Veganism, Big Ag and Farmland

So I saw this article on Huffington Post this morning titled, "Veganism is a Woman's Lifestyle." Not knowing what to expect, I clicked through. It had an infographic and I LOVE INFOGRAPHICS even when they aren't centered around sports, agriculture or meat.

 

See? We eat veggies and fruits too!



 I'm not going to repost it here but you can easily go over and see the graphics for yourself. The results, based on a survey of more than 8,000 vegans, were interesting yet unsurprising:

• 51% became vegan after seeing a film, education video or movie
• 69% became vegan on behalf of animals
• Americans consume 1/6 of the total meat consumed worldwide (the U.S. produces 30% of the world's food with only 2.5% of the world's population).
• 79% and 59% of vegans and vegetarians, respectively, are female
• Celebrity herbivores include Al Gore, Usher and Bill Clinton, all who adopted the lifestyle for health benefits - they must not know about the 29 cuts of lean beef!
• Some of the most influential films that veganism adoption is based on are: Food Inc., Supersize Me and Forks Over Knives.

Those movies, I'll use Food Inc. as an example, depict animal abuse as the norm and demonize any farm that is large, uses technology or is efficient with their land, resources and livestock. If you are a large operation, apparently you don't care about animal welfare. I often wonder why 'Big Ag' is bad. Obviously, these assumptions are not true.

 

Guess what? Farmers and ranchers - large and small, organic and conventional, beef and potatoes - care about their land, families and yes, their livestock. I own farm animals and I care about their well-being. I have worked on what animal rights activists would deem a 'factory farm' yet I saw no one filming me riding pastures in the pouring down rain to count cows and make sure that sick cattle were found and provided with care. Methinks there is a bias but that's sort of a given considering the moniker 'Big Ag.'

Need further proof that farmers and ranchers from all types of operations truly care? Have you heard about the new film Farmland by Academy Award-winning director James Moll? It releases in theaters on May 1 and will open your eyes to the similarities between all types of farming and ranching.
 

 

Questions that will be answered while you watch the film:

• Do organic producers use pesticides? [spoiler alert, yes]
• Are large operations family owned?
• Are organic farms and ranches small compared to conventional counterparts?
• What do farmers and ranchers think about undercover videos?
• Do farmers have choices regarding seed purchases?

If you are able to, I strongly urge every reader who sees this post or hears about Farmland, to go see the movie. It will be opening nationwide on May 1 and regardless if you are a longtime farmer, new to the agriculture scene or are looking for more information about food, you will learn something from this film and I guarantee you'll leave feeling inspired and good about the food we produce in the U.S.

 

If you've already seen the film, I'd love to hear your impressions! I have heard varied opinions and of course have my own :)

 

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

 

 

 

Caring for Our Animals in the Polar Vortex and Arctic Temperatures

Ok - so it's not quite arctic out there but the polar vortex has knocked the temperature/wind chill down to -7 and I qualify that as pretty damn cold. In the wind and snow, it's important for the Ninja and I to make sure our animals are well-cared for and as comfortable as possible.

In extreme cold [ahem, polar vortex], all of our horses are blanketed during the day and night. We also have shelter for them to get out of the wind and snow (although I have seen them stand in a snowstorm several times instead of the barn).

My handsome compadre, Doc.

What I wasn't expecting when I went out to blanket and feed horses yesterday morning was for Rooster (the dog) to chase Rooster (the horse) and another horse through a fence. Resetting and wiring panels was not on my agenda, nor was trudging after two horses through drifted snow with a feed bucket [that's a great workout, for anyone interested]. 

Buzzard = not impressed. Check out Friday and Rooster enjoying their [temporary] freedom.
It didn't last long. They are both fine, no injuries after a romp through the fence, btw.

Rooster looking quite dapper in his winter gear

We increase their hay ration during really cold snaps because hay helps produce body heat. Most of the time during the winter, our horses have several hours access to a large round bale of brome hay. However, right now, we're feeding square bales since I can't get the truck and trailer out of a drift - wishing I had 4WD right about now!


See? Rooster could be in the barn but chooses to stand behind a bush to get a windblock!

In addition to blanketing, providing shelter and extra hay for the horses, we also have to make sure they have plenty of water. Because horses prefer warm water in the winter, we have a water tank with a heating element in the bottom. If we give cold water, in addition to an increased amount of hay, we could end up with colicking horses - which is no bueno - so the heating element keeps the water warm to the touch and keeps the horses drinking as much as they want. I tried to take a picture of the steam coming off it but my iPhone photography skills must not be up to snuff.

Our watertank with the heating element - there was steam coming out of the tank!

Hopefully, those two don't tear up my horse blankets!

When it's this cold, we let the dogs sleep inside at night. And we I spoil the crap out of them with fluffy dog beds, lots of treats and playtime. Look at my adorable, fluffy companions - how can I tell them no?

Rooster and Cricket - frenemies for life. Seriously, Rooster is not digging the fact that Cricket keeps attacking him during his naps and has taken up residence on his dog bed.

How are you keeping your animals warm during this super cold winter and the polar vortex? Let's hope this is the last occurrence [although I highly doubt it].

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

 

Stella the Chicken(s) Update - Sad News on the FroBuzz Ranchero

A Barred Rock chick who survived the heinous attack

This post was going to start out very cheery with an update on nutrition and growth about my Barred Rock chicks who are all named Stella.

But tragic news has struck the ranch - three little Stellas have left this Earth. 

I was going into town for a meeting at 6 pm and the roof on the coop had been closed all day so I thought they might be getting hot since it was 83 degrees today. I opened the hatch and left.

When I returned at 8 pm, I started feeding the horses and went to check on the chickens and top off their feed pan. Sadly, two chickens were lying in the coop dead and one other was missing. The two that were dead in the coop looked like their necks had been broken and bitten but their wings and legs were intact. Basically, I think the killer was killing for sport and took the third away for dinner. I'm not impressed. The seven remaining chicks were understandably huddled together in the corner and probably traumatized.

So, we've closed the lid and set a live trap for the perpetrator. I have no problem seeking revenge on whatever varmint attacked my baby chickens. I will punish appropriately.

The obvious sadness of my chickens, even though they're small, is that I do care about them. They were in my care and it was my job to raise them and I couldn't protect them - I feel horrible. On top of that, it's also a financial loss. Not a huge one but down the road, that's three fewer chickens to lay eggs. If I want to boost the flock, I'll have to go buy three more chicks (which I'll probably do but maybe I'll get a different breed. Suggestions?).

The next update will hopefully feature me bragging about my varmint catching and a more upbeat post about nutrition and growth of the baby chickens.

In sadness,
~ Buzzard ~

Raising Babies on the Farm

There are some new babies on the FroBuzz ranch... baby chickens! Now raise your hand if you thought I was preggo. Shame on you if your hand is in the air; tsk tsk. This uterus is uninhabited by any croissants, buns or mini-ninjas.

I'm calling this one Stella; but since they all look the same I'll probably call them all Stella. I might name one or two Rupert just because I like that name.

Anyhow, The Ninja and I are jumping into food production on a smaller scale. We'd love to have cattle but right now it's just not feasible since we have very little land and what we do rent is under the reign of the roping ponies.

 

So earlier this week, we welcomed 10 baby Barred Rock hen chicks to the ranchero. We are excited to raise them and I have every intention of giving weekly updates on their growth and also provide info about what they eat, how we care for them and basic information about raising your own chickens.

Aren't my baby Barred Rocks cute?

There were several reasons why we chose Barred Rock chickens:

- They are good layers and tend to live long lives.

- Once they reach egg laying maturity at approximately 5-6 months of age, they will lay year-round (although decreased production in the winter).

- Cold hardy breed; which is great because it's been cold and rainy this week!

- A multi-purpose breed, they are also good for meat. Fried chicken here we come!

 

Our chicks are less than a week old and even though I didn't watch them hatch, I know this because they still have their egg tooth. What's that you ask?

 

See that little protrusion on the top of their beaks?

The egg tooth helps the chick break the air sac while they're in the egg and also assists in hatching. It falls off when the chicks are a few days old because it's no longer needed. A few of our babies don't have their egg tooth anymore, they're the big sisters.

 

 As you can see in the pictures we put down pine shavings in an enclosed shelter with a light and heat source. Chicks need to be 90+ degrees F for the first few weeks of their life so we hung the heat lamp low and made sure there were plenty of shavings for warmth.

 

The heat lamp and shavings will keep our baby
Barred Rocks warm in the unpredictable Kansas weather.

You can also see a feed pan filled with starter diet and a waterer. Anyone know why the base of the waterer is red? That's because chickens are attracted to red. Some producers will cover up injuries or bleeding cuts on chickens with Blu-Kote to keep their contemporaries from pecking at the cut.

 

What chicken questions do you have? I'm so excited about our new venture!

 

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

 

 





National Ag Day in Kansas

National Ag Day  - whoo hoo!  Across the U.S., thousands of farmers, ranchers, agriculture students and leaders are celebrating the rich heritage that is American Agriculture. Whether it be wearing a green farming t-shirt, handing out beef samples at the local grocery store or promoting agriculture via social media outlets, everyone in ag is doing their part today.

Which leads me to explaining how I'll be spending part of my National Ag Day. I'm very honored to have been invited to sit on a panel of producers, professionals and leaders for a Dialogue on Kansas Agriculture at the State Capitol in Topeka today - and boy am I nervous!

The other panelists:

Dr. Mike Apley, Kansas State University
Doug Hofbauer, President and CEO of Frontier Farm Credit
Bob Petersen, Executive Director of Kansas Agribusiness Council
Jay Garretson, Farmer
Diana Floyd, RD, LD, Kansas Department of Education Child Nutrition Consultant

I'm overwhelmed at the years of knowledge and industry experience that I will be surrounded by but it will very exciting to share ideas and thoughts with the other panelists as well as the audience.

We'll be answering questions regarding animal welfare (I hope I get one of those - that's my thing), food safety, education and technology, environmental stewardship and many other various ag topics.

You can get involved too! Greg Akagi, farm broadcaster for WIBW, will be the moderator and was fielding questions via Twitter yesterday to ask the panelists. It's probably not too late to get your question in - Greg's handle on Twitter is @GregAkagi.

I hope you'll listen/view the panel - it might hit some nerves, it might stir up emotion but it will definitely be promoting agriculture and be informative for all involved! The event will be live streamed on the Kansas Department of Agriculture website -- agriculture.ks.gov/ksagday

Today and everyday, I extremely thankful that I live in a country with an abundant, affordable and safe food supply produced by the best people I know - America's farmers and ranchers. Thank you!

How are you representing agriculture today? Share below! You can follow along in today's agriculture discussions by following #agday13 and #ksagday!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Slaughter Plants and Rendering Facilities - Different but Mutually Beneficial

I'm a huge fan of The Office -- the Ninja and I own all the seasons on DVD and I am fairly adept at whipping out a Michael Scott quote in the middle of a conversation. One of the many reasons I love the show is that on the show Dwight is a beet (yes, beet. not beef) farmer so from time to time they make agricultural references about farming or slaughter. I've posted about it before here.

Last week, Dwight talked about his office co-workers not knowing the difference between a slaughter plant and a rendering plant and I thought that most people are probably unaware so here we go.

Slaughter and Rendering Plant 101

Beef carcasses in a slaughter plant in South Africa 

that I toured during a study abroad experience

A slaughter plant is a facility where animals that are at an appropriate market weight are sent to be processed into retail cuts of meat. There are numerous plants throughout the United States to accommodate the different species of livestock animals. For example, in southwest Kansas there are slaughter plants that receive cattle from the surrounding feedlots and from the panhandle of Oklahoma.

In northwest Missouri the pork slaughter plant is positioned so that it can accept pigs from all different areas of the corn belt. And there are even processing plants for lambs and goats in places such as Colorado, Montana and Michigan. There are currently no horse slaughter plants in the U.S. -- that's a whole 'nother can of worms.

Of course, we can't forget about poultry plants. There are a ton of them in the southern U.S. where a large percentage of poultry broiler farms are - Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina etc.
There are even plants that can do more than one specie and did you know there are slaughter plants for bison and elk? I thought that was pretty cool.

So what's the difference between a slaughter plant and a rendering facility? A slaughter plant breaks down the whole carcass into cuts of meat, whereas a rendering facility produces a variety of by-products. There are two types of rendering facilities - independent and integrated. An independent plant is one that picks up grease, blood, feathers and offal (internal organs and entrails) for further processing and development. Integrated facilities are physically connected to the slaughter plant and operate in conjunction with each other. The by-products of slaughter are used to make several essential products that fall into two categories: edible and inedible.
 Below is a list of what types of products fall under each area.
 -- Inedible: tallow and grease for livestock feed, blood meal, soap and fatty-acids.
 -- Edible: these plants process fatty animal tissue into edible fats and proteins. The only material that goes into these products (which are USDA and FSIS inspected) are fats from the animals carcass.
THERE IS NO BONE OR OTHER INEDIBLE MATERAL THAT ENTERS THE EDIBLE FOOD SUPPLY

Rendering and its subsequent products play a vital role in agriculture - rendered products account for approximately 35% of the fats and oils used worldwide. More than 1/2 of the world's animal fat is produced in North America. Furthermore, rendering is a very efficient way to control environmental pollution. For example, with today's technology it is possible to recycle nearly 100% of inedible poultry raw material. Rendering products also creates competition in the market for animal feeds, preventing producers from being forced to choose between few options that are expensive.

Getting geared up for a slaughter plant tour - I've been fortunate enough to tour plants 

in 5 countries on 4 continents!

If you want more information about the whole process of rendering, check out these links. There is a lot of science and technology behind the whole process - steam, boilers, throughput etc - this is a great resource to find out more about the technicalities if you're interested.

Hope you've learned a lot - I know I did while researching this topic. If you've got questions or comments, shout 'em out!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

P.S. - interested in the difference between harvest and slaughter? Check this out.

Which Food Service Companies Ban Gestation Stalls?

 image from here

It seems like almost every month another food service provider breaks with the news that they are going to be phasing out gestation stalls. I have scoured searched a little bit on the internet for a succinct list of all these food companies but haven’t been very successful. Then I thought to myself, “Self, I bet there are other people who would like to know this information – you should find and combine all of this for the folks on the internet to find.” So here is my list. I may not have found all of them but if you know of one I have missed, please let me know and I’ll keep the list updated!

These are the companies who have committed to sourcing pork from producers who don't use gestation stalls or are phasing them out of their own facilities:

Applebee's ARAMARK Arby’s Atlantic Premium Brands - supplier to Wal-Mart Au Bon Pain Bon Appetit Management Company Bruegger's Bagels Burger King Campbell Soup Cargill Carl’s Jr Carnival Cruise Line Chipotle Compass Group ConAgra Costco Cracker Barrel Denny’s Dunkin' Brands Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Fresh Enterprises (Baja Fresh, Canyon's Burger) General Mills Hardee’s Harris Teeter Supermarkets Heinz Hillshire Brands (Jimmy Dean, Ballpark) Hormel Foods IHOP Jack in the Box Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer Kroger Marriott International McDonald’s Metz Culinary Management Quiznos Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Royal Caribbean Safeway Smithfield Foods Sodexo Sonic Subway Supervalu Sysco Target The Cheesecake Factory Wolfgang Puck-owned restaurants Wendy’s  Whole Foods Wienerschnitzel Williams Sausage Company Winn-Dixie

Not only have these food service companies decided to phase out gestation stalls, there are nine states - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon and Rhode Island – who have already passed laws to ban the use of gestation crates from pork supply chain practices. Unfortunately, I don't see this pattern of phasing out gestation crates ending anytime soon. So, until the next company issues a press release here is the list. Again, please let me know if I missed any. Until next time, ~ Buzzard ~

Animal Rights Activists Aren't Stupid

There are A LOT of people out there who make comments like "those guys are such idiots" and "they're so stupid - why do they act that way?" in regards to  animal rights activists. This is infuriating on two levels.

1) Animal rights activists are NOT dumb, contrary to popular belief. The board of directors and the leadership of The Humane Society of the United States are comprised of lawyers, MBAs, PhDs (in biochemistry, wildlife ecology and management and economics) veterinarians, doctors, CPAs and individuals with history and literature degrees (cough: Wayne Pacelle and Mark Markarian). These folks are most assuredly not stupid. I have a Masters of Science in Animal Science and it was a rough process and journey in my life. Getting a PhD is not any easier.  

 PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - by the way, I don't know anyone who isn't for the ethical treatment of animals) is not much different. 'Leaders' armed with degrees in communications, journalism and accomplished debaters man the helm of perhaps one of the most extreme animal rights groups in the world.

2) I have said before how I am a very passionate person about a few things: rodeo, agriculture, K-State and my family. Because of this personality characteristic (which some cite as a flaw), I have deep respect for others who show that same amount of passion towards their hobbies and causes. Unfortunately, that respect flows over to people who want to put my family and I out a job. Ironic, eh? So these folks may be misguided - they don't rely on proven science when it comes to livestock production and they do crazy stunts to get people's attention - that's passionate and smart, even if it is misguided.

By thinking that the other side is stupid, we're putting them at a huge disadvantage. Underestimating our opposition is a costly mistake. Growing up playing softball, basketball, volleyball and roping I was taught to never underestimate the talent of the other team/individual. Just because someone may not consistently be winning doesn't mean they won't whup you if you're not playing your best. You see it in college sports all the time - the underdog wins by a small margin because the bigger, better team thought it would be a cakewalk (cough: KU here, here and here).

 Lastly, although they may be extreme, the actions taken by groups like PETA are effective because they garner hordes of media attention and they go after celebrities who don't align with their views. Here are a few examples:
 - Convincing Calvin Klein to stop designing with fur after leading a raid of his office, 
 - Pressuring GM to stop using animals in crash tests by storming the auto company’s float in the Rose Parade
 - Lobbying Gillette to halt tests on animals by wheeling a TV into the company’s cafeteria to show graphic undercover footage of the gruesome experiments.

Don't forget stunts like this:

 or this

 or this

and this commercial that somehow tried to connect veganism and bedroom activites (although it was met with harsh criticism as being too sexually abusive in nature).



These were all smart campaigns and they won't stop happening. The sooner that we as agriculturalists stop saying "they're stupid" and start respecting their ingenuity and meeting it head on with our own intelligent acts, the sooner we can make headway on our own endeavors. I know that agriculture is doing a much better job than we were 5 years ago at outreach and engagement but we can always do better.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~


As usual, this is my sole opinion and is not reflective of any other entity or individual's thoughts or ideas.

OH! and p.s. - I am not a fashionista and this is not a fashion blog but I was so proud of myself for putting together a professional outfit that I just have to post it here! If you want real fashionista looks check out Sheridan's blog

 Dress: Banana Republic  - clearance at Outlet Store (it has pockets!!)

Shoes: Guess - courtesy of Rebecca Acheson

Necklace - Francesca's Collections in blue (turquoise is gone)

Cuff - Maurices

Turquoise Ring - South African gift from hubsy

 

What's in That Chicken McNugget?

 photo from here

I've been asked this question before on the blog - most recently in a comment from this post. And I've always forgotten to answer it; sorry, I'm not perfect and sometimes I forget. But McDonald's of Canada has stepped up to the plate and become completely transparent in regards to what is in their products. They have recently invited their customers to pose their questions online at Our Food. Your Questions. and boy are the inquiries rolling in.

Some of the more popular questions are - my synopsis is in italics, but to read the word-for-word detailed answers, visit the website.

-- How is it that a McDonald's burger does not rot? Too dry; not enough moisture for bacteria/mold.
-- Does Canada use pink slime? (which I hate saying but that is verbatim - the actual term is lean, finely textured beef) No.
-- Does your egg McMuffin use real eggs? Yes - a freshly cracked egg for every sandwich.
-- Inside the McNugget, is it actually the meat of the chicken or cut offs that nobody would actually want to eat? Answer (verbatim): It's definitely chicken inside our McNuggets. We use seasoned chicken breast and a few seasonings, along with a natural proportion of skin for flavour and as a binder.

I hope that clears up any misconceptions about random chicken parts.

 One of my faves is, "Would you live in the life of one of your cows for even a week?" That'll make you take a deep breath! McDonald's has yet to answer that one but you can see the answers to the above questions and more by following the link to the Your Questions website.

I applaud McDonald's for taking this approach to helping consumers make connections between their food and the way it's produced/prepared. You should definitely go over and look at some of the other questions being posed and maybe even ask one of your own.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

I spent my birthday money on...

Yes, I still get birthday money.

Don't ask me why but I think only a crazy person would turn down checks that arrive in the mail. As long as they keep showing up, I'll keep using them.

Anyhow, maybe I bought a new pair of these....I've only been wanting them since last May

Or perhaps I spent my money on some new jeans... I've really been needing two or three new pairs. I'm particulary attached to Silver Jeans and would love to have a pair of Big Star, Miss Me or BKE (although they'd break my budget).

I've also been wanting a coral blazer and some cute new summer dresses (check out my Pinterest boards to see what I'm talking about).

So what did I buy with my birthday cash?

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.

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I bought some of this...

to feed to him.

This is my "child" and his name is Doc. He really really wants to mess up those shavings but I had to snap a picture first (with my new favorite app, Instagram! Follow me @brandibuzzard)

Yes, I bought prairie hay, pine shavings, fly spray and feed for my horse because I needed all of those supplies and I'm not very good at splurging on myself. I'm horrible at it really. The Ninja hates that and tried to get me to buy new jeans or some Vera Bradley pieces that I adore. But how could I shirk my responsibilities to feed and care for an animal who has been my A-team rope horse for an entire decade? I can't.

And since I have your attention, I am going to brag on this fabulous steed. This is Buzzard's Zanadoc (Doc) and I at the Hays College Rodeo in 2008.

Look how he burys up - gives me chills.

Pratt College Rodeo in 2007 in the short round. He works so hard and is automatic. Same run every time - breaks hard, runs fast, stops hard. Doesn't get off track, doesn't stray and always gives me the money shot. I love him.

He's carried me a long way - I roped my first calf off him in October 2002 and have rarely roped calves without him. He's been lame off and on; roping is hard on the hocks and legs in general. He's also clumsier than all get out (sound familiar?) and could get hurt in a padded room but he's worth every frustration, cent and minute. We raised him on the Buzzard ranch, out of one of Papaw's mares and he's a nephew to our great Quarter Horse stud Take Care O' Neall. He's laid up right now with a very swollen deep digital flexor tendon and I may never rope off him again (crossing my fingers that the vets are wrong) but he'll never be sold or traded off to another home. I'll feed him, care for him and adore him until the day he dies. I'll continue to boast of him long after he's gone. He's paid his dues and now it's time I pay mine.

This post was supposed to be about responsibility and taking care of livestock but it turned into much more than that. I'll never have another horse like Doc and I hope that every roper who reads this is reminded of that first good horse they had which probably still holds a soft spot in their heart today.

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~