Hello! My name is Darin Otto and I live on a farm near Crystal, North Dakota. Although I'm not currently involved directly in production ag, my love for farming and our rural lifestyle is very strong. I am a school bus driver for Valley-Edinburg Public Schools, clerk/treasurer for Crystal Township, organist at our church, and own and operate a fun bus business. This fall I will also be running for a county commissioner seat. I have lived on our family farm all my life and enjoyed growing up helping my dad and continue to help neighbors, especially during harvest.
My dad was a third generation farmer and we grew potatoes, corn, sunflowers, navy and pinto beans, wheat, and barley. We also had a small cattle herd that my mom and I continued with for a while after dad became ill. I look forward to a day when I can once again have a more "hands on" place in agriculture!
Farming is such a great way of life, but there are many struggles that farmers face every day. It is no longer just the weather, markets, costs and so forth, but also misinformation that is being spread about food production. This and private property rights are the main reasons I became involved in the Farm Bureau.
Agriculture is the lifeblood of our culture, country, and world. I feel it is important to spread the word of what farmers do, to those who no longer have ties to agriculture. It is amazing how quickly it has shifted from most people having relatives who farm, to having a majority who have never set foot on a farm.
Consumers today want to know where their food, clothes, and fuels come from and how those items are raised/produced. This is a great opportunity to show them how much farmers love their land, their job, and raising a quality product conscientiously!
Darin is the District 1 representative on the NDFB Promotion and Education Committee.