I’ll just come right out and say it. Animal activist groups are bad for America and American families. Some of these groups want to ban animal agriculture and put animals on the same level as, or above, people. I have never personally met any of these folks, however I get the impression that they are as out of touch with our way of life as a politician. Have they really toured the world, or just the United States, to see first hand what all animal agriculture is really like?

People who live and work on farms do so for the fulfillment it brings. The opportunity to care for and nurture animals and the land. To be productive and fill a need. They have a passion for it. Since we’re not independently wealthy, we also do it for income. Save animals but ruin people’s lives by ruining their livelihood. Hmm.

I can only imagine what our area would be like if we ended animal agriculture and opened all the gates. If we went so far as to let the animal populations control themselves, automobile premiums would escalate. Hitting a deer makes a big dent. A cow or horse would make a bigger one. As the populations grew, famine and disease among all animals would become commonplace. Water supplies would be affected as dead animals lay unseen in watersheds. No thanks. I’ll contain the animals and control the population at the expense of my labor.

And just how would the people in America and around the world be fed? Till the land and plant vegetables, beans, berries, nut and fruit trees. Seasonal food production makes for limited world trade and would hurt the economy. The land would become overworked and synthetic fertilizers would have to be applied. Some areas in the United States have very short growing seasons or the land itself can’t grow anything substantial. Speaking from experience, our strawberry patch won’t feed us for a whole year until a new crop comes on, however the fertilizer I use is free and organic, courtesy of animal agriculture.

Animal agriculture provides more than food but also quality clothing as well. If activist are opposed to using leather and wool for clothing, do they wear synthetic clothes and apparel that lasts for decades in landfills? Speaking of synthetic clothes and apparel, what about the pollution caused by manufacturing such petroleum-based products? Speaking of pollution, activists claim that animal poo creates pollution. Well folks, animals are going to poo whether we raise them on open pasture or let them run uncontrolled around the countryside.

Animal agriculture is so diverse in opportunity. I wonder how activists teach their children responsibility? Mowing the lawn and taking out the trash? On our farm, Elizabeth and Mason set up temporary fencing in the yard so the cattle can graze it. Responsibility is taught and less fuel has to be purchased. And, animal agriculture is put to good use.

These folks can choose to eat food with the base ingredient of soy and wear polyester. They can choose to not own animals or to do business with people who own animals. They are free to make those choices. I, however, would expect the same freedom of choice in return.