Friday, January 10, 2014

Tyson letter to pork suppliers

On Jan 15, 2014 Loos Tales Trent Loos shares his commentary on why all livestock producers should severe ties with Tyson Foods. This is not just a pork supplier issue because the animal rights community is celebrating this Tyson announcement. It is emotionally charged and not based on reality let alone science.

Click here to listen


From Tyson Foods 

January 8, 2014

Dear Valued Pork Supplier,

We're proud to work with pork producers like you. Your commitment to continuous improvement has never been more important – it is a critical element of our successful food system supply chain strategy. Tyson's commitment to responsible food production leads us to share the following with you:

As you know, we're in the second year of our FarmCheck™ animal well-being program, which includes on-farm audits and an Animal Well-Being Advisory Panel. As part of the evolution of our FarmCheck™ program, Tyson will increase third-party sow farm audits in 2014. The third-party audits we began in 2012 are important in our efforts to help ensure responsible on-farm treatment of animals and we believe more audits will further validate good sow farm management practices.

We urge all pork producers to use video monitoring in their sow farms to increase oversight and decrease biosecurity risks. Experience has taught us that video monitoring helps improve human behavior and animal handling in our packing plants. We believe such monitoring is a tool that can improve on-farm animal care and help avoid animal mistreatment. It also can help reduce biosecurity risks. We're asking contract farmers who manage Tyson-owned sows to install video monitoring systems by the end of 2014.

We encourage pork producers to discontinue the use of manual blunt force as the primary method of euthanizing sick and injured piglets. We recognize that this practice has been historically acceptable in the industry but may not match the expectations of today's customers or consumers. To better meet these expectations, Tyson will require contract farmers who manage our company-owned sows to end the use of blunt force euthanasia and adopt an alternative method consistent with recommendations in the most current edition of the American Veterinary Medical Association's "Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals" by the end of 2014.

We support the development and use of pain mitigation for tail docking and castration for piglets. Although this is a topic of debate within our industry, we believe current practices need to improve. Tyson will fund research to further improve practical pain mitigation methods. In the meantime, we encourage producers to adopt practices that reduce or eliminate the pain associated with these procedures, including the use of anesthetics and analgesics that are approved for use in pigs and/or are permissible under the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA).

We urge pork producers to improve housing systems for gestating sows by focusing on both the quality and quantity of space provided. Whether it involves gestation stalls, pens or some other type of housing, we believe future sow housing should allow sows of all sizes to stand, turn around, lie down and stretch their legs. We're asking the contract farmers who manage Tyson-owned sows to implement improved "quality and quantity of space" standards in the design of any newly built or redesigned gestation barns beginning in 2014. We also strongly encourage the hog farmers who sell market hogs to Tyson to improve quantity and quality of space standards for sows when they or their piglet suppliers re-design or build new gestation barns.

We recognize there are differing views on these issues and that this letter raises questions. While we don't have all the answers, we can tell you we plan to work with you as well as our Animal Well-Being Advisory Panel, industry groups – such as the National Pork Producers Council – and our customers in the coming months. We're trying to balance the expectations of consumers with the realities of today's hog farming business. The pork industry has a history of being responsive to changing market dynamics and we look forward to working with you on our current challenges.

If you have questions or concerns about any of the issues discussed in this letter, please contact the Tyson representative with whom you interact the most.

Sincerely,

Shane Miller Dean Danilson, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, Pork Division Vice President, Animal Well-Being Programs
Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. Tyson Foods, Inc.

Tremendous job by the Central Lyon FFA Chapter hosting their first ever Crop Fair. Thanks for including me and given the popularity of that sweatshirt yesterday I thought good picture to share.


Wednesday, January 08, 2014

Are you a Christian and a farmer? Kevin Murphy has something for you to chew on.

Happy New Year!

 

I want to start the New Year right and I want to create a profound response to radical animal rights and environmental activists.

But, in order to achieve this I'll need your help.

Please ask yourself the following questions:

 

  1. How many Christian farmers do you know?
  2. How many of them feel the threat posed by radical animal rights and environmental activists?
  3. Are they motivated to do something about it?
  4. Can you reach them via email?

 

I am particularly fired up over the latest article written by Matthew Scully (attached) that appeared in National Review Online targeting political conservatives.

The article is 42+ pages and asks conservatives to consider adopting a plank in their party of being "Pro-Animal," morally equating this as an extension of their already strong Pro-Life stance. Because of Scully's speechwriting prowess this essay was not only published in this prestigious journal but will undoubtedly be read and influence many in politics.

 

Please let me know what you think.

 

Faithfully,

Kevin Murphy

 

 

 

Kevin Murphy

233 SW Greenwich Drive (PMB #164)

Lee's SummitMO 64082-4426

816.863.8880 (cell)

Our goats are excellent at picking the coldest week of the year to have kids.

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Another example of taking "animal love" too far

In Pennsylvania, the legislation, House Bill 265, would require convicted animal abusers to register with the county sheriff once a year for 15 years.

Registries of those convicted of animal abuse proposed in Pennsylvania, elsewhere


Link here to read whole story

Including link: https://blogs.loc.gov/

"I thought this was simply a  nursery rhyme:  how could one bake living birds in a pie? I discovered that royalty and the upper class, ...