Agriculture is under attack. We’ve seen radical animal rights and environmental activists go after farmers and ranchers across the nation. Now, they’re in Oklahoma.
Ninety-eight percent of Oklahoma’s nearly 80,000 farms are family-owned. These family farmers work hard each and every day to produce the safest, highest-quality and most affordable food supply for our state, our nation and our world.
In the 1960s, the average farmer only fed about 55 people; today, the average farmer feeds 160 people. If the environmentalists have their way, our farms will look a lot more like 1960 rather than 2016.
New technology allows farmers to grow more food on less land, use fewer fertilizers and pesticides, and reduce their environmental footprints. Environmentalists claim our farmers and ranchers abuse animals and pollute the environment. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Farmers and ranchers care for their land, their water and their natural resources. They understand their actions today affect not only their own livelihoods, but also the livelihoods of their children and grandchildren in the future.
But instead of thanking farmers and agricultural innovators for producing more food for our growing population, environmentalists just yell. Rather than working alongside farmers and ranchers to solve problems, environmentalists shout “No!” to scientifically-sound technologies and practices. They throw out lies to mislead the public and confuse consumers. They demonize the hard work of Oklahoma’s family farmers and ranchers.
Along with the state’s leading agriculture groups, Oklahoma Farm Bureau is taking a proactive step to protect family farmers with State Question 777, or the Right to Farm.
Despite the claims of radical activist groups, Right to Farm has nothing to do with cockfighting, puppy mills, or water quality. Right to Farm protects the ability of Oklahoma family farmers and ranchers to continue producing safe, healthy and affordable food.
The fact of the matter is this: one in four children in Oklahoma struggles with hunger. More than 650,000 Oklahomans lack reliable access to a healthy food supply. We absolutely cannot afford to take food off the table. At some point, we must realize hungry Oklahomans are more important than making ourselves feel better.
When given the freedom to use technological advancements along with reasonable regulations from the government, farmers and ranchers can continue doing what they do best: putting food on our tables. Let’s not tie the hands of our family farms and ranches. Vote YES on State Question 777!
