Most In Ag Have An Attitude Of Gratitude
March 11, 2013 
For many years — definitely more than 30 but I don’t have an exact figure — American Vegetable Grower’s parent company has been an exhibitor at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. We are also proud to be a longtime sponsor.
Today that company is Meister Media Worldwide, though back when the “Farm Show” — as many long-time attendees refer to the World Ag Expo —
began in 1968, my company was called Meister Publishing Company. If that name change doesn’t indicate how the world itself has changed, consider this little inside nugget:
A few years ago, a portion of the huge mail room at Meister Media Worldwide headquarters in Willoughby, OH, was replaced by … a TV studio. A prescient move, and because we are certainly not alone, it’s no wonder the U.S. Postal Service announced last month it would cease Saturday delivery of general mail.
Anyway, back to the World Ag Expo. I was setting up our booth last month in Pavilion A, the same spot we have occupied for decades, when I noticed we didn’t have any chairs. A small thing to most people, and quite frankly my colleagues and I spend most of our time walking the show — the biggest of its kind in the world, they say, and I don’t doubt them. But anyone who’s walked such a massive trade show will tell you what a great thing it is to actually sit down once in a while, so I was a little disappointed. No problem, as it turned out.
Be Thankful
When I approached one of my fellow exhibitors about where I might find representatives of the company that supplies chairs and things of that sort to the exhibitors, they didn’t tell me. No, instead they asked what I needed. When I told them, they said they had a couple extra chairs and I was welcome to help myself. They even asked if I wanted another table.
I thanked them profusely, of course, but then went on my way, finishing up preparations for the trade show. It was only when I was driving back to my hotel room that evening that it hit me. I simply took their gracious offer for granted. In fact, I wonder if too often we take the attitudes of those of us who work in agriculture or affiliated industries for granted.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t find that matter-of-fact attitude of sharing as prevalent in other facets of my life. In fact, my friends who work in other fields seem like they are constantly complaining about how everyone today seems to have an attitude of “I’ve got mine, Jack, take a hike.”
Sure, not everyone who works in ag is an angel. Just seems like good ol’ common decency really is common, and for that we should all be thankful.
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