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Commentary: Stuffing the ballot box for singers

Rich Keller, Editor, Ag Professional | July 24, 2012

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Videos are now online at www.FMCcrop.com/contest for the FMC “Stand and Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest!” The public voting phase began July 23 and runs through August 24. This will determine the finalists.

The incredible part of the voting process is that the public is given the task of picking the best singer of the National Anthem from 162 young people singing the song. Talk about an arduous task of actually listening to the National Anthem that many times. It would appear that the voting is going to come down to voting for a hometown or home state favorite.

It also could be one of the first six singers on the home page winning simply because people fail to recognize there are 26 more pages of singers. There are page numbers at the bottom of the first six videos to click through to listen to the other 156 young people singing the National Anthem. I hope everyone notices the volume of choices.

I’d like to armchair quarterback this contest by suggesting that FMC should have set it up to have music/choral directors go through the videos to select a top 50, or some reasonable number from which the public could choose. I’m still hopeful that the best singers win.

Voting is open to anyone by going online to www.FMCcrop.com/contest. Each person can vote once per day.

The top four finalists will be announced on August 30. Three of the finalists will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship. The grand prize winner will receive a $10,000 college scholarship. Complete voting details are available online at www.FMCcrop.com/contest. Additional information and updates can be found throughout the contest on www.facebook.com/FMCCrop.

FMC put the singing contest together to increase awareness of its introduction of the new herbicide Anthem. As the promotion blurb on the voting page notes, “We’re investing in farming’s future with our new Anthem herbicide (coming soon – EPA registration pending) and $25,000 in college scholarships as prizes in our Anthem Singing Contest.”