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Farmers Care.
By Sarah Hubbart, Communications Coordinator, Animal Agriculture Alliance
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You’ve probably seen the videos.
You know the ones the grainy images, the shocking cruelty. Activists use
these "undercover" videos to allege that America's farmers and ranchers are
guilty of animal abuse. The actions portrayed are disturbing and
inexcusable but they aren't always what they appear to be.
While no one would defend animal cruelty and the bad actors guilty of
mistreatment should be punished to the full extent of the law it is
heartbreaking that entire farm families are being unfairly characterized by
the inappropriate actions of a handful of individuals.
And all too often, activists use clever video editing to portray common
animal husbandry practices as cruel. Just a few months ago, People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) repackaged old footage as a "new"
incident at a stockyard in Kentucky despite the fact that the facility in
question had been shut down for 30 years!
Sadly, these misleading videos cause people to think that what is shown is
representative of the entire agriculture industry. This could not be further
from the truth! The animals are a farmer's livelihood. Healthy, comfortable
livestock and poultry produce the high quality food products that consumers
deserve. To show their commitment to proper animal care, producers follow animal welfare guidelines specially developed by veterinarians and animal care experts for each species.
Want an example of farmers’ dedication to their animals? Over the last two years, 10,000 pork producers in Iowa alone have become "PQA Plus Certified" after completing a nationallyrecognized program that demonstrates their commitment to safe food, animal wellbeing, public health, and the environment.
And while farms may look different than they did 100 years ago, farmers’ and ranchers’ commitment to their animals, the land, and the consumer haven’t changed. After all,
98 percent of all farms are still family owned.
Here’s a few other eyeopening videos that you should also watch:
(These and many more can be found on the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s Youtube channel.)
Farming isn't easy, but it's something that generations of Americans have dedicated their lives to. So, please, take a moment appreciate the work of American farmer and ranchers. They care about their animals… and about feeding your family.
Sarah Hubbart serves as
the Communications Coordinator for the Animal Agriculture Alliance, a
national nonprofit organization consisting of individual farmers, ranchers,
producer organizations, suppliers, packerprocessors, scientists,
veterinarians and retailers. The Alliance educates consumers about the
important role that modern animal agriculture plays in preserving our
nation’s security and vitality using reliable, science based information.
Sarah also discusses agriculture on the Alliance’s Twitter and Facebook. For
article feedback, contact Sarah at shubbart@animalagalliance.org
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