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Eat Something Good

What do pet rocks, the Clapper, legwarmers, sauna suits, the Atkins Diet, McDLT, Bartels & Jaymes wine coolers, big hair, Bell Beefers and ThighMasters have in common?  They were trends or fads that captured everyone’s attention for a period of time and now are only a fading memory.  Each of us buys into trends or fads for different reasons.  However, we should never buy into misguided media hype and celebrities that irresponsibly push their unscientific opinions on unassuming consumers, encouraging them make choices that they wouldn’t otherwise if they had accurate information.
 
“National Eat What You Want Day” was celebrated on May 11, but the very essence of a free market allows for each of us to make purchases based upon personal choice every day.  As a mom of two kids, I make food choices to create a healthy diet for my family and consider myself to be somewhat of a foodie.  I research recipes, as well as food trends, to make selections that will provide balanced nutrition and variety.  But, never do my choices come about because some mommy blogger, Dr. Oz or the Food Babe has guilted me into a choice that is clearly derived from a lack of knowledge of where their food comes from and how it is produced.
 
In addition to “growing” kids, I am also an educator and a small-scale farmer.  I grow cling peaches that go into canned peaches, which you can buy at your local supermarket, fresh sugar plums and wine grapes.  My family and I live on our farm, and we are conventional growers who use best-management practices to be the best stewards of the land we can be so that we can do our part to feed the world’s growing population.
 
Although, I don’t grow any GMO crops, I do support the development and incorporation of all tools, including biotechnological tools, into agricultural research and production.  Biotechnology gives producers greater flexibility in making responsible management decisions by reducing input costs, increasing crop yields, allowing for more efficient water use, promoting integrated pest management, providing environmental protections for our natural resources, and facilitating the development of new products and processes.  Biotechnology has tremendous potential for positively affecting, not only farmers, but also consumers by developing new products and opening new markets. These new products have the capability of improving health, solving vexing environmental problems, and decreasing world hunger. They also have the capability of enhancing the nutritional value of food, protecting crops, animals and humans from diseases and pests.  
 
Organic farming and conventional farming involving biotechnology can and do coexist.  Allowing farmers the ability to choose what and how to grow is the very essence of the free market.  Organic and biotech choices are tools in a farmer’s “toolbox” that allow for farmers to utilize the widest range of technologies available to produce a safe, healthy, abundant and affordable food supply.  
 
I enjoy farming and eating and am proud to celebrate the greatness of agriculture along with National Eat What You Want Day!  I encourage others who also enjoy eating to make food choices that are based on fact, not fiction. Eat something good tonight, and don’t forget to thank a farmer!