Recently in the nation’s capital, 6.8 inches of snow closed federal office buildings. Here at home, blizzards brought more than 18 inches of snowfall. Farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers in Kansas didn’t have the luxury of closing for the week. When you answer the call to feed, clothe and fuel the world, you’re required to show up—even when the temperatures outside are below freezing.
Kansas’ first congressional district is one of the top agricultural producing districts in the country. It is home to more than 60,000 farms along with farmers, ranchers, feed lot managers, nutritionists, veterinarians, ethanol producers, ag lenders and agribusiness owners who bring the agricultural ecosystem to life. When snow piles up and temperatures refuse to rise past freezing, these men and women don’t get a break. They throw on their layers to keep warm and get the job done.
Those of us who spend a lot of time around agriculture understand full well that Mother Nature is not a reliable business partner. At the end of October, much of western Kansas was still navigating dry to severe drought conditions. On top of navigating an already challenging farm year, these droughts severely squeezed already tight margins for farmers and ranchers. Less than two months later, Mother Nature changed course once again with more than a foot of snow. In true Kansas fashion, families and neighbors came together to help one another in a time of need.
Across our state, Kansans helped move snow to ensure livestock could still be watered and fed. They helped neighbors move cows to make sure that after calves were born, they could get to a warm place to be properly fed and nourished in negative temperatures. Kansans stayed up through the night to make sure livestock had a chance of surviving or to guarantee there was equipment ready to go and work by sunrise the next morning.
Why on earth would anyone do this?
It’s a special calling that many families in our district have answered.
In a world where Instacart and Amazon Fresh can deliver groceries to your door in nearly an hour if you live in an urban area, it can be easy to forget that our food doesn’t come from the grocery store shelves. It comes from men and women who work tirelessly day in and day out to answer the call to feed, clothe and fuel the world. On days with lots of extreme weather like we saw last week, these men and women bust their backs to ensure that we can still have food on our plates when the storms are long gone.
It can often be a thankless job, but on behalf of Kansans and the nation, I thank these brave men and women for keeping us fueled, clothed and fed. Your tireless efforts do not go unnoticed, and we are deeply grateful for your commitment to feed a hungry world.
U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann is a Kansas Republican who serves the First District and is on the House Agriculture Committee.
