A-FAN Commentary
Supporting animal agriculture
By Gregg Fujan | 3/6/2007
It
is easy to turn away and ignore the criticisms and untruths haphazardly
tossed at the animal agriculture industry by those who don’t know any
better or those who believe they live on a higher moral plain and,
therefore, have every right to tell the rest of us what to eat and how
to live.Unfortunately, ignoring the untruths today results in one-sided news reports, confused consumers and local regulators that simply don’t understand how modern animal agriculture works to raise animals in the most humane, clean and environmentally-friendly manor. Ignoring the attacks results in rumors, mistrust by neighbors and frustration. It also weakens the backbone of Nebraska’s economy.
Nebraska soybean producers understand the importance of animal agriculture to their operation—after all, Nebraska livestock and poultry consume about 40% of our crop in the form of soybean meal. The rest of the crop is exported out of the state. On a national level, U.S. livestock and poultry consume more than 90% of the domestically-produced soybean meal.
With these statistics in mind, the Nebraska Soybean Board has identified animal agriculture as a top priority—and has partnered with the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN) as one way to support grassroots animal ag in Nebraska.
A-FAN supports our number one customer by helping existing Nebraska livestock and poultry producers expand their operation or by assisting farmers looking to get into animal production. In either case, A-FAN works at no charge to producers to help grow the livestock and poultry industry in Nebraska—in ways that are compatible within each community and the environment.
The livestock and poultry industries work hard to spread the truth about their industries and how they produce the safest, most nutritious food in the entire world in the best possible way. A-FAN helps them grow responsibly and find the answers to criticisms and untruths that are lobbed in their direction.
Supporting A-FAN is one way soybean producers help their livestock and poultry producer partners—and help use more home-grown soybeans right here in the state.
Another is by being seen and heard at local meetings, proactively defending and promoting animal agriculture. Soybean producers also write letters to newspapers, host open houses with neighboring livestock producers or volunteer to speak to schools and civic groups. A website, www.animalag.com, was designed by soybean producers to help them support animal agriculture. It explains the enormous benefits of animal agriculture and provides truths that answer myths often repeated by activists.
Nebraska’s soybean crop is worth more than $1.2 billion each year, but imagine how that is compounded through livestock production. A growing and vibrant animal agriculture industry in Nebraska means a growing market for soybeans produced in the state, and all the other products that feed an industry that is the backbone of the state’s economy.
A growing livestock industry means energized rural communities, a positive atmosphere and a stronger economy.
It is something in which Nebraska Soybean Board strongly believes, which is why we are not timid in our support A-FAN and the state’s livestock and poultry producers.
Gregg Fujan of Weston, Neb., is chairman of the Nebraska Soybean Board.