We walk the walk when it comes to farming, but do we talk the talk?
The 48th annual meeting of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) in New Orleans, La., opened with a session focused less on veterinary medicine and more on the public's perception of agricultural practices. David Daley, a beef cattle producer and interim dean for California State University at Chico's College of Agriculture, shared ways he believes we lose the argument on animal welfare with consumers.
One mistake Daley feels we make is assuming science will give us all the answers. He explained that the public doesn't trust scientists and that science can't solve ethical questions. "There isn't a ‘right' answer for some of this stuff," he said.
Daley also warned against using economics as a justification for agriculture practices. He noted that, when we say, "Of course we treat our animals well or we don't make money," it makes us seem like we only care about profit. Daley emphasized, "We need to convince the public that we really care about our animals."
Another way we can lose an animal welfare debate is trying to defend all farming methods. Daley explained that we actually lose credibility trying to defend all practices, especially those that can't be justified. "Defend those practices that are defensible," he said.
Attacking everyone who disagrees with our opinion, and not being willing to listen, can also lead to failed conversations. "We judge other people because we think we know their views," Daley said, "but good people can look at the same issue differently." He encouraged agriculturalists to not assume they know someone's viewpoint until they learn more about them and where they stand.
"We're so sensitive to issues that we're afraid to really talk to people," he said. But it's that defensiveness that can create some of the adversity we face. "If you treat them like the enemy, they are the enemy," he said.
Daley also said we need to be open to the idea that animal welfare and care can get better. "We are not doing too bad!" he assured the audience. "And we will continue to make incremental, important progress. Production practices continuously evolve, and that's a good thing," he said.
We want to be on the winning side of this debate. Enter discussions about production agriculture with an open mind and open dialogue, and keep Daley's points in mind. Production agriculture as a whole stands to benefit.
(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2015
September 21, 2015
