Exploring Visual Reality
By Trent LoosWhat is it we truly want the consumer to know about food production? Every one of us in agriculture has voiced frustration about the lack of communication between food producers and consumers. But, again I ask, what part of the production chain do we really want them to see?
I am currently working with Two Cats TV productions out of New York City. They are producing a documentary about “ethical treatment” of animals. Obviously, they started with the allegations of poor treatment leveled against us by fund-raising, fear-based animal rights groups, but who is stepping up to the plate to answer their questions? This is a huge problem.I am convinced that this production company is not biased and out to get us. They truly want to present an accurate and fair portrayal of how animals are treated. However, I’m sure they are beginning to sense that the industry has something to hide because nearly every avenue we pursue seems to lead us to a roadblock.
There are 290 million people in American and we know how few of them truly know where their food comes from or what steps were taken to get it to them. In December, I was on Wisconsin Public Radio discussing BSE and one lady called in and suggested that we, “throw open the doors to these slaughter houses and show people how these animals really die. How they are dismembered piece by piece.” What would happen if every American could tour a modern processing facility? How many children of people who work at these plants know what happens where Mom or Dad works? My father-in-law keeps busy butchering cattle and hogs in the winter for neighbors.
I had an interesting conversation about that with our six-year-old. I was going to another animal rights convention and she wanted to know what the meeting was about. I told her there are people who don’t want to kill animals for food and she asked, “What do they want to do with them?” Great question! I told her that they just don’t want us to kill them and she asked, “Why do we have to kill them?” The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says domestic farm animals are crucial for food and agriculture, providing 30 to 40 percent of the agricultural sector's global economic value. Around 2 billion people -- one third of the global population -- depend at least partly on farm animals for their livelihoods. Meat, milk and egg production will need to more than double over the next 20 years in order to feed the growing world population. So, while you and I know of the vital importance of this industry, again I ask you how much of the system needs to be visible?
The greatest challenge we face as we go forward is sharing enough to answer the questions posed by lawmakers. At this moment, lawmakers are attempting to enact laws based on the fears of worst cause scenarios. This legislation will lead to our dependence on foreign produced food. Out of sight and out of mind is not always the best-case scenario.
Today’s society is very visually oriented. Think for a moment about the first time you heard about the prisoner abuse in Iraq. It was probably just a passing thought. It stirred more emotion when the actual photos started appearing on television, in newspapers and on the web. Parallel this “visual reality” to the images of food production that consumers are seeing courtesy of anti-ag activist groups. They are showing the most negative images they can find, many from facilities and equipment that are outdated and no longer used to produce food. So why are we are afraid to open our doors and show how well we really care for the animals in our charge?
I have invited the Two Cats production crew to attend the World Pork Expo in Des Moines. I think the best way to get our story told is to focus on the people behind the production of food. I’m sure there are some production practices that today’s consumers won’t understand but I believe that if we focus on the human beings who are responsible for these animals, consumers will gain the “visual reality” that we really do care about how we treat the animals.
