As a college kid who grew up on a family farm in central Kansas, I am well aware of how much work goes into producing that bag of groceries shown in this picture. However, I am one of the 2 percent of the population that is still involved in the production side of agriculture. My name is Kendal Peterson and I am a student at Kansas State University and the youngest brother in the trio of the Peterson Farm Brothers.
So the question is… does that other 98% of the population consider the work put into those products in their grocery cart? Maybe only 2% of the population is directly involved in production agriculture now, but it wasn’t always that way. Most people can go back a few generations in their family history and find a grandpa or a set of great grandparents who ran a farm. In those few generations however, the understanding of the role of the agricultural industry can be lost.
This may sound like a small problem to some, but it is growing more and more every day. The ag industry is expanding, but so is the world population, so our industry needs to stay ahead of the game with advancements. This includes advancements in production agriculture, agricultural communications, and everything in between. So as a farm kid who wants to return to the farm after college, I am definitely passionate about the potential of this industry as it grows and adapts to the changes in the world.
I loved growing up on a farm, but I didn’t realize how unique and critical the “field” of production agriculture (Haha, get it?) was until about 2 ½ years ago. When my brothers and I created a farming parody music video that went viral we were launched into the forefront of the agriculture industry. I was 15 at the time we released our first video and I have been learning more about advocating for agriculture ever since. We were blown away by the reaction to the first video and have made 5 more since then. The crazy thing is, the more I learn about the ag industry and the problems that it is currently up against, the more passion I feel towards supporting and promoting it now and in the future.
My goal as an advocate for agriculture is to challenge people to find that source of passion in their own lives. When I talk to someone about something I am passionate for such as the beef industry or K-State sports, I often talker faster, louder, and use more inflection in my voice. I can almost feel the passion I have for the topic as I describe my point of view. When you find your own passion, that passion may grow out of control and you may find yourself communicating it to others, and that it when your passion turns into something bigger.
Agvocats: KSU Leadership in Agricultural Advocacy 