Farmer Sets Record Straight about Antibiotic Use on Pig Farms
A blog written by Missouri pig farmer, Chris Chinn, was recently featured on CNN’s Eatocracy. In it she explains how her farm uses antibiotics responsibly and dispels misconceptions that people may have about their overuse on U.S. pig farms. “Antibiotics are just one of the tools we have in our toolbox; we don’t rely on them as part of our daily care plan. On our farm, we work hard to prevent problems from occurring, that’s why we are so strict about protecting our hogs’ environment,” Chinn writes.
Read more at CNN Eatocracy.
Learn more about Chris Chinn on her blog or on Twitter @chrischinn.
See It? Stop It! Empowers Farm Workers, Protects Animals
Organizations representing U.S. pork and dairy farmers have launched ‘See It? Stop It!SM Animal care starts with you.’ a campaign that underscores the importance of responsible farm animal care. “It is critical for farm management to set clear expectations for animal care and to have zero tolerance for animal mistreatment. We believe ‘See It? Stop It!’ provides the tools to help set those expectations and a mechanism for reporting abuse which supports the proper care of America’s farm animals,” said Kathi Brock, National Director of the Farm Animal Program for American Humane Association.
Learn More
NEW VIDEO SERIES PUTS MODERN PIG FARMING IN THE SPOTLIGHT
A new video series from the national organization representing America’s 67,000 pig farmers presents a look at rural, modern farming through the perspective of a second generation Air Force pilot-turned-pig farmer. Watch as Scott Phillips talks about how he takes care of his animals, the environment and his employees to ensure that the safest pork products end up on consumers’ plates.
View more videos on YouTube.
Read more about responsible pig farming here.
VETERINARIAN DISCUSSES ADVANCEMENTS IN FOOD SAFETY
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Providing safe, wholesome food is the most important responsibility for farmers. Dr. Liz
Wagstrom, chief veterinarian for the National Pork Producers Council, delivered that
message to leading food safety and quality assurance experts at the 2012
Food Quality Symposium on December 5th in Indiana Wells, California. During
her presentation, Dr. Wagstrom explained that farmers have been able to minimize food safety threats through the
development of better on-farm practices, broader participation in certification
programs and research designed to uncover where interventions are most needed.
Learn
more about these food safety advancements. Please reference pages 14-17 of the recently published Pork Industry Progress report.
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NEW REPORT TRACKS PROGRESS IN RESPONSIBLE PIG FARMING
Farmers share principles and document achievement
With increasing public interest to better understand where food comes from and how it is produced, America’s 67,000 pig farmers have answered this call with the release of the 2012 Pork Industry Progress Report. The report explains how pig farming has evolved over generations and tracks advancements that have been made in vital areas such as food safety, animal well-being, environmental stewardship and worker safety.
Highlights of this report include
- research showing reductions in environmental impacts
- an assessment of animal housing options
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responsible antibiotic usage
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participation in farm worker certification programs
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perspectives of leading industry experts
To download the report, click here.
FOODISTA CONFERENCE WRAP UP
Recently, at the International Food Bloggers Conference in Portland, hog farmers Jo Windmann @JoWindmann of Windmann Farms and Heather Hill @proudporkmom of Hill Farms spoke to blogger attendees about their way of life on the farm, demonstrating how they truly live by the We Care principles. While attendees devoured the delicious bacon served at the session, Jo and Heather explained their personal connections to the ethical principles that make up We Care in an effort to bridge the agricultural divide that currently exists between the majority of Americans and the pork industry.
Faced with tough questions by the audience of foodies, Jo and Heather served the pork industry well. They provided clear insight into what life truly is like on the farm and encouraged the bloggers to stay in touch on Twitter following the show. Additionally, one lucky attendee won a visit to a pig farm to see firsthand ethical practices in action.
Show Your Support: Voice your support, via Twitter, for animal agriculture and the hard-working farmers who grow the food we eat like Jo and Heather. Be sure to use the hashtag #Porkcares when discussing responsible farming practices.
DOING WHAT’S RIGHT. A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT.
America’s pork producers supply the highest quality and safest pork in the world. We’ve earned the trust of generations of consumers by delivering on our promise to produce pork responsibly.
Our goal is to demonstrate that we are doing the right things every day in important areas such as food safety, animal well-being, safeguarding natural resources and improving the quality of life in our communities. We're proud to demonstrate that our commitment to responsible, ethical farming is stronger today than ever before.
FOOD SAFETY: THE HIGHEST PRIORITY
Providing safe, wholesome food is the pork industry’s most important responsibility. On the farm, many factors can have an impact on food safety, which is why today’s farmers use a wide variety of technology, techniques and expertise to minimize food safety threats as much as possible. The typical hog farm today does look different from farms many decades ago. Family farmer Brad Greenway opens his doors to show you why he has made changesout of concern for animal well-being and food safety.
BENEFITS OF MODERN FARMING: A LARGELY UNTOLD STORY
It’s clear that today’s hog farms look different than farms did generations ago — and that’s a good thing. There have been significant advancements in how animals are sheltered and cared for, a strong focus on disease prevention, food safety and adoption of more sustainable farming practices. The public is largely unaware of the great progress farmers have made, since their advancements have been made quietly – perhaps too quietly. Farmers need to work harder to communicate how they bring safe, nutritious pork to people all over the world.
Learn more about modern farming and the dedicated farmers who raise pigs.
Watch Video: Safeguarding Natural Resources
Read More: Farmers’ Sustainability Story, Getting Greener
TODAY'S HOG FARMERS PROVIDE BETTER ANIMAL CARE AND FOOD SAFETY
The phrase “factory farm” is used to try to instill the image of today’s typical farmer as an uncaring corporation, indifferent to animal well-being; nothing could be further from the truth. Farmers are deeply concerned about animal well-being and constantly seek out ways to improve the health and safety of animals in their care.
Across all sectors of agriculture, the size of the typical farm in the U.S. has increased over the last few generations. Technology and market demand have been the driving forces behind this shift. On farms large and small, America’s pig farmers have a singular mission: produce safe, nutritious food in a responsible manner. Farmers strongly support ethical animal agriculture and publicly condemn poor animal care whenever it occurs.
Watch Video: State-of-the-Art Pig Barns
Watch Video: Taking a Stand on Modern Pork Production
Read More: Finding Our Common Ground