I’ve watched Protect The Harvest over years when they first started in 2011. In fact, it as at the 2014 Ag Media Summit that I interviewed Forrest Lucas and a couple of other guys about starting this effort. You can hear that interview below here: Protect The Harvest Interview 9:11
Protect The Harvest will cease operations effective Oct. 31, 2024, citing ongoing funding challenges that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization was created in 2011 as a non-profit educational and advocacy effort to promote and defend American farmers and ranchers, improve food security, protect property rights, ensure animal welfare, and support outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing. Protect The Harvest has focused on informing stakeholders about important issues, protecting against a myriad of ongoing threats and responding when appropriate.
“Over the past two-and-a-half years we’ve been diligently working to secure funding that would allow Protect The Harvest to continue operations going forward, but the current economy has made it challenging for many individuals and organizations that have supported us in the past,” said Dr. Mike Siemens, Protect The Harvest executive director. “It’s been frustrating and disappointing to see the number of issues we confront multiply while our resources to address them have diminished. It’s also heartbreaking because we hear from so many stakeholders about how much they value Protect The Harvest and the work we do. Now, other organizations will need to step up to fill the void.”
“Since Charlotte and I created Protect The Harvest, we’ve helped many people, some who have become good friends, and we’ve accomplished a lot,” stated Forrest Lucas, founder and chairman of the board. “We’ve fought, and won, a considerable number of important battles that threatened property rights, would restrict freedoms and liberties America was founded on, make it more difficult to produce food or own animals, would curtail hunting and fishing, or would result in greater food insecurity. We have made many friends, enlightened many Americans, and fought the good fights to preserve the nation’s principles and values, but the time has come to pass the torch to others who will promote and defend A Free and Fed America™.”