This is my last column as editor of FEED & GRAIN magazine. There, I said it and wrote it down on paper, so it must be real.
Now, faced with the unenviable task of saying goodbye to a job that I have truly loved, I find myself at a loss for words (for those who know me, you know how hard a feat that must be). But after looking at all I’ve experienced in the past three and a half years, I think the better path to “goodbye” is found by saying, “thank you.”
First, I’d like to thank those staff members, past and present, of NGFA, AFIA, GEAPS and USGC. Their professionalism, cooperative spirit and responsiveness not only make them an editor’s dream, but they also bring those skills to their every day representation of the feed and grain industry. The industry is blessed to have these people working on their behalf and I expect nothing but continued excellence for years to come.
Special thanks go out to the countless equipment manufacturers and service providers who keep our industry moving along. From the heady days of just a few short years ago, to battling through one of the worst recessions in U.S. history, these companies and their people demonstrated great leadership and keep the industry looking ahead for new, innovative solutions for those who handle grain and manufacture feed.
Thank you to the research and education community who nurture the best and brightest young minds around the globe. Their commitment uplifts our entire industry and creates opportunity where there once was none. I’d be especially remiss if I didn’t make special mention of those thought leaders at North Carolina State University, the University of Illinois, Purdue University and of course, Dr. Dirk Maier and the staff at Kansas State University, who shared much of their time and expertise with me personally to broaden my knowledge and understanding of our industry.
Thank you to Arlette Sambs, my publisher, my mentor and most importantly my friend. Thanks for taking a chance on someone at a time when a chance is what he needed most. The same goes for the rest of the FEED & GRAIN team who are absolutely the best in the business.
Last but not least, I thank you. You, the readers of FEED & GRAIN and those of you I’ve had the privilege of meeting and visiting with for my stories. Your energy and passion for this industry is contagious, and I know that if I needed to have my thinking challenged, you were there. When I needed a way to make a story more interesting or valuable, you were there. Thankfully, you will be there again for whomever comes next.
Much like a farmer is to his land, my time as caretaker for FEED & GRAIN is over. Like that same farmer, I hope I left my landscape better than when I found it. Thanks to all of you, I think I did.
There. Now I can honestly say, “goodbye.”