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December 15, 2000
A mandate to speak for agriculture
(Editor's Note: The following are excerpts from TFB President Donald Patman's address at the 67th Annual Texas Farm Bureau Convention.)
By
Donald Patman
President
Texas Farm Bureau
"I want to begin today by paraphrasing a newspaper clipping. It went something like this.
" `The world is getting too big for us. There's too much going on—too many crimes—too much violence—too much excitement. No matter how hard you try, you always get behind. We are always in a rush, but we always lose ground.
" `Scientific discoveries rush at us—one after the other, too much to keep up with.
" `In politics, things happen so fast you can't keep up with who's in and who's out. Everything is high pressure these days—human nature cannot endure much more.'
"Sound familiar? Actually, that was an editorial in the Atlantic Journal, printed, June 16, 1833!
"A lot has changed since then, but some things don't change. For one thing, we still have the power in America to control our own destiny.
"At the ballot box for all Americans—and for Farm Bureau members, through our policy development—we can have an impact on our world.
"It's a great day here in this wonderful land of America. We, as a people, recently experienced the right that distinguishes great nations and great people—voting in a free election, without the fear of reprisal or punishment.
"As messy as the process seemed this year, with all the doubt and uncertainty, we have the tools in our great republic to transfer power—peacefully and with confidence in the future.
"All of us never agree on the choice of a majority of us, but it is a very special thing to choose our own leaders. In this way, America `re-plants' the seeds of greatness with each free election.
"Casting an informed ballot is the most important thing we can do as citizens. Now, as responsible citizens, and as Farm Bureau members, we must work with a new administration and elected representatives to meet our policy goals.
"Those policies are why we are here. That is the reason that farmers and ranchers have met across this state for nearly seven decades to decide in the most democratic of ways—what we are for and what we find objectionable. It is a `snapshot' of America itself. That is why Farm Bureau has achieved greatness, in our own important way.
"Looking back across those years, we can remember disagreements, hard fought votes on controversial issues, and—in the end—a vote...a consensus...and unity.
"With this unity of purpose, we have gone on to win, with an impressive list of accomplishments for Texas Farm Bureau and farmers and ranchers.
"Farm Bureau has not always taken the easy road. I believe we have most often taken the "right path." That's why Farm Bureau has become the "heart and soul" of agriculture.
"Because Farm Bureau cares enough to devote great time and resources to policy development—because we care enough to write it down in our policy book, put our name on it, defend it, and work for it—Farm Bureau has achieved greatness. Because of that, we have the authority—and a mandate—to speak for agriculture.
"The right to speak for ourselves is something that farmers should not willingly `give up.' That role is Farm Bureau's `reason for being.' It is something we take seriously. We proudly claim to be `The Voice of Texas Agriculture.'
"I stand before you believing we have together made our Farm Bureau better—stronger and more influential. We have been the voice of agriculture in Texas. We have made Farm Bureau the heart and the soul of Texas agriculture.
"Together, we will go forward and do more. God Bless You and God Bless the Texas Farm Bureau."
