During the entire month of August, I was on the road. My trip brought me into twelve different states with the majority of the time being spent in Washington, Oregon, and Nebraska. I attended several producer meetings and got a chance to see how people in country felt about certain issues and see how they ran their operations.

As I spoke to ranchers and farmers at these meetings, I thought that they would be a little discouraged about all of the issues that have come before us, but it was quite the opposite. I could look into the eyes of these people and almost see the fire and the desire to continue. They all realized that the government agency that is dedicated to American agriculture has shifted it. They believe USDA has forsaken independent agriculture. Any other faction of American society may have given up, but not farmers, ranchers and feeders. Our industry has the integrity to do the right thing regardless of the cost and one with the fortitude to see it through to the end.

In a small town in Washington I was talking to a man who had donated a lot of money to this effort. The man was about 75 years old and I asked him, “Do you think we are going to make enough of a difference to change the direction of the industry?” He responded, “We are headed down the right path and I have faith that we will be successful in turning it around if we don’t’ falter.” This man was telling me that he had no other family left, just his place. So, in the car on the way to the next meeting I began to think. This individual could pack it in, sell his land, make a lot of money, and live out his life without the stress of these issues, but he has chose to stand up and continue to fight. Why, because it is the right thing to do.

It is trips like these that remind me of the merit of what we are doing, not that I need reminding because my family is also involved in the industry. The last week of my trip, I got the opportunity to go out and spend a day with Margene and Richard Eiguren and see their beautiful place in southeast Oregon. While I was there I saw their children and grandchildren working on the place. After roping one afternoon, I began visiting with their son Mike and we discussed agriculture and the way of life that it provided. He said, “This is the way that I was raised and this is the way that I am going to raise my children. There is no other lifestyle that teaches people the same traits that agriculture does. It teaches honesty, integrity, love for land and animals, and instills a good work ethic. It seems as though society has strayed from these values, but we haven’t here at the ranch.”

Ladies and Gentlemen: this is the last round. We have the opportunity to save a way of life and we are taking it head-on. There is no other group of individuals that I would rather have on my side, or would have a better shot at getting things changed that the group that we have.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you who opened your home to me during this trip. I hope in twenty years I can come back and see that it hasn’t changed one bit.CC