Animal handling guidelines are a great thing

Why? Why is the threat of animal handling guidelines causing a deer in the headlights look? Who has survived in production agriculture in the past 30 years? It is the producer who keeps his animals in the “ideal comfort level at all times.” It is the producer who is efficiently converting natural resources into human consumable products. The dairy industry now has 1/3 the dairy cows producing 70% more fluid milk by volume than in 1944. We must speak in terms consumers understand rather than in our own lingo. This comes to mind today because of these words from a recent conference reported by Adrian Ewins Saskatoon newsroom.

Ninety percent of the management practices demanded by animal welfare codes and guidelines are already used by most producers, said Ed Pajor
of Purdue University in Indiana. "So use it as an opportunity to take credit for the good things you do," he told farmers and industry officials attending the annual Prairie Swine Centre conference. "The public doesn't know you do them."



Farmers with turbins?

What? Doc Wulff has recently received a patent on an engine that will revolutionize America. Doc and his family reside near Columbia, MO and I took a ride with him in a Saturn car powered by 100% renewable fuels. Acetylene and alcohol are the energy sources used. Acetylene is made from carbon and 87% of the earth’s crust can be used to make this fuel. Initial it appears that they have produced an engine that burns fuel with zero emissions and EPA will validate this with testing on April 15. Additionally, this car gets over 50 miles per gallon, and Doc thinks that this is only a fraction of its capability. I can’t help feeling that “this is huge!” Doc joins me on two Loos Tales to explain this new phenomenon. Link to A Fuels Technologies, LLC explaining in more detail.


Listen to Loos Tales originally airing April 10, 2003
Listen to Loos Tales originally airing April 11, 2003

They’re Weenies

Today is the official launch of the “They’re Weenies” campaign. What is it? I have heard one to many people say; “the special interest groups” have too much power. They have “power and influence” only if we allow them to. Upon being confronted with the truth they will retreat. Recent examples, last week I told about Gary Yourofsky speaking at Indiana University, he has been quoted as saying. "Do not be afraid to condone arsons at places of animal torture, matter of fact, if an "animal abuser" were to get killed in the process of burning down a research lab, I would unequivocally support that, too." Reference Fur Commission for full profile.

Reported by Johnson City Press (TN) this week the Weenie Yourofsky was scheduled to speak at East Tennessee State
University. Yourofsky blew up and did not speak because Dr. Brunhilde Toper-Meyer, a veterinarian who is director of the University's Division of Laboratory Animal Resources made available pamphlets "21 Things You May Not Know about the Animal Rights Movement”. WHAT A WEENIE


On a local nature, recently Iowa’s biggest Weenies Iowa Citizen’s for Community Improvement (ICCI) held a community meeting in Audubon, Iowa. Their intent was an anti-agriculture “hearing” for public discussion concerning two area producers and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The crowd was 70% producers and the truth prevailed. Local producers like Ron Beech spoke and said that’s not right, here is the truth. Read Amy Wilkerson’s report of the meeting.

We have always been reluctant to confront people and they have been counting on that. Food production is worth fighting for and the best soldiers of the truth are without a doubt those of us that get our hands dirty everyday doing it.

THEY’RE WEENIES the truth is on our side, just look them in the eye and tell them so.

Speak Up For Ag

Saturday I attended a Speak Up For Ag meeting in Columbus, NE. The highlight certainly was a producer panel of five who took the stage in front of 200 friends and neighbors. The mission of this gathering was quite simple; proudly tell your community what you do on your farm. “You are an expert in our own experiences”, to often we feel we are not qualified to tell the story. NOBODY is better qualified than you to tell your own story. One concept that was brought up by one of the panelist, was the power of the activist groups PETA, HSUS, Sierra Club et al… HEY I am here to tell you they are ALL weenies, once confronted with the Truth they tuck their head between their legs and retreat. THEY DON’T EXPECT US TO BE SPOKESMEN and hold them accountable to the lies. When we confront them, they will leave us alone and chase some other industry. Congratulations Speak Up For Ag planners. They do remind us it the people, Faces of agriculture.






Too much information


It has come to my attention that the information I send out in Loos Lips everyday can be somewhat disheartening. So it begs the question, what is the balance between knowing the facts about what is truly happening and the optimistic attitude to continue the battle? I believe we must know what they are saying so we can be more prepared, but we must focus on what we do have. Reference a column I wrote in Feb 2002 called Never Better, please read. Secondly the positive side of we do comes to mind today because on my journey yesterday from Columbus, NE to Rochester, MN. I stopped in Ames, IA where Andrew McCrea’s was hosting a book signing. . Andrew does a daily radio program a written a book (The American Countryside) that focuses on the positive things happening in America. Check out Andrew McCrea.






Winter isn’t back, it never left


I am speaking today in Rochester, MN to SE MN Ag Alliance. Very similar to Speak Up For Ag this is another coalition from all commodities uniting to present one voice. It does look like a major blizzard here and I hear across much of the Midwest today. Well anyway that’s your weather update.