A Sweet Chat With Staci Perry

At Hungry for Truth, we don’t just love sharing farmer stories and recipes, we also enjoy connecting with some of our biggest fans. We recently chatted with Staci Perry, a mom of two and baking blogger – Random Sweetness Baking – from Brookings. She explained how Hungry for Truth serves as a resource for her when it comes to GMOs, food labels and what really happens on today’s farms.

What is important when it comes to choosing food for your family?

The most important thing is that I have a choice. I choose to educate myself about farming practices. I choose to listen and seek out information on both sides of debatable topics like biotechnology (GMOs) and crop protection.

I don’t let the national media dictate what I should or shouldn’t be eating. It’s my responsibility to learn and decide. Initiatives like Hungry for Truth and local farmers are excellent resources for information about how my food is grown and raised.

Why are you a fan of Hungry for Truth?

I couldn’t bake without the work farmers do. I rely on farmers for ingredients like sugar, flour, cream cheese, eggs, milk, whipping cream and butter. Even the soybeans they grow are used in cooking oil. Try baking your family’s favorite treats without ingredients from a farm.

I also appreciate the events they host. I’ve met some amazing farmers like Peggy Greenway and learned something new at each one. It’s fun to hang out with people who are passionate about food and farming.

Have you ever had any misconceptions about farming or food?

I used to think about farms as large and corporate without the human aspect. But now I’ve toured farms and met real farm families who care about growing healthy food and protecting the environment. The technology they use to preserve the soil and care for their animals is amazing! Farmers have certainly embraced technology in ways I never thought of.

I was also completely against GMOs a few years ago due to what I read online. Now I know more about the testing GMOs goes through before they’re approved and am more open to food choices that contain the technology.

I encourage anyone who has questions or concerns about agriculture to follow Hungry for Truth and get the facts from farmers.

How have your shopping habits changed?

I pay more attention to food labels. I believed it meant something when a package of chicken breasts was labeled as “hormone free.” Or, if a package wasn’t labeled as hormone free, I thought it was not as good, or unhealthy for my family. Now I know it’s just advertising. Federal regulations don’t allow added hormones in poultry or pork.

This conversation is a great example of why South Dakota soybean farmers started the Hungry for Truth initiative, to encourage people to learn the truth about how food is grown and raised by asking farmers.

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Hungry for Truth is an initiative from South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, the soybean checkoff organization, designed to open conversations about food between South Dakotans and the farmers who grow it. We’re putting it all on the table to have open, honest conversations about how our food is raised and its safety.

This blog post is brought to you by the South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council.