Dear Friends,

This is an exciting time for those of us working for a more sustainable agriculture and food system in Oklahoma and around the nation. Just as the warm days of spring spark feelings of hope and joy in the new life unfurling around us, so the many signs of the regeneration of our agricultural/ food system give us hope that happier days are just ahead for farmers and ranchers, indeed for all of us, because as the saying goes, "if you eat, you are part of agriculture."

I believe that if you look around you will agree with me that reasons for optimism abound. Increasing numbers of consumers around the country are "voting with their forks"-- opting to eat food that is grown sustainably and grown locally. The continuing interest that Americans have in health is expanding beyond going to gyms and counting calories to demanding fresh, nutritious food for themselves and their children.

At the same time, a new awareness is growing of the importance of keeping agricultural land for agriculture, rather than losing it to urban sprawl. The public is also beginning to understand that it is up to them to support farmers who use sustainable methods to raise crops and animals. People are also beginning to acknowledge that it is not just forests and wetlands that need protecting—that well-managed, environmentally-healthy agricultural lands are important environmental assets. Some of the walls that have stood between urban folks and farmers/ranchers are beginning to crumble.

Farmers are responding positively to these changes by diversifying their operations—looking to try sustainable methods, adding value to their produce, bringing folks out to the farm, and in general reconnecting with consumers and each other to find new ways to sustain their farms into the future. To see these positive signs of change is gratifying to me both personally and professionally.

I grew up on a small farm in southwestern Oklahoma and today raise cattle on my farm in Latimer County. I grew up during the post-World War II agricultural revolution, when farmers were told to "get big or get out" and the percentage of the American public engaged in farming fell from nearly 20 per cent to around 2 per cent. I have watched our rural areas decline and noticed that the tantalizing promises to American farmers of big new export markets never materialized.

Agriculture was at a low point when the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture was created in the mid-1980s. Despite the misery in rural areas, agricultural leaders dismissed progressive movements such as sustainable agriculture, sometimes aggressively. However, we at the Kerr Center had a vision for the future and core beliefs that have sustained us from that time to the present. These core values include a belief in the family farm structure of agriculture, the enhancement and protection of natural resources, respect for nature, and support for local food systems and rural communities. We also believe in the need for fair markets and public policy for farmers and ranchers, as well as governmental and university research that will benefit agricultural producers directly.

Since it was established, the Kerr Center has provided substantive research, educational activities, and policy guidance to agriculturists. From the successful anti-brucellosis campaign of the late 1970s to the demonstration projects and field days of the ‘90s, to the book, reports, and conferences of the new century, we have explored many avenues in our efforts to reach people. As a result, the Kerr Center has become a leader, not only in Oklahoma, but nationally, in advocating for a food system that provides a safe, adequate, and nutritious supply of food produced and distributed in ways that are economically viable, ecologically sound, and equitable to producers and consumers.

Through the years, we have made a conscious decision to provide information to the public free of charge whenever possible, and when it is not possible, to keep charges low so that we are able to reach the people most in need of our information. So it is that you receive this newsletter free and that many of our publications are also available free of charge from our office or on-line at our web site.

Attendance at our conferences, visits to our web site, and the use of our books and reports by educators and policy makers have convinced us that support for sustainable agriculture is indeed growing. However, we can’t claim victory yet. Indeed there are still many, many battles to be fought, and many minds and hearts to be changed.

The Kerr Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation. We are funded in large part by an endowment from the estate of Robert S. Kerr, Oklahoma oilman, governor and senator. (We have no connection with Kerr-McGee, the company he co-founded). We have been sustained by this generous endowment for many years, and we have tried to be faithful to the senator’s vision of stewardship of Oklahoma’s land, wood, and water.

Unfortunately, just as real progress seems to be occurring and we are ready to face new challenges, the Kerr Center has been hit hard by the prolonged economic bad times. We have reluctantly concluded that in order for us to maintain the same level of service to farmers, ranchers, and policy makers, we must look to our friends for financial support. So for the first time in our history, we are launching a "Friends of the Kerr Center" gifting program.

Here is how it works. All contributions are tax deductible. We have designated levels of support—Tiller ($20-$34), Sower ($35-49), Cultivator ($50-$199), Harvester ($200-$999) and Steward ($1000 or more). Donors at the steward level will receive a copy of The Next Green Revolution: Essential Steps to a Healthy, Sustainable Agriculture in appreciation. All donations, no matter what the level, will be gratefully accepted. We also can provide you information about donating assets as well as estate planning.

We don’t believe in heavy-handed fund raising campaigns, so don’t expect your mailbox to be inundated by pleas from us. After this initial appeal, we will just ask for your support annually. Our list of donors’ contact info will be kept confidential. (You have the option of having your name listed as a donor in our newsletter each year.) And if you find you cannot help us at this time, perhaps we can count on you in the future. In any case, will continue to receive this newsletter and other mailings.

If you would like more information about our programs and concerns, read about the Kerr Center to learn more about the history of the foundation. For more information on donations (including estate planning), please call our donations coordinator, Ann Ware, at 918-647-9123.

If you have benefited from one of our programs, publications or events, or know someone who has; or if you’re aware of the importance of the issues we continue to tackle, please consider becoming an "official" friend of the Kerr Center.
Thank you for your support and good will.

Sincerely,

Jim Horne
President and CEO
Kerr Center

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