Muck Up to Their Necks: The Rest of the Story

Earlier this week farmers, ranchers, hunters and agriculture enthusiasts took to social media to enlighten The Original Muck Boots Company about the true intentions of HSUS and express their displeasure with the 'charity' of choice. You can read the original post here. After many upset voices were heard, some light was shown on the actual situation. The events of the entire debacle are outlined below in summary.

• Muck Boots posted a picture announcing a fundraiser for the Humane Society of the United States and that a donation had been made to the 'charity.'

• Farmers and ranchers are upset and react by sharing their thoughts about the donation on Facebook, Twitter and many blog posts.

• Realizing an error has been made and that they're in trouble, Muck Boots issues the following statement:

• This adds a completely different rationale to the issue. A donation to HSUS, however misguided, may have been the wishes of a recently passed employee. I want my wishes carried out after I am gone but how does a social media manager confuse HSUS and the HANRI - they aren't similar to type (other than the word 'humane'). I think someone is in deep trouble at Muck Boots. 
• But wait! The Humane Association of Northwestern Rhode Island made the following statement on their page a few hours later (page has since been taken down so no screenshot).
• "Okay folks to clear things up -- WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A DONATION FROM MUCK BOOTS! WE ARE NOT AFILIATED [sic] WITH THE HSUS. Although a $2000 donation would be very nice. But please stop calling us to ask, we have enough to do caring for the animals in our shelter and taking care of out [sic] patients."
• At this point, the waters are very muddy. It appeared that Muck Boots, seeing that they were in hot water for supporting HSUS, has changed their story to make amends. But that seemed to be a lie!
• Towards the end of the debacle, HANRI issued another Facebook post (again, no screenshot):
• "Okay everybody, let's clear the air here... Not sure what all the controversy was about today but I do not want our organization to be misrepresented. I got a call from Muck Boots and they are donating to our organization in honor of one of their employees who recently passed away. And while we're not affiliated with the HSUS we do NOT condemn them and actually share many of their values, (only I don't make $200,000 a year). I just found it interesting that this donation caused so much controversy when there are so many other issues to be concerned with. I also wonder why so many people who are obviously partake in activities that are contrary to our beliefs "liked" our page."

As you can see, these past few days have been quite heated. So to tie this all up with a bow, here are the takeaways and, of course, my opinion.

• A memorial is a private, bittersweet, yet beautiful act meant to honor the deceased. I would not deny someone their last wishes or a memorial donation, even to HSUS. Had the memorial donation been clear from the very start, I don't think such a reaction would have occurred and, if so, I would not have endorsed it. I would have been disappointed at the choice but I would not have been so vocal and I think it's important to reflect on that piece of information.
• Muck Boots needs to conduct some extensive training with their social media managers about what is and isn't appropriate for corporate social media updates. Not only did the manager mistakenly say the donation was made to HSUS, I believe they lessened the brevity of the memorial donation by posting it on a very visible social media outlet. Thoroughly investigate the details of posts before updating a page - the outcomes could be disastrous if this simple rule isn't followed closely.
• There have been quite a few people in the agriculture community who are not proud of the reaction that took place but I have to say that I disagree. Four years ago, a community of farmers and ranchers voiced their disdain at Yellow Tail's decision to donate to HSUS and the wine company sat up and took notice. While they are still in business, I know that I have not purchased their wine in four years and I would dare to bet that they never consider donating to HSUS again. The goal of speaking up is not necessarily to run a business into the ground but to bring to light the grotesque nature of HSUS' business practices and expose them for the lobbyist organization they truly are. In both the case of Yellow Tail and Muck Boots, exposure was achieved and if nothing else, that is a great accomplishment.
• Do I think the ag community did the right thing? Absolutely. Advocates and the collective agriculture community have grown larger, stronger and more vocal over the past few years. To expect a very public donation to HSUS [in the beginning] not to induce a response from farmers and ranchers is absurd, at best. If tomorrow I were to see another company, who is very largely supported by farmers, ranchers and agriculture customers in general, donate to HSUS I would react the same way. I am a consumer and I have a right to voice my opinion and expect to see change. We have worked long and hard to have a voice in the game and to see these kind of results, and I'm proud of my contemporaries and colleagues for speaking up.

 To wind this all up: social media training is needed, transparency is warranted and the consideration of the type and kind of reaction are strenuously necessary. Also, if HSUS weren't a bunch of colossal jerks, this wouldn't have happened!

Ok - here is where YOU chime in!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

The thoughts and opinions of this blog post strictly represent that of Brandi Buzzard Frobose and are NOT representative of any other entity or organization.

What the Muck [Boots] Were They Thinking?

UPDATE: A total summary of the events that transpired of the past few days can be seen here.
-----------

I am nothing if not loyal. Once I find a brand I like, I will purchase that brand until I am no longer able. For example, I've been wearing Nike sneakers for 20 years, and nothing else. I will always be a Dr. Pepper enthusiast, never Mr. Pibb and I cannot bring myself to purchase any calf rope that isn't made by Rattler. As you can see, I take loyalty very seriously.

So it saddens me to say that I will no longer be a loyal customer of The Original Muck Boot Company. Yesterday, The Original Muck Boot Company posted a photo describing a fundraiser for the Humane Society of the United States. Yes, that HSUS. Why is this appalling?


Donating any amount of money to HSUS is funding a campaign against animal agriculture.

Because H$U$ is the organization that strives to abolish animal agriculture and is a rather large opponent of hunting and fishing. I find it asinine that a company who markets to rural Americans - hunters, farmers, ranchers, fisherman, etc - would engage in relations with a charity lobbyist organization who is out to abolish those very industries and hobbies.

So what can you do? Visit the Muck Boots Facebook page and tell them how you feel about their decision. I did, as have many other farmers, ranchers, hunters and advocates.



Click to read my comment - countless other agriculture enthusiasts,
 farmers and ranchers have chimed in as well.

You can vow to not purchase their products anymore. You could visit a store to return a pair and make sure the manager of that store knows why you're returning the awesome boots. You could submit a comment to the parent company of Muck Boots, Honeywell. You could start purchasing boots from Bogs, a company that doesn't donate to HSUS (thanks for the comment, Terryn).

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with a boycott of Muck Boots? Do you think an outcry from the agriculture community will open their eyes in a similar fashion to the #YellowFail events of 2010?

Shout out your comments!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

The thoughts and opinions of this blog post strictly represent that of Brandi Buzzard Frobose and are NOT representative of any other entity or organization.

Peterson Farm Bros - From Entertainment to Advocacy

About two years ago a trio of brothers made headlines by creating a parody to the popular LMFAO song "I'm Sexy and I Know It." No one, not even the brothers themselves, had any idea the firestorm they would create that would open the door of agriculture to millions of YouTube viewers.

By now, you know I'm talking about Greg, Kendal and Nathan Peterson, more commonly known as the Peterson Farm Bros. Their first song parody amassed more than 9 million views on YouTube and led them to appearances on national news outlets, Yahoo!'s homepage and countless speaking engagements in the past two years.

I recently heard Greg, the eldest bro, speak at the International Symposium for Beef Cattle Welfare in Ames, IA (which is why I was basically MIA last week) and it was interesting to hear him speak about the progression of their video series. What started out as a video for entertainment purposes has transitioned into a more robust advocacy campaign that is designed to spark more conversations and engage with consumers about farming practices. The Peterson family has even started opening their farm up for tours a few times each month.

Their most recent video All I Do is Farm (a parody of All I Do is Win) is definitely my favorite. Not only do I love that song, (it's on my iPod's running playlist) but they do a fantastic job of explaining why they do certain things and answering some of the questions that viewers might have about farm and ranch life.



Some of my favorite pieces of this video:

• How risky and unpredictable farming is but they just trust in Him
• The volatility of the markets and how that affects their livelihood
• Feeding the cattle a healthy ration
• Caring for their animals has always been a number one passion
• Farming is a family affair
• Conservation is on their minds and they are continually improving their operation and striving to decrease their carbon footprint
• The use of technology and input less to produce more

How can farmers and ranchers do a better job of reaching consumers and food purchasers on the level that the Peterson Farm Bros have? For my non-ag readers - how do you prefer to learn more about farming and ranching? Would you rather see a video like the Peterson Bros parodies, visit a farm or read a blog? What helps connect the dots for you?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Why I Rarely, If Ever, Defriend People on Facebook

The number of ‘friends’ I have on Facebook is no longer border-line ridiculous. It's full-on crazy. I crossed that line many moons ago when people whom I’ve never met started requesting to be my friend because they read one of my columns in an ag mag somewhere. Seriously, who in their right mind has ~2,200 ‘friends’ and actually talks to more than 50? 100? Not me. Sorry, outsider 2,100 but we just really aren’t connecting as well as we used to in the days of old.

However, I refuse to defriend 2,100 people based on the fact that we no longer talk (did we ever start?). Why? Well, in my line of work, issues and reputation management, the things I share on my Facebook wall have the potential to impact my non-ag, urban peers in a way that can give them insight into the agriculture industry.

For example, this appeared in my timeline yesterday. Holly is a girl who came to some of our house parties during undergrad at K-State. I think she might have been related to my roommate also, but I can’t recall. I haven’t talked to Holly in at least six years, possibly more. But when I saw this, I knew I had to say something. Jamie Oliver has smeared the name of lean, finely textured beef perhaps more than Jim Avila, ABC and Diane Sawyer did in their crusade. So, I politely gave Holly more info on lean, finely textured beef and its production process via a link from a foodinsight.org, a public information website about food.

Holly may or may not reply and she may or may not look at that link. But Holly’s 700 friends are now ALL able to see that link and hopefully one or two or 12 of them will click and learn about how safe lean, finely textured beef is for consumers. It’s 100% beef!

Urban consumers aren’t the only ones that my posts target. You’d be surprised at how many people from Anderson County, Kansas (my home base which is EXTREMELY agriculturally oriented) grew up in ag families and showed livestock but say things like “I don’t want to buy beef that has been given hormones.” That happened to me at lunch, in that small ag community in southeast Kansas, and my jaw literally dropped – I wasn’t expecting that reaction from that individual. Le-sigh.

So, while my newsfeed is constantly filled with baby pictures of children whose parents I long ago stopped talking to, rad status updates from friends of ex-boyfriends and, probably the most confusing, wedding pictures of young women who’ve married and changed their names leaving me with no idea who they are, I will forge on with my ag promoting, sarcasm-touting Facebook practices because you never know who might be reading or who you might reach with the right info.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Chipotle: A World of Pure Imagination

About four years ago, I realized the extremely important role advocacy plays in agriculture and saw the limitless value of telling my story. I’m proud to share the stories about the small role I play in food production while working alongside my father, husband and in-laws. I do this because there are plenty of people out there that daily strive to push consumers towards niche products such as organic beef, cage-free eggs or vegan bacon (which is not really bacon, btw). While I’m all about choice, I don’t like it when we suggest that making one food choice is safer, more sustainable or better than another food choice—especially when it’s not true.

Inquiring minds want to know when they're going to be fed.....

While things like the latest Chipotle video may be successful at attracting press, blog hits and consumer interest, the one thing they fall extremely short of achieving is creating constructive conversation about food production and the wholesome goodies on our dinner plates.

Whether it’s this latest video or others like it, it reiterates to me the importance of sharing stories about how food is really raised today. I strongly urge all producers to continue to use your voice and tell the real story of farming – right now there are consumers around the nation, and the world, putting their Google skills to the test trying to find out information about how beef, chicken and pork are produced and how livestock are treated. This is a critical component of agriculture – while we may not all agree on the what is the ‘right’ way to do things, we can all agree that no one benefits from denigrating farmers and ranchers other than the marketers and businesses themselves.

Baby beef!

Do you have pictures of you or your family caring for your livestock? Put them online with a short story about the pride you have in providing high quality care and producing safe, healthy food.  That’s the real story of farming and you should be proud of it.

When they hear the dinner bell (it's actually a siren) they come runnin'! As they pass by, we make sure everyone is present and accounted for - if not, we ride around the pasture to look for escapees or sick cattle.

Farmers and ranchers have been sharing the story of agriculture for several years and should continue to do so! Here are some great examples of producers opening up the barn doors to all who wish to view inside.

·         Anne Burkholder – a feedlot owner from Nebraska

·         Debbie Lyons-Blythe – a cow/calf rancher in the Flint Hills of Kansas

·         Ryan Goodman – a farmer from Tennessee who talks about beef, food and ranch life

·         Bridget Coon – a ranch wife in Washington who raises beef with her family

Even if you aren’t a wizard of words, you can post a picture and short sentence about your daily practices – a la Wordless Wednesday (or in my case, Semi-wordless Wednesday). Again, it is up to you to make sure that American consumers know exactly how their food is produced and that they can be confident in farmers and ranchers to do the right thing.

Podge is my role model for many things -- horsemanship, cattle care and his dedication to doing the right thing, even when it's not easy, are just a few of his outstanding qualities.

Are you a supplier to Chipotle, do you raise naturally raised beef or meet the Chipotle specs or know someone who is? PLEASE comment below – I’d love to talk with you and hear your thoughts on this!

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

The thoughts and opinions of this blog post strictly represent that of Brandi Buzzard Frobose and are NOT representative of any other entity or organization.

Bandita Buzzard

Today I'm guest-posting on Agriculture Proud, a phenomenal blog by Ryan Goodman, as one of the AgChat Banditas. So if you've got a spare few minutes click on over there and give his blog some lovin'. You will definitely not regret it!

Come back tomorrow for more regular Buzzard-esque content. And I just jumped on the Facebook page bandwagon so feel free to head on over there and check it out!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

P.S. it's supposed to snow here on Wednesday and then again on Christmas! Whoo to the hoo!

Hatred In The Most Flattering Form

I've been in a writing rut lately. Between my full-time real job, blogging for the NCBA Young Producer's Council, freelancing and finishing my thesis corrections, Buzzard's Beat has been neglected. Thinking of blog fodder is difficult when my brain is dried up - looks like #drought12 isn't just affecting the crops. I love to blog but don't want to spit mindless chatter out into the web-verse just for the sake of blogging.

Well, we're in luck because a few days ago some fodder showed up in my inbox.

I want to preface this entire post by stating that I am a very headstrong and vocal advocate person. By blogging, writing and promoting agriculture I am putting myself out there for people to criticize, hate, loathe, gossip about, yell at etc. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I have never engaged in such malicious attacks as what I experienced today. We are all still human beings and as such, deserve common courtesy, even from those who despise us.

So, without further ado.

I received an email from an Ethan Smith, [ethan smith's email address], that was very simple in its nature. It was only 28 words but those few words conveyed a malevolent hatred that I've never experienced before.

Subject: Swine

It would please me greatly to learn that you had been s*******d with the hottest of hot irons, you disgusting, ugly hick. It would be your just desserts.

He didn't even sign it. #Rude.

After I stopped shaking and regained my composure, I Googled the terms "animal activist" and "Ethan Smith" for obvious reasons:
1) The subject line was 'Swine'; this is clearly someone who likes pigs (funny, I do too) and wants them to be treated humanely (again, I do too).
2) I'm trying to put two and two together - this certain someone doesn't like that I support modern ag; especially pork production.
3) Someone who is vocal and ballsy enough to send such a hateful email probably has presence in other areas, too.

What I found, among many other Ethan Smith's (quite a popular name), is an author and animal rights advocate. I am not certain if this is the same Ethan Smith and in no way am I blaming that author for the nasty email. I'll let you do some searching to ascertain the truth for yourself. I'm just informing the public of what Google found.

The very sad thing in this instance is not the email itself but the complete disregard for open lines of communication. I haven't the slightest idea what I wrote that prompted the email. My column for SwineWeb.com was about a feed purchasing website and I haven't blogged about hogs in awhile. It seems that the mysterious Mr. Smith may have stumbled upon some of my past handiwork and been so angered by my apparent disgusting nature and ugly physical characteristics that he blasted off this email without thinking. My regret is that Mr. Smith didn't provide the opportunity for open dialogue. Instead, he didn't tell me what caused him to be ticked off and simply wished me some pretty violent bodily harm.

Mr. Smith is obviously a very passionate person. I admire that. I have nothing but for respect for people who are passionate about their causes and devote that passion to instituting change. I consider myself a very passionate person so I can understand how Mr. Smith felt in that my views may have been impinging upon his own. Kudos, Mr. Smith for speaking up for what you believe in; I’ll never criticize someone for having a backbone.

The point of this post is to let advocates know that haters are gonna hate; but don’t stop pursuing your passion, whatever it may be. If you are 150% pro-GMO then share the facts and engage your audience. Grass-finished beef? Go for it – let the world know you’re proud to be a beef producer and you provide your animals with the utmost care. You are making a difference. For every hater out there, there’s someone on your side. Let not the negative Nancys of the world bring down your aspirations and good intentions.

I'll wrap this up by stating that not everyone is overly open-minded but we can all be courteous to each other. Hate is not the way to deal with people who have opposing viewpoints. While I was brought up in a house where it was common to keep your mouth shut unless you had something nice to say, in today's media based society it's difficult to censor yourself when inundated with thoughts and opinions that are in the very least, upsetting.

My advice to anyone who experiences the same hateful feedback is to smile and say, "Wow, I'm making enough of a ripple with my message that someone felt the need to put me in my place."

I'll pray for your Mr. Smith - that no person ever speaks to your wife or children the way you just spoke to me. Pray that peace comes upon you and that you appreciate how very lucky you are to live in a society that allows you to speak your mind without any repercussions whatsoever.

Advocates, I’m sharing this one experience (because I’m sure there will be more) for the simple fact that if it happens to you, you'll know that you don't deserve that treatment and you shouldn't stop advocating for your cause. Be proud.

God Bless,
~ Buzzard ~

Meeting Fellow Birdies

Also known as tweeps.

It's no secret I'm addicted to Twitter (@brandibuzzard) - I recently said it in an interview with Cattle Network. Through my addiction, I've had the opportunity to 'meet' a lot of great people in the "twitter-verse" but haven't actually met many in real life.

I am excited to say that I finally got to meet one of my fave tweeps on Sunday night. Kelly Rivard - agriculture agvocate and communications extraordinaire - (@kmrivard) had to come to KC for business and decided to visit MHK the weekend before. Kelly, Jodi Oleen (@jodioleen), Sheridan Wimmer (@Sheridan_W) me and a few boys got together Sunday night at Little Apple Brewing Company for beef, beer and fellowship. It was fantastic fun - BONUS: I got to have dinner with Kelly on Monday night at Hibachi Hut. She's uber smart and creative, hilarious and sarcastic - we get along pretty great. It's nice to know there are people out there who think just like me, whether that's appropriate or not isn't up for debate.

The Little Apple Gang:

l-r: Brandon, Jodi, Kelly, Me, Sheridan and Randell

(check out Randell and Sheridan's cute prom pose)  ;)

Everyone in this picture is awesome - even the boys because they put up with our random chatter for a few hours. We all appreciate ag, sarcasm, good food, beer/margaritas and we all love MHK. Tell me if there is a way to be more awesome.

For all you non MHK folk, feel free to hit me up if you visit Kansas!

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

Agriculture Impressions

By now I'm sure you've seen the images of a milk jug or kernel of corn that have ag facts and messages contained within - here are a few to refresh your memory:

 

This one is probably my favorite. It's gorgeous and these two great men should be given more attention for their visionary leadership.

Not only are these images eye catching but they are riddled with ag facts for you to share with your friends and network! I've started saving them to my info folder so I can spout off agriculture information when I'm needing some conversation fodder! 

If you like these images, you can see quite a few more that will inspire you to continue to advocate for agriculture - just log on to Facebook and like the 'AgricultureImpressions' page and you can view them for yourself!

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

Photo credits given to AGRICULTUREIMPRESSIONS

HSUS and PETA - Lover's Quarrel

photo courtesy

Did you hear the news?! PETA and HSUS are in a spat. But probably not for long - some celebrity like Kim Kardashian (I'll never understand why she's considered a celebrity) will wear a leather cap and then be back in cahoots. However, for now they aren't seeing eye to eye on a very important issue.

Horse slaugher in the U.S.

Remember a few months ago when a bill was passed that reinstated funding for federal inspection of horse slaughter plants? Well, HSUS is totally and 100% against horse slaughter saying that the decline in horse welfare over the past few years, mainly abandonment, has occurred because of economic circumstances. Which is partly true but as www.HumaneWatch.org puts it, "who can predict economic downturn?" On the other hand, PETA is actually the voice of reason in this debate - Ingrid Newkirk, PETA co-founder, recently said to the Christian Science Monitor:

It's quite an unpopular position we've taken. There was a rush to pass a bill that said you can't slaughter them anymore in the United States. But the reason we didn't support it, which sets us almost alone, is the amount of suffering that it created exceeded the amount of suffering it was designed to stop.

I never thought that I would agree with Ingrid Newkirk, not in a million years. However, she hits the nail right on the head. We (agriculturalists) have been saying for the past four years that if there's nowhere to take the horses in the states, they'll just be shipped to Mexico for slaughter and that situation certainly won't be as well-monitored as the U.S. once was. The reinstatement of funding is a good thing for agriculture, for many reasons, which I'll briefly go over again:

1. Horse meat is a delicacy in many countries. The U.S. could once again be a player in horse meat exports to Canada and France

2. The quality of life for horses can improve phenomenally if slaughter plants re-open. No more 30 hours treks to Mexico to be slaughtered in non-USDA plants. Owners, now with an outlet for their unwanted horses, will no longer be cutting brands off their horses and turning them loose on the range.

3. Slaughter plants need manpower to run - manpower comes from men (and women). Men and women who need jobs in a crappy economy. Slaughter plants = job creation.

I definitely side with PETA on this issue, as HSUS isn't about animal welfare improvement. Their goal is to abolish animal agriculture. At least for the moment, PETA is a friend of agriculture (although I'm not sure how long that will last).

To read more of the Humane Watch piece, click here.

Thoughts?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

No Ag Gagging in Florida

Transparency is important in agriculture. By being transparent and opening our doors, I believe we can continue to narrow the urban consumer-rural producer gap. When we allow people to see our farms, we can put to rest any ill begotten ideas they have about agriculture production.

image from here 

That's why I'm thrilled that Florida has turned down the "Ag Gag" legislation which, if passed, would have made any person photographing or videotaping on a farm subject a person to criminal prosecution and imprisonment. This bill was aimed at getting rid of undercover animal rights videographers whose sole reason for employment was to catch bad examples in the act instead of actually helping the animals. But that's for a different day.

While I realize that the bill and it's proponents had farmers' best interests at heart, what kind of message would this bill have sent to the public? We're saying that agriculture has something to hide - which we most certainly do not.

The best way to provide great examples to the public is to do the right thing - be outstanding stewards of our land and animals. An additional option would be to conduct background checks and double-check employment history of all new farm employees. That's a management tactic that should probably already be in action, truth be told.

Iowa is debating the same bill, House File 589, and I sincerely hope it doesn't pass. We need to send a message to the public that we encourage transparency and closing our doors to photos and videos isn't the way to do that. I fear the repercussions would be far outweigh the benefits of this bill.

What are your thoughts?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Keep Families Farming

We all know that 4-H and FFA are fantastic outlets to get involved with agriculture at a young age, develop skills and find our passions. But most of us developed our interests for 4-H and FFA long before we memorized the creed or participated at our first state fair.

I, along with several hundreds of thousands of young people in the U.S., grew up helping my family on the ranch. Feeding horses, filling water troughs, grooming animals - these tasks were all a daily aspect of my life and through those chores I learned responsibility, discipline and developed my love of the land and animals.

As many of you are aware, the U.S. Department of Labor is trying to pass a law that would prevent children under 18 from participating in or completing the following activities on a farm:

• Paid workers age 15 and younger would be barred from operating tractors, combines, ATVs and almost all power-driven equipment, unless they obtain special certification.
• Youths under the age of 18 would not be allowed to work at grain elevators, silos, feed lots, livestock auctions or in the transporting of raw farm materials.
• Tobacco fields would be off-limits to workers under age 16 due to concerns about a problem called green-tobacco sickness, caused by the exposure to nicotine.
• Children in both agricultural and non-farm work would be restricted from using personal electronic devices, including walkie-talkies, while operating equipment.

Anyone who has ever been on a farm knows that parents' #1 priority is safety for their children around livestock and machinery. This law would not only cripple the ability of children to get involved in agriculture at an early age but would also cause difficulty to those families who depend on teenagers to help haul hay, run the combines etc to get their work done on time.

There was a comment period for this legislation but unfortunately, it expired on Dec 31, 2011. However, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran (R), is collecting comments to continue to capture the ag community's concern with this issue. Voice and opinion is critical if we are going to stop this action.

Want to share your story? Head on over to http://moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/keep-families-farming and help keep our traditions of hard work and family in place on the farm.

Additionally, a YouTube video has been produced to help spread the message about Keeping Families Farming.


 If you'd like to read the Kansas City Star article about this topic click here.

Help get the word out and share your comments and stories and hopefully we can Keep Families Farming! Tweet, blog and Facebook about it - this is a rather important issue!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Horse Slaughter Funding Reinstated

A few days ago, some news was announcd regarding the equine industry which, as you know, is very near and dear to my heart.

In 2006, horse slaughter in the U.S. was effectively 'banned' because the funding for plant inspections was cut. All slaughter plants in the U.S. must be inspected by USDA/FSIS and if there is no funding available then there is no slaughter.

Recently, news broke that the Department of Agriculture had reinstated federal inspection money in a November 18 bill. Hallelujah!

Not suprisingly, there has been an uproar from anti-agriculturalists and people who are unfamiliar with the equine industry. Allow me to take the opportunity to lay out some facts:

- Although horse meat is not widely consumed in the U.S., it is consumed and described as a delicacy in countries like France, Canada and Mexico. We (the U.S.) comprise a very small percentage of worldwide population and shouldn't assume that if we don't like something, it's therefore taboo for everyone else. It takes all sorts of minds to make a world go round, folks.

- Horses are expensive - just like other livestock. Expensive to feed, expensive to own and very expensive to have euthanized by a veterinarian. By selling a horse to the slaughter market, an owner could save some money on a euthanasia injection but also contribute to feeding people in France, Canada, etc.

-  When horse slaughter was stopped in 2006, horse welfare drastically decreased. Where there was once a market for horses who were past their useful lives there was now an abyss of no hope. It wasn't smart to take your trailer to the salebarn and leave it unlocked because you'd likely find yourself with a few more hungry horse mouths to feed. Others were unlucky enough to walk outside in the morning and find a few horses left in their pastures. And most horrible of all, there were  instances where the hide that contained the brand had been cut off, and the horse had been set free - all to prevent the horse from being returned to the owner.

Link to article about horse in Nevada whose brand had been cut off

- This reinstatement of funding is holistically a great thing in many ways. Horse welfare will improve and jobs will be created. Job creation? Yes, that's right. Every slaughter plant that opens will employ several hundred people, if not a thousand, essentially stimulating the economy in that region.

These are all points that I have seen time and again be misrepresented or misquoted in the comment stream on horse slaughter articles. Many of those comments are outrageous and unfounded however there is one such mindset that needs to be addressed. On an article on Huffington Post, several comments have touted irresponsible breeding as the culprit of poor welfare. I hope that horse owners view the previous five years as a wakeup call. Equine people, if you can't afford to feed and care for a horse, please don't continue to breed them. If your child only wants one to ride occasionally, please seek out leasing options or buying an older horse - not contacting a breeder to have one specially bred just for your child. These are all strategies that have partially created the situation we are in. This is what a friend of mine said on Facebook and I can't say it any better myself:

 "I couldn't be more supportive of the reinstatement of funding for horse slaughter in the U.S. It is desperately needed for our industry. However, those of us that own horses shouldn't just see it as a "garbage disposal" for our unwanted horses; we have to approach the problem up front. This means prudent and responsible breeding practices. Just because you think you want a foal, consider whether this horse will contribute to your lifestyle please! There is a lot more work that goes in to making a well-trained, confident, good horse than you may realize. I support horse slaughter and I support breeding GOOD horses, it's time to focus on the latter."  - A. Wilson, cowgirl and responsible horse owner

All in all, this is a fantastic thing for agriculture and the equine industry, in my opinion. What are your thoughts?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

A+ Agriculture Ambassador - Miss America

By now I'm guessing that you've at some point heard that Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, is very pro-ag. She grew up in Nebraska while raising cattle with her family and has stayed true to her roots during her tenure as Miss America. Bravo.

Last week, I talked about the pros and cons of Food Day and mentioned a website called www.realfarmersrealfood. This new website is a partnership between Animal Agriculture Alliance and Miss America which aims to provide the real facts about food production in the U.S. and narrow the gap between the rural producer and urban consumer.

In an interview with AAA, Ms. Scanlan said, "most Americans do not understand the connection between the thousands of family farms across the country and their own dinner. Real Farmers Real Food is a positive reminder for each of us to take time to appreciate the many people who make our safe, abundant, and affordable food supply a reality."
Visitors to the website can:
- Sign a pledge in support of agriculture's diversity and consumer choice
- Read and share an op-ed showcasing American agriculture by the Alliance's current chairperson, Chris Ashworth, a veterinarian and rancher
- Learn about common myths and facts about farming
- View a collection of farm tours on video

The unveiling of the website come just days before Food Day, which was dubbed "a campaign that downplays the importance of modern agriculture and unfairly criticizes the way of life of many food producers" by many in agriculture.
Ms. Scanlan also 'starred' in a one-minute video where she says, "Not everybody farms, but everybody has to eat."


Miss America hasn't just recently begun her quest for ag - she has been featured in many other publications for her efforts in advocacy. Check out these links:
- Fox News Op-Ed by Miss America, Teresa Scanlan
- Why Miss America Support Agriculture
- Miss America Advocates for Agriculture - media interview at Nebraska State Fair
- Miss America Speak to the Benefit of Modern Agriculture

Have I mentioned that Miss America is visiting Kansas in the VERY NEAR future? I haven't - allow me to do so now.

Food For Thought, a grass roots group that I am very proud to be a member of, will be hosting Miss America on November 15 at 7 pm at Kansas State University. She will be the 2011 Fall Upson Lecture Series speaker and will speak as to the importance of modern agriculture to the global food supply. You should definitely be there in McCain Auditorium on November 15! Admission is free and Food For Thought will be conducting a canned food drive to benefit the Flint Hills Breadbasket.

Hopefully, having such an influential and well-spoken advocate for agriculture will open many people's eyes to the truths about agriculture. For more information on Miss America's visit to K-State, feel free to contact me or any other Food For Thought member. Hope you'll be able to make it.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Practical People = Practical Solutions

While waiting to pick up cow manure at the Royal Melbourne Show yesterday, I was reading the newspaper. I ran across an article about farmers being upset with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for taking a more extreme stand on recent animal welfare issues in Australia. In the past, RSCPA has claimed to be the 'middle ground' but farmers have recently had their doubts. In an attempt to bring them back to that middle ground, farmers have started vying for positions within the organization.

There was a really great quote in the article that applies to animal welfare issues in the United States just as much, if not more, as it does in Australia.

"We need practical people who understand animal welfare and production agriculture. The fear is that if we're dictated to by people who don't understand producing food, we're living in the ideal world instead of the real world." -- Victorian Farmers Federation President Andrew Broad

As agriculture advocates, we need to be sure to voice our opinions and positive ideas to avoid allowing organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) from spearheading legislation that is harmful to America's hardworking farmers and ranchers.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Dr. Grandin Visits NW Ohio

As you know, I'm a pretty big fan of Temple Grandin; evidenced here, here and here.

About 3 weeks ago, Temple visited Ohio for the Northwest Ohio Autism Summit in Bowling Green. The night before, she visited a farm in Cygnet, Ohio to talk to producers and consumers -- while there she held an animal handling demonstration and spoke about transparency in agriculture.

Respected animal scientist visits Cygnet farm: foxtoledo.com

The event was sponsored by the Wood County Beef Producers, Farm Bureau, Great Lakes Family Farms, Ohio Cattlemen's Association, Ohio State University Extension and Bowling Green State University.

It's great to see producers reaching out to the community and opening up their farms for tours. Have you ever been on a farm tour or if you're a producer, have you ever held a farm tour? I hope that when hubsy and I finally have our own place, we will be able to open our doors to the community.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Fun factoid: the first interviewed speaker, Dan Frobose, is my father-in-law. He is one of many Wood Co. Beef Producers. Additionally, one of my sisters-in-law, Hannah, is seen stuffing her face with a bbq sandwich!

I'm Kansas Ag Proud

I'm very proud of my home state, Kansas and am super excited for Kansas Ag Week. Kansas has a rich agricultural background and is a major producer of our nation's beef, wheat, corn and sorghum supplies. This week, agvocates across the state will be celebrating Kansas Agriculture. Join us this week in your social media venue of choice for tweets, blogs and discussion about Kansas Agriculture. The schedule is below:

March 14 Topic—General info about Kansas agriculture

March 15 Topics—Kansas has a strong agriculture history. The tradition and way of life of farming is passed through generations and shape the rural culture.

March 16 Topics—How does Kansas agriculture support the Kansas economy?

March 17 Topics—Agriculture conserves natural resources.

March 18 Topics— Kansas farmers use technology in a variety of ways to make their farming and ranching activities more efficient and save money.

For more information on Kansas Ag Week feel free to visit the Kansas Department of Ag website, follow @KansasDeptofAg on twitter or contact any Kansas agvocate. Hope to see you on the web!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

So, you're going to be a vet, right?

Photo courtesy of America's Horse Daily

If you've ever told anyone that you're an animal science major, graduate or in the animal agriculture industry - chances are you've been asked this question "So, you're going to be a vet." And more than likely you've said, "No, I'm not pursuing a veterinary degree" (not because there's anything wrong with being a vet but because there are far fewer veterinarians than other animal agriculture career options - and vet school is REALLY HARD).

Well, if you're not going to be a vet what are you doing in animal science? Let me explain. On the way back to the ML yesterday on the train (click here to find out exactly what the ML is) I was reading the newspaper and ran across these atrocious gems in the 'Overheard on the Train' column:

Girl 1: I really can't eat anything vegetarian.
Girl 2: Why? They're made of vegetables.
Girl 1: Really?
Girl at Red Rooster: Can I please have a Rooster Roll, but instead of rooster can I have chicken?

The aforementioned examples exemplify exactly why I am an animal science student passionate about advocating for all of agriculture and educating an increasingly 'disconnected from ag' public about the farmers and ranchers who feed the world. While I would never eat a vegetarian dish, I think it is abominable that some people do not understand what they are eating or are not making educated dining choices.

It is my duty as an agriculturalist and animal scientist to strive to preserve agriculture's timeless traditions and inform people where their food comes from. That's why I'm an animal science student.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Falsehoods Can Cause Loss of Credibility

Remember those "Real Milk/Cheese comes from Happy Cows" commercials from California?  They were memorable, funny and made consumers pay attention.  Here is a funny one about 'French' bulls:



At the time, I thought they were a great idea.  Have you wondered why you haven't seen them around lately?  Maybe it's because they made consumers think that all dairy cows are raised on huge, green grassy pastures (which is the case in some dairy's but not all).  Bernard Rollin, University Distinguished Professor and  professor of philosophy, biomedical sciences and animal sciences at Colorado State University (and very, very cool guy), gives his opinion on the commercials: "recall the California "happy cows on pasture" ads. Being caught in falsehoods is a sure way to lose credibility."

It looks like California dairy farmers paid attention to Bernie's well educated opinion.  If you go to the Real California Milk website this is what their homepage looks like:

I think this is an exceptional change to their marketing scheme, especially with the hullabaloo about 'factory' vs. family farming.  It allows non-producers to know the facts immediately upon arrival at the site. 

They also have improved their commerical advertising and this is an example of a current California dairy farmer YouTube video:



Congrats to California on a successful transition to a new and improved marketing plan that is sure to give non-producers a real example of the California dairy industry.

Until next time,
~Buzzard~

Agvocating for BEEF Across Five Nations

I love Twitter -- I learn more everyday about agriculture and how to tell ag's story.  Just yesterday, Crystal Young (check out her blog and follow her on Twitter) shared a YouTube video with me about the Five Nations Beef Alliance.  The Alliance is comprised of the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico and Australia and is in partnership with the American Angus Association.  In the video, a beef producer from each country shares their agriculture story by informing you of why they are involved  in agriculture and their reasons for raising beef.  I'm really excited about visiting the Cattle Council office while I'm in Australia and sharing ideas about agvocacy and beef.  Check out the video - it's very cool.



Thanks Crystal!

Until next time,
~Buzzard~