Farmers are unique. To be one, you must have something special coursing through your veins, as farming is so much more than a job. It’s a lifestyle.

As a fifth generation farmer, Mike McCormick knows this well. All he ever wanted to do is be a farmer. Although it may be a difficult lifestyle, it’s one he would not trade for anything.

“My family moved to what is now Jefferson County many years ago,” McCormick says. “They came to Union Church looking for a place to grow crops and raise cattle to feed families.”

With hundreds of years of family and faming history tied to his land, it’s no wonder McCormick takes so much pride in caring for it.

“I grew up as a little boy helping my dad work cows,” he says. “From the time I was able to walk until I was a grown man, I was with him every day working cattle somewhere on this place or others that we had at the time.”

McCormick has never shied away from that work, knowing his family’s legacy continues with each cow he raises and row he turns.

“Farming just got into my blood. It’s just who I am,” McCormick says. “I feel like this is one reason why farmers carry so much stress. Because, if they weren’t able to farm for a living and carry on their family tradition, they wouldn’t know what to do. At least, that’s how I feel. Farming is more than just a job. It’s a way of life.”

As president of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, McCormick fights to preserve this way of life for farmers and ranchers across the state, even though it takes him away from his own fence rows. He knows all the trips and hours away are worth it. McCormick just didn’t realize how important his job was until a father brought his 10-year-old daughter to visit McCormick’s farm one weekend.

“We were riding around the place, looking at the cows, and the father said something that I have not heard before,” McCormick says. “He said, ‘Mr. McCormick, I want to thank you for letting me bring my child here. This is the first time she’s ever heard silence. She’s lived on a city street her whole life. She’s heard cars, horns and sirens, but she’s never been in the country to hear silence.’”

This encounter, along with many others, reminds McCormick daily why serving in his position is so important. Preserving farming and the rural way of life is worth being away from his farm for a little while.

“Farm Bureau has persevered through countless challenges, from pandemics to depressions. It’s been here to support the farmer through everything,” he says. “I have such a passion for this organization, and I appreciate the opportunity the membership has given me to serve as the Farm Bureau president. I made a commitment to them that I’d give 110%, and it’s what I strive to do every day.”

McCormick hopes to leave Farm Bureau and his land better for those who follow. But, for now, he still has work to do.

“My time on the farm is precious right now, but one of these days, I’ll come back here for good,” McCormick says. “When I do, I don’t want to look back with any regrets. I don’t want to leave knowing there is something I could have done to help another farmer, and so, I will continue to push forward with the support of the best farmers, friends and members out there.”