Jim Carroll Think of a Farmer w Jeff Rutledge When you think of a farmer, visions of them driving a tractor in a field, working with animals and harvesting the grains and produce we eat easily come to mind. Rarely does one think of a farmer meeting with political leaders in Washington, D.C., or traveling overseas to participate in trade missions, or working with state agencies on proposed regulatory issues. But for some Arkansas farmers, the hours spent away from the farm are just as critical to their livelihood as the ones spent in the field. “Today there’s more to farming than planting a seed and growing a crop,” said Jeff Rutledge, chairman of the Arkansas Rice Federation and Arkansas Rice Council. “It’s a business that requires many different functions, and being involved with the process that determines regulations and policies on our industry is an important one.” By committing their time to serving on commodity boards and associations, Arkansas farmers are ensuring not only a better future for their family farm, but all the other farms they represent. “Having a hand in better agriculture legislation means having a hand in the future,” said Bernie Freeman, president of the Arkansas Cattleman’s Association. “Unfortunately with ever decreasing profit margins, sometimes the difference between a profit and a loss is a new law, government regulation, or lack thereof. By being able to advocate for better legislation, we are working to ensure that there are more profitable years than not.” 84 ARKANSAS GROWN Rutledge estimates that he spends on average 10 hours per week working with different rice farming organizations but this involvement has given him exposure outside the local area where he farms and lives. “Half of the U.S. rice production is exported, so international issues have a huge impact on the price of our crop,” said Rutledge. “Because we are in a global market, understanding and influencing things like trade agreements and tariffs are critical to farms in Arkansas and all rice-producing states.” Whether at the state, national, or global level, farmers are the true face of agriculture. These men and women work diligently serving on boards, attending meetings, learning more about legislation and fighting for rights of farmers. This commitment to agriculture should not go unnoticed and should be a reminder of the true sacrifices each farmer makes not only for the benefit of a single farm, but farms statewide. “You have to have a plan for getting involved so you fulfill the duties expected without sacrificing things on the farm,” said Jim Carroll III, vice chair of the United Soybean Board (USB). “The chair of USB spends 80 days on the road. This type of commitment requires a support team consisting of family members, employees and local suppliers to maintain operations.” Some of these leadership roles require significant time, but Carroll learned from his grandmother the importance of being involved in issues that can impact your personal life.
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