AUSTIN — “God bless the seeds his hands let fall. For the farmer, he must feed us all.”

It’s a line from a recent Land O’ Lakes ad using Amelia E. Barr’s poem The Farmer that aired during the Cotton Bowl.

It shows agriculture is a partnership—the farmer with the sky and earth, sun and rain. Not to mention economics.

A life that’s often criticized. But the farmer, he must feed us all. Even when chastised, cut down and overly critiqued.

As the new year starts, farmers and ranchers across the Lone Star State and the nation humbly get to work. They plow the land. Plant the seeds. Nurture the soil. And grow a crop with a little extra faith, hope and love.

Add determination and hard work, and you have the recipe for success. One that has been passed down from generations.

Because the love for the land and growing things is innate. And strong.

It’s their continued perseverance in the face of adversity to provide for their families and urban neighbors that makes farming and ranching a noble profession.

And the Land O’ Lakes video shows that. Just like the Chevy “So God Made a Farmer” ad.

Now if only more businesses and food companies would take note and recognize agriculture’s contributions, too. Because farmers and ranchers aren’t celebrities. They’re just like you and me. And they work silently in the background to make sure we have a safe, affordable food supply.

–Julie Tomascik
Texas Farm Bureau

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