Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/952446
t m c » p u l s e | m a r c h 2 0 1 8 11 of contests and competitions. I know the value that provided to me growing up, by building confi- dence, speaking skills and critical thinking skills. Q | The rodeo is known for its devoted volunteers. How did that tradition start and how do volunteers support the mission of the rodeo? A | In 1936, the Houston Fat Stock Show added the downtown parade, the souvenir program, the rodeo, the horse show and formal volunteer committees. There were certainly volunteers before that, but they were now formally added to sell tickets and exhibitor space and that's really where it took off. The volunteer base grew as additional elements were added to the show. When I came here in 2005, we had I am a product of the very programs and support that are offered by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. 16,000 volunteers. Now we have over 33,000. Those volunteers serve dif- ferent purposes. Each committee has its own mission that relates to the overall success of the show. Some are working committees that assist the general public—directing traffic, scanning tickets, driving trams and golf carts. We have outreach com- mittees that make individuals aware of all the great things the show does, but they also raise money for schol- arships. You have these committees pulling together that support every single area of the show. Q | Many people come to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for fun and entertainment, but the rodeo also educates visitors about agriculture. Why is that so important? A | We are passionate about that because we cannot take agriculture for granted. Unfortunately, we kind of do. Hurricane Harvey was a great example of that. When you went in a store two days before the storm or four days after and you couldn't find a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk— what if it were like that all the time? But we just take for granted that food is going to be there and I think the reason we take it for granted is that Americans spend less than 10 percent of their disposable income on food—that's the low- est percentage of any nation in the world. And that's because our agriculture production system is so efficient. But when you take a look at the 7.6 billion people on the planet today and projections having that at 9.8 billion by the year 2050, and you factor in that we are going to have to produce food with the same amount of land, that's going to take technology. I know that scares some people, but there is a way to sustainably and wholesomely feed the planet using technology. (continued)