick ad. The farmer in the commercial is few and far between. Why do people put down those who get welfare? Isn’t farm aid the same thing. Just worst. Because these farmers do have means of making a living, but the government gives them welfare instead. I support small farmers in our area and will continue to do so. So long as the government doesn’t step in and put them out too.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/e1abab3c2b/god-made-a-factory-farmer
Markets Not Capitalism, Ch 39
Agorist Quarterly 1.1 (Fall 1995): 31-45
07-03 Stromberg — English Encloures and Soviet Collectivization
Since the early socialists accepted the economic rationale of large-scale agricultural enterprise put forward by the defenders of Britain’s landed elite, it is not surprising that they were hostile from the beginning to peasant aspirations. To quote Dovring again: “The parallel strands of ideology from English aristocracy and Marxist socialism have done much, over the years, to discredit small-scale peasant farming despite its successes in Europe and Asia.” This mésalliance still has much influence on the economic policies of the postcolonial Third World, where many governments prefer tax-intensive super-projects of capital investment in heavy industry (e.g. steel mills, nuclear power plants) in countries that barely feed themselves. Some economists are beginning to question this preferred model of development and are suggesting that the Jeffersonian/peasantist/Bukharinist program of letting small-scale farmers take the lead is the soundest path in agrarian societies with an abundance of labor and a shortage of everything else. Thus John Kenneth Galbraith writes that socialism “does not easily preempt the self-motivated farm proprietor” and urges the undeveloped countries to allow agricultural prices to rise to their natural level to stimulate production, rather than subsidizing city-dwellers at the expense of farmers.
I thought this commercial was about being thankful to the farmer and giving a glimpse into their personal philosophy. While I respect and agree with the majority of Wightman’s views … I do not think that this commercial was giving a “mythical” description of the farmer in yesteryear. No, by and large, this is still the prevailing attitude and philosophy of farmers in this country, with or without Big Ag’s interference. I pray that grass roots efforts (our buying from local farmers) will help to change the course of those who are allowing their farms to become polluted with chems and gov’t marketting schemes.
Another fab article Tim wrote:
How farm spouses are subsidizing the local food movement.
I now live in Western, Ohio, one of the most productive farming counties in the world. And yet in this county, 92% of the farming couples BOTH work full-time off-farm jobs while farming an amazing 3,000 acres every year. Without these off-farm jobs, the families would not have access to sustaining income nor the benefits of health insurance. These off-farm jobs act as a significant subsidy small farm families give to the local food movement. In the traditional farm families I’ve seen, it usually has fallen to the farm wife to work a full-time job, in addition to her other varied farm chores. But, more and more, I’ve seen both couples needing to work off-farm to make ends meet. Why is that?
It’s because of agribusiness domination of Congress. Read Foodopoly, a new book, by Wenonah Hauter. It tells what the other food books and films do not tell. See also online a great booklet, “Crisis by Design” by Mark Ritchie, (see link by clicking my name, in the “history” section).
I whole heartedly agree with what Tim Whiteman says in this essay. God may have made a farmer, but big Ag broke his back. I have seen it around me for years as I have traveled around the country learning to be the next generation farmer.
Here in southwest Missouri, we are blessed with many small-time farmers who use no chemicals and are always open to learning more. They work hard, but not too hard. They love what they do and they farm because they care about healthy food and taking care of people. We have a local movement called Home Grown Missouri. We are protesting the government’s strangle hold on food security and liberty by growing our own food locally, naturally and by supporting our local economies all while growing a close community of friends. The change is among us. We are growing spiritually and the rains are falling down.
Great commentary, Tim! Thanks for posting this, Sarah.
This is the first I have heard this, we did not watch the super bowl. We were at church and then feeding animals. We are a ranching family! A friend said that Dodge had the best commercial, and that it looked just like how my family is. (Funny we drive Dodge!) I loved the commercial, but at the same time can see the point of a lie. We are NOT big time ag people. We use horses, milk cows and goats, birth all of the like. Our fertilizer is from the stock we grow, and truly we have never made a huge profit! Our government is NOT for the farmer, or anyone that can think for themselves and plant a seed. But the farmers that lets the big boys run them over interestingly don’t like us who are not chemical crazy! To all of those who buy from farmers and ranchers like us (THANK YOU!) At the end of the Food Inc. movie is a farmer that made me cry, he said that” If the people want it, they would grow it.) The statement is true that we vote every time we shop! However, gov. policies make it so tough to get it to you! The big farms are being ruined by the gov!! But we will never give up! It is such a joy to hear people talk about how they had no idea the meat/milk/eggs could taste like that! My work day never ends, and I love it! Thank heaven God lets us rest on the 7th day.(After chores of course.) I agree with Sarah W.
Thank again to all of you who support your local farmers/ranchers.
Cari
Has anyone seen this parody of the commercial?
http://t.co/g5XVC59T
We all know that big ag is not ideal. The commercial wasn’t about big ag. It was about those special people who provide food in whatever way they choose. They are the ones who are at natures mercy. The folks who have the resilience to come back and hope for a better “next year” when a new colt dies and they did everything in their control. This commercial was a public bowing of the heads to give thanks for those who try to provide food on the table for us. Yes I am glad to see we are becoming more sustainably minded but I would hate for us to be ungrateful. Your post came across negative and ungrateful. We will be tuned out with our self righteous “sustainable rants” if we don’t acknowledge the one thing ALL farmers have in common…..hard work.
Exactly!
Funny or Die’s response to the commercial. It’s called “God Made a Factory Farmer”
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/e1abab3c2b/god-made-a-factory-farmer