5 Reasons Why Farmers Should Support Wendy's

Image courtesy: iSpot.Tv

More often than not, the only time we hear from fast-food restaurants is when they are making some groundbreaking announcement about their food safety procedures or their supply chain. In general, neither are a welcome message for consumers or producers alike.

However Wendy’s, the pro-ginger burger chain, is different than Subway, Panera and Chipotle – all of which have made headline-generating statements about their food supply. Wendy’s actually supports agriculture and wants to work together with farmers and ranchers to market delicious, safe and healthy food.

5 reasons why farmers and ranchers should support Wendy’s:

Wendy’s wants to Work WITH Beef Producers – not take away important technologies like antibiotics. In a press conference at Cattle Industry Convention, [reported on by BEEF Magazine], Wendy’s spokesperson Liliana Esposito said the chain wants to collaborate with producers to refine, reduce and replace antibiotics but they respect that when an animal is sick, it NEEDS treatment. Esposito added, “The best beef comes from healthy well-cared for animals. A sick animal needs to be treated and you won’t hear differently from us.”

Read more »

Chipotle: Where Guac and Hypocrisy Cost You Extra

Maybe it’s the crushing heat we’re experiencing here in Kansas that has me so easily annoyed but upon reading the latest stupidity-driven marketing decision from Chipotle, I felt I needed to bring the blog out of dormancy and share my two dollars (two cents won’t cut it this time).



Evil-looking, no?
Photo courtesy: Chance Hunley

A lot of my close friends and family will joke with me occasionally and say, "Hey let's go to Chipotle for lunch!" They do this because a) they know Chipotle’s marketing and business practices make my blood boil b) they like to see me get riled up c) they know very few people who despise Chipotle as much as I do and d) they are in agreement that the burrito giant is off its rocker when it comes to marketing and how it sources product.

If you need further reminding of why I despise this restaurant, you can add “hypocrisy runs rampant” to the long list of reasons I haven't eaten there since 2007.

If I were an American pig producer, I’d be ticked – I mean, I’m ticked already and I don’t even have a stake in this game. You may remember way back in January of this year, Chipotle said that carnitas would not be offered in all stores because one of their suppliers wasn’t adhering to the company’s holier-than-thou animal welfare standards. They made it out to be a pork “shortage.”

Do you know what those standards actually say? Let me tell you. Chipotle wanted a farmer, who had been raising pigs for 30 years, to cut a hole in the side of his barn so that the pigs inside could go outside in the snow and single digit temperatures. There are several reasons that pigs are raised indoors, which I’ve discussed before. They don’t have fur coats, they aren’t very hardy – they will get sick and die, or get eaten by a coyote. Raising pigs inside is safer and better for their wellbeing. Additionally, Chipotle has a “never-ever” policy on antibiotic use which gives a farmer two options, essentially. If a pig is sick the farmer can give the animal antibiotics and wait for the proper withdrawal time before sending the animal to slaughter, which ensures that no antibiotics enter the food supply (thousands upon thousands of responsible pig farmers do this to ensure safe pork products every day). In doing so and raising their animals humanely by providing health care, they are removing their animals from Chipotle’s supply chain. However, they can choose not to treat the animal and sell a sick pig (if it lives through the disease) to Chipotle for a supposed premium. You don’t need an advanced degree in animal science to realize that it’s whacko to deny health treatment to a sick animal. I wouldn’t do that to my dog or horses and I damn sure wouldn’t do it to an animal that I hope to be selling or would be using to feed my family.

This pig, like so many others, is raised indoors to protect it from the elements and predators.

The thing with antibiotics is that they are a necessary tool that farmers need to help their animals in fighting off nasty bacteria. There are many times throughout a pig’s life that they are more susceptible to disease such as when a few groups of pigs that have never been around each other start buddying up. Think of it as kindergarten for piglets – all those little piggies hanging out on the monkey bars, sharing each other’s boogers and coughing on their hooves. Another example is if the weather turns nasty or chilly and some pigs get the swine equivalent of a sinus infection. These ailments call for treatment and it’s downright cruel to deny treatment to a sick animal.

Chipotle doesn’t care. Use antibiotics and those pigs can’t be marketed through their supply chain. To hell with animal welfare, they have to keep those $10/1000 calorie burritos pumping out the door.

So now that you have an idea of the bizarre thought process behind Chipotle’s animal welfare standards, let me get back to the hypocrite part.

Because there was a “shortage” of pork here in the U.S. (Lie. No shortage of responsibly raised pork or beef in the U.S.) good ole Chip jumped the pond and started sourcing pork from Karro Food, a U.K. based company. And guess what?

Karro Food is allowed to use antibiotics in the event of illness in the swine herd.

When asked why the restaurant tyrant decided to let Karro Food, a foreign company, use antibiotics on sick animals but refused to extend that same standard to American producers, this is what Chipotle replied with:

“Our decision to source pork from this new supplier does not mean that Chipotle’s animal welfare protocols are changing at this time. While we prefer to buy pork raised entirely without antibiotics, we are proud to be serving pork from Karro because the responsible way Karro uses antibiotics is consistent with their extremely high animal welfare standards.”

Chipotle also did a nice job of explaining how antibiotics are used responsibly by farmers, but apparently only on U.K. pork farms. Too bad they couldn’t just allow all farmers this necessary technology instead of continually weaving a web of consumer misinformation. They stated:

“This does not mean that antibiotics are present in the meat. All animals treated with antibiotics (both in Europe and the U.S.) must undergo a withdrawal period before they are slaughtered, which means that meat from a pig treated with antibiotics will not contain antibiotic residue, just like meat from an animal that was never given antibiotics.”

This befuddles me. I have no idea why they would actually move to use reasonable science messages to defend antibiotics use in one country but not in another, when both are comparable in their animal welfare protocols. Hey Chipotle, here’s a #TruthBomb, pull your nose down out of the air long enough to take a look around fly-over country and you’ll find that American farmers use antibiotics responsibly too.

I honestly don’t even know how to explain how I feel about this. Even more so, I cannot fathom what it must be like to be so unabashedly hypocritical. My best guess is that Chipotle needs a large supplier and Karro can accommodate their needs; however, Karro isn’t willing to back down from responsible antibiotic use because they have a good handle on common sense.

So there you go – another slap to the American farmer’s face from an unhealthy burrito kingpin. The good news is that people are starting to wake up to the vicious scheming of Chipotle. If you have spare time, read a few of these recent links.

 Business Insider – Chipotle’s Flashy Ban on GMOs is Totally Backfiring

Eater – Chipotle’s Non-GMO Push is Based on Bad Science

NPR – Why We Can’t Take Chipotle’s GMO Announcement All That Seriously

Eleven Warriors – Ohioan Ohio State Commit Todd Sibley Jr. Says He’s Never Eaten Chipotle, Probably Never Will

Delish -- Chipotle is Taking Serious Heat for its New Carnitas Supplier

In the meantime, I’ll continue to be a loyal patron of Qdoba. It’s more fun to pronounce and the food isn’t soured with the taste of guilt and farmer’s tears.

Until next time,

Buzzard

**Point of clarification: This post is not me saying that organic or natural pork production is wrong, cruel or unnecessary. This post is about Chipotle's BLATANT hypocrisy regarding their double standards for pork production between U.S. and U.K. producers. Agriculture needs all kinds of people and all kinds of production; there is room for everyone. I have mentioned in comments below that instead of convention aland organic getting up in arms against each other, we need to link arms and fight against these animal rights extremists and anti-technology advocates. If you have further comments regarding organic/natural and conventional, feel free to contact me (email is on About Me page). As always, civil discourse is appropriate and I appreciate your comments and feedback.

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.

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 ~

 

 

 

National Ag Day - Kansas Ag Day

Today is National Ag Day and, equally important, it's also Kansas Ag Day!

Agriculture is important to everyone - farmers and ranchers produce our food and fiber so today I'm posting some of my favorite photos that embody what I think about when I imagine Kansas agriculture.



Good stockmanship on display. Calm cattle are safe cattle.



Some mama Longhorn cows coming in from pasture to eat



"I love you small, I love you big, I love you more than a baby pig"



A pretty barn on a cold day in Kansas



Hungry horses crowd around a bale of hay



A hayfield near my house on an early summer evening

What does agriculture mean to you? When you think of farmers and ranchers - what images come to mind?

 

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.

Dodge/Ram Silences Audience with God Made a Farmer During Super Bowl

I just watched the best two Super Bowl commercials in history. I'm sure you've heard about them and that is why you are here.

My absolute favorite was the Dodge commercial that featured the classic Paul Harvey monologue "So God Made A Farmer". Here it is if you missed it.



Coming from a farm/ranch family and marrying into another, this commercial touched my heart. I'm also a Dodge owner and love their support of the National FFA Organization and rodeo. Overall awesomesauce. This isn't the first time I've blogged about Paul Harvey and this piece - I loved it then and love it now!

Second favorite commercial was the Budweiser Clydesdales - horse owners and lovers everywhere were brought to tears. It was just amazing - it is hard to describe the bond between a good horse and its owner.



What was your favorite commercial? I thought the milk one with The Rock was great too!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Animal Welfare and AgChat - Questions Answered!

 Fresh, clean bedding for new baby lambs in the middle of winter = great animal care

For those of you who are unfamiliar with AgChat, it's a weekly conversation held on Twitter in which anyone can ask questions revolving around a predetermined topic. The topics change every week and the participants change often too - all are welcome to engage and communicate. Tomorrow night, be sure to search #agchat around 7 pm CST and join in on the convo!

Now that we're all on the same page, I must admit that very rarely is there a topic on AgChat in which I have enough expertise to positively contribute. Soil conservation, generational planning, herd management - these things don't play a role in my life yet. They will in the future, but for now it's me, the Ninja and a few select domesticated animals that rock out at the FroBuzz Ranchero.

However, AgChat on January 22 was right up my alley. The topic was animal welfare and since I have a M.S. in animal behavior, well-being and health, I consider myself relatively knowledgeable on the topic. But, insert a wedding anniversary and a KSU vs KU basketball game and participating in AgChat was made impossible. Shucks.

My solution is to answer all the questions from the 22nd in this blog post - there were about 15 questions and I'm going to answer them here to the best of my ability and in my opinion (I"ll even try to stick to 140 characters per 'tweet'). I would love to have you all chime in and contribute your own thoughts and ideas as well!

Q1 - Please tell us about farm and ranch efforts to care for animals in the frigid temps much of the country is experiencing.
A -- Increase bedding in shelters, make sure that adequate shelter is provided and increase forage intake to increase body heat. #animalwelfare

Q2 - To farmers & ag peeps, how many nonfarm folks have you had convo with regarding farming methods in last three months?
A -- Approx five. Was at a bach party and topic of grass-fed vs grain-fed beef came up. Made sure everyone knew that all #beef is raised humanely

Q3 - How has the livestock industry improved animal welfare over the past decade.
A - Better handling facilities in the race, more efficient and safer ways of stunning. Less stressful handling has been developed i.e. quieter

Q4 - What are some of your best practices for speaking with opposing groups about animal welfare? Do's and Don'ts?
A - Don't preach. Do be honest. Don't get defensive. Do find common ground and work from there. Don't attack opposition. Verbally or otherwise

 Even though this horse is dirty (he likes to roll), he isn't being poorly cared for. It's muddy outside but he is in out of the wind and is fat; meaning he has access to lots of food which keeps his body temp up during cold weather.

Q5 - Animal welfare is something that can be hard to explain. How would you describe it?
A - The overall wellbeing of an animal. Physiological responses, behavior patterns & health status in one collective term. VERY hard to measure.

Q6 - What are the public's biggest concerns when it comes to animal welfare?
A - Industrial farming, antibiotics and slaughter plants. No question about it.

Q7 -What is the perceived value of of certifications such as Animal Welfare Approved & Certified Humane?
A - Cert is valuable but issue is if people will pay for it. Many see labeling and feel good abt purchase, even if they don't know what it means

Q8 - How can we encourage veterinarians to be more engaged in talking about animal welfare?
A - My initial thought is that they are so busy on office and farm calls they probably don't have time to chat.
A - But on 2nd thought, talking to small animal vets who don't have a lot of large animal background could help in the long run.

Q9 - How much value do producers actually put on the results of animal welfare research?
**This was my question, so I'll post my answer and few other answers that were provided**
A (mine) - depends if they 'approve' of the investigator/company/institution that funded the research. Everyone plays politics, unfortunately.
A - (from farmerhaley:)  Q9 - A LOT! The methods in which farmers use to care for their animals today all evolved out of available research. #agchat

A - from (diana_prichard:) Q9 Value is dependent on methodology. If the research is sound, I put a tremendous amount of value in it. #AgChat

A -  from (judgingcoach:) Q9: Research is only as good as the people doing it. Non-producers regularly question how it's paid for/who's putting it out? #agchat

 ** There will be a blog post regarding that last answer early next month**

 

Q10 - What are the biggest public misconceptions about farm animal welfare?

A - Where to start!?  nutrition, health care, housing, handling etc. Slaughter houses, antibiotics and nutrition are the big ones in my mind.

A - Bigger is bad or cruel. If a farmer has more than 50 animals it makes them a corporate jerk. Technology shouldn't be allowed in animal ag. 

Q11 -  Why do farmers and ranchers spend so much time, $$ and effort to keep animals healthy?
A - Because it's the right thing to do and farmers and ranchers have souls like everyone else.
A - Also, healthier animals are more productive and yield more. This means more food for a hungry world.

Q12 - How are animal welfare and antibiotic usage in livestock related.
A - Both are about responsibility at their very core. And both also contribute to a stronger, healthier and more productive animal.

Q13 - Let's help each other. Who are the animal welfare experts you recommend learning more about or from?
A - Well, I am one so first I try to come up with an answer myself. But I've worked with Temple Grandin on projects and learned a lot from her.
A - Bud Williams is also an animal handling pioneer and has some great methods.

Q14 - How can animal agriculture be more proactive in welfare?
A - Allow more tours of slaughter plants and handling facilities. Public is afraid of unknown. Make them familiar & they'll be more accepting

Q15 - This year, I will personally do ____ to foster convo regarding animal welfare.
A - I will do a better job of posting more animal welfare related posts that are easy to comprehend and can connect with consumers better.
** I think this post is a good work on my answer for number 15**

So those are my answers - if you want to see what the rest of the Twitterverse said regarding animal welfare, you can check out the archives.

Anyone want to add anything? Discuss methods, my answers, your opinions? Any non-ag folks out there with questions about animal handling or processing? I went to school to answer questions just like this and have worked, done trials and seen different methods in lots of different settings and would love to chat with you! Feel free to ask me any questions regarding animal behavior or welfare and I'll do my absolute best to answer them!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Is Bigger Always Better When It Comes to Steak

Yes and no.

image credit

As Americans, we tend to think bigger is better. More value for the dollar. Efficiency. More for less. That mantra has led to increased farm efficiency, bigger cows and therefore bigger steaks to feed a growing, hungry population.

But do Americans really want bigger steaks?

A recent article on BEEF Magazine's website calls this into question. Americans (or some of us) are striving to eat healthier. Prepare and consume smaller, more diet-friendly portions.

A 3 oz serving of lean beef provides 10 essential nutrients in only 154 calories and is about the size of a deck of cards (thanks Daren Williams and the Masters of Beef Advocacy program). While I personally would like to have more than 3 oz of meat on my plate during dinner, I can see how many people don't want a 16 oz T-bone for dinner every night. This presents a problem for an industry that has shrinking cow herd and has therefore learned how to produce more with less.

To combat the 'problem' (I don't consider efficiency bad) the article talks about taking larger cuts like the ribeye, for example, and breaking it down into more user and diet-friendly portion sizes. Not only does this create more smaller portions out of one cut but it also creates a chance to remove some of the extra bits of fat. Another form of efficiency, in essence.

So what do you think? Are you one who wants all the steak you can get or do you like to keep your plate balanced with smaller portions of meat and equal amounts of whole grains and veggies?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Kings of the Farm

Great - now I have this song stuck in my head. Substitute 'farm' for 'road'. Capice?

If you don't already know, this week is NFR week. National Finals Rodeo. The Big Show. Super Bowl of rodeo.  You get the point. The NFR is shown exclusively on Great American Country (thank God, I was so tired of waiting up till midnight for it to start when ESPN had the rights to it) and on Saturday night, the guest hosts were two boys from the show Farm Kings.

Basically, the show follows a family (The Kings, get it?) as they do their daily farm chores. The Kings own and operate Freedom Farms where they strive to provide Pittsburgh with the freshest produce around. There are TEN KIDS and the mom who do all the work - I haven't seen an episode but I would be willing to bet that Mom is one tough cookie (seriously, ten kids).

I only found out about the series because I upped my DIRECTV subscription for 10 days so I could watch the NFR. After December 15th, it's sayonara GAC and Farm Kings, too. I'll have to DVR a few episodes so I can get the lo-down. For those of you who, like me, are cheap and have the bare bones cable package, here is a clip of Farm Kings you can watch. Maybe it will entice you to upgrade!



Has anyone out there seen a whole episode? What did you think?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

p.s. My rodeo man crush, Trevor, is pursuing his 10th all-around title. For more info on his awesomeness, check out previous posts. I'm also a big fan of first time NFR qualifier Jared Keylon. Jared was my boyfriend's roommate when we were at Fort Scott Community College and lived next door. You'll never meet a more hard working, determined bareback rider than Jared. He's making a solid showing at this year's NFR and you can bet he'll be back for more in future years.

Other faves I am loving right now:
Cory Solomon - calf roping
Kelli Tolbert - barrel racing (that horse can eat up a third barrel)
Trevor Brazile and Patrick Smith - team roping
Chad Masters and Clay O'Brien Cooper - team roping
Tuf Cooper - calf roping 

Pigs Raised Outdoors Have Lots of Room to Grow

BUT they also have tons of enemies that would love a tasty pork rind to munch on....

Yesterday, we brought home Ferdinand. That won't really be his name, most likely it will change when we give the pig to the Ninja's sisters but I like 'F' names; they're cute. Anyway, Ferdinand is very friendly. He likes to root around in the dirt and run in the straw. I'm sure he'd enjoy being out in the woods by our house.

Guess what else lives in the woods by our house? and surrounds us on all sides because we live in the middle of the glorious, rolling Flint Hills.

That's a canis latrans, more affectionately known as a coyote. And they are everywhere. Last night, they were howling, barking and yipping up a storm. The dogs were barking back - it was chaos.

And you can bet that lil ole 25 lb. Ferdinand wouldn't stand a chance against Wile E. Coyote if he was out roaming around.

Which is why we raise hogs indoors.

 Ferdinand has plenty of room to move around in his stall, can root in the dirt and play in the straw all the while being safe from the dangers of hungry predators. We take care of our animals because it's the right thing to do - leaving him outside to find for himself would be cruel.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Chipotle Strikes a Nerve with Grammy Commercial

10:30 pm Sunday: I'm so livid right now, I can't even form a coherent sentence. So I may have to come back and finish this post in the morning.
*********

Monday morning/afternoonish: Ok, I'm back. A good night's sleep and a few deep breaths has me calmed me down enough that now I can at least form sentences and not scream at stupid Chipotle commercials.
If you haven't seen the commercial that aired last night during the Grammy's (I didn't watch the Grammy's but once I saw my Facebook and Twitter blowing up, I went to YouTube and watched the disaster), please do so now, so that you're aware of what I'm talking about.

I can't even begin to explain everything that is wrong with this commercial, but I'll try:

1. Livestock are not raised indoors because farmers are lazy. Quite the opposite actually. As I type this, there is snow on the ground and it's 27 degrees in Kansas and spitting sleet oh and don't forget it's Kansas so it's always windy. If I was a dairy cow or a pig, I'd wanna be indoors and out of the snow and wind.

2. Supporting local farmers is a great endeavor however, there is not always a year-round farmers market that has every grocery item from A-Z in every small town. Without Hyvee, Dillons and yes, the dastardly Wal-Mart, my little family would starve. Transporting food from where it was grown to where it is sold is not evil or wrong. It's called infrastructure and we should be very thankful we have it. Countries in Africa don't have very good infrastructure and therefore have a lot of food shortages and hunger problems.

3. Did you know there is 77 times more hormones (estrogen) in ONE EGG than in a 100 gram portion of implanted beef? I didn't make that up, it's the facts. Antibiotics are used during stressful times in an animal life when the immune system is compromised and when they need to be treated for sickness. Antibiotics on farms are not used irresponsibly or willi-nilli.

4. Farmers and ranchers aren't running factories. To say otherwise is absurd. Producers check their livestock on a daily basis and are always striving to provide the utmost care possible so that the quality of life for their livestock is as best as can be.

Also, did you know that even though Chipotle claims to use local, certified organic products they quite often can't find enough supply to meet their demand and end up using conventionally produced products? They admit it:

“We do, however, face challenges associated with pursuing Food With Integrity. For example, current economic conditions have led to natural chicken and steak supply shortages. It can take longer to identify and secure relationships with suppliers meeting our criteria, and there are higher costs and other risks associated with purchasing naturally raised or sustainably grown ingredients. The growing time for naturally raised meat and sustainably grown vegetables can be longer. Herd losses can also be greater when animals are not treated with antibiotics and hormones and field losses can be higher for organically grown produce. Given the costs associated with natural and sustainable farming practices, and recently due to decreased demand as a result of the weak economic environment, many large suppliers have not found it economical to pursue business in this area.” -- taken from Chipotle's annual report.

Just to clear something up: I have no problem with organic or naturally produced food products. I am very proud to live in a country where I can buy whatever type of food I want: organic, natural, conventional, grass-fed, grain-fed, etc. However, I can't afford those products and quite frankly I know there isn't a difference between them and their conventionally produced contemporaries. However, I don't condemn those farmers who make a living in a way that is different to everyone else. If consumers want to pay higher prices for organic and natural, well then props to those producers who can provide it. All I'm saying is that one isn't better than the other and we shouldn't gang up on each other. We can all agree that Chipotle is definitely not portraying an accurate picture of food production and are also not using the products of which they're so proud to endorse. Honesty goes a long ways with Buzzard.

I haven't eaten Chipotle in five years. Seriously. Mostly because of their marketing schemes but also partly because I didn't really like the food anyway. I don't mean to punish producers who supply Chipotle with food but I just can't support a company that trounces on conventional agriculture so inappropriately and inaccurately. My pride and values won't let me.

There are other great commentaries on this commercial making their rounds on the internet - I encourage you to check them out!

Food Integrity Starts with Marketing Integrity - Daren Williams, NCBA
Chipotle, Your Grammy Commercial Still Doesn't Change My Mind - Crystal Young
http://storify.com/nicksargent/negative-reaction-to-chipotle-grammy-ad
Was Chipotle's Ad Eloquent or Ignorant? - Peggy Lowe, Harvest Public Media

Oh and let's not forget about Willie Nelson. Shame, shame on you for ruining Coldplay's song "Back to the Start" and for continuing to not be a friend of conventional agriculture.

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 ~

Australia Day

Last year at this time, I wasn't yet in Australia but was hastily packing my house after being married only four days previous (post on our anniversary coming soon). Nonetheless, we still heard plenty of hype about Australia day, and many other Australian holidays, while we were abroad.

For those of you who don't know, Australia Day is on January 26th this year and is a celebration of the arrival of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships (Australia's first populants, besides Aboriginals, were convicts from Europe) and the flying of the Union Jack (flag) by that fleet's leader, Captain Phillip. In essence it's a celebration of the entire country's history, akin to our Independence Day. However, they also have an ANZAC Day which is akin to our Veteran's Day or Memorial Day holidays and is celebrated in April.

Back on track, if you want to read more about Australia Day click here.

The real reason for this post is to bring attention to the food movement for Australia Day that's taking place. Tweets and Facebook posts have been in my feed for a few weeks about 'eating Australian' on Australia Day. Know what that means? 

It means eat this:

 

or a better depiction, this:

 image from here

In order to boost lamb sales, producers want Australians to eat Australian lamb on Australia Day (that's a lot of Australia's in one sentence). It makes sense, it's the #1 consumed meat in the land down under and is becoming more affordable (or it was when we left a month ago) through 'price wars' between Coles and Woolies/Safeway which are the two biggest supermarket chains.

Eating products of their own country makes sense and I applaud the marketing efforts being made to promote a home-grown product. Maybe a few Americans should eat lamb to celebrate Australia Day, everyone should try it at least once.

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 ~

Salute to Pork Producers

Do you know a person who works in pork operations who consistently puts in extra effort to make positive contributions to on-farm processes? I thought so.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to recognize and reward those key industry players who go the extra mile in order to exceed expectations? Well, Pfizer Animal Health has created an opportunity for you to do just that.

Through November 30, you can nominate an exemplary pork industry employee for the Fostera: PCV Salute to Producers. Two winners will be awarded a $1000 cash prize, an all-expenses paid trip for two to NYC to the Pfizer Animal Health headquarters and will be recognized at the Fostera PCV Higher Standars Awards Ceremony.

Have someone in mind? Head on over to www.PfizerPork.com/SalutetoProducers and nominate your outstanding pork industry employee. You can nominate as many people as you feel deserve this award so start cracking!

Fostera PCV (porcine circovirus) is a newly developed single-dose vaccine that helps prevent PCV2 viremia. For more information on Foster PCV, the Salute to Producers or Pfizer Animal Health, you can visit www.PfizerAH.com.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~


image from here

The Facts on Food Day 2011

Friend or foe?

First off, let me say that I applaud an initiative that seeks to narrow the gap between rural producers and urban consumers. That is the whole point of advocacy and a national day that recognizes global hunger, environmental sustainability and the continued humane production of livestock is a giant step in the right direction. Food Day, which is today, is striving to do that through the following six principles:


1. Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods
2. Support sustainable farms and limit subsidies to big-agribusiness
3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger
4. Protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms
5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids
6. Support fair conditions for food and farm workers

All of these principles are written with good intentions and I agree with most of them. However, does anyone else have a problem with the wording used?

Alarms are sounding with #4 at the mention of "reforming factory farms." I wholeheartedly agree with protecting the environment and animals, however, the negative connotations that accompany 'factory farming' are counterproductive to this initiative. I won't list here what the Food Day website is touting because it was just another form of propaganda that will serve as a poor influence to consumers who want the truth. However, if you wish to read it for yourself here is the direct link to the six initiatives.

The truth is that farmers and ranchers practice humane methods in raising livestock 24/7/365. Food Day is everyday to the rural American producer and they don't need a declaration from Washington to tell them so.

I'm not the only person who thinks #2 and #4 are whack - check out this piece from Drover's CattleNetwork. Additionally, the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance doesn't fully condone the #4 "as all farms, large and small, should keep animals healthy... Large does not mean bad."

My final issue lies with the partners in Food Day - there are about 60+ and they range from state organizations like The California Endowment, to health organizations such as National Association for Health and Fitness. But the partners who really caught my eye were:
- Farm Animal Rights Movement - www.farmusa.org - they self proclaim, "national nonprofit organization working to end the use of animals for food through public education and grassroots activism." They are also behind meatout.org.
- Humane Society of the United States - www.hsus.org - I don't think I have to inform you of their goals.

Additionally - Michael Pollan, author and self-proclaimed food expert and Wayne Pacelle, President of HSUS, are on the Food Day Advisory Board.

Now, obviously Food Day isn't out to abolish animal agriculture and I'm not saying that's their goal. This is just my gentle reminder that you can't always judge a book by its cover. Unless it's The Hobbit and then you can go ahead and judge away because that book is fabulous!

If you want to learn true facts about food production and connect with the people who produce it, head on over to www.realfarmersrealfood.com or ask a producer.

I hope that you will treat every day as a real Food Day, by thanking farmers and ranchers when you have the chance. Don't fall for misinformation just because it is nationally recognized. Take the time to suss out the info on your own and ask questions - don't fall for a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Until next time - thank a farmer!
~ Buzzard~