Cyndi's Two Cents

Where does your community stand on animal agriculture?

Commentary.

A recent survey by Purdue University shows many consumers are using animal rights groups like HSUS and PETA as their primary source of information about livestock and poultry welfare.  More than half of the 800 consumers surveyed said they did not have a primary source for animal welfare information, but those who did most commonly named an “animal protection organization.”

I can’t say that I’m truly surprised by the results of this survey, but I am disappointed.  I believe that we in agriculture have gained ground in the war against anti-animal agriculture activists in recent months, but this information reconfirms my personal commitment to keep a shoulder to the wheel.

I can’t tell you how many times over the course of the past decade I’ve heard that we in the U.S. are “following suit” with our European cousins, implying that those in the UK and other European countries are more likely to support an anti-animal agriculture agenda and engage in veganism.

Like many agricultural regions in the U.S., farming areas in England have established programs to educate school children about the industry.  About 250 children at one particular school in the county of Kent in Southeast England participated in a program designed to teach them about animal agriculture, so that they might have a better understanding of the origins of their food, and to educate students about all aspects of farming life.

Students were responsible for the care of a lamb, ducks, chickens and rabbits on the school farm.  The plan was to grow the wether to harvest weight, then have it processed into chops that would then be raffled off to raise funds to purchase pigs for the farm.  The pigs would then be raised to market weight, harvested, and sold.

All was going well with this educational project until a handful of parents protested the harvest of the lamb and in doing so, drew the attention of animal rights activists and some animal-loving celebrities. Threats were made against teachers – especially against the Headmistress who brought the program to the school – as well as threats of criminal damage to the school.

Despite the protests, there was overwhelming support among the children, the staff and most of the parents to have the lamb — a castrated male who could not have been used for breeding — sent to the slaughterhouse.

Would your community fail to support animal agriculture?  Would it put up a fight to protect this “petting zoo” mentality?  Do you have any doubts that the teachers, children, staff, parents and others in your community would vote against animal agriculture?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, the Purdue survey isn’t as far-fetched as it might first appear to be.

It doesn’t seem that 800 consumers is a large enough representative group to reflect the beliefs of the overall population in this country.  Maybe it isn’t, but I’m not willing to take the risk and ignore the Purdue survey.  I hope you will join me by engaging in conversation with those who are easily influenced by anti-agriculture activists.