I am deeply disappointed that a group of individuals who are associated with a land grant university with a well respected animal science program are very misinformed about modern livestock welfare practices. Your article targeting the swine industry specifically was particularly worrisome as we live in the top pork producing state in the country and house some of the most notable swine researchers worldwide. I understand that you do not have an animal science background and education like I do, so I am writing this letter to help make you a more informed news team.
You start out by saying the pigs tattooed by Wim Doyle have a "greater purpose than being my (your) dinner". I want to say that all the pigs I raise or that my neighbors raise have a greater purpose than keeping our bellies full, even if they aren't art models. The pigs raised in Iowa, feed the world. 33 million hogs are marketed in Iowa each year, however the population of Iowa is only around 3 million. We have more pork than we know what to do with! There's no doubt pigs raised in not only Iowa but in the U.S. in general serve a greater purpose than providing food for MY plate; their greater purpose is to provide food for the plates of people who cannot raise their own pork globally. There are many other countries on the other side of the Pacific Ocean who cannot support their own people's pork demands. They turn to the U.S. for exports because they trust that the pork our farmers raise is safe, wholesome, delicious, and raised with the upmost care. Which leads me to my second concern from your article.
You use the term "humane meat" very loosely in the article, however your definition of what that means is very vague. I want to flat out say that ALL pig farmers have an OBLIGATION to raise their animals humanely. The size, location, or type of farm does not change that obligation. There are also strict legal penalties for those who decide to not follow that obligation. Based off your call to action against "corporations" I'm also guessing you do not know that 98% of hog farms are family owned. Generations within a family have spent their lives going to great lengths to ensure their pigs are cared for properly. There are no days off and no holidays. You also probably didn't know that pig farmers follow 6 key We Care Principles that map out how they want to run their operation to ensure their practices promote animal welfare, food safety, worker safety, environmental sustainability, protect public health, and contribute to the quality of life within their communities. I encourage you to read more about the We Care Principles and how pigs are actually raised in a commercial setting at www.porkcares.org.
It's clear you have some questions about how pigs are raised, but you never fully go into detail about what those are. You are surrounded by many experts in the swine industry and people who raise pigs back home (including myself) on campus every day. I encourage you to reach out to your peers with an open mind so you can become a more educated and informed consumer and writer. I understand that it's easy to
make assumptions about something you are unfamiliar with when you've never been around it. However, you have the resources around you to get the truth. Take advantage of it. I would bet that one of your peers would be more than willing to open their family's barn doors to show you what goes on inside. I also encourage you to check the reliability of your sources more carefully when writing future articles and to get as many aspects on an issue as possible.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any more questions you may have.
Katlyn Kahler
A Senior in Animal Science with a Swine Emphasis
Original article found at http://www.iowastatedaily.com/opinion/article_c18973f6-6f0c-11e6-8443-e31020544f1c.html