Today everybody thinks they’re an expert on greenhouse gas emissions, slaughtering practices and production processes. There is a ton of information out there – some true, some not. It’s hard for consumers and producers alike to sift through the information and differentiate between fact and fiction.
That’s why it’s important for researchers to continue conducting scientific studies to determine what is fact and what is fiction./ If a consumer hears a piece of false information in an HSUS commercial and believes it, that consumer could tell 30 people a month about false information involving the agriculture industry. However, if that same consumer reads an article about a recent study on safe practices, for example practices in the swine industry, their opinion can be reversed. Sound science is and will continue to be the basis of production practices in the United States.
It is up to us to inform the media, consumers and world about our way of life. You can help by reading a scientific magazine every month – there are several available in libraries or you can read selected articles online. A few examples of some journals are Journal of Animal Science, The Economist, Journal of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences and the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. Read an article and share it with your peers; not only will you be advocating for our industry but you’ll also look smart too!
Until next time,
~Buzzard~
