Cyndi's Two Cents

Storm preparedness

Commentary.

As I pen this column I’m working in my home office, bracing for an ice storm.  We’ve stocked up on fuel (including kerosene in case we need to light up those heaters in the house) tested the generators, filled containers with water for the house, tanks of water for cattle and buckets of water for the chickens. 

We have enough bread, milk and eggs (as long as the hens keep laying) to make it through an apocalyptic event.  We’re stocked up on feed, mineral, protein and salt for cattle and feed for chickens.  We fed big round bales of hay to all the groups of cattle this morning.

The flashlights have fresh batteries.  Our mobile phones are charged.  Our mobile chargers are charged.

We have these fancy little contraptions to put on our boots with traction tread outsoles and cleats that will make getting around on the ice not quite so treacherous.  (Thanks Mike for the thoughtful gift.)

At the heart of all the investment and effort to prepare for a potentially severe ice storm, is the welfare of our livestock and poultry.  Do we need to open another paddock where the cows have access to more shelter from the ice and wind?  If we do lose power and automatic waterers aren’t working, how can we be sure the cows have access to enough water? What is our “Plan B” and “Plan C” if “Plan B” doesn’t pan out for some unforeseen reason? Other than a few bad actors and few lacking experience, those caring for livestock understand and dutifully fulfill the responsibility that comes with raising farm animals.  Unfortunately, it is the bad actor and the woefully inexperienced who all too frequently draw the most attention from those who wish to give animal agriculture a bad name.

We spend hours – even days – planning how to best care for our livestock during an ice storm yet few of us give one thought as to how we might find a way to help a bad actor see the light or mentor someone new to raising farm animals.  Farmers are an independent breed and to interfere in another’s management practices isn’t always easy.  But bad actors have no place in animal agriculture and to turn a blind eye is unacceptable.

We should work together to prepare for the next “storm” brought on by anti-animal agriculture propaganda.  It is imminent.  Bad actors have got to go!

Looking out the window of my old 2-story farm house I see freezing rain coming down, encasing blades of grass in a crystal cocoon.  We are prepared yet remain hopeful that our efforts and investment in anticipation of an ice storm are unnecessary.  Can you say you the same about your readiness for the next attack on the industry by animal rights activists?