How to Lose the Argument on Animal Welfare

Dave Daley, interim dean of the College of Agriculture at Chico State University in California, says that your view on animal welfare depends on what you see when you look out your window.

This is an interesting concept and one that I believe farmers and ranchers can really learn from. At the 4th International Symposium on Beef Cattle Welfare, Daley gave an outline of  "How to Lose the Argument on Animal Welfare."

Read the full story on Beef Today

Here are 12 problems that he sees with the current state of agriculture’s point of view towards animal welfare:

1. Assuming science will give us all the answers. Science doesn't solve ethical questions. -This is important because farming and animal welfare is such an emotional topic and too often we, farmers and ranchers, look at it from a logical standpoint
2. Using economics as justification for animal welfare practices. -Again, think emotional response, not logical. But it's OK to remind folks that farming is a business as well as a way of life.
3. Defending all agricultural practices. Defend those practices that are defensible. You lose credibility by trying to defend all practices. -Stick to what you know and your own farming practices. "While I can't speak for all farmers or ranchers, here's what we do......" Always be honest and transparent but don't overshoot the target.
4. We can do better at animal welfare. -While there is always room for improvement, don't rollover just to please someone else. Be proud of what you do and confident that you are doing the best that you can do on your farm.
5. Attacking everyone who disagrees (i.e. PETA, HSUS, vegans, etc.). -This is a tough one for me. While I certainly don't oppose people's choice of eating habits, nor do I wish to change their diets, I do have issues with PETA and HSUS. Just remember that it's OK to agree to disagree and always, always, always think before you speak (or rant in my case).
6. Not being willing to listen. -This one is HUGE! Preaching will get you nowhere fast. Listen! Don't talk at them, talk to them. Find out why he/she/they oppose what you do and create a dialogue. You don't have to change their mind, just build that bridge to better understanding. Again, it's OK to agree to disagree.
7. Assuming the lunatic fringe is the general public. -The Fonz says, "Assumptions are the termites of relationships." True story! A lot of people just assume that you abuse animals because of how you raise them. Moral of the story: Don't add more crazy to the pot, it's filling up fast enough.
8. Being reactive instead of proactive. -How many times have we heard this one?! This is why it is so important to tell your story.
9. Assuming that because someone disagrees with you they are stupid, evil or both. -Didn't we just discuss this? Assumptions are the devil!
10. Not working hard enough to build coalitions that include the public. -Connect, connect, connect!
11. Criticizing/mocking non-conventional production systems. There is room for other methods of production, so let the market determine success or failure. -'Nough said. Just like there is more than one way to skin a cat (not that I recommend any of them), there is more than one way to sow a seed, raise a pig, etc. Live and let live. It's about bridges, not road blocks.
12. Trying to lead a parade without seeing if anyone is following. -While this is quite humorous to witness on the streets......wait, visualize of a guy flamboyantly marching down the street with a baton and he's all by himself. Now giggle, I know I am......

The bottom line is simple, we can't butt heads with those that oppose what we do and expect to get anywhere useful. We can't fight crazy with crazy. It just doesn't work. We need to be creating conversations, real conversations were you speak, then you listen and you respond to the response. Connect, connect, connect! (name that movie)

Building bridges is what it's all about. We need to stop leaping from one extreme to another extreme, instead, we need to jaunt along the middle ground.

“I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” ― Abraham Maslow

Snide-ness and Factory Farming: Now open for dialogue

Today I read a comment on one of the BaconCam's YouTube videos that sparked my interest. So, thank you Spikutus for your comment.

Factory Farming Exposed:  Truth about animal handling

Their comment was:

What a snide attitude the narrator has! As if because those bad things don't happen on HER farm, they don't happen anywhere. Who is the one who has to wake up?

I realize that this doesn't seem like a friendly comment that I'd want to point out but there is a great point to be made here, plus a good conversation.

When I narrated this video I was apprehensive about actually posting it. The narration is, as Spikutus points out, snide and much more abrasive than my usual demeanor. I was worried that it would be taken the wrong way or that people would get upset by it or that I would look like a jerk because of it. However, I put on my big-girl panties and made a conscious decision to let my abrasive side show despite the discomfort it gives me (abrasive sides tend to be scratchy, itchy, and they chafe terribly).

The fact is, I had a point to make.

The snide-ness, as I like to call it, was in rebut to all those so-called "abuse" videos with the same exact attitude or snide-ness. In the videos that I have seen the message is clear: This abuse happens here so it must happen on every farm! This is the message I wish to refute most adamantly. Therefore, I took the same attitude, which is so prevalent in the "abuse" videos and spun it the other way.

That was my  point and obviously it hit target.

I know animal abuse exists. I am not refuting that. It saddens me, upsets me, and down right pisses me off that people abuse their animals. However, the same emotional outcome applies to people that want to lump every farmer in one big abusive basket because we choose barns for our farms. That may be my new bumper sticker, by the way.

On a side note, it sickens me to watch those abuse videos that actually show abuse especially when the person filming does absolutely nothing to stop it. Does that not make them every bit as guilty? Well, in my book it makes them worse. It makes them a hypocrite of the worst kind. But I digress.

I'm glad this person commented on the video because the point of everything--the blog, the BaconCam, the social media outlets--is to open the lines of communication. To start dialogues that actually lead somewhere besides an argument. If we can understand both sides of the fence we can make changes, we can better our farming practices, or we can just agree to disagree--at least we are talking and not fighting.

So, as the title states, we are officially Open For Dialogue!

Factory Farms: An Issue of Scale

Factory farm or family farm?

As a concerned mother, wife, and fellow consumer I can understand how the idea of a “factory farm” can scare, anger, or even confuse the general public. However, as a farmer’s wife and pork producer I must ask what is a “factory farm” anyway?

I have found through reading blog posts, tweets, and FB comments that the biggest defining factor for “factory farms” is an issue of scale. The bigger the farm the more likely it will be categorized as a “factor farm.” Technology also plays a role in people’s perception. The more we utilize technology the more we are all lumped into a corporate farming pile.

But does a larger scale of farming make you a factory/corporate farmer or a successful/sustainable farmer?

We raise 26,000 pigs over the course of a year plus several hundred acres of corn and soybeans. We utilize modern farming techniques to make us more efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly. Because we are larger in scale and have modern techniques does that make us factory farmers or successful farmers?

Fertilizer--knifing hog manure

We also participate in contract farming. We contract pig space and have manure spreading agreements with local farmers. This means that we “rent” pig space in our barn and—as a family—raise company owned pigs in our family owned and operated barns. The manure spreading agreements help fellow farmers reduce fertilizer costs while still putting needed nutrients into the ground in the form of a natural fertilizer. By farming in this way our farm has grown large enough to support four separate households—all of which are family members. So, are we factory farmers or family farmers?

I suppose the biggest issue here isn’t scale, technology, or even technique; instead it seems to be a matter of perception. The original 50 acre farm with a few dirt hogs wasn’t enough to maintain a growing family and by utilizing modern farming practices we were able to grow in size and support four separate family households.

To me this says successful farming because it is done responsibly; however, many don’t agree with that. It would seem there is a double standard in farming. If any other business grows in size over the course of years and is able to employ more people it is seen as a successful business and the business owner is considered to be living the “American dream.” However, if we place a farmer in this same scenario the farmer is considered a “corporate sell-out” or “factory farmer” instead of being seen as successful. Why is this? Why can’t farms be large in scale but still maintain family values and ownership?

So I ask again: What is a “factory farm” anyway?

Pig Care Priority

Pork producers are always looking for ways to better their farming practices and pig care is on the top of their list.

Several producers gathered for a pig care meeting. This meeting was not only a refresher course but it also introduced the producers to some new ideas to improve their practices.

The meeting focused on the importance of individual pig care despite the large numbers being raised in hog barns. Some creative methods were suggested to help produces with this task.  

No pork producer meeting would be complete complete without a pulled pork meal. Yum!

The whole Windmann crew was there, too.

Farmers are constantly changing and improving their techniques and pork producers are no different. We strive to take better care of our animals because we care about the product that we produce and the animals that we raise.

Piggy Predicament

While some may refer to our swine operation as a factory farm we do not have factory hours. While most people either enjoy a half day of work or no work at all on Saturdays, it's just another day to a farmer. What began as a day of laying irrigation pipe and doing pig chores became a frantic relay race with the clock ticking.

First, three pieces of irrigation pipe had been damaged. Of course, the guys don't find this out until they do a test run and discover some leaks. So, they have to take practically the whole thing apart, fetch new pipes, and put the whole thing back together again. This isn't a garden hose either, folks. We are talking about six-inch aluminum piping that literally runs over the hill and through the buck-brush all the way across the field. It's some serious chizz to take this thing apart and put it back together. So, what started as a be-done-by-two job ended up lasting until after four o'clock.

Here's where I come in:

There I was, minding my own business, preparing supper. Frozen burger paddies in one hand and a bag of charcoal in the other when my husband, Aaron, bursts through the door. He was in such a hurry that I don't even thing he put the truck in park before he leaped out. It was a tuck and roll situation.

Aaron:
What're you doing? What do you have going on?
Me:
It's after five, Aaron. I'm getting ready to fix supper.
Aaron:
What? Supper? No, we don't have time for that. Throw some snacks at the kids and lets go.
Me:
Huh?
Aaron:
I gotta pig emergency and I need help. Let's go. Have they ate?
Me:
The patties are still frozen in my hand. So, no. No one has ate.
Aaron:
Right. Throw some snacks at the kids and lets go.
Me:
I got that part. Calm down.

You can imagine how well the conversation went after that. So, instead of munching down some tasty grill burgars with asperagus and potatoes, the children had cold-cut sandwiches and I went without. The charcoal returned to the basement, feeling abandoned, and the frozen patties in my hand returned to their home in the freezer, feeling cold. Away we flew to the land beyond with shining white tin and lush flowing fields green (and brown, we really need some rain). Into the pigs we go.

At this point I still have no idea what the emergency is or even what I am supposed to be doing. I just slip into my fancy rubber boots and slide on my fashionable blue coveralls and hope for the best. Turns out that a feed auger in the barn needed to be repaired. So our job was to first manuver pigs around to get as many as we could out of the pin that the feed motor was in. Armed with pretty plastic sort boards we begin the hearding process. I have a huge bruise on my knee as a result of a 200 pound pig that decided he did not want to go the same direction as everyone else. Oh, well. No worse for wear. The second job requires Aaron to teader on a plastic bucket while he fights with some bolts and a heavy motor. My job during this is to make sure the remaining pigs in the pin do not chew on Aaron or his tools. Have I mentioned we are on slatted floors? That means anything you happen to drop is forever lost...like Aaron's pliers and his previous pliers and several bolts. I think there might be a cell phone down there too. Well, after everthing is replaced (luckily his brother showed up just in time to help hold the motor and what-nots) the pigs had feed again and Aaron could finally calm down.

All-in-all it was a good time...well, sort of but not really. The point is the pigs come first and we gave up our supper time to ensure the pigs got their supper time.

Farmers care about their livestock and that's the truth!

Fair Oaks Pig Adventure Center

Have you heard about the Fair Oaks Pig Adventure Center? It is fantastic! It is one of the best ideas and I cannot wait until it is up and running. The Fair Oaks Project is a proposed working sow farm with enclosed walk ways, an education center with exhibits and other educational tools, and is a way for the general public to see first-hand how a sow operation works. How proactive is that!

 The new Pig Adventure Center will be located in Indiana about a mile away from the main Fair Oaks campus. Currently, Fair Oaks has a Dairy Education Center that allows the public to view the daily activities involved with dairy farming.

 The new pig site will allow the public to view a 2,400-head sow farm from a viewing stations and walk ways. This is such a great idea because the average American is at least three generations removed from the farm. Not only does it allow a first-hand encounter with pork production but it also helps the general public to understand modern farming techniques and practices.



I am very excited about this project and hope to be present on opening day.

Check out this months Pork Checkoff Report to learn more about the Fair Oaks Pig Adventure Center.

Double Standards in Animal Care

I have noticed some interesting blog posts, comments, and sentiments about the proper way to care for animals. For example, I recently read a blog post that described the best way to care for a dog is to keep them indoors and insinuated that outdoor dogs can become vicious.

English Shepherd Image by Jo Windmann

Yes, outdoor dogs can become vicious. Just look at this one...she's a real killer. Don't let the lazy attitude fool you, she's primed for the attack.

Image courtesy of Google Images

 This is a kennel I found because according to popular believe dogs should not be allowed to roam free. If they roam free then they could get sick, hurt, attacked, lost, or killed.




English Shepherd Dog by Jo Windmann

Image courtesy Google Images

Yes, let's kennel them or keep them locked in the living room watching TV with us. I'm sure dogs prefer prime time over a romp in the grass anyway. Just look at these two examples above. It is obvious which dog is happier and healthier. Don't you agree?

Image courtesy Google Images

Disturbing image that I feel guilty for actually using
I am sorry Mina

This one I love. It is healthier to have a dog in the house and to train it to poop and pee where it lives. After all, you wouldn't want to find a steamy cookie in the yard because it is better to discover that kind of filth in your own home...really?

Wait! You want my dog to do what in my house!? I don't think so.

To summarize: If your dog does not live indoors (and apparently to his business indoors) then you are a bad pet owner.

Now, on to farm animals:

CAFO hog picture by Jo Windmann

Farm animals should be kept outdoors and free to roam on the wide open acres. They should not do their business indoors because that is disgusting and inhumane to make them live in their own filth. Despite the fact that their poo lives in a pit several feet below them not in the pen with them.

To summarize: As farmers, we should not confine our livestock in any way despite the fact that they could get sick, hurt, attacked, lost, or killed by predators.

To further summarize:

There is a serious double standard in animal care. Dogs are seen as people not animals, pigs are seen as animals not livestock, and one should be confined indoors for their own protection and well-being, while the other is considered abused for being kept indoors for their own protection and well-being.

Is anyone else confused?

I have nothing against indoor animals. I have nothing against outdoor animals. I think animals should be cared for according to their own individual needs and the individual preferences of their owners. Period. As for us, we like our piggies inside and our puppies outside. Do either look abused to you?



Precious picture of father and son petting a pig

My baby and my puppy playing in the tall grass

Coming Together as Partners in Farming

The work of farmers has grown while the number of farmers has dwindled. Whether you believe that big business ran farmers into the ground, or that poor market values in the 80’s are to blame, or perhaps it was government subsidies that did them in it really doesn’t change the outcome. Furthermore, many people in America just don’t want to farm so pointing fingers does little good. The point is that only 2% of the people in this country provide food for our great nation and other countries around the world. While America imports practically every product you buy from the store there is one product that we still export…food and associated byproducts. That means that there is still something that is MADE IN AMERICA. I don’t know about you but I think that is pretty impressive and it is pretty darned impossible without the use of modern technology, which includes tractors, confinement barns, and modern medicine.

There is a war going on right now and it breaks my heart. It is ignorant, egotistical, selfish, and shows a level of intolerance that is unacceptable and embarrassing. Whether you choose to eat meat, or eat organic, or to go vegan the wonderful thing is that you have the choice to make.

Why must we choose sides?

Since when is there only one way to farm or eat?

Why can’t we all be “right” in our own way?

We raise hogs in confinement barns and we only eat our own hogs. We buy eggs from a local farmer that raises “free range” chickens. We also buy produce from a fellow that drives around selling Amish grown products out of the back of his pickup and we eat out of our own garden too. I also buy food from big chain grocery stores like Wal-Mart and Aldi. This is what is so wonderful about this country—DIVERSITY!

I don’t have to eat organic but I am friends with the fellow that sells the eggs and I like buying eggs from him, so I do. I don’t have to grow my own food but I enjoy the satisfaction and process of gardening. I don’t have to eat meat just like I don’t have to eat all my veggies but I do because I have a choice and so do all of you.

So, here is a choice that must all make:

Are we going to continue to argue amongst ourselves or are we going to work together and become part of the solution instead of the problem?

Some farmers grow organic on a I think that is great and necessary. Some farmers contract with big companies to produce on a larger scale and I think that is great and necessary. Some go big while others remain small and I see absolutely no problem with that. Farming has yet to reach perfection; however, we will never even come close to that goal if we continue choosing sides.

Big or small, farmers are farmers and we need them all!

Your Vote Counts but do Rural Votes Count?

The "Your Vote Counts" campaign--backed by HSUS among others--is currently collecting signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2012 ballot that would change the required vote to amend a law to 3/4 votes. This means that out of 197 legislators it would take only 9 to overturn a proposed amendment--a near impossible voting standard. This is another way that HSUS is swinging their pocket book around to buy laws for their own radical pursuits.

Back in 2010, Prop B was passed by a slim margin of 3.2 percent. After the law was passed it was amended to make it a workable law because in its original form it was unrealistic. Now, HSUS is trying yet again to manipulate Missouri voters and gain more control to buy laws and inevitably buy you and their tactics are very sneaky.

Their campaign slogan is "Respect the Will of the People." However, if we take a look at the map from the 2010 Prop B results it begs the question:

Did Missouri respect the will of the people or the will of the money?

Prop B failed in every county except the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City, where HSUS campaigned the heaviest and spent the most money. The amendment made the law workable and realistic, that is not what HSUS wanted. They wanted to shut down dog breeding in Missouri and attack animal agriculture next.

If you recall, the term "pet" was redefined in the original Prop B proposal to a vague description of pretty much any domesticated animal that lives close to the home. This is one thing that the Prop B amendment changed and for good reason. However, other changes were made to make it workable. The point is, Prop B was a "bought law" and since Missouri legislatures actual did listen to Missouri voters (look at the map!) it really ticked off HSUS.

Your vote does count and the amendment of Prop B proves that; however, Pacelle and his posse want their money to count more than your vote. If you want to keep your rights then don't fall victim to the HSUS trap. Don't sign any petition that supports the "Your Vote Counts" initiative!

Prop B & "Your Vote Counts" Campaign

Here we go again! Wayne Pacelle, CEO of HSUS is at it again with another smear campaign to manipulate Missouri voters. As you'll recall, in 2010, HSUS and other animal rights groups like ASPCA spent more than $5 million on the Prop B campaign. However, the bulk of that funding came from outside Missouri. Similarly, HSUS has thus far spent nearly $165,000 on the "Your Vote Counts" campaign of which only $150 came from Missouri supporters. This is a classic case of "bought laws" and "bought legislature."

What does this mean to Missourians? It means that HSUS is buying Missouri legislature and in turn trying to buy you. I'm not for sale and I hope you aren't either. By giving in to these people you are not only helping aide in their efferts to irradicate animal agriculture and sport hunting but you are also allowing them the power to control your civil rights.

Image from HumaneWatch.org

Prop B in its original form was unconstiutional, unreasonable, and unrealistic--just like their new campaign. Prop B was never just thrown out! It was only amended to make it workable and realistic. However, Wayne Pacelle and HSUS supporters will have you think that your vote didn't matter and the law was thrown out, which is UNTRUE! Prop B stands, however, common sense was added by our Missouri elected officials.

The "Your Vote Counts" campaign is an attempt to make a constitutional amendment in Missouri to change the required vote to amend a law from 2/3 to 3/4. This means that out of 197 officials it would take only 9 to overturn any proposed amendments, which is a near impossible voting standard. This proposed amendment also gives groups like HSUS more power to buy laws and piece by piece chip away your constitutional rights in the name of their extremist ideas.

Please keep in mind that HSUS is a propaganda machine and only gives 1 percent of that $19 a month that they beg for with their simpathetic ads. Their millions do not go toward shelters, they line the pockets of people like Wayne Pacelle and buy radical laws. If you really want to support animals then support your local shelter NOT HSUS! Put that $19 a month toward the shelter in your county, give a few bags of dog food every month to the shelter in your town, or volunteer to help every month. HSUS is not about helping animals, they are about propaganda and animal rights, which is NOT the same as animal welfare. Farmers, breeders, veteranarians, and pet owners are the real animal welfare advocates NOT HSUS supporters.

Vote for common sense not extremists' propaganda. Please do NOT sign any patition relating to the "Your Vote Counts" campaign and if it makes it to the ballot please VOTE NO!

CAFO Quotes & Simple Rants

"The problem isn't a lack of food, it is poor distribution."

"We don't need CAFOs, we need better farmers."

"CAFO farmers are nothing more than pig Nazis."

"Pasture pigs taste better and are better for you."

"All CAFO farmers are the worst kind of big business farming. They put small farmers out of business and are not real farmers, just investors."

Do you feel this way? Do you agree with any of these statements? Do you find it hard to believe that anyone would think this way? Or, that any one wouldn't?

I have heard them all and then some. I’m not here to change anyone’s mind, just speak of that which I know. I know that we have an abundance of food and there is an inadequate distribution system. However, I also know that as long as we have greed, welfare dependence, obesity, foreign dictators, incompetent government officials, and ignorance we will always have a hunger issue. Yes, farmers do feed the world. Yes, we need better distribution of our food resources. However, unless you have a way of fixing all those other problems then pointing fingers at CAFO owners and distributors really starts looking asinine when you get right down to it.

Now, the claim that better farming techniques are the way to go I have to say I agree. By utilizing new technology, innovative medical know-how, and better understanding of animal husbandry….wait, we’re already doing that. Well, I’ll be dogged. The problem is misunderstanding. Most people love the idea of 1940’s and 50’s farming. It’s a great image but reality doesn’t live in great imagery. To put this in perspective, one farmer in 1940 produced enough to feed 19 people. Today, one farmer can feed 155 people. 155! That is a huge difference and we didn’t accomplish this by sitting idly by and hoping for change. We did it through technological advances and sheer determination. Let us not forget the many technological advances that were waved away by a skeptical society that now serve as a lifeline that we could not live without. Some inventions that come to mind are cars, planes, and tractors.

As far as pasture pigs tasting better and being better for you; well, the first is entirely opinion based and the latter…well, I’d like to see documentation proving that pork is healthier than pork.

As for CAFO owners being nothing more than investors and this image of big business and fat, suit clad men smoking cigars and pocketing thousands of dollars while paying minimum wage to foreign workers is the falsest claim I have ever heard. I say this with first hand experience. I am not just saying, “I heard from…” or “Well, this commercial said…” I live here and I know because we own it, live it, work it, and we are not rich. I wish the latter was otherwise but the facts are that we are owner operators. Sure, we are investors but what business owner isn’t an investor? I'd also like to know if we aren't "real" farmers than what the hell have we been doing for the past several generations?

I’d like to take this time to mention that while I feel the Nazi reference doesn’t deserve to be dignified by a comment, I have to say the ignorance shines through in any such reference. First, to compare anything to the Holocaust is disrespectful to those that suffered through it. Furthermore, to compare farming pigs—an animal—to the mass murders of thousands of innocent people seems too boorish to even put into words. Furthermore, it shows an utter lack of perspective. That is all I will say about that.

I rant for this reason:

·         98% of Americans are several generations removed from farming yet those are the ones that feel they need to tell us how to do it.

·         In an Operation Main Street 2.0 seminar in Kansas State University, out of 100-plus veterinary students only two or three had any experience in swine production.

·         HSUS claims to be all about animal welfare however they only give $0.19 cents of that famous $19 they ask for in their ads--less than 1% of donated funds. While farmers spend tens of thousands of dollars on their animals to make sure they have a safe environment, food, shelter, water, and all their veterinary needs are met. 

·        We have the We Care program, Operation Main Street, PQA Plus, and many other programs, seminars, and mandatory training to ensure proper animal care and handling. How are we not advocates of animal welfare?

 

·         Finally, how else do we do it? If you know a better, more economical, more efficient means of raising these animals and feeding the world then why don’t you share it with the thousands of vets, engineers, scientists, nutritionists, farmers, etc. that are waiting to hear from you.

  I suppose the ultimate point is that of knowledge. Before you take the word of some commercial you saw or some conversation you overheard why don’t you get the facts for yourself. Ask a farmer. Talk to a vet. Question a butcher. Take a tour of a farm. Just don’t judge before you have all the facts and never jump to conclusions.

Factory Farming Exsposed

Learn the truth about animal handling practices in factory farms!

You'll be shocked by what you see!!

Antibiotics & Factory Farming--A bitter rant

Image from http://www.antibioticsandalcohol.org/

Antibiotics are a funny thing and recently I had an opportunity to get up-close and personal with them. You see, in the last few weeks my household has suffered from strep throat, a sinus infection, flu-like symptoms, and the good ol' common cold--this is summer right? Wait, let me check.....yep, 90 degrees and a thunderstorm brewing....it's summer......but I digress.

While each of us suffered in our own special way we met with our local family physician on more than one occasion. The funny part is how quick and easy antibiotics are prescribed and no one so much as bats an eye. We walked in, the doc took one look at my daughter's throat (the instigator of all this or was it my husband? Who cares! I feel like crap.) and said, "Oh yeah, I'll get you fixed up with some antibiotics for that throat. Be back in just a few minutes." That was that. A nurse swabbed my daughter's throat for verification and Presto! antibiotics in hand and we are out the door. Same scenario for each of us. We walk in feeling like we came out the back side of a bean burrito eating fool and we walk out with a hand full of antibiotics and no one seems to care.

Moral of the story is: 'Tis better to treat our symptoms to minimize suffering but let the sick little piggies die a miserable unnecessary death.

Does anyone else have a problem with this moral? Because I feel like I'm all alone in questioning this one.



Image from donlonpharmacy.com

 Why is it okay to treat ourselves with antibiotics when we are sick and suffering but it is a fowl misguided act to provide proper medical care to our livestock? I have seen so many fingers pointed at the pork industry because we use antibiotics on the pigs. Here is the kicker folks. We also raise ABF pigs--that is Antibiotic-Free pigs for all you laymen out there--and it is a sad, sad thing to see.

I remember this one group of pigs that came in and they were doing well until a few of them got sick. Nothing we could do so we segregated the sick ones to the sick pin and hoped for the best. But they are like kids in a daycare; when one gets sick, they all get sick. It was such a simple sickness, too. I believe they had nothing more than a cough but it has been some time and I have the memory of an Alzheimer's patient. It could have been easily cured, they could have been better in a matter of a few days. Instead, because they were ABF pigs our hands were tied.

We had to watch them slowly die of a curable illness. Let me tell you, nothing is more irritating, nauseating, and down right upsetting than watching a creature slowly and miserably die when you hold the cure in your hand but some group of people which have never farmed nor seen beyond city limits says it is more humane to refuse them antibiotics. Yeah, right!

Image from blogs.seattleweekly.com

To all the animal rights groups and their supporters my point is this, next time you are feeling sick and miserable, remember, it is more humane to go without antibiotics. Next time you are feeling like a puddle of sweaty flesh and want to slip into the A/C, remember, it is more humane to suffer in the heat. Next time you are feeling like Jack Frost literally nipped your nose blum off your face, remember, it is more humane to freeze to death than to have heating. Finally, remember, it is more humane to go without proper vaccinations so when your child dies of measles, you did the right thing by not treating them. After all, we must treat people and animals equally so it was better your little one died because that is what happens to our pigs when we are forced to raise them antibiotic-free.

**Insert bitter sarcasm here**

Thanks Mercy For Animals. Thanks Humane Society of the United States. Thanks People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Thanks all you misguided fools that support these groups and the like. You have really helped bring awareness to the abuse of livestock. We farmers and ranchers should know better than to give our livestock heating in the winter, cool air in the summer, and proper medical treatment. What were we thinking!? Thank you. You have all helped a heap. When animals have friends like you, who needs natural predators in the wild?

I've had a rough few weeks....does it show?

Famous & Misinformed: Singers that support HSUS, PETA, and other anti-ag groups

I ran across an interesting blog post today and just had to share it with my blog family. Celeste Laurent has a wonderful blog where she serves up her story of farm and family with a heaping helping of journalism on the side.

Here are just a few listed in Celeste's blog post: 10 Singers who support animal rights extremists

Carrie Underwood

Carrie is a huge supporter of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), a lobbying organization that tricks animal lovers into donating money they think will help animal shelters when in fact, HSUS does not operate a single shelter!

Carrie has made personal donations as well as releasing songs with proceeds going to HSUS.

Kellie Pickler

Pickler is an example of the power of propaganda videos from extremist groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She told People Magazine that she decided to become a vegetarian after “googling” information about how animals are treated on farms.

Its a shame that Pickler would do something as drastic as becoming vegetarian without getting the truth from a farmer!

Justin Bieber

Bieber recently recorded a public service announcement for PETA promoting adoption of shelter pets.

Bieber’s work with PETA is shocking since he has often remained neutral when it comes to current issues. Its even more concerning to think that there are thousands of teenage girls struck with “Bieber Fever” who could be influenced by his association with this extremist group.

Emmylou Harris

This vegetarian country legend has been a long time supporter of PETA’s spay and neuter campaigns. PETA famously quotes Harris as saying, “I’m a proud member of some great organizations. One is the Grand Ole Opry—another is PETA.”

Emmylou sure knows how to make this Kentucky farm girl blue. Its a shame to see a country legend support an organization that opposes country music’s agricultural heritage.


I, for one, am disappointed and angry that a country legend like Emmylou Harris and a country star like Carrie Underwood would support groups that are anti-ag. They are turning their backs on the rich heritage that made them stars in the first place. It is this kind of misinformation and propaganda that we, as farmers and ranchers, need to address by telling our stories. We need to expose animal agriculture for what it really is and show how farm animals are really treated...with care and respect. Farmers and ranchers need to tell their stories and put the propaganda to rest. Show your support for agriculture by NOT supporting singers that don't support ag. You may think that your little contribution won't matter but it is the little things that make a big difference.

CAFO Ethics Exposed

There are a ton of websites, blogs, and articles "explaining" what a CAFO is and how they operate. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these "explanations" are not by farmers or even rural inhabitants, they are by activists, radicals, and the misinformed John Q. Public. Instead of witnessing the majority, many folks are exploiting the minority. Every bushell has a few bad apples but that doesn't mean you can't still make apple butter. Guess what, we are the apples that made it into the steamy batch of cinnamony goodness and we are far from alone...the pork industry is full of good apples, we just don't get that much publicity.

This video is an explanation of modern pork production from the view point of actual pork producers. It shows how we care about what we are doing and we are just as responsible as the hog farmers in the days of yore. Sure, you could say we are biased, you could argue that we are only sugar coating the truth, you could even spit on your computer and pretend you didn't witness responsible farming and CAFO farming coming together in harmony but in the end I hope you will all simply see that pork producers are family farmers too--we're just doing it a little different.

Learn more about modern pork production by visiting the PorkCheckoff's site and watching the Checkoff's YouTube channel. You can also learn more about our farm by watching the BaconCam channel.

I prefer DQ Blizzards!

They say the worst is over; now it is just a matter of cleaning up the mess Mother Nature has graciously left us. But I will be the first to admit Mother Nature could have left us a DQ blizzard instead of this icy mess. Dutifully, my husband is out shoveling awaiting the big tractor (it lives at his brother's house) to come and rescue our driveway. Fortunately, we still have power and for that I am thankful. You can see the blizzard (and my husband out in it) in the latest BaconCam YouTube video. Enjoy and be careful out there!

Filling Bellies in Texas

Needy bellies in Texas will be filled this holiday season thanks to America's pork producers. Pork producers are Spreading the Holiday Cheer by donating 3,500 pounds of pork to the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB). "Why Texas?" you might ask. Well, Texas has the highest rate of food insecurity in the country. In fact, 17 percent of Texans do not have enough food to go around, that is a lot of people.

Image from pork.org North Texas Food Bank

It warms my heart to see our nation's pork producers helping others. U.S. pork producers do so much more than just grow food for profit, we give back to our communities and help those in need. Pork producers care and we live by ethical principals. It isn't just some initiative set by some board that makes us live ethically and treat our animals well, we really do care. We've been doing this for generations, the National Pork Board just put what we believe in in writing with the We Care Initiative program.

How do you give back to your community?

More on Advocating Agriculture

Recently, an article in Pork Network's newsletter was brought to my attention regarding how important it is for farmers and ranchers to "open up" to the public. Too often we forget how fortunate we are to be part of this amazing process called farming. However, we must keep in mind that 98 percent of this nation are not connected to agriculture other than what they see, read, or hear in the media or on the Internet. In this day and age of animal rights activists attacking animal ag and consumers' increasing concerns for the environment we need to put ourselves out there in order to help educate the public. They will not understand what we do or how we do it if someone does not take the initiative to educate them.

On that note, here is an agvocating recap:

In a previous post, Agvocating is Essential  and in a Suite101 article, Agvocating: Harvesting Social Media I highlight some of the basic ways to advocate agriculture but I would like you to keep in mind, you do not have to be a full time farmer or farm hundreds of acres to agvocate. You could blog about your neighbors' farm (with their permission, of course). This is not only a great way to learn about farming for yourself but also to get to know your neighbors better. You could blog about your gardening and the local farmer's market. You could keep up on Ag news and post your own commentary about recent headlines. You could even blog about your own questions, concerns, and curiosities about agriculture and then follow up with what you have found out. The blogging possibilities are endless, just use your imagination and start typing.


Videos are an amazing way to agvocate. They can be serious and show specific aspects of farming or...



They can be a bit goofy (maybe even dorky) while still making a point.


Videos are a huge part of agvocating because YouTube gets so many hits and you don't need to be an award winning director to produce a great YouTube video. In fact, it has been my experience that people prefer the rough-around-the-edges approach. Think of how huge reality shows have become and it makes sense, people want real life. You don't have to be doing anything exiting either. Keep in mind the daily chores you find mundane are actually fascinating to the masses because it is all totally new to them. Just film your cows grazing, someone throwing feed to pigs, or milking a cow, just about anything will work. If you don't have a YouTube account they are really easy to start and your information is kept secure, only the info that you allow will be available to others. If you've never uploaded a video and don't know how I'll bet your kids, grand kids, or the neighbor's kid could help you out. You can also leave me a message in the comments and I can try to answer any questions you may have or at least direct you to someone who can answer your questions.

Take a look at the BaconCam Channel for some more video ideas. What do you do to agvocate? What videos would you like to see about farming? Do you have an Ag blog you would like to share? Leave the link in the comments.

Election Day Results--Prop B Decision

After staying up late watching the polls my finger nails are now worn down to nubs and my nerves are shot. I watched the polls as they slowly rolled in, anxiously watching what Prop B would do.

I check my computer and the "No" votes are winning by a landslide. It updates and the "Yes" votes start creeping closer. It updates again and again and again...we're neck and neck. Watching, waiting, hoping, praying I bite and chew my nails until the taste of blood forces me to remove my hand from my mouth. Impatiently, I watch as the little white counties turn green, one by one, signifying they have finished counting.

The vote runs neck and neck. A few more yes votes then a few more no votes, then yes, then no. It stays split down the middle while I sit, raking my hands through my hair because I'm out of nails to chew.

Then, as yet another update hits Prop B is at a dead tie, 50/50 split right down the middle with only one county left...the waiting is torture. My nerves have been on a roller coaster ride ever since the polls closed. Weeks of campaigning, blogging, emailing, calling, talking to friends and family explaining the issue, I just want the final word on it...whatever that may be. However, the updates have slowed to a near stop.

On a lighter note, the "Should Prop B pass?" poll ended with 55 votes. Not bad for my first blog poll. The results are promising. "Yes" got 9 votes, "No" received 12 votes, "Hell NO" dominated with 32 votes, and 2 voters were undecided. It is safe to say "No" won by a landslide, too bad that doesn't count for anything.

Another update just hit, St. Charles county is in...Prop B "yes" votes just jumped up by half a percent. It looks like we may lose this battle after all. Now, only 3 percent of the state remains. St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and Bollinger only have half their numbers in; Ray County has nothing. STL is all for Prop B, so we know there will be no help there, Bollinger is against Prop B. No one know were Ray County stands, the

vote is so close that one county could make the difference. Finally, with the votes being too close to call, I shut it down and go to bed.

Early this morning I wake and flip on the tube. Coincidentally, the first thing that I hear on the news is Prop B passes by 60,000 votes. I hang my head and kick myself for not campaigning earlier, for not educating enough people, for not agvocating sooner. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. We got Jay Houghton in office and I trust him to do everything possible to keep this bill from hurting Missouri.

There is a lesson to be learned in all this. Our stories, that of farmers and breeders, need to be told. We have always trusted people to use common sense. Too many of us thought people would never believe the lies spread about farmers and breeders but we were wrong. Radical groups have been out there besmirching our industry and we trusted the people to see through the lies; however, we forgot it is our duty to educate those detached from this line of work. Only 2 percent of Americans farm, we took our knowledge for granted.

Farmers, breeders tell your stories. People have lost touch with their roots and it is our duty to remind them. Let the people know that the cruelty that happens and the abuse plastered on YouTube is not the norm. Let the people know that we care about our animals and the environment. Let the people know what you do for a living. If you think your story is not worth telling...think again. We all have a story worth telling; so get out there and tell it, people will listen.