No to Dannon

I am officially not eating Dannon Yogurt or Oikos Greek Yogurt. Did you even eat yogurt before this you ask? Yes, occasionally (once or twice a year). Why the need for this boycott would be the next logical question. I am boycotting Dannon because they put profit ahead of logic and sound science.

It seems as though Dannon has put forth a pledge of “transparency” to their customers. As a part of this pledge they have committed to not using any GMO products or any milk from cows fed GMO products in their yogurt. They are doing all of this under the guise of sustainable agriculture. This is one of the most misleading and ludicrous statements I have ever seen.

This statement is so false that Dannon has issued a second statement, in response to a stern letter from ag groups, stating that they know GMO crops are safe and sustainable but they are bowing to consumer pressure. On that note, I really doubt that most consumers really care. I suspect that the “consumers” they have heard from are really anti-GMO activists and I doubt if they account for even a percent of Dannon or Oikos consumers. They are loud and vocal and seem to have Dannon’s ear.

What really gets my blood boiling is the idea that farming with GMO crops is not sustainable ag. I would argue with you that farming with GMO crops is the very definition of sustainable agriculture. We utilize GMO crops on our farm and our ultimate goal is to be sustainable. GMO crops have allowed us to become completely no-till and stay that way for the past several years. It is one of the best changes (and one of the most sustainably minded changes) we have ever made.

GMO crops have allowed farmers to use fewer inputs and produce more food. It is no secret that in 2014 we used 51 million fewer acres of farmland to produce more the same amount of food. That is equivalent to all the farm ground in Missouri and Iowa. I find it incredible that GMO crops have allowed us to increase production by that much.

We all know that GMO crops also allow us to use less fuel, fertilizer and pesticides. Because of GMO advances I cannot remember the last time we sprayed an insecticide on our crops. We are conserving more soil while keeping a great deal of the sediment out of our rivers, lakes and reservoirs. GMO crops help keep our air cleaner with less wind erosion. All of this while producing more food and higher quality grains on fewer acres. That, my friends, is the very definition of sustainable ag in my mind.

Does that mean farmers who chose to be organic or non-GMO are not sustainable? No, I truly believe that all farmers strive to be sustainable no matter what production method they use. I do not know of a single farmer who does not worry about the future and hopes to hand down a farm to the next generation that is better than when they started. Each generation of farmers have passed along lands that were more healthy and productive than the past generation and I do not see that ever ending, no matter what a yogurt company might say.

One could make the argument that they are just doing what their customers want. I still believe that the vast majority are happy with the product and the vocal critics are a very, very small minority. I also truly believe that if they spent as much time trying to help educate their customers about how sustainable agriculture really is and how GMO crops do this while not posing any kind of a threat to consumers or the environment they would not have to make this pledge.

Instead it is more trendy and easier to market this pledge of “transparency” even though they know it is not the truth. This lazy marketing is something that will harm all of agriculture and we must make our voices heard. It is important that we contact Dannon and let them know how much of a mistake this is. Of course we can also let them know through the cash register too.

It is also important to remember that a great deal of the responsibility about educating the public still falls to each of us as ag producers. We need to let all of our friends and family know just how important GMO crops are to the long term sustainability of agriculture. Because in the end, all agriculture strives to be sustainable and to preserve and protect our environment all while continuing to produce more and better food and yes, that even includes yogurt.

Anitibiotics Good For Beef, Good For You

Tonight we are going to sit down around the kitchen table and enjoy one of my favorite dinners, pot roast. There is nothing better than a slow-cooked, properly seasoned hunk of beef and the corresponding vegetables. I cannot wait and the best part of all is that I am 100% sure it is absolutely safe to eat and free of antibiotics.

How can I be sure it is free of antibiotics and safe? I raised the animal this particular pot roast came from and I have followed all of the protocols and precautions to make sure it was free of any possible antibiotic residue. So your response is naturally; great, you raised it so you know, but what about the meat in the case at my local grocery store?

Whether it says antibiotic free or not I assure you that the meat in your grocer’s case is also antibiotic free. I know, each day we are all bombarded with information about antibiotic resistant bugs. I also assure you that farmers and ranchers are just like you and we are all worried about our families’ health. Some of the stories are quite frightening and we are alarmed and for good reason.

It was natural for some to make the leap and assume that agriculture has played a part in the increase in resistant bacteria. Farmers and ranchers are some of the largest users of antibiotics. In many cases in modern animal agriculture, antibiotics are included at therapeutic levels in livestock feed to promote growth and prevent infections. This practice has been around for decades and has been studied extensively.

All animal medicine, including antibiotics used in feeds, are closely monitored and approved by the FDA. Antibiotic resistance in humans has never been linked to the use of antibiotics in animals, never.  Why all the scrutiny on antibiotics and particularly those in used in feed?  An increase in the cases of antibiotic resistance in humans has led to greater speculation. However, speculation is all it is.

I speak for my fellow farmers and ranchers when I say that we are cognizant of the value of antibiotics and the dangers of their overuse. We are concerned about resistant bacteria in our livestock but the concern for our animals pales in comparison when it comes to the concern we have for our families. That is why we are diligent in our use of antibiotics and follow label directions and withdrawal dates. It is simply the right thing to do. We are farmers and ranchers and proud to raise the meat on your dinner plates but we are fathers, mothers, grandparents, uncles and aunts first. The safety of our families is paramount.

I assure you that we are in favor of continued monitoring when it comes to anti-biotic resistance and we will be the first ones to look for solutions if the time ever comes that a problem is found. However, that time has not come and the antibiotics we utilize are critical for the health of our livestock. Just know that the meat on your table is antibiotic free, it will stay that way because of concerned committed farmers and ranchers.

OK, so I am preaching to the choir, we all live this every day and we are concerned about the increased regulations on antibiotics. I am even more concerned about where this might lead. It is very important and even critical that we voice our opinion and educate our consumers about how we use antibiotics and that they are not linked in any way to antibiotic resistant bacteria in humans. We need to tell the story to every consumer and reassure them that their food is safe.

We must also acknowledge our responsibility to use antibiotics in the right way and work closely with our veterinarians to insure that we are. We are under more scrutiny and more people are watching our actions than ever before. I know we are and we will continue to but a good reminder never hurts either. We live in an era of more attention where opinion and speculation often outweigh facts. It is up to us to make sure the facts and scientific proof are interwoven into that public opinion.

Just like my perfectly cooked, properly seasoned pot roast takes time and effort turning the tide of public opinion takes just as much time and preparation.  All of this talk about beef and pot roast has made me hungry so I must turn my attention to the chuck roast slated for supper tonight. You know, the one that is healthy, wholesome and, most of all, antibiotic free.

3 Myths You Should Never Fall For When It Comes To Food

I should know better, by now you would think stuff like this wouldn’t get to me. Well, I was wrong. Last week I noticed a couple of my friends had posted a link to an article on Facebook. The article was titled “14 Foods You Should Never Eat”. I knew it would get my hackles up, but I read it anyway. No matter how mad misinformation makes me, it is important to know what is being said.

Most of the misinformation in this article came from the same tired, unsubstantiated rumors and falsehoods put forward by anti-agriculture groups and hacks interested in selling books and making TV appearances. Strong language, yes, but if you mislead the public and cause hysteria, you should be put in your place. So what were some of these myths that set me off?

One of the” things we should all know” is how dangerous nonorganic strawberries are. Robert Kenner, director of Food Inc. (and don’t even get me started on that piece of fiction), cited seeing workers in haz mat suits spraying strawberries as the reason to go organic. He also referred to analysis preformed by the Environmental Working Group (another anti-ag group with agendas), stating that 13 different pesticides had been found on nonorganic strawberries.

First, let me say that recently I had an opportunity to visit several strawberry farms, one organic and three nonorganic. I would feed my family strawberries from any of these farms. The growing of strawberries is a highly regulated business (the nonorganic producers are more regulated than organic producers) and I assure you all withdrawal times are adhered to, nonorganic strawberries are just as healthy and safe to eat as organic strawberries. The berries you buy in the grocery store are safe if you do one simple thing and that goes for organic or nonorganic. Wash them thoroughly before you eat them, period.  

The next “thing we should know about our food” was that today’s wheat was different from wheat in the past. That is complete rubbish. The article quoted Dr. William Davis, the author of the “Wheat Belly” (another “expert hawking another book). He said that wheat had been genetically manipulated and was nothing like the wheat from the 60’s and 70’s. In his “expert” opinion he stated that you could not change wheat and not have an effect on the people who consume it.

Yes, wheat yields have improved significantly in the past 40 and 50 years and that is a good thing. We are facing an ever growing world population and we must increase our production to stave of starvation for millions and millions of people. We achieve these increases in production through selective breeding programs, crossing certain lines of wheat with other lines of wheat. This allows us to select for hardier wheat, wheat with more protein and other desirable characteristics. However, at the end of the day, it is still wheat and you are consuming wheat identical to wheat consumed in the 60’s and 70’s.

The final “thing we should know about our food” that I am going to address is that industrial produced hamburgers are dangerous. For this little nugget the article quoted Michael Pollan, the author of several misleading and alarmist books (again which have made him very wealthy). Mr. Pollan said that cattle are raised in filthy conditions, pumped full of growth hormones and fed genetically modified grains. Therefore they have to be dangerous and grass-fed beef is healthier and safer.

Again, this is complete rubbish and misinformation. There is absolutely no credible research that genetically modified crops (and that is another one of the points I would like to address but can’t because I don’t have space) cause any health concerns either now or in the future. The beef you consume is raised in modern facilities utilizing the best in modern animal husbandry practices. The growth promotants they are given are tested and approved, given in proper dosages and withdrawal times are strictly adhered to. The beef you buy in the store is just as safe as the grass-fed beef Mr. Pollan was promoting. I will note that all beef and all meat must be handled, prepared and cooked properly to insure safety.

Yes, this article did make me mad. The “experts” they quoted were the same ones often seen making the rounds on talk shows causing hysteria, spreading myths and making money. We must make sure we are vigilant in standing up to these quacks and debunking the misinformation they are spreading. We all know we produce the safest, most wholesome food in the world, but it is also our job to make sure everyone else knows it too.