From food security and production to biotechnology and food safety, people involved with facets of feeding the world are brainstorming food issues. The discussions centered Tuesday at Ag United’s fifth annual Food Roundtable in Sioux Falls. One element of the agenda encourages farmers to reach out to critics.
South Dakota has fewer farmers than the state used to boast, and those growers have large operations. They harvest massive quantities of corn, soybeans, and other products.
Charlie Arnot with the Center for Food Integrity says, nationwide, people don’t trust companies and grocery stores and other businesses they consider “big.” That includes ag operations run by families.
"Big food is bad, and they believe that big food is going to put profits above public interest, they’re going to take shortcuts to pad the bottom line, are therefore not trustworthy," Arnot says. "Recognizing that and that that’s a fairly significant cultural and social phenomenon, what does the food system do? How can we engage in activities that are perceived as being more worthy of public trust?"
Arnot says ag leaders have to address concerns of product quality and animal treatment with transparency.
"It’s about talking about your values, not talking about your production practices, helping people understand that, yes, the systems have changed, but the commitment of South Dakota farmers to do what’s right in protecting the land, caring for the animals, and producing safe food has, in fact, never been stronger," Arnot says.
Arnot says digital technology can help ag producers in South Dakota show people around the country that they operate on ethical principle when they raise animals and grow food for the world.
Arnot says it’s the responsibility of people in the ag industry to make their practices transparent. He says that can help non-farmers understand that growers and ranchers operate responsibly.