Discussion on public perception and critical issues facing domestic farm animal owners. Opportunities for communicating animal stewardhsip.
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JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011 NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 1 Department of Animal Sciences HOW TO LOSE AN ARGUMENT ON ANIMAL WELFARE J.W. Schroeder, Ph.D., Associate Professor Extension Dairy Specialist “Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.” – Abe Lincoln 1% 0% 0% 2% 0% 1% 2% 3% 3% 8% 7% 10% 13% 14% 13% 43% 40% 5% 20% 17% 1 Very Unfavorable 10 Very Favorable Feelings Toward Dairy Products Midwest Dairy Association Cheese N=261 Milk n=245 1 Very Unfavorable 10 Very Favorable 8.6 Mean On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is very unfavorable and 10 is very favorable, how would you characterize your feelings towards milk (1/2 sample) cheese (1/2 sample)? 8.2 Mean Days/Year Consume Cheese 42 78 215 Days/Year Milk Consumed as Beverage 1 70 293 Trusted Sources – Animal Care 65% 47% 44% 17% 13% 7% 20% 18% 13% 10% 9% 8% 10% 35% 16% 9% 5% 10% 11% 8% 21% 31% 31% 27% 43% 48% 36% 33% 36% 37% 6% 13% 14% 22% 29% 36% 39% 40% 41% 45% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% US Department of Agriculture (USDA) American Association of Bovine Practitioners Dairy Research Institute National Milk Producers Federation American Veterinary Medical Association People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA Humane Society of the United States American Humane Society Top Box Index vs. Nat 105 95 116 105 125 116 110 140 130 100 Don’t’ Know No Trust Trust Somewhat Trust very Much Source: Dairy Management Inc. U.S. Welfare Laws Since 2002 Practices Banned in Recent Time – Veal crates • Arizona 2006, Colorado 2008 – Tail Docking of Dairy Cattle • Outlawed in California 2009 – Foie gras (force feeding) • California 2004 “Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act” (Proposition 2, California 2008) – Passed by wide margin (63% yes vs. 36% no) • Provisions of the Act Animals must have sufficient space to lie down, turn around, groom, stretch limbs freely Most recently, Maine – As of January 1, 2011, gestation stalls and veal crates will be prohibited
Transcript
JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 1
Department of Animal Sciences
HOW TO LOSE AN ARGUMENT ON ANIMAL WELFARE
J.W. Schroeder, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Extension Dairy Specialist
“Public sentiment is everything.
With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it,
nothing can succeed.”
– Abe Lincoln
1% 0%0%2%
0% 1%2%3%3%
8%7%
10%
13%14%
13%
43%40%
5%
20%17%
1Very
Unfavorable
10Very
Favorable
Feelings Toward Dairy ProductsMidwest Dairy Association
CheeseN=261
Milkn=245
1Very
Unfavorable
10Very
Favorable8.6Mean
On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is very unfavorable and 10 is very favorable, how would you characterize your feelings towards milk (1/2 sample) cheese (1/2 sample)?
8.2Mean
Days/Year ConsumeCheese
42 78 215Days/Year
Milk Consumed
as Beverage
1 70 293
Trusted Sources – Animal Care
65%
47%
44%
17%
13%
7%
20%
18%
13%
10%
9%
8%
10%
35%
16%
9%
5%
10%
11%
8%
21%
31%
31%
27%
43%
48%
36%
33%
36%
37%
6%
13%
14%
22%
29%
36%
39%
40%
41%
45%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
American Association ofBovine Practitioners
Dairy Research Institute
National Milk Producers Federation
American Veterinary Medical Association
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
American Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA
Humane Society of the United States
American Humane Society
Top
Box
In
dex
vs. N
at
105
95
116
105
125
116
110
140
130
100
Don’t’ Know No Trust Trust Somewhat Trust very Much
Source: Dairy Management Inc.
U.S. Welfare Laws Since 2002Practices Banned in Recent Time
– Veal crates• Arizona 2006, Colorado 2008
– Tail Docking of Dairy Cattle• Outlawed in California 2009
– Foie gras (force feeding)• California 2004
“Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act”(Proposition 2, California 2008)– Passed by wide margin (63% yes vs. 36%
no)
• Provisions of the ActAnimals must have sufficient space to lie down, turn around, groom, stretch limbs freely
Most recently, Maine– As of January 1, 2011, gestation stalls
and veal crates will be prohibited
JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 2
Abuse Captured on Video
1. Westland Hallmark Packing Plant in California (2/08)2. Livestock Market in Portales, New Mexico (6/08)3. The Veal Calf Slaughter Plant in Vermont (11/09)4. Conklin’s Dairy Farm Video of Abuse (5/10)
Social Media Response
Dynamics of cell phone users:
33% access daily news feeds
28% customize internet access
37% contribute to creation of news24 hour news delivery -- now in 30 minute of less!
Communication Tools & Resources
Media efforts to:
• Establish a presence
• Enlist advocates
• Dominate search engines… – Sayable
– Sharable
– Sendable
– Showable
Commodity Groups at Workusdairy.com mydairytoolkit.com
New Consumer-Tested Key Messages Coming this Spring www.midwestdairycheckoff.com
JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 3
Images of our Industry
Poultry• Leg deformity –
fast growth
Pigs• Lean line
Beef cattle• Corkscrew claw
Dairy• Inherited autosomal
recessives:– DUMPS, BLAD
Images of our Industry
Horses• Blue-eyed
Pets• Dogs – for show not
function
Images of our Industry
Livestock for Exhibition
Viewed as abuses (often a consequence of ignorance about animal needs)
– Feeding diets with excessive concentrates and limited or no hay
– Confined in a small pen that restricts exercise and prevents socialization
– Isolation a dark climate-controlled room for 24 hours a day for the purposes of simply growing hair
– Not understanding what they are seeing and assuming the worse…
Grand Champion Bull – Shearer Angus
Handling Practices to ConsiderThis is a form of animal abuse that is commonplace because of a lack of understanding of these handling devices
Nose-lead is a distraction device, not a halter
Halter is a restraint device
Farm size, in & of itself, will never be a reliable indicator of animal welfare on the farm.
JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 4
Rodeo EventsSteer wrestling
Calf roping
Team roping
Bull ridingBronc riding
Miscellaneous
Mishaps
Specialty events
Hunting, Fishing, etc.
Sources: DA Daley, CSU-Chico and JK Shearer, ISU
1. Assuming science will give us all the answers Science doesn’t solve ethical questions The public doesn’t always trust scientists
2. Using economics as the justification for all of our practices“...of course we treat them well or we won’t make money”
Although it makes sense to those who raise animals for a living, these statements hurt our efforts with the public
Science & Economics
3. Assuming that you must defend all farming practices, regardless of what they are Defending all practices makes no sense and
causes you to lose credibility with the public
4. Assuming we can’t do better at animal welfare• Agriculture is about evolving practices• Why can’t we continue to improve a system that
is already good, but will continue to change?
Egos and Assumptions
5. Attacking everyone who disagrees with you in a negative and critical manner• Getting angry easily generally means we aren’t
comfortable with what we are doing and have to loudly defend ourselves for assurance
6. Not being willing to listen because we are so busy responding• Learn to listen to understand - not to responding
Talking vs. Listening
JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 5
7. Assuming that the radical fringe is the general public• We spend far too much time focused on the
animal extremists, and not enough time working with the general public
8. Being reactive rather than proactive• Happens all the time, especially among those
who are passionate about what they do
Radical or Accepted?
9. Assuming that because someone disagrees with you they are stupid, evil or both• Good people can look at the same issue
differently
10.Not working hard enough to build coalitions that include the public (consumers)• Most of our coalition efforts are focused on
bringing agricultural groups together
• There aren’t enough of us, and we don’t represent enough votes.
Thoughtful Planning?
11.Criticizing or mocking any animal production system that is not “conventional”• There is room for different methods of production• Let the market determine their success rather
than you hoping for them to fail
12.Trying to lead a parade without seeing if anyone is following… Have you asked producers about the issue?• 90%+ of surveyed producers say “animals have the RIGHT to be
treated humanely and ethically”!
Diverse Leadership Animal Welfare Gone Hollywood
Temple Grandin• Movie received seven Emmy awards • Named on of Time magazine’s
“100 most influential people in the world”
Warning …
The following contains scenes that some might find disturbing.
Intended for mature audiences that are well-informed and willing to work toward solutions that benefit our society.
These are extreme cases and NOT typical, but they do happen…
Bull fighting, Dog fighting, Cock fighting
JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 6
Uncontrollable
Neglect
Abuse
Make Every Conversation Count
Key Message
Proof Points
Tell ’em what you told ‘em
Give them a “glass” of information, not the entire tank load
