Read weekly blogs of Missouri State Ag students perspective on the Animal Welfare/Animal Rights debate

Monday, December 13, 2010

Pardon Me Please!!!

By Cody McCann

The holiday season is definitely upon us, and amongst the traditions such as going Shopping on Black Friday, the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, and going to Grandma's on Christmas morning is one tradition which may not be very old, but gains national news coverage; the pardoning of the National Turkey. While it is unclear who started the tradition of pardoning the turkey the only presidents who we can be certain to have actually PARDONED the bird were George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack H. Obama. Stories exist that Kennedy when presented with the bird said "lets just keep him" but didn't officially pardon the bird, Truman may have pardoned a turkey in 1947 (the first year that the National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg Board presented the president with a Turkey) but the Truman Presidential Library can not find documentation to support that claim, and another story exists that Lincoln pardoned his son Tad's pet turkey.

While every President since the Missouri native has received turkeys from The NTF (National Turkey Federation), I just wonder what message pardoning the bird sends. I know that the whole event is supposed to be light hearted and a feel good ceremony, and that there is another bird being cooked in the White House kitchen as the ceremony goes on outside. According to the NTF they estimate that 68 million turkeys were consumed Thanksgiving and Christmas last year, and is one of the holiday staples. But are the president and the NTF sending the wrong message?

The Presidents public statement that they are not going to eat the turkey could be telling the public that it is better to not eat turkey, by pardoning it is to personify it, and personification of animals is the primary tactic of Animal Rights groups. Its not too far of a stretch of the imagination for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) or HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) to have an ad campaign next Thanksgiving showing clips of pardoning's past and then some commercial turkey farm and trying to make the case that why should only one be sparred when millions of other turkeys are not.

Ok so I know that most people are still going to fight over the drumstick during the holidays no matter what HSUS and PETA says, simply because it is tradition, but that type of message may be able to convince a segment of society to have a Tofu Turkey instead, and thats not what is best for Agriculture. So Mr. Obama in 2011 I would prefer not to see a turkey pardoned, but rather images of Sasha and Malia pulling the wish bone, or the president carving the bird, as it sends a better message to the public; that the first family prefers  their poultry on a platter rather than pardoned.



Works Cited
Brunner, Borgna, and Mark Hughes. "Presidential Pardon ." Infoplease. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.   
            <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/tgturkey2.html>.
Edwards, Cynthia. "Did Truman Pardon a Turkey?." Harry S. Truman Library & Museum. N.p., 5 Dec. 2003. Web. 13 Dec. 
             2010. <http://www.trumanlibrary.org/trivia/turkey.htm>.
Knoller, Mark. "The History of the Presidential Turkey Pardon ." CBS News Politics. CBS News, 25 Nov. 2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5774739-503544.html>.
"Turkey History & Trivia." Turkey the Perfect Protein. National Turkey Federation, 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://www.eatturkey.com/consumer/history/history.html>.


Calvin College Hekman Library openURL resolver

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Wayd Jansen
Wanted Dead, Not Alive
            Women attacked while jogging on a hiking trail, utility vehicle attacked and flipped paralyzing one man, (Feral Hogs - Threat to People, Agriculture and Missouri's Natural Resources.  ), plus an endless list of property damage. At this point your mind is probably racing, “Is it a bobcat? Couldn’t be they are too small to flip a utility vehicle. Is it a mountain lion? No couldn’t be. It must be a bear right?” The menacing animal with this long criminal record is none other than a feral hog.
            The privies listed offences are all done by an animal that has been taking a larger and larger foothold in the place that we call home. At this point, the Missouri Conservation Department is listing over twenty counties in Missouri as being infected by feral hogs. The habitat destruction and competition against native species puts this invasive animal at the top of the Conservations hit list, but could we turn them into a blessing.
          Feral hogs are the only animal that I can recall that the conservation department has written, “Shoot on sight,” next to its picture. I understand that feral hogs are not a native species to Missouri and I have read long list of attacks and reports of property damage by people from different states yet, I still have a hard time with this call to arms.
There are always problem animals of any species. Mountain lions reported as attaching people on trails and, bears entering camp sites or homes but, there’s never the call to eradicate a whole species. Now don’t get me wrong I love hunting, and if you’re telling me it’s open season everyday of the year, my gun is not going to be anywhere but by my side. Can this be considered, “good conservation” though and what is the reasoning behind it?
One of the biggest things I see is that feral hogs pose a threat to two of, if not the most important trophy animals in the state, turkey and deer. According to the Missouri Conservation Department and University of Missouri Extention, “Feral hogs will eat anything they can catch including reptiles, amphibians, fawns and bird eggs. Besides the direct mortality, hogs compete with native wildlife for food items. They consume roots, berries, fruits, acorns and other nuts with such efficiency that native species may be left short. A large population of feral hogs distributed widely throughout the Ozarks where turkey reproduction and survival depends heavily on the nut crop, would do serious damage to Missouri's turkey flock.” My question is, “Is the eradication of one nonnative species considered a good thing, so as that we preserve the ever climbing population of our trophy species. “
Most people would likely say they agree with the conservations take on things.  As for me I see another animal to capitalize on. Many folks love to hog hunt, and people will often book guided trips to states like Texas that hold trophy sized hogs.  So why are we not regulating hog hunting, and making hunters purchase tags that funnel more money into our conservation agencies? This to me is a missed opportunity for our states.
Another thing that bugs me is at one point in the history of our state we have almost hunted both the deer and turkey into extinction before we realized we had to regulate seasons and tags. After this was discovered there was the extensive management process to try and bring these species back to the state. This is a situation we could prevent with proper conservation procedures taken sooner rather than later. Then, instead of having  to work on rebuild a population, we could start with the enjoyment of managing or healthy population.
As for me, I love to hunt and I’m working on a degree in Conservation Wildlife. I see a big error in our ways right now and I’m hoping to possibly shed light on a situation before we realize what we might be miss out on it.  



         
           




Work Cited
Feral Hogs - Threat to People, Agriculture and Missouri's Natural Resources. MDC, 2010. google.com. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. <http://mdc.mo.gov/landwater-care/animal-management/invasive-animal-management/feral-hogs/feral-hogs-threat-people-agri>.

Moore, Chester. Wild Hog Attachs Rare but Scary. Port Arthur The News Connecting Communties, 8 June 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. <http://panews.com/outdoors/x681446177/Wild-hog-attacks-rare-but-scary

Pierce, Robert A., and Rex Martensen. Feral Hogs in Missouri: Damage Prevention and Control. UME, Dec. 2009. Google.com. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. <http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G9457#Damage>.
Animal Activist vs. Bull Riding
            On November 3, 2007 bull riders, fans, and friends sat in despair as we watched a great young man’s life end right before our eyes. Zach Clinton was a good bull rider by anybody’s standards but, he may have been a little miss matched on this night. Zack started a good ride but, by about mid way through the ride he ended up under the bull as its hide hooves came down right on his chest. Zach stopped breathing before the ambulance arrived and was pronounced dead before he made it to the hospital.
            People might wonder how this possible relates to animal activist groups considering; activist groups wish to see all rodeo sports including bull riding banned. What people fail to realize is that these groups will pick on rodeo associations from the largest associations such as the PBR or PRCA on down to the smallest association like high school rodeo associations. For the larger associations it’s not as hard to fight back because, they have the funding to higher expensive lawyers to discredit the propaganda that these groups wish to spew online or in court. Smaller or newer associations normally will not have the man power or funding to fight off the activist groups, there for will occasionally be shut down.
            With different associations there is a different level of competition. A father does not just throw his tee ball player in to a high school baseball game and say, “Go hit a home run,” there is a process of honing your skill; the same is for rodeo. Participants start by matching up with animals that are of the same skill level and build their skills till they graduate to the next level. If one of the steps it taken out of the growing process then there is a miss match and accidents can happen, just like in the case of my friend Zach.
            I hope with this that I can bring some light to this sort of situation. In Zach case he would have most likely still of chose to rodeo at the level he was at. Zach was always one to test himself with strong competition. So competitors though would love to have another babe step before moving up to a large association but, with the pressure from animal activist groups this is not always possible. I believe that if this animal rights activist groups can band together to destroy the rodeo way of life then, we as rodeo participants and fans need to band together and at no matter what level of rodeo the fight for survival is at we need to be there for each other.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Elk in Missouri?

By- Alison Bos

         A wildlife and conservation issue is giving Missouri residents a lot to talk and think about. The issue of reintroducing elk back into Missouri is a very controversial topic that has people, especially wildlife conservationists and farmers, very involved. Recently, this particular issue was brought to my attention in one of my agriculture classes. I had never really heard about this because it has not really been heavily publicized due to other major agricultural issues in the state. To me, the idea of reintroducing elk back into Missouri is an issue that we all need to be aware of and be more educated about.

            Elk are said to have inhibited Missouri before the European settlement (Elk History and Restoration, 2010). I honestly was not aware of elk once living in Missouri, which made me even more interested in the subject. According to the North American Deer Farmers Association, elk were “extirpated in the 19th century by a combination of unregulated hunting and habitat destruction.” Since elk have once been native to Missouri, the idea of having elk reintroduced in the state was developed.

            There have already been successful elk reintroductions in states such as Arkansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania (Elk History and Restoration, 2010.) I have personally seen the elk that reside around the Buffalo River area in Arkansas and it was quite a memorable experience. The reason the Buffalo River area was chosen as a place to reintroduce elk was because it was an area associated with high landscape, heavy forest cover, gently sloping ridge tops, valleys, low human population and low road densities (Cartright et al., 2000). Is there similar land in Missouri like there is in the Buffalo River area? Since other states have been successful in reintroducing elk, will Missouri be also?

The current plan calls for elk to be released in southeast Missouri in early 2011. As of right now, 150 cow and bull elk will be released in the Peck Ranch Recreation Area in Shannon, Reynolds, and Carter counties of southeastern Missouri (Elk Restoration, 2010). Missouri Department of Conservation also states that this land is in fact suitable for elk because it contains forests, open woodlands, food plots and old fields. The area also has low human population. The map below shows where the elk will be introduced.


            The restoration of elk in Missouri would bring many benefits. First of all, wild elk in Missouri will increase awareness of the species and would better educate Missouri citizens about the species (Wild Elk Institute of Missouri). Also, the reintroduction of elk in the states I mentioned in the previous paragraph has generated recreational and economic benefits (Missouri Department of Conservation, 2010). More people will more likely be attracted to southeast Missouri because of the elk. It will also add more diversity to Missouri’s current wildlife population. Groups, such as the Missouri Department of Conservation and Appalachian Wildlife Foundation, support reintroducing elk into the state of Missouri.
           
            Even though there are great benefits of reintroducing elk into Missouri, there are also deep concerns. Groups such as Missouri Farm Bureau do not support the idea. One of the biggest fears of Missouri Farm Bureau and similar groups is the potential harm elk could have on Missouri’s livestock and farming sector. The main concern is the transfer of diseases such as chronic wasting disease, brucellosis and tuberculosis (Missouri Farm Bureau, 2010). There is also a threat for property and crop damage. With an elk’s power and strength, fences mean nothing to them. They will do whatever it takes to reach a food they desire. The idea of elk-automobile collisions is another concern. Right now, elk are only designated to reside in three Missouri counties. What is going to keep the elk from staying in their designated counties/areas (Missouri Farm Bureau)?  

            After researching the topic and sharing both perspectives on the issue, I would like to discuss my personal experiences with wild elk. Like I mentioned earlier, I had a few opportunities to visit the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. I seen several elk, which I have to admit was a very memorable experience. They truly are magnificent animals and very interesting to watch. It was very neat to see them in an area so close to my home. Even though it was a neat experience, I personally witnessed some of the destruction that occurred. I noticed right away how elk do not respect fences. They walked right through them as if they were not even there. Another issue that concerned me was the aggressiveness of the animals, especially the bulls. I visited the area during the rut season. As tourists gathered near a herd of about twenty cows and one dominant bull, the bull showed a lot of aggression/concern towards them. Any time one of his cows moved closer to the tourists, he would chase the cow then come back towards the place tourists were standing. Personally, I was very concerned for people’s safety. Everyone was a long distance away from the herd; however the bull still shown aggression.

            I encourage you to formulate your own opinion about the issue of reintroducing elk into Missouri. As with any issue, there are benefits and problems. It definitely would be neat to see elk back in Missouri since it is a part of our state’s history and culture; however it is also a problem knowing the potential danger and harm elk can cause to our livestock, crops, property and vehicles. Given both perspectives on the issue, I believe people should be aware of the issue and learn more about the entire Missouri elk restoration plan. Elk truly are magnificent creatures. Do you think they deserve to call Missouri home?


References

Elk History and Recreation (2010). In Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2010/09/elk-history-and-restoration

Elk Restoration (2010). In MDC Online. Retrieved November 19, 2010, from http://mdc.mo.gov/landwater-care/animal-management/elk-restoration

Low, J. (2010, October 8). Missouri Plans for Elk Restoration. In North American Deer Farmers Association. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from http://www.nadefa.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=203:missouri-plans-for-elk-restoration&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=117

Missouri Farm Bureau Position on Elk Reintroduction (2010, October 13). In Missouri Farm Bureau. Retrieved November 19, 2010, from http://www.mofb.org/NewsMedia/Articles.aspx?articleID=99&searchType=search&searchTerm=elk#article

The Wild Elk Institute of Missouri (2010). Retrieved November 19, 2010, from http://gunbooks.org/weim.html

Telesco, R. L., Van Manen, F. T., Clark, J. D., & Cartwright, M. E. (2007). Identifying Sites for Elk Restoration in Arkansas. Journal of Wildlife Management, 71(5), 1393-1403. Retrieved from http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.2193/2005-673

Oddds Againest Us

                                                            The Odds Againest Us
                                       Lauren Bills

The majority of farm animals in the United States are now raised on large-scale, industrialized farms. Treated as mere production units, these "food animals" are forced to endure months, even years, of confinement or overcrowding.Confined in small cages or crates, laying hens, veal calves and breeding sows are prevented from even turning around or stretching their limbs.Barely given enough room to move, turkeys and chickens are crammed by the thousands into large, filthy warehouses.During their exhausting lives as milk producers, dairy cows are made to endure confinement, forced births, unnatural feeds, and painful infections.Crowded by the thousands into dusty, manure-laden holding pens, most beef cattle spend the last few months of their lives at feedlots.  Farm animals who survive their time "in production" suffer even more torment during transportation and marketing.During transport, animals are severely overcrowded and endure stress, inadequate ventilation and injuries. Additionally, thousands die every year in transport-related accidents.Farm animals can be legally confined on trucks for up to 36 hours without food or water and are exposed to all weather conditions.
Every year, tens of thousands of animals become so sick or injured that they cannot even walk. Called "downers" by the industry, these animals are dragged to slaughter or abandoned and left to suffer on stockyard "dead piles."At the slaughterhouse, frightened animals are kicked, hit with canes and shocked with electric prods to herd them to the kill floor.Stunning is not legally required for most farm animals. (Poultry, who comprise over 90 percent of "food animals," are not covered under The Humane Slaughter Act.) Even when stunning is required, industry reports indicate an alarming failure rate. Standard slaughter practices, combined with gross negligence, result in immense pain and suffering for millions of animals.Speed, not humane consideration, guides the slaughter process. Thousands of animals are dismembered or dropped into a scalding tank while they are still conscious.Most people are unaware of the enormous suffering farm animals endure to produce meat, milk and eggs. When Americans do learn about the ways in which animals are raised for food, they are often appalled by the cruelty these beings are forced to endure. In fact, public polls on factory farming practices reveal that over 70 percent of Americans are opposed to intensive confinement operations. Every year, more and more people are directly stopping farm animal suffering by choosing a vegetarian diet.
Egg-laying hens are among the most abused of all farm animals.On factory farms, four or more hens are forced to live inside tiny wire enclosures called battery cages. In these confines, the hens are unable to stretch their wings or legs, fulfill social needs or engage in natural behaviors.Constantly rubbing against the wire of battery cages, hens suffer severe feather loss and their bodies become covered with bruises and abrasions.To prevent injuries caused by excessive pecking, a result of unnatural, overcrowded conditions, chickens' beaks are seared off with a hot blade.In order to shock their bodies into another egg-laying cycle when production declines, the hens are denied food, water and light for up to two weeks. This cruel process is known as forced molting.Laying hens are considered "spent" after only one year. No longer useful for egg production, these exhausted animals are commonly slaughtered for soups, potpies, pet food, and other low-grade chicken products.
Every year, approximately 81 million pigs in the United States are forced to spend their lives behind bars, packed into small concrete or metal pens or crowded by the thousands into enormous warehouses.Breeding sows commonly endure three to four years of intensive confinement and live most of their lives in two-foot wide steel "gestation" crates.Immobilized and separated from her babies, a breeding sow's only contact with her young is through the bars of a crate.After two to three weeks, the piglets are taken away from their mothers. Their tails are docked, their ears are notched and they are raised in crowded "finishing" pens until they reach slaughter weight at about six months of age. The sow is then re-impregnated and the cruel and exhausting cycle continues.Born on the open range, many beef cattle are forced to fend for themselves for the first months of their lives. Denied adequate shelter and veterinary care, these young animals are often exposed to inclement weather and extreme temperatures and suffer through injury and illness without medical attention.Like other factory farmed animals, cattle are mutilated several times during their lives. Among the painful procedures they typically endure, usually without anesthesia, are dehorning and castration. For identification purposes, the animals are also routinely branded with hot irons.Eventually moved from pastures to feedlots, most beef cattle spend the rest of their short lives within the confines of filthy and overcrowded holding pens. Forced to breathe noxious fumes and lay in mud and waste, the cattle become susceptible to respiratory disease and lameness.
Fed an unnaturally rich diet supplemented with growth hormones, antibiotics and large amounts of protein, an average, 800-pound steer is often fattened and ready to leave the feedlot six months after his arrival. At this point, he has consumed about 5,000 pounds of feed and gained approximately 600 pounds.Slaughtered at about fourteen to sixteen months of age, beef cattle only live for a small fraction of their natural 18 to 22- year lifespan.Forced to produce ten times more milk than they would in nature, most dairy cows endure an exhausting existence of continuous breeding and milk production. As a result, dairy cows frequently suffer from painful udder infections, lameness and other ailments.In the name of increased milk production and profit, many dairy cows are injected with Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH), a genetically engineered hormone known to cause birth defects in calves. The drug, which was approved by the FDA, was banned in Europe and Canada.Although they can live for more than 20 years in a healthy environment, dairy cows are sent to slaughter when their milk production declines at four or five years of age.Depleted of calcium after years of heavy milk production, worn- out dairy cows often slip and fall en route to slaughter, or are so badly injured, diseased or weak they are unable to walk. Every year, thousands of dairy cows become "downers," animals too sick or injured to even stand.While it is possible that some free-range hens may be given more space than their battery- caged sisters, there are no uniform standards that define how these chickens must be housed. Producers who claim to keep hens in spacious environments may simply crowd the birds in cages slightly larger than those used at typical egg factories.Regardless of how chickens are raised, death is nearly always an inevitable part of egg production. When egg production wanes, the vast majority of layers are slaughter after one to two years. Additionally, at hatcheries from which most layers come, unwanted male chicks, unable to produce eggs or grow fast enough to be raised for meat, are immediately discarded by the most inhumane means.

Whether they are factory farmed or raised according to organic or free-range agricultural practices, nearly all "food animals" are subjected to same exceedingly stressful and cruel transportation and handling practices when sent to slaughter. No matter from where the animals come, the same horrors await them on kill floors throughout the nation.

Work Cited
www.lemondrop.com
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/resources/why_go_veg/
http://thehumanechoice.com/index.htm
http://www.vegandognutritionassociation.com/vegansfoods.html

HSUS, Are They Who You Think They Are.

Wayd Jansen
HSUS, Are They Who You Think They Are
The Humane Society of the United States prides its self on being, “The largest and most effective animal protection organization.” The HSUS’s mission statement is to, “Celebrate Animals, Confront Cruelty.” Wow, I got to say my own wallet is starting to open up for such a caring and loving organization. Yet, like any cautious person I want to do a little research on what my money will be going to. 
            Research done by The Center for Consumer Freedom shows that in 2008 HSUS boasted over 86million dollars in contributions. With that kind of money it’s worth it to know how much of that could possibly be going to a humane society closer to you. Well again thanks to The Center for Consumer Freedom, they found that only 4.7 million of HSUS spending went to grants. Half of that spending was sent to a political campaign in California. When the numbers were crunched it turns out that HSUS only actually granted 450 thousand dollars to organizations which provide hands on care to dogs and cats. People would think that an organization that sets aside a day in honor of spading and neutering pets would put more money where their mouth is.
            This is not saying a whole lot for HSUS spending. HSUS’s “form 990” a tax form; which people can find a link to on activistcash.com, shows that HSUS paid 41 employees at least 100 thousand dollar salaries. Total in 2008 there was 28.4 million dollars paid in salaries with another 4.7 million in employee benefits and compensation. The HSUS president that year received a gracious salary of 250 thousand dollars, almost half of what they spent on hands on care.
            So what are some of biggest items on HSUS’s agenda and, where’s the money going? Just visit their web page. Here people can find all they want to know or, maybe what they didn’t. Hunting/fishing, rodeos, circuses, dog breeding, zoos, lab research done on animals, and let’s not fail to mention dairy farms, chicken/egg productions, hog farms, and the list is virtually endless. To no surprise people will also find a strong push to change their eating habits. Wayne Pacelle, HSUS’s former president, is a strict vegan and is quoted saying, “Reducing meat consumption can be a tremendous benefit to animals,” and, “HSUS is making a guide to vegetarian eating, to really make the case for it.”
            Let’s get back to money. In 2008, 27.5 million dollars were spent on just fundraising. So, major portions of donations every year are spent on the heart tugging commercials of “abused” animals just to get back into your wallet. 27.5 million dollars, how many animals could be saved with that? From 2004 to 2008, 8.5 million has been put into the executive pension fund. Nearly 5 million dollars every year is spent on traveling fees alone.  If people wish to see where the rest of the HSUS donations are going they should fill free to go to the websites of, The Center for Consumer Freedom,” or “Activist cash.” Here people can find the HSUS Tax Form 990 for the years of 2008 and 2009.
            Do to great deception on the part of HSUS’s heart wrenching commercials and propaganda over 11 million people have pledged support to this group. Unknowing the money they thought they had pledged to a truly worthy cause is actually going to help dismantle all forms agriculture and some outdoor recreations. Theses pet loving Americans are being falsely influence to believe that HSUS might have ties with their local humane society which is false. With a little help from the people who are not fooled by HSUS and, so research done by each individual I believe we can show people the truth behind the HSUS’s façade. It’s time that outdoorsmen and agriculturalist put their foot down and, start educating the public before our way of life is simply tilled over.



















Work Cited
activistcash.com. N.p., 2010. www.google.com. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. <http://activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/o/136-humane-society-of-the-united-states>.
The Humane Society of the United States. N.p., 2010. www.google.com. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. <http://www.humanesociety.org/>.

Unpacking the HSUS Gravy Train. The Center for Consumer Freedom, 30 Dec. 2009. www.google.com. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/h/4062-unpacking-the-hsus-gravy-train>.


A Dying Breed

By Jessica Sokolic

            According to the EPA’s Ag Center, in 2009, there were over 285,000,000 people living in the United States, less than 1% of this population claimed farming as their occupation. Of this 1% of the population, only 960,000 people claimed farming as their principal occupation (EPA Ag Center, 2009). For most, this is a frightening statistic that’s hitting hard in the heart of our homes. As the population continues to grow not only here in the United States, but also worldwide, the demand for food continues to grow with it. If the demand for food continues to grow, shouldn’t the farming population grow too?
            This doesn’t seem to be the case. In the United States, the average age of our farmers is on the increase while the average size of their farms is on the decrease. American farmers are facing financial struggles, old age and the fact that there is only a very small group of younger generations to take their place. These factors have been shown in the results of the US Census as far back as the 70’s. It is being feared that our nation’s current farmers may be the last of a dying breed.
            For the purpose of the US Census, the EPA Ag Center defines a farm as, “any establishment which produced and sold, or normally would have produced and sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the year” (EPA Ag Center, 2009). By following this definition, there are just over 2.1 million farms in the United States. It is estimated that the average cost of living expenses alone for these farms exceeds $47,000 per year. With less than 1 out of every 4 farms making gross revenues in excess of $50,000, it proves that the American farmer is struggling (EPA Ag Center, 2009).
            The average age of America’s principal farm operators has been documented as above 50 years old as far back as the 1974 Census of Agriculture. In contrast, the percentage of principal farm operators below the age of 35 has been decreasing since 1982, when it was 15.9%. In 2002, this percentage dropped as low as 5.8%. These statistics show that our nation’s farmers are dwindling in numbers (USDA).
The Missouri farmer is no different. The average age of the Missouri farmer has increased from 54 years old in 1997 to 57 years old in 2007, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The average Missouri farm size is 269 acres with average farm production expenses running around $56,900. The average net cash farm income of operation is only $18,176 (USDA).
Our nation maybe in danger of losing one of it’s key building blocks and yet it gets overlooked everyday. The American farmer has been and will be continued to be taken for granted, until they are gone. It is our responsibility as a nation to bring this crisis to the forefront and give our farmers the support they have long deserved. It is our responsibility to make sure that today’s American farmer is not the last of a dying breed.

Sources