When Representation Becomes Theater
By Ken Polehn – Thoughts from the Tractor Seat
“If the people most affected by a decision aren’t part of it, who is the system really serving?”
There’s a growing frustration across rural America—and it’s not just about livestock or land anymore. It’s about trust, transparency, and whether the systems that govern our lives still hear us.
Recently, the American Angus Association—one of the most respected organizations in the beef world—quietly accepted a controversial grant. Not a word to members beforehand. No vote. No open dialogue. When questions came, the answers were canned, and real discussion was sidestepped.
For many of us in agriculture, this wasn't shocking—it was familiar.
Because this pattern isn’t isolated to livestock associations. It’s happening in water boards, co-op leadership, agency rulemaking, and state governance. And in Oregon, we’ve been living inside that very pattern.
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Oregon OSHA: Four Years of Listening, No Real Change
Oregon OSHA’s labor housing rulemaking process dragged on for four years. Farmers and ranchers across the state showed up in good faith—at meetings, in hearings, with written testimony. We invited officials to our farms. We offered insight from the ground level.
And yet, when the final rules came out… very little had changed.
The outcome had been predetermined.
What we participated in wasn’t policymaking—it was performance.
A drama. A ritual. A public act meant to look inclusive while ignoring real input.
Some say the squeaky wheel gets the grease. But increasingly, it’s one or two whispering voices—well-connected and politically positioned—that steer the entire rulemaking ship. The rest of us? We’re left behind the rope, watching a show.
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Now It’s Happening Again—Land Use Rules
This summer, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) unveiled a set of proposed rules that could severely limit on-farm activities across the state. Agritourism events, seasonal gatherings, even simple farmstands may soon be pushed out by vague language, complex restrictions, and burdensome compliance requirements.
This proposal doesn’t just affect pumpkin patches and weddings—it affects how farmers make ends meet in a volatile market. And it affects how Oregon’s communities access their local food and culture.
It also reflects a deeper concern: Oregon agriculture is being steamrolled by bureaucracy.
We’re told we were heard. But we weren’t listened to.
And the more this happens, the more farmers begin to believe that the “public process” is a box-checking exercise—designed to placate, not include.
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So Where Do We Go From Here?
This isn’t just about agriculture. It’s about whether democracy still works when it’s inconvenient. Whether institutions meant to serve the people are willing to listen to them—especially when those people wear work boots instead of suits.
Whether you live in Portland or Pendleton, this matters. If we allow rural voices to be shut out of land, labor, and food policy, we don’t just lose trust—we lose stewardship, sustainability, and the soul of our communities.
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Six Ways to Reclaim Real Representation—Starting Local
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1. Show Up Anyway.
Even when it feels like a done deal, your presence matters. Empty seats say “we don’t care.” Full rooms say “we’re watching.” Even if the outcome doesn’t change that day, the pressure builds.
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2. Ask Hard Questions—Out Loud.
At meetings, in public comment, on record:
“Who made this decision?”
“What were the alternatives?”
“Who benefits—and who pays?”
You’re not being difficult. You’re doing your civic duty.
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3. Follow the Money.
Grants, contracts, consulting deals—these things influence policy more than most want to admit. When decision-makers aren’t transparent about money, they’re not accountable.
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4. Support Local, Independent Journalism.
Without trusted reporting, the public process goes dark. Backroom deals thrive in silence. Support the storytellers and watchdogs—especially in small-town media.
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5. Run for Something—Especially School Boards.
School boards shape values, direction, and the future of our kids—and they’re often overlooked. Rural or urban, this is where accountability and community engagement starts.
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6. Bridge the Divide—Intentionally.
Urban readers: don’t dismiss rural voices.
Rural readers: keep explaining what’s happening on the ground.
We’re tied together—by water, by food, by economy. We don’t need louder arguments—we need deeper listening.
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Representation shouldn’t be a performance. It should be a relationship.
It begins by showing up—and refusing to be silenced.
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Action You Can Take Today
Oppose DLCD’s Proposed Land Use Changes
Send your comments by this Friday.
📧 Email: farmforest.comment@dlcd.oregon.gov
📄 Subject: Oppose DLCD’s Proposed Rule Changes – Protect Oregon’s Small Farms
✍️ Speak from your experience. Be polite. Be firm. Be real.
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Because if we stop showing up, they stop pretending to care.
If we keep showing up—they'll have to start listening.
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