It's the truth. If you're a deer hunter, you can't just run out and take a shot at that 10 point buck any time it's convenient for you. Instead, you have to wait for deer season to roll around to stock the fridge with venison.
So, why is it that agriculture has to endure open season year-round?
Most recently, antibiotic use in food animals was sucker-punched by Katie Couric. Shortly before that, the dairy industry was thrown under the bus on Nightline. Before that, it was TIME Magazine, Food, Inc., and The Omnivore's Dilemma getting their shots in. Can we get a law passed here, people?
What makes the fight harder for those of us involved in the agriculture industry is the fact that we're rational. I know - crazy, right? Agriculture is a science-based industry, so we tend to fight back with rational, evidence-based information. However, shotgun-wielding hunters like Bryan Walsh, PETA, HSUS, Robert Kenner and Michael Pollan are using emotional attacks in their battle plan. And, sadly, it's really hard to fight emotional thinking with rational thinking.
In fact, sometimes it seems like there's no light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to defending the industry and livelihoods we have come to rely on and cherish.
So, what's the good news?
There are more ways than ever to spread the message that agriculture is good and individuals and organizations like PETA and HSUS are spewing word vomit decorated with giant chunks of incorrect information - sorry, that was gross. Moving on...
Take, for example, the blunder recently committed by Yellow Tail wines. Now, I have to admit, I'm not much of a wine drinker. But, when I did choose to have a glass, I usually reached for Yellow Tail. The wine was great-tasting and inexpensive - two of my favorite things. But, when I found out that Yellow Tail had decided to donate $100,000 to HSUS - an organization pledged to ending food animal agriculture in the United States - the first thing I did was log on to Facebook. I changed my status to reflect my disapproval of their donation and urged all of my friends to do the same. Then, I prepared for my attack. I made my way to their fan page with every intention of starting a revolution and unleashing the fury of a woman scorned. What can I say, an attack on my livelihood creates that effect on me - not so much love.
Anyway, much to my surprise, I wasn't even close to the first person to share my discontent with the company. Hundreds of people before me - a majority of them involved in the agriculture industry in some way, shape or form - had already left comments saying they would no longer purchase Yellow Tail products - and they were definitely prepared to spread the word to their friends and families.
As the week went on, the Yellow Tail fan page quickly filled with former customers voicing their disapproval. Finally, Yellow Tail updated their page to let customers know that they were listening and had decided to add a stipulation to their contract with HSUS. Instead of letting HSUS use their money arbitrarily, the money donated by Yellow Tail was to be used only for animal rescue. Unfortunately for Yellow Tail, this last ditch effort to appease customers didn't go far enough. The comments kept coming, only this time, many were accompanied by pictures of people dumping their bottles of wine into the sink or toilet.
The moral of the story is this: while activist groups and radical thinkers seem to have the ear of the mainstream media, they certainly can't control the content of social media - and the people that use it. What's more, using social media has become increasingly simple with texting and smart phones.
Now, I'm usually pretty far behind the curve when it comes to revolutionary tech gadgets - don't judge me. Anyway, I received a smart phone for work. And, let me tell you - I'm not sure how I functioned without it. While at a trade show a few weeks ago, I was able to keep up with my office email and other goings-on just by checking the little phone in my pocket.
The same it true for farmers and ranchers all over the country. They're using their phones to update Twitter and Facebook from the seat of a combine or while they're out feeding cattle - making communication between the consumer and producer that much easier.
And that is how we're going to be able to bridge the gap. I know - it took me a long time to get on with it and make my point. Sorry.
By making ourselves available to the consumer, we can become (well, return as) the experts in our field once again. Rather than turning to Katie Couric for the most up-to-date information about the livestock industry (obviously she knows what she's talking about - I'm sure she's running 250 head in her Manhattan apartment) the consumer can go directly to the source.
So, whip out your phone and update Twitter when you're feeding calves or baling hay. Tell your story or post pictures of your stewardship practices on your Facebook page and make yourself available to tours and questions and the consumer that really wants to know the true story about where his or her food comes from, how you treat your animals and why you truly love agriculture.
