Mike Rowe Works-Discusses Issues facing Ag Today

[ISUAgronomist]

I hate to get on a soap box but I bet if you did a pole somewhere in Chicago urban areas 90% of the people would not know where their food comes from or how it is made. People dont understand that the food that they eat has to come from somehwere.

This is so true. Here's example from my life. I grew up on a farm in a very large farming family. Nearly all of my cousins grew up in the same town as me farming too and one of them seriously asked me recently what is corn used for. I about **** my pants when she asked me.

[ISUAgronomist]

Who else has a framed autographed picture of Mike Rowe hanging up in their office?

No, (a little off topic) but I have taken an exam in Dr. Borloug's office. One of the greatest moments of my life. Saw the plaque for his Nobel Peace Prize that was amazing.

Mike Rowe definately has my respect after reading this article.

[Tre4ISU]

Great post. I think we need to have a Cyclone Fanatic Farmers tailgate this fall.

Can I come even though I am technically not a farmer right now?

I understand if you don't want me.

[Iastfan112]

Love that article, nice to see people coming out on the farmers side vs. hearing all the acolytes of Mike Pollan spew garbage(admittedly he makes some good points especially on how American's eat unhealthily).

[Cato2handjam]

"Americans used to fight their hunger, now they have to fight to stay hungry." I heard that line in some documentary and its stuck with me. We are so prosperous and have everything we ever want at our fingertips that we could just sloth into a food importer.

[ca4cy]

Love that article, nice to see people coming out on the farmers side vs. hearing all the acolytes of Mike Pollan spew garbage(admittedly he makes some good points especially on how American's eat unhealthily).

I've got to say that I'd be pretty disappointed if there were many people on here that are anti-farmer. Not all of us on here are ag majors, but the vast majority here are either graduates of or fans of a Land Grant university. Whether most choose to acknowledge it or not, we are very much dependent on the American farmer. We have the cheapest and best food in the world and those that are trying to make the farmers go away would be wise to take a big step back and think about what they are really wishing for.

I grew up on a Century Farm in NE Iowa. I guess I didn't get enough milking there as I milked my way through college at the (old) ISU Dairy farm. I've been an ag lender since graduating from ISU and am proud to say that I've been involved in production agriculture at some level for as long as I can remember. Agriculture continues to evolve and it's important that it does. We need more people like Dr. Norman Borlaug and Mike Rowe (ever think you'd see their name in the same sentence?) that are willing to champion agriculture and tell its story rather than using their celebrity to run it into the ground, no pun intended.

I wonder what company Mike was auditioning to voice over for. I could easily see him being the voice of Pioneer, the Cattlemen, or the Pork Producers. He'd be a great fit.

[chicagocyfan]

I had a beer with Mike Rowe! Lucky enough to have him in a partnership with my company and he has attended a few events which I've been a part. Exactly how you would imagine, an average Joe. And he really does "get it" when it comes to his stance and promotion of the skilled labor force in this country.

[cjclone]

The last statistic I saw showed that Americans on average only spend 10% of their income on food. It used to run 35-40% of income and that was before taxes. You can only have these discussions in a country that is wealthy and that was Norman Borlaug's point about many ag issues. Have you ever really seen many hungry people in this country? I am not saying there aren't, but it is not common and there are usually reasons other than the cost of food.