Highlighting Producers

Healthy animals means healthy food
John Schlageck
Saturday, March 7, 2009

Today, raising livestock on a farm or ranch is a dynamic, specialized profession that has proven one of the most successful in the world. Today’s animal husbandry, or care and feeding of livestock, is no accident.

Rather, it’s because of the dedicated men, women and children who raise and care for this state’s livestock. For generations, Kansas farmers and ranchers have watched over and nurtured cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens and other livestock from sunup to sunset – every day of the year.

Few consumers are aware of livestock producers’ relationships with their animals. They don’t know how the meat, milk, eggs and other food products wind up on their dinner table. But today, more and more are becoming interested.

Amy Saunders raises cattle in Jefferson County and markets her family’s beef in nearby Lawrence and suburban Kansas City. Her customers want to know her and her family.
In the case of Saunders, when her customers buy her family’s beef, they’re also buying the complete package.

“They’re buying us,” Amy says. “They’re buying a quality product, and they know exactly who produces it.” Read More

Highlighting the great people and great stories they have to tell is exactly what we need to be doing in our industry. What we have been able to accomplish in agriculture is nothing short of amazing and has never been seen before in human history. All of us in agriculture have a story to tell and there has never been a more important time to share it. Consumers want to meet the people that are growing their food. Extend your hand and introduce yourself.

Documenting Our Story

US Documentary Challenges Welfare Perceptions

MANHATTAN, US - On the heels of last week's Proposition 2 vote in California to end the practice of confining certain animals raised for food comes a Kansas-produced television documentary that showcases the care, empathy and human compassion involved in raising farm animals.

Kansas Farm Bureau's latest in a series of award-winning television documentaries, "The Care & Feeding of Farm Animals," features men, women and families of Kansas who raise farm animals for food. The film delves into the heritage of livestock production in Kansas and examines the economic impact associated with a growing negative perception related to the welfare of farm animals.

"As people shift away from the farm, geographically and culturally, there's a void - and perceptions are filling it," said Mike Matson, Manhattan, who wrote, produced and directed the documentary. "The ways consumers think about and react to their food and the animals it comes from impact everything associated with it, starting with the farmer who raises the animal."

Read More

One of the reasons that producers are reluctant to brag about what a good job they do raising livestock is because of the modest nature most of us have. It’s how we were raised and how we live. But this is something that us as producers have to learn to do, brag about what you do and how you do it. The next time you don’t feel like telling the story of agriculture just think about who else is telling your story for you.