2008 FCA Beef Consumer Representative
Lydia Masterson
2008-2009

There are few things in life that worry me, but lately I have had a
major issue on my mind. For those of you that do not know, I am
studying to be an agriculture teacher and I am supposed to graduate in
May of 2010. Being that that is only a year from this time I am really
quite excited about the opportunities that are going to become
available to me. Yet I am also very worried about the fact that there
are several agriculture programs currently being “done away with”
across the state. In Marion County alone (which is where I currently
reside), 7 of the 16 ag programs are being cut by this fall.
This is just the beginning. It is not an unknown fact that agriculture
is becoming less respected as a necessity to our country. Then there
are those of us involved in agriculture that understand the importance
of every area of this great industry. I know, just as well as all of
you do, that agriculture is our basic necessity. Something else that
should be realized by everyone in our industry is that if we do not
take action for ourselves, then someone else who does not comprehend
our ways will take action against us. We simply cannot afford to sit
aside any longer and watch this happen. Everyday someone attacks our
jobs, our livelihood with their way of “saving the world” when
truthfully it is just their misunderstanding of how we function in our
industry.

Now I know that you all work hard on a daily basis because that’s what
it takes to keep your farm running. But if you could just take a few
minutes out of your daily schedule to check the current issues with ag
in your local area, your state, and even your country, then not only
you, but all of us could be better prepared when the time comes to make
a decision that will affect our industry as a whole. The thing is that
decisions that change everything for us they start at a local level and
they work their way up until it finally reaches the masses of people
who do not care what happens with agriculture. Once it reaches the
multitudes we have already lost because we did not take action soon
enough.

So we have to get started with it right now! Today is when you should
check your local areas for issues that you will face later on. By
keeping up with the local issues you can determine the changes that
affect all of us. You are not just doing yourself a favor, rather you
are saving the entire industry. I do not take this subject lightly and
I strongly feel that each one of us needs to be involved on a daily
basis. It has to become part of your daily routine to “save our
industry.” That may sound corny, but it has more meaning than you
might ever realize.

Yes this is brought to light by the fact that I might not have a job
when I graduate next year, but it should be something that we were
taking care of long before this. Everyday I wonder what else I could
have done to prevent this and then I realize that I just need to take
action now to stop it. So here is my proposal to you: If you do not
have to commit to saving our industry on a daily basis, then please
just help out once by writing a letter to our state representatives and
senators stating your disapproval of agricultural education being cut
out of our schools. There is a lady named Stephanie Farmer that works
with the Farm and Ranch News paper that is collecting letters and you
are welcome to send them to her. She will make sure that they reach
the right place. You are also just as welcome to send them to me if
you cannot find her and I will make sure that she gets them as well.
I can only hope that this reaches out to you and touches you that way
that it has truly affected me.

Lydia Matheson
E-mail: lmae@ufl.edu
Cell Phone: (904)962-4987