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38 POTATO GROWER | MAY 2023 Thirtieth U.S. president Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) and his wife Grace enjoyed a great relationship. One day during Coolidge's presidency (1923-1929), he and Grace were touring a poultry farm. Mrs. Coolidge remarked to the farmer that it was amazing that one rooster could fertilize so many eggs. The farmer told her that roosters do their job over and over again each day. "Perhaps you could point that out to Mr. Coolidge," she told the farmer with a smile—loud enough for the President to hear. The President, noting the remark, in- quired whether the rooster serviced the same hen each time. "No," the farmer told him. "The rooster gets to choose a different hen each time." "Perhaps you could point that out to Mrs. Coolidge," said the President. Humor lightens things up. Difficult issues can often be couched in humor such that, even when one's potato-pro- ducing region is the butt of a potato joke, no one takes offense. It's hard to be angry through smiles and laughter. Farmers are known for having a good sense of humor; they like to smile and laugh. Farmers also like being close to Moth- er Earth. For centuries that closeness has balanced farmers' worldview. A key aspect of a farmer's world view is the desire to remain on the farm despite cruel weather, misguided governmental intervention and companion farmers over-producing, glutting the market and killing price. Not long after the United States of America became independent, farmers that lived near big cities like Boston and New York got together each morning before locals came to the market to set price for that day's produce. No matter where a housewife went to buy a potato, the price was the same. This put a bee in the housewife's bonnet, and she complained to her husband. The husband, wishing home to be a respite from daily strife, sought refuge beneath the law by complaining to Washington D.C. which responded with the Sherman Antitrust Act: farmers could not collective- ly set potato price. About this same time, labor unions wished to col- lectively bargain to sell their members' labor to enterpris- es like railroads. To appease labor unions, Washington gave labor unions the right recently taken from farm- ers: labor could collectively bargain. Unable to ignore the hypocrisy, Washington fairly and finally included farmers, restoring their right to collec- tively bargain. This is where humor comes in: Over time, labor out-lobbied farmers, and as farmers gradually lost their right to col- lectively bargain, labor unions continue doing it every day. Stripped of legal pro- tection, the option left to farmers is to voluntarily balance supply with demand to stabilize price. This allows them to stay in business while supplying Ameri- can families with low-cost, high-quality food. Look at how wonderfully not having government involved in vegetable pro- duction has worked out for the farmer, and especially for the consumer. Stroll any produce aisle in any grocery store to know that this is true. Funny how things work out, isn't it? PG Look at how wonderfully not having government involved in vegetable production has worked out for the farmer, and especially for the consumer The Lighter Side Keeping the balancing act going United Potato Growers of America Buzz Shahan Chief Operating Officer