Everyone knows that Food gets attention. In looking at the rush of food safety proposals and this weekend's speech by President Obama, I think we need to find a way to point out that farming isn't a "one size fits all," thing.
When the USDA says "agriculture" they are picturing mega-farms, with commodities and CAFO's. When the average American hears "farm" they think Old McDonald. Certainly Old McDonald would be a pretty boring son if the only thing the farmer had was an "oink, oink," everywhere. Having that diversified farm made the song interesting, and makes the farm stronger, the earth stronger and the food better. So, how do we get people to realize the taste difference between grass fed and feedlot beef? How do we help tomorrow's kids learn some empathy and responsibility, which livestock experience teaches, if the only place the see a lamb is at a petting zoo? How do we stop this "rush to judgment" about the future of tomorrow's food? We have to take NAIS and Food Safety out of the sterile world of "someone else's problem," and into the realm if "it matters to me." I think circulating an image, which provokes an idea that makes people think about their own interests, would help. I've come up with one, but I'm not much of a graphic artist. Time is short. NAIS is rolling down like a giant cloud that will bury the small farmer, the 4H family, and the chances for better food down the road. We have to get people to care. If I sound desperate, I am. I raise little goats that don't "fit" eartags. My customers are families wishing to teach their children the responsibility of livestock care. They are people with autistic children that need raw goat milk, but can't get it from a conventional source. They are families with allergic children who suffer from digestive tract, skin and respiratory issues. They are Crohn's disease suffers. Raw goat's milk gives them a healthy, affordable answer to their conditions without huge medical expenses for treatments that don't work anyway. I am worried about my farm, but I'm also worried about these families and others like them all over the nation. I am a bleeding heart liberal farmer who cares what the world is like for my son when he has his own family. NAIS is very scary to me, and it's more than the fear of the government. It's the fear of existing ignorance and worse, apathy. I need help. Suggestions?
Pardon me if you have a half finished comment from me. In the middle of writing my comment disappeared, so I will try again. I am not a farmer and there is a lot for me to digest here, but I was wondering why the animals can't be tagged the way my dog has been with a chip under the skin. It seemed like a fairly easy thing to do, didn't leave a wound and permanently identifies the animal. Wouldn't that be more humane that ear tags?
ReplyDeleteGoats are considered meat animals, and because of that no microchips can be used as a permanent ID. There are people who microchip their goats, as a registration identification, but those animals are not supposed to go into the food processing channel. The chips can supposedly travel, though I've heard yes and no on that issue, but no one would want to find a chip in their "goat burger."
ReplyDeleteGoat meat is on the rise, and there is no way to control the ultimate fate of a goat once it leaves my farm, so subdermal microchipping is not an option. It's a good idea though. Thanks for asking.