Where does your food come from

Valmeyer farmer Bruce Brinkman tills 1,100 acres of land along the bottoms, growing corn, beans, wheat and horseradish.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s most recent census data shows his operation is one of 2.1 million farms generating this country’s food and other resources.

However, Brinkman lamented not many people seem to know where the cut of ribeye comes from that they pick up at their local grocery store or meat market.

“People have no idea where stuff comes from,” expressed Brinkman, who also owns hogs. “What’s happened is we’re getting generations away from the farm.

“Everybody used to go to the farm at grandpa’s. Today you don’t have that. We are four to five generations away from knowing where food comes from.”

Students in the Waterloo FFA consider Brinkman’s statement to be true, but they hope an upcoming event will serve as a catalyst to change the culture of ignorance.

Saturday’s Farm to Store program at the Waterloo Schnucks will include many opportunities to learn about food produced through agriculture.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Waterloo FFA plans to have informational booths, a petting zoo, attendance prizes and crafts available at the event.

“I hope it’s an eye-opener. I put a lot of work into raising my cattle and want people to see how much that takes,” Waterloo FFA member Krista Allscheid said. “People have to put in time to