Hello! Not sure if you’re supposed to share an introduction so feel free to delete this if not. I’m MJ, a 23 year old senior at the University of Tennessee preparing to graduate with my B.S. in Agriculture and a concentration in Communications as well as Community Development. Throughout this policy pitch, consider my referral to farmers to also include ranchers.
As we move toward a cultural shift where cryptocurrency is likely to become our new standard, agriculture has an incredible opportunity to evolve through blockchain technology. Ironically, about a week ago, I had a phone call with my great uncle, a farmer in his 70s who has run his 700+ acre cattle farm his entire life without ever using growth hormones or antibiotics. We discussed my obsession with reading food labels and understanding where my food comes from. He shared an amazing story about a fresh herd he bought when he was younger, about his mid 20s to early 30s, where the seller gave him a bottle of penicillin, just in case they came down with an illness, but my uncle never used it. In fact, he found it still in the fridge 12 years later because his cattle stayed healthy through his dedication to natural farming practices.
He used to go out every other day to test his soil, check pH levels, conduct the bulk density method, and inspect everything from root length to earthworm activity. Over time, he developed such a deep understanding of his land that he could walk into the pastures, glance at the grass, and know exactly what they needed to thrive without chemicals. This approach, although time-consuming and complex, paid off in producing safe, healthy beef for future consumers.
Now, imagine if these kinds of practices could be made easier, more efficient, and more accessible through technology. Blockchain, which powers cryptocurrency, could be the answer. By using this technology in agriculture, we can track our food from its source, making sure it’s safe and clean. Not only would consumers know exactly where their food comes from, but it would also make it easier to detect problems like plant diseases, pests, or nutrient deficiencies early on. This would save farmers thousands of dollars and prevent food crises.
Here’s why I believe this shift is so important and could truly benefit the people of this nation:
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Improving mental and physical health: By being able to trace food back to its source, we can make better choices about what we eat, which can improve both mental and physical health. RFK, Joe Rogan, and hundreds of other professionals have advocated for this. Removing additives and preservatives would automatically reduce the health risks associated with processed foods and automatically lead to healthier lifestyles. We have to reduce these statistics of mental health disorders and diagnoses, especially in our youth. We are ruining our mind, body, and spirit. These harmful foods are meant to slow you down, fog your brain, and decline your health in order to keep you from being the best version of yourself. Many don’t want us to be creative and share our ideas with the world.
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Educating future generations: By integrating blockchain into agriculture, as well as the evaluation and production techniques, we can easily add these processes to school curriculums. Grade schools, universities, and colleges could teach students the importance of knowing where their food comes from, how it’s grown, and how to make informed choices. Our youth will know the basic principle of growing food that has unfortunately gotten lost in time.
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Encouraging safer, more sustainable farming: Students would learn not just about safe food practices, but also about sustainable farming. This would create a win-win situation for farmers, consumers, and the economy, as more people understand the value of safe, traceable food sources. Once again, we can re-adopt these traditions and pass them down for generations to come, ensuring they are never forgotten again.
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Building financial literacy: This shift could teach young people how to manage their money by investing in crypto, but most importantly, in their health. By focusing on safe, nutritious foods, they’ll learn the value of long-term health over quick, cheap fixes. This is also another valuable tool to be included in curriculums and the classroom to finally educate our children on money management. A Junior Acheivement USA survey of 1,000 teens found that 41% of them have not received financial literacy in school, while 54% feel unprepared to finance their future. This is disappointing, frustrating, and instills massive amounts of fear into people like my peers, family, and myself. It’s debilitating, anxiety inducing, and leads so many to give up.
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Creating jobs and reviving agriculture: The agriculture industry is shrinking, and many people have lost touch with how to grow or evaluate food. By bringing blockchain and crypto into agriculture, we can create more jobs and raise awareness about the importance of our food systems to bring back the values and morals of these absolutely necessary practices and industry.
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Expanding opportunities through crypto and social media: Using crypto in agriculture would create thousands of jobs, not only in that industry as well as farming, but also in technology and social media. Farmers and farm hands could share their experiences, tips, and transparent practices through these platforms, building trust, community, and loyalty with consumers across the world.
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Reducing financial losses for farmers: Blockchain technology could help prevent farmers from losing profits due to diseased crops or livestock. Early detection and natural solutions would keep animals and plants healthier, boosting their development and growth. There will also be a reduction in the food supply chain, allowing farmers to earn proper pay for their labor and products, as well as there being less transfers and processing distributions. Outrageously, net farm income is being forecast at $104 billion for 2024, a $6.4 billion decline from the previous year of 2023.
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Leveraging technology for faster results: With today’s everlasting development of technology, we can easily advance processes and tools that are more modern and efficient. We could even experiment with new, natural solutions to further improve farming practices without harmful additives. More accurate, informative research is always beneficial.
As we enter this new era, including 2025 which is a 9 year in numerology (look it up), we have the tools to make agriculture more transparent, efficient, and sustainable. By embracing crypto and blockchain, we can create a food system that benefits everyone—from the farmer to the consumer—while protecting our environment, economy, and securing the future of our food.