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| Having had to occasionally resort to damage control in my lifetime, I would offer some suggestions. No offense intended to anyone. When and if the media trucks roll in, or when talking to non-grain producers- or your urban friends. Running into them socially or whatever. Best to be prepared.
1- Never say 'it's about time, or it's our turn." Smacks of affluence. If any urban person agrees with you, he's lying.
2- If you need to choose a spokesman, choose a thin one. Particularly someone who doesn't smile much.
3- Keep those overfed, like me, as much out of sight as possible.
4- Complain frequently, and loudly, how you sold most of your crop on the low and just don't know how you are going to survive; costs have skyrocketed. Tough on the ego when you didn't, but learn to live with it.
5- Complain about the price of food, the middlemen are getting rich.
6- Do not discuss how you just missed getting another farm at the auction.
7- Be vocal about how you wish they would get rid of the farm program.
8- Speculators are making the money.
9- Every morning you arise, you are convinced you are going broke.
10- Although some folks might say they really appreciate you and are glad you are doing well, in reality they are much happier to see you grousing around town in an old truck or car, working all hours to make ends meet and generally at the mercy of the consumer.
Don't get complicated. Ronald Reagan kept everything short and simple. He was pretty successful at it.
Above all, do not begin by defending yourself. Read the "Art of War' and the biography of George S. Patton. Doesn't hurt to browse throught the Patton book a few minutes every morning, just to get started on the right foot.
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Potential Damage Control Ideas.
