tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3531617304191579626.post6592102356929143811..comments2023-09-23T06:23:22.682-06:00Comments on Advocates for Agriculture: An Activist's MentalityTroy Hadrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17729642328778709521noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3531617304191579626.post-8587518607493772642008-05-04T09:18:00.000-06:002008-05-04T09:18:00.000-06:00People will understand there are benefits to cages...People will understand there are benefits to cages, the problem is that the conversation proceeds as follows.<BR/><BR/>----Beginning of Conversation<BR/><BR/>"Why are they crammed into such small cages?"<BR/><BR/>"Because without the cages to separate the animals they will injure one another. The laying hens will even cannabilize one another."<BR/><BR/>"Why?"<BR/><BR/>"Because to produce meat and eggs at a low cost, one must cram as many animals as possible into one building. Like people, if you cram <BR/>animals into small spaces they get ornery and hurt one another."<BR/><BR/>"Why don't we give them more space then?"<BR/><BR/>"Because that would raise food costs."<BR/><BR/>"By how much?"<BR/><BR/>"If all farmers switched to more humane methods,5-30% is my best guess. If only a few farmers adopt more humane methods prices of<BR/>those food products can be 300-400% higher though, because there are so few of those farms they do not have access to efficient<BR/>food distribution systems, like the Wal-Mart distribution system. That is why Whole Foods' prices are so high."<BR/><BR/>----End of Conversation<BR/><BR/>At this point, the person is convinced they should approve better farm animal regulations. I have had numerous conversations like<BR/>these. The world is populated with mostly reasonable people, and these reasonable people do not approve of how we raise eggs, veal, <BR/>pork, and sometimes poultry. They mostly approve of beef production.<BR/><BR/>Animal agriculture can do so much better at so little cost. Twenty years from now, we will look back on this debate and be<BR/>ashamed at what side we took.<BR/><BR/>Please don't hate me for these comments. I am a dear friend of agriculture, one who wants agriculture to be proud of itself<BR/>once again.<BR/><BR/>Bailey Norwood<BR/>Associate Professor<BR/>Dept. of Ag Econ<BR/>Oklahoma State UniversityBailey Norwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01605821503991180053noreply@blogger.com