To the editor,

After reading the Jan. 8, 2025 editorial in the Pierce County Journal from Pierce Farmers United, I felt that more needs to be said, done, and heard. We have a broken agriculture system. It needs to be addressed from all sides. I want farmers to be successful while making sure our natural resources and infrastructure like roads are protected.

While there were good points in the letter, calling people who have different opinions or view points as an attack is not appropriate. We all have constitutional rights including freedom of speech and many others. I will defend those rights, including people I may not agree with. Everyone needs to acknowledge that both sides can be “correct” at the same time. Too often we either hear one side and ignore the other or even worse, we will believe what we think is the truth (perception = reality). It is unproductive and extremely dangerous.

I would ask that we look at the source of the problems and address this first. This is what I would propose to address what is going on in farming and working class families:

• The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries, shops, farms or mineral rights;
• The right to earn enough to provide adequate food, clothing and recreation (vacations and retreats);
• The right of every FARMER to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
• The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
• The right of every family to a decent home;
• The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
• The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, automation and unemployment;
• The right to a good education.
• The right to funding research and development of new ag products.

All of these rights spell security which is much needed. After 50 years of unfair farm policies and unfair worker policies, we need to address much needed changes in policy. We must move forward, by addressing the causes of economic inequality in rural America, especially in family farm agriculture with the goal of implementation these rights which will lead to human happiness and well-being.

John Shafer

Century Farmer

Town of Gilman