By Carie Moore
Over the past few years with all the “food facts” being thrown at everyone, large companies have either taken a stand for agriculture or fallen short of our expectations. Everything has become a battle over labels and few know or seek the truths behind them. We want to feed our families and we also want our children to get a good education and eventually apply it to a job they love.
One company that impressed me a few years ago and again this season, was Barbie. Yes, I am a strong supporter of women in ag but that’s not the reason for my happiness. In ag, men and women hold many joint responsibilities as well as jobs and duties the other cannot do, so we need to work together.
Some jobs take brain and some take brawn depending on the job and environment. Some women run the farm and hire out men to do their banking and investing. Some men run the crop side and women run the livestock. No situation is the same.
But back to Barbie. I’m excited because agriculture and food production is being recognized as a career: A viable, noteworthy, and accepted career. It’s not a fall back option or a non-educated last-resort job. Veterinarians, farmers, bee keepers, scientists, zookeepers, construction, they all help us learn about ag and animals.
There has been some negative feedback about what Farmer Barbie is wearing, and that she still looks too “girly.” I’m not complaining. If an ag company would have come out with a girl farmer doll, I guarantee it wouldn’t get near the attention as Barbie doing it. We are reaching a massive audience of urban families and telling these girls, (yes, they need a farmer Ken too) that even if you are “girly” you can put on a pair of boots and get on a tractor and feed the world.
If a little girl in your life has or wants one of these, I hope you consider buying one. Let her get involved in summer camps and classes that do STEM activities. Encourage the school to take field trips to farms and ag production facilities and let them know YOU think it’s okay. Many times, children shy away from things because of the parents influence. That’s why we try so passionately to help you see “Where Truth Meets Food.”
We hope all parents understand the work and education that goes into agriculture, and all the careers tied to it that aren’t directly on the farm.
Hats off and thank you to all the companies supporting and endorsing agriculture and our food supply in a positive and truthful way. Let’s encourage more to follow suit and do the same.