HBO Documentary Impact

Jolley: Did You Miss The HBO Special?

Not that it was an unbiased look at “Factory Farming” practices, “Death on a Factory Farm” was really just the same old, same old sensationalism. If you thought you might have seen or heard something new, here’s a list of the absolutely unbiased resources the producers used:

-The Humane Farming Association
-Mercy For Animals
-Animal Welfare Institute
-The Humane Society of the United States
-Compassion Over Killing
-Vegan Outreach (Are you kidding me?)
-The Sustainable Table
-Animal Law Coalition

Yeah, you’ve heard it all before, haven’t you?

In a statement that would make Martin Luther King blanche, Sarah Teale, one of the two producers of the propaganda film, said, “In a way, this is the civil rights movement of our time.”

Tom Simon, her partner in crime, fired this warning shot: “But I do think the more enlightened people in the industry are realizing that if the industry doesn't police itself, if it doesn't clean up its act, somebody's going to do it for them.” Read More

Everyone involved in animal agriculture was waiting to see the fallout from the HBO documentary this week. Oddly enough, even with all they hype surrounding it, apparently it didn’t play all that well. Not if you compare it to Oprah’s show last fall that talked about animal agriculture. I think it goes to show that these shadowy animal rights groups aren’t considered mainstream nor have they earned much trust from the public. That’s the thing that Oprah has that makes her so dangerous. When we present to agriculture groups, we make a point to tell them how important it is to check where information is coming from. This article has a great list of the sources used to make the documentary.

HBO Movie on Ag

U.S. pork producers brace for HBO special on cruelty

Reuters March 9, 2009 - 12:00 a.m. EST



DALLAS (Reuters) - U.S. pork producers, already worried that high prices for their product may chase pinched shoppers to the chicken section, are facing another possible hit - an HBO special on animal cruelty in factory farming.


Producers at the annual Pork Industry Forum were discussing the documentary, "Death on a Factory Farm," which the network plans to premier on March 16 and show 20 times by April 1.
The documentary, based on a video taken by the Humane Farming Association, an animal rights group, "takes a harrowing look at animal cruelty in an Ohio factory farm as chronicled through undercover footage," the HBO website said.


Owners of the Ohio farm were charged with animal cruelty following six weeks of secret filming of events there.


The video also contains footage of the trial where representatives of the pork industry gave testimony detailing acceptable hog care practices, Tom Simon, co-producer of the documentary, told Reuters. Read More



We’ve known this show on HBO has been coming for quite some time, however, no one knows for sure what to expect. First off, let me start by saying that I would never support anyone that is abusing animals. However, there are things that are done on livestock operations that most people don’t understand. There is no doubt that it will try to make livestock producers look as evil as possible. They will also try to convince people that every producer wants to treat their animals cruelly. The best way to defeat these images is to invite people out to your farms and ranches. Show them the great care you give to your livestock. No body else can do this for you, you have to tell your own story.